The rest of the formations class was spent with the team pouring over their formations textbook. Specifically they were reviewing the first two chapters, the first of which consisted of the Standard Runic Aphabet and what each of the characters represented. The second chapter went into more detail on some of the most basic structures for formations including a variety of examples.
Jien had long since spent the time to absorb this book and store it's information in his Mindscape. He had done this with all the textbooks he had received though it had taken him quite a bit of time. While he definitely found the textbooks to be highly useful he also found them to be rather dry, preferring books on theory. With his increasing knowledge base he hoped to eventually be able to make some of these theories practical or perhaps just test their applications.
It didn't seem long at all before the crisp sound of the bell atop Central Administration rang twice representing the end of morning courses and the start on the afternoon. This was a cause for some excitement among the group, not because they were excited to be done with the class, though this was true for some like Robyn and Rosalind, it was because today they would be starting their duties to earn Merits to help fund their unit in the future.
It was after a short lunch at yet another new mess hall filled with more scholarly looking members, more than likely those whose studies pertained primarily around formations, that they split up to make their way to different destinations. Jien and Olivia were heading to Central Administration to rent their alchemy lab. Julie had been hired by Rebecca to help train her unit in the strategies that Jien had provided them. Andrew was headed to his duties as a healer and the others had headed in a variety of different directions to complete their own duties.
The walk for Jien and Olivia took about twenty minutes at a casual pace. Though it was important that they find an alchemy lab to rent the rental itself would be for two days. Between the two of them they had the confidence to be able to concoct a decent number of alchemical substances to earn a fair number of Merits. The only thing that would slow them down in the future was acquiring ingredients and planning out what they would produce.
This first round was going to be created using the ingredients that Jien had brought with him for the purpose of creating a stock of emergency potions, salves and other agents for their unit. They would be mixing a variety of different concoctions in these two days to test the market. Though they had come to an agreement with Rodrick that didn't mean the self proclaimed 'Merchant King' of the Academy would tell them what would be most profitable for them. More importantly, even if he did tell them it wasn't guaranteed that those items were ones they were capable of making.
Ultimately this lead them to the lab they had rented. It had cost the ten Merits Rodrick had told them that it would. Inside the simple square building was a long wooden workbench that ran along the three walls across from the door. On the workbench were three formation plates like the one Jien had received with his cauldron for his birthday years ago. On the one wall next to the door were floor to ceiling cabinets. After opening them they found several cauldrons and a large variety of glassware that they would be able to use. In the middle on the space was an island, the underside of which was also covered in cabinets, likely containing yet more glassware and other apparatuses to assist in concoction.
Jien quickly went about setting out a variety of different recipes on the island, before placing jars of the varying ingredients for each. After he was done he turned to Olivia who had been watching him from the side. "We are going to start with a blend of antitoxins, sleeping draught, paralytics of low potency and the simplest of healing potions."
Olivia nodded to his conclusion. "That should give us a rough estimate of what type of concoctions are in demand at the moment" she stated calmly. "The only bummer is that we may take a loss on the rest of there are any that aren't being sought after."
Jien mulled over it for a moment but did not seem particularly concerned. "The only barrier is that we earn enough for ingredients and the next rental. That is our break even since these are the only ingredients that I can part with." The goal of course being to garner a profit, such a situation would represent a loss on their part but would not be a setback. If they couldn't even manage that much then it would be a loss in terms of earnings for Merits but even if their concoctions didn't sell they would put them to fair use in good time.
While Jien and Olivia were starting the long process of brewing their varying potions the others were likewise busy. Andrew had been immediately put to work as soon as he arrived. His training in his father's temple making him shine brighter than many of the older healers. His soft disposition also made him popular with his various patients.
Rosalind had returned to Professor Strom's forge, this time wearing a pair of simple pants and a basic shirt. She didn't want to deal with the idea of having to clean her uniforms every day so she had asked around where to get some other clothes given that they weren't technically allowed to have other clothes beyond their uniform. After being directed to talk to Central Administration she was directed to a warehouse that supplied her with the most basic of outfits used by all laborers in the academy when not wearing uniforms.
Among all of them, perhaps the most interesting job was Barret's.