Jien and his unit members worked out their next course of action over the evening before retiring. This was only the beginning of their week of lessons. Classes were held on Monday through Friday at different timings depending on the year and unit number. In this case their next class would be in the afternoon the coming day and was likely one of the few that Rosalind was actually excited for.
She was actually the first to wake up in preparation for the day, going about her morning routine with even more of a pep in her step. This morning was a time when they were beginning to put their plan into action. They woke up, prepared and then split off into separate groups depending on where they were needing to head to find their resource to start earning Merits.
The bulk headed directly toward the Central Administration to talk with the various administrative teams to see what the steps were to start working in their respective areas. The intent was, that though they would lose some of their training and study time, that they would gather what they could in Merits in a short time and invest them forward into those who chose crafting professions. This would allow them to continuously gather Merits by reinvesting what was earned into more supplies while withholding an undetermined percentage for their unit to use on a rainy day.
Jien and Olivia were the only two that did not head toward the Central Administration, opting to meet up with Rebecca and start their cooperation in earnest. Jien had thought for the past week that they were able to train together and had thought up a few basic strategies for the group of merchants. He had taken his time the past weekend to transcribe his ideas into a small notebook. It wasn't much but it should be worth enough to help build the connections to sell their salves.
They of course could sell the salves to the Academy. This would earn them some Merits, just as they were planning to do in the future. The trouble was it likely wouldn't be enough to get access to an alchemy lab. While some may risk it, the academy was very strict on building labs or other work areas in living spaces due to the risks involved. It was likely that in the beginning a number of students had done just that causing large amounts of damage and leading to strict rulings to be put in place. In fact, doing so and being found out could earn Demerits, creating a debt that if not paid by graduation could lead to a forced conscription until the debt was paid.
Jien wasn't about to risk his unit incurring a debt in the hope to earn what they could earn safely with a little back and forth with the various groups within the academy. It didn't take them long to meet at one of the many crossroads on the academy roads, meeting the leader of the unit of merchants. Rebecca smiled at them happily knowing that this was to be the start of a very profitable cooperation.
After they met in the large crossroads Rebecca led them to an area of the Academy that they hadn't seen yet, not that they had seen much of the Academy at all. The area they entered looked more like a bazaar, multiple different stands and tables housing different wares of many types from the alchemical to weapons and armor. There were food items and though hidden away in spaces where they hoped not to be seen, small booths that offered brewed alcohol. The academy had many rules and one of the largest was that barring unusual circumstances students remain sober.
Rebecca ignored the majority of the booths in this bazaar that wouldn't look out of place in any large city. The only difference was that rather than fully grown adults selling wares it was always students, almost all of which were second and third years. First years hadn't built enough of a reputation or network to get into business, especially against those who had more experience. On the other side, those that were in their fourth year didn't have the availability. They were put through drills and real life training in the field for the entire year.
The Academy had a few purposes but the main one was to prepare students for military service. To do this, the best way was always through live training. The fourth year units would work with a live military unit, filling in gaps and learning from those that had been hardened in the war against the other races.
Rebecca dragged them into a certain corner of the bazaar that had a mix of booths selling alchemical concoctions and booths that seemed to be empty but for the person sitting behind it. Though Jien expected her to lead them to one of the clearly alchemy based booths he was surprised that she led him to one of the other type.
Behind the booth was a man with strawberry blonde hair that was cut short and sharp, deep green eyes. He wasn't particularly handsome, more on the average side, and seemed to be relaxed, leaning back in his chair until he saw Rebecca walk up with Jien and Olivia in tow.
The man eyed Jien and Olivia critically before looking at Rebecca and smiling. "What can I help you with Rebecca?" he asked in a tone that sounded as smooth as silk felt. His tone, while perhaps fitting for the color of his hair did not match the piercing nature of his eyes or the fact that he looked average.
Rebecca didn't seem surprised by his voice or question, instead gesturing to Jien and Olivia. "Good morning Rodrick, I came to introduce you to a pair of my friends who would like you to look at their wares." The words were simple but upon hearing them Rodrick turned his eyes back to the pair with a more critical look, as if trying to look right through them.