"I want everyone to know you are my apprentice, not only for you but also for me.
"Your letter struck my passion in ways that had been growing stagnant for so many years. Alchemy is my life, and that is akin to igniting it on fire again. I am thankful for that."
He said this with a somber tone that made everyone stare at him, realizing how serious he was.
"Then I found out more about you as a person and I thought how interesting it would be to meet your acquaintance," he said. "And then I saw your potential, and I wanted to be there to see when you grow—which you inevitably will."
There was resounding applause from the audience, while Althea's heart felt extremely touched. It was customary for the Master to have a short speech, but no one really expected him to say anything beyond a sentence—let alone so much.
"Thank you, Master," she said, bowing respectfully, finally using the term used by apprentices to call on their masters. "I will do my best not to disappoint you."
