[It does sound like someone telling a story, albeit a very good one. He's given him no reason to think he's lying, of course... but nor exactly any reason to fully trust him. Especially with his suspicions of where he might be from. He can only speculate and take the information he's being given.]

An apostate, then. [He says that in a neutral sort of tone. While he disapproves of that in principle, he's met an apostate who turned out to be a very good person even as a mage, and he's met Circle mages who weren't so good so... well... that part doesn't matter so much.] You must have had a challenge, keeping yourself unnoticed by Templars. Where did you live for all that time?