The answering gust of wind to the small one he'd created gets an immediate grin from Claude, one of both delight and appreciation for what she'd created. A library clerk nearby pauses to watch when that bit of wind gets their attention. He nods to them before turning his gaze back to what comes next when his attention is focused on each reveal as the conversation progresses, though not without an eyebrow raise at her answer to the academy equivalent in her world.

"Huh. Sounds like that's standard everywhere since I've heard plenty about the schools of sorcery in Fodlan limiting who could attend either through intentional ways or less obvious ones like high fees." Lorenz, after all, had told him plenty of times about that particular school in Fhirdiad and its particular exclusivity. "An unfortunate commonality and even more so if it involves limiting magic to learning it there or somewhere else alongside it, all of which can be said for the academy my grandfather sent me to." Let alone the tutors he would've had in Almyra if he'd stayed.

Still - a slight grin crosses his face at the mention of it making her stronger. "I've always enjoyed a challenge myself even if it's one that shouldn't have to be faced. And it sounds like it helped if what you've shown here is anything to go by, or out in the gardens since I think I've seen you out there, too. If pulling upon nature is another way to do the magic I'd be all for that since I've always preferred to lean upon that over, say, faith in something."