"I'm really stupid actually."

"Are you, though?"

"Yeah, I basically don't understand much of anything-- there are so many things I should know and I barely grasp any of them--"

"... 'you know more than me' is maybe not as comforting as it should be."

"I have a thousand years' head start and you know way more than me about the Five Classics."

"You're definitely better at explaining things than me."

"I mean, how much time have you spent practicing teaching?"

"If you start docking points for having to practice and not being born good, then suddenly you're awful at walking and talking."

"You'd be just as good if you practiced as much."

"Well, I haven't, which still means you're better than me."

"That's not-- inherently smart, it's just practice."

"--whether you were born smart or became smart, that doesn't change whether you're smart now."

"I guess."

"You're very good, anyway." Nuzzling? Nuzzling seems like the appropriate response in this situation.