[His head snaps back to look at Cara when she mentions 'magic'. He intrinsically knows that magic is not something that exists outside the realm of slight of hand and clever illusion; basically, that so called 'magic' could never have caused a tree to grow this quickly. There would be a perfectly logical explanation for it.]

I doubt 'magic' has anything to do with it...

[Although he's incapable of changing his facial features, scepticism is clear in his voice.]

It seems like something that's possible with alchemy, but [he pauses and tilts his head a little] I'm not sure it's such a good idea.

[Transmuting a non-living thing was already difficult enough, complicating it by adding so many different elements sounded like more effort than it was worth. Not to mention the fact that something about transmuting a living thing bothered him on a profound level.]

I don't see how a tree is any more suspicious than half the stuff that happens here. Being born in a goo cocoon is weirder, in my opinion.