"Those who seek tend to create opportunities to learn what they need to know in order to find the truth," Jan answers, with a smile. He'd be perfectly happy to meet John again after John reads Einstein's paper. And he might just tag along to that meeting with Einstein! Just try and get rid of him! (Nevermind the shipwreck, Curufin will haul John out of the water and into the lifeboat.)

"No apologies necessary, but thank you for that." Smile.

Curufin went to engineering school, of course, not to any prestigious academy. But he's aware that those academies do provide an excellent education to any who are able to profit from it. Clearly, John is one who did.

"And if I have interrupted your studies, I apologize for that." Might as well be as gracious as John is.