[ He should probably continue that side note about magic in the Free cities. Or - he definitely should, since there's more they could cover in it from what he's gleaned from hanging around Cadens. But when Petra mirrors his expression back to him and confirms his suspicion voiced through that question is true: he can't do anything but stare at her, mind temporarily completely blank. ]

Teach taught the Golden Deer, for me. [ 'For me' feels like an important qualifier to add even if the rest of his sentence before it explains enough. Kind of. ] He was pretty fond of us as well even if we weren't exactly the most reverent house, which I might've encouraged. But you're saying that Teach sided with-- Edelgard.

[ This is where he should watch what he says; there's an alarm bell sounding in one corner of his mind. The fall of Derdriu made it start as a faint echo but now it rings even louder. Claude could elaborate on just why that realization, protection or not, actually causes him to shift ever so slightly in his seat in uneasiness buried within placing an elbow on the table as though to prop his chin in his hand though he never actually does. ]

Huh. I can't say I saw that coming. Professor Manuela taught the Black Eagles, and - [ Wait. Again. ] Hold on. When you mentioned Teach, you said she?