"Qifrey teaches the girls the way he wishes he was taught as a child"
He teaches the girls the way he was taught as a child.
Beldaruit loves big, showy magic. He enjoys magic that inspires wonder— still maintains a childish sense of joy even in his old age.
Meanwhile, Qifrey teaches Coco of a "gentler sort of magic", after giving her the rundown on what sorts of magic are forbidden. To me, this feels exactly like the sort of thing Beldaruit would say.
Imagine Qifrey quoting Beldaruit to Coco. Not even quite realizing what he's doing it. She's just so much like him, he slips into Beldaruit's shoes even more with her than the other apprentices.
But she's different from him. Untouched by the silverwood. Softness can't hurt her the way it can hurt him. Same goes for all four of his girls.
Qifrey would not isolate himself from Beldaruit if it was an issue of discomfort. The silverwood impacts every single one of his decisions, and the decision of where to live was most definitely included in that.
To me, Qifrey's estrangement from Beldaruit is twofold.
Bel too good of a mentor. He is observant, kindc passionate and eager to teach. All traits that qifrey shares; all traits that would be extremely useful and good with any student that's not a silverwood host.
Beldaruit would almost definitely figure it out simultaneously to Olruggio. Anyone at the great hall might. And then Qifrey would have to erase their memory, and he'd hate that.
So he fled the great hall to avoid hurting anyone, especially the man who raised him.
