Malaqa smiled wryly. She had faced these occasions numerous times based on her wrinkles.
"Alright, let's ask you— rookies —a question so I can get to know you further," said Malaqa as she crossed her arms with a smile on her face. She might be wrinkled but there was a genuine passion that she traded for pursuing the alchemy art.
She came to the first rookie, "Who recommended you?"
"I-I-Instructor Waer!"
The first one was clearly struggling to say that name. Pale, sweaty, hardly glance his eyes— he was clearly exhausted and barely ten minutes had passed. Things were not looking well for him and he himself knew.
"Instructor Waer, huh," Malaqa nodded before she went to the next one. "How about you?"
"Instructor Nui!"
The next one answered almost immediately to her surprise. It seemed like he was waiting for his turn before he lost control of his concentration.
