[ With his chin propped in one hand, Howl watches the Naga pour the tea. His playful attitude from moments earlier has clearly been withdrawn. Now he's observing him with simple curiosity. ]

Rather than asking whether I've a large undertaking in the future, it's better to ask when my next one will be. [ After adding two spoonfuls of sugar to his teacup, he takes a sip. ] I don't merely practice magic... I enjoy searching for major breakthroughs, as well. Discovering new methods, investigating side effects, anything that could possess hidden significance. It's difficult to know ahead of time how much magic I'll need in pursuit of that knowledge.