Hittin' them hoods today (8)

The Alchemist Association building did not present the imposing, gothic grandeur of the Inquisitor of Truth Association's headquarters. 

There were two main reasons for this contrast. 

Firstly, this structure was merely a branch of the Alchemist Association, not its headquarters. The Alchemist Association was the lifelong project of the Queen of Esteros, a kingdom neighboring Serph with which it had forged increasingly strong ties, notably through the marriage of the only daughter of the House of Khaleji to their crown prince. 

As it originated from Esteros, the association's roots and main headquarters were established in the capital city of Esteros.

Secondly, alchemists typically gave little thought to aesthetics; their primary concern was efficiency.

They believed in the utility of their creations above all else, adhering to the philosophy that as long as something functioned well, its external appearance was inconsequential.