“Well, honestly… I did not know. I just noticed the building looks quite old, and I could not think of anything else but the wonders of alchemy to keep it going for that many years.”
He hesitated for a heartbeat, but took the lie one step further.
“And one way to find out for sure was to mention it to you. After all, who would know if not you?”
He could feel his pulse in his veins and just hoped they wouldn’t find his words as insolent as he did himself.
“So, you took your observation, developed a theory, and tested it. Questionable in terms of respect, but clever nonetheless. I would even call it refreshing.”
The voice of the oldest member of the board, master Myrr, had a slight croaky undertone to it, making Kraghtol wonder if he had some kind of disease, possibly a cold.
Thalen Virex cleared his throat slightly, a sign that the questioning would go on, but there was a slight hint of approval in his voice now.
“Alright. Let’s put this aside for the moment. What do you know about alchemy?”
That was a surprisingly good question. The honest answer would be ‘almost nothing’.
“Well, it’s… it’s the craft of wonder, if you ask me. You create magical mixtures that can do almost anything. But if you ask mehowyou do it, I have to admit that I have no idea. That’s why I’m here to learn.”
It sounded stupid in his own ears, but at least no one laughed.
“Good. Now suppose we accept you into our school, and you learn our secrets. What will you use your knowledge for?”
The dean’s voice was as stern as her expression, leaving no space for uncertainty.
“I want to help people. Everybody has problems, and by learning alchemy, I hope I can solve some of them.”
Hethoughtthis was a good answer — and it was an honest one — but except for the ever-present smile on the face of the elf, the committee didn’t seem to be very impressed.
“So, you think ordinary problems of ordinary people deserve an alchemical solution?” Elvara asked. The tone of her voice made it clear there was a right answer to this question, and it was not the ‘yes’ he would have blurted out before the potion had ordered his mind.
“N… no. Sorry, I think I didn’t say that right. I mean the big problems, of course. The important ones. Ordinary means can solve ordinary problems, but alchemy… alchemy is extraordinary.”
It didn’t feel right to put it that way, and Kraghtol felt bad, as if he was lying to himself. But it was clearly the answer they were looking for, and Thalen Virex nodded.
“Exactly. And who is best suited to decide which problems are worth an alchemical solution?”
It was an obvious question, and the expected answer was obvious as well.
“The guild, of course.”
“Very well, Krasen. I think we have heard enough. Please leave us alone for a moment while we discuss the question of your admission. We will call you in again when we have decided.”
Kraghtol bowed slightly and left the room, back to the front office with Mrs. Urdson behind her desk. It was pleasantly cool here, and he realized his back was cold from sweat that was not only caused by the stifling room.
“It will be alright.”
Mrs. Urdson was emotionless as usual, but Kraghtol found her words calming.
“Thank you. I hope I didn’t mess it up too badly.”
She shook her head slowly.
“I doubt that. But even if you did, the final decision is with the guild master. And Virex is a good man. I think you can trust his judgment.”
With these words, her voice trailed off again, and she returned to her papers. The wait was as bad as before, but at least this time, it was shorter.
“Please come in again, Krasen.”
