Workings of the Academy

The first stop that the group made once arriving at Central Administration was a seemingly small office at the far end of the main floor. The room itself could almost be considered a closet if not for the small wooden desk and chair. There was a stern looking woman that one could easily mistake for a mix between a librarian and a drill sergeant.

She had sharp blue eyes and her graying blond hair was pulled back into a tight and tidy bun. Her desk was perfectly clean with only a cup of pens, an inkwell and a small large ledger. Her posture was so straight and tense one could wonder if she was a statue, perhaps a golem. Yet when they entered through the door with Jien in the lead her eyes scanned over them piercingly.

Jien didn't seem bothered by the woman's gaze and slight frown, walking to the desk calmly and giving a salute with his fist over his chest. "Unit B114, coming to gather the remainder of their required study materials." His voice was unusually firm and clear, seemingly gaining the appreciation of the woman behind the desk as her frown lightened slightly.

"I recall that you have already collected your materials, you may stand outside while I assist the others. Dismissed." Her tone was clear, her voice calm and pleasant despite her overly tidy appearance. In response Jien was quick to give a slight bow with his hand still held to his chest as he walked out the doorway where the others were waiting.

As Jien passed the others on his way he made eye contact, trying his best to convey that they should follow his lead in how to act without actually saying anything. He could have told them what to expect but he wanted to see if they would be able to pick up on the message without him having to be explicit.

The Academy was first and foremost a military institution. The military had its own etiquette and those that couldn't learn it quickly were bound to find themselves in a world of pain. If they couldn't figure it out after he presented them with the solution then he would have to work with those who didn't understand.

Luckily he didn't find himself or any of his teammates in trouble. They all understood based on his prior performance, and even Julie, who had no knowledge of the Academy prior to being brought here was able to imitate his actions well enough to not be picked on. By the time each of them registered and received their stack of study materials from the woman they were all breathing a sigh of relief.

Now that they had gotten what they came for Jien led the way back to their quarters. By the time they arrived and walked up the stairs to their flat everyone but him, Julie and Barret appeared to be winded. Though perhaps Barret himself was winded, as sweat was accumulating on his brow. However he remained as stoic and calm as ever despite this fact.

Once in their flat everyone dropped their books on the table before collapsing into their chairs. To Jien's surprise it looked like Rosalind may have been the most winded and when she saw him looking at her with a questioning gaze she simply asked "Did you even carry your books or did you immediately throw them in your bag? They are heavier than you think."

Jien's response to her statement was to point to Andrew, who though winded seemed to be doing a fair amount better. "Then why does Andrew appear to be doing better?" To this the effeminate boy let out a short laugh. "You have no idea the type of training that the temple put me through. I may not be the best fighter but I have long been able to pull my weight."

After thinking about it for a bit Jien felt that Andrew's point made sense, though that still didn't help him understand how Rosalind, the daughter of a family that was built on mining and smithing would be worn out be carrying books, especially given that her weapon of choice was a large pole hammer.

In the end he turned his attention to actually pertinent problems. It seemed that his unit members had not used any of their time to study the guide that they each were provided. He needed to ensure that each of them were familiar with the workings of the Academy lest they end up wasting their efforts or worse, causing trouble for not just themselves or the unit as a whole.

Jien pulled a copy of the Academy Guide, its simple brown cover bearing the words in gold lettering. "I need you all to take the time to read this, learn from it and memorize it." His words were cool and the look in his eyes more serious than any other time they had seen in the past week.

The others seemed to become more serious as well, looking in his direction to show that he had their attention. Even Julie looked at him in an attempt to understand why he was being so pushy on the matter. Jien's next words however, brought a certain level of clarity to their mind regarding the matter.

"If you read this guide and truly understand it you will understand not just the rules of the Academy, but also the differing options available to you. Take myself for instance. I have an interest in alchemy, formations and to a lesser degree smithing but how would I know where to go to practice outside class?"

He continued after a short pause to let it sink in. "On top of that, the luxuries that go above the bare minimum within the Academy grounds are paid in merits. After reading the guide I understand how to acquire them even as a first year but I can't truly work out a plan for us as a unit until you all understand what makes this place tick."

Classes may have just started but Jien had every intention of making the most of this four years of education. He intended to make sure that his unit members would as well, even if he had to carry them through it himself.