[It's a fair question - and one that makes perfect sense given everything else. That doesn't stop her from hating it a little though.]

Oh, no. I'd only been studying for a very short while. It usually takes almost ten years before an examination is done, although I suspect that has more to do with the age of the average candidate than anything. There's no firm requirement for time. Mr Ralston - er, my teacher -, he could have booked my examinations at any point, I suppose. Though, it will be terrible to send along an apprentice too early and have them fumble their tests. But then again, holding them back is just as embarrassing - no one wants to have the same apprentice for fifteen years. It might say something poorly about the education you're providing, and so on. I can only assume it's a very delicate thing. Not that it matters now, but I was an unusually old apprentice.

[All of which gets absolutely nowhere near the real heart of the question to hand. Because-- Because...--

Anyway, the last piece of cheese has found it's way to her lips and she pauses here to nibble on it.]

But you know, [she says at last] I don't know what I would have picked, given the option. I hardly know what I'd pick to do now. --Not that I don't enjoy helping about, of course! And I do enjoy the little things the Provost assigns. And the Chantry Relations project has been very educational. And there is so very much to read and all of it is interesting and there are a great many things that I'm very curious about, but-- [She stuffs the rest of the cheese in her mouth, speaking from behind the shield of her hand.]

Well I think it's very nice that you know what you enjoy, Messere Pizzicagnolo. I imagine in a way that it must be a great comfort.