@welcome2atlantis no they were worried the MC would think about defecting if the kingdom just took everything without compensation for unjust treatment.
They were discussing how any kingdom would glady accept him with full benefits should he ever want to migrate.
They were forced to go into the dungeon with lack of prep and nearly lost their lives, and they could not say no.
So the concensus was they had to compensate them even if it were to drive the kingdom into near bankruptcy for the discovery rights, because the last thing the entire council wanted was a pissed off Pope, (which btw he is really really pissed off for almost losing his Granddaughter) and a pissed off magician which comes only once in a thousand years.