037 Herbology

Nico walked up the thirty-six large bluish granite steps leading up to the main entrance of Pendin Hall. Inside the large and chandelier lit lobby, there were several registration tables set up for the different field of studies.

Nico registered for the herbology test. He had been going to class and studying additional information from Professor Stance, Elmara and the other assitants.

Although Elmara seemed cold, she answered all of Nico's questions without any hint of irritation.

After a few weeks, she suggested that he attempt the testing tower. With his current knowledge, he should be able to attend Herbology 301, where students began formal practice of Alchemy.

Although Nico had a general idea of what was required for creating an alchemy pill, he did not have the practical experience to attempt the One-Plus Pill. He needed to be especially careful since many of the ingredients were expensive and difficult to attain.

He stood in line and waited to take the test. There were ten people ahead of him, but the line moved quickly. As soon as one person entered the door, another person immediately entered.

When it was his turn, he walked up to the tower entrance. The door was similar to the dorm room, it had no knob or key. However, the door was decorated with an elaborate engraving. His badge glowed as he approached the door and he willed it to open.

He entered the round tower, but there was nothing inside the 5m x 5m space. The door shut from behind.

The stone walls and soaring tower disappeared, leaving him in an empty open space. He felt like an astronaut looking beyond the galaxy.

Suddenly, questions appeared and floated everywhere in the boundless space. Nico read through a question. As soon as he thought of an answer, the question disappeared and a new question appeared in its place. Nico had no time to think about what was going on, he simply answered as many questions has possible.

Afterward, the test stopped, the tower reappeared and the door opened.

The proctor outside instructed Nico to leave.

"Eh? It's over already?" Nico walked out the door, a bit confused.

He appeared on a other side of the tower.

The room was a large lobby that opened up to the rear courtyard. He saw a crowd of students looking at several large bulletin boards.

The bulletin board for Herbology blinked and the order for the ranking reorganized itself. The orders were constantly shifting like the numbers on Wall Street. Nico had moved up to #8870, allowing him to attend Herbology 301. Suddenly, it moved down to #8871.

"Mister, if the board shift like this constantly, how would I know my ranking?" asked Nico.

"It's common for students to take the highest ranking for the semester," the proctor replied. "You had #8870 right? Then that would be your ranking. There would naturally be many people with #8870 ranking as well. Only the top 100 students are ranked according to the latest ranking order "

"Ah, I see," Nico nodded.

Afterward, Nico signed up for the Sigillogy test.

On the 1st day of the week, Nico walked into the Herbology 301.

Some of the students looked suspiciously at Nico, who stuck out like a blue balloon in a sea of green robes.

"What is a blue robe doing in Herbology 301?"

"Who's the kid?" Asked green robe student.

"Don't know, is he lost?" asked another green robe student.

"Hey you, are you lost?"

Nico was pretty sure this was Herbology 301. "Herbology 301?"

The student who asked nodded.

"Y'all annoying," complained a rough looking student sitting by the corner of the lecture hall. "He obviously belongs in the lecture hall if he could pass through the doorway."

Nico looked at the doorway, it was enchanted like many of the doors in the school. Nico hadn't tried entering a lecture hall that he wasn't allowed in.

Nico sat down.

"It looks like we have another blue robe in the 301 class," commented a student.

There's another blue robe? Nico thought as he looked around. There were green robes and even red robe students of all ages, very different from the 101 classes.

Just as he was scanning, a blue robe student walked in, and Nico recognized him.

"Xavier!" Nico called out and waved.

"Ah, hey! Hey! You're Nico, right?" Xavier seated himself next to Nico. "Wow, I didn't know you're in Herbology 301 as well. Or did you just pass the test?"

"Yeah, I passed the test two days ago," Nico responded.

They watched as the seat filled up. Unlike the 101 class, there were only thirty students in the 301 lecture hall.

Professor Wenlet looked sternly at the student. He began exactly when the clock struck nine.

"We will briefly review last week lessons, anyone remember the first step of Alchemy?" The professor asked.

"Refining." One of the students answer.

"Yes, the first step of Alchemy is refining the raw materials. The next step?"

"Amalgamation."

"Yes. Amalgamation is the mixture of different refined materials. Many people uses the layman term mixture. And what is the last step?"

"Solidification."

"Good, you have been paying attention. R.A.S. is the three main processes of alchemy. Today, we will review them in detail.

Let's look at the process of refining the Ratagon and Julipo, the two main ingredients for strength based pills. Does anyone know the the primary shadow symbol found within the Ratagon and Julipo?"

Silence.

"You should have memorized these manaherbs in 201. Ratagon consists of approximately 70% Zu shadow symbols and the Julipo consists of 60% Zu shadow symbols. The purpose of refining is to remove the unnecessary symbols within the herb until only the main shadow symbols remain."

A student raised her hand. "Professor, why would we need Ratagon and Julipo when they both have the Zu shadow symbols? Couldn't we make it simple and just use the Ratagon or Julipo?"

"Good question. This is the primary lesson for Sigillogy 301, but I will briefly explain. Although they both contain Zu shadow symbols, the formation and structure of the symbols are different. How different, we aren't sure ourselves.

Now then, back to the lesson. In order to refine the ratagon, we need to use the black flame. And for the Julipo, we need the blue flame. This is one of the reasons why cauldrons are important. A poor cauldron have 1 flame setting and a good cauldron have 3 flame settings. The three main flames used in alchemy are red, blue and black flames.

This process is repeated until all the ingredients are refined.

The next step is amalgamation. It is the process of combining the refined ingredients and adding enough flame to melt the ingredients together. This is where magicians excel over cultivators. Magicians can use their aura to manipulate the heat and speed up the process.

Solidification is a natural process of maintaining the flame until a pill is formed. A successful pill may take hours or even days to complete. That is why alchemist have partners to maintain the flame or excellent grade cauldron to run the flame for a long period of time.

Even when a pill is formed, there are still high chances of it becoming defective."

"Professor Wenlet, why do we only have one formula available in the school?" asked one of the students.

"Since pills are important trade secrets and extremely valuable, many formulas and methods are not distributed. It is a closely guarded secret protected by the Alchemy Guild. The Alchemy Guild protects Alchemist rights and handle many formula transactions.

We will begin experimentation next class, and it will be on the sleeping pill, so make sure you study the formula."

Xavier and Nico both waited for the next class, Sigillogy 301.

"I heard from Anya that you, Vincent and Jack made it in the Academy," Xavier conversed. "But I didn't think you would enter this class so soon."

"You made it in as well!"

"Well, I have been studying from the famous Kelseran Library ever since I was little. My parents help run the place, so I have the opportunity to read a lot of books."

They watched as students walked in and out. As two more red robe students entered, everyone stopped to stare. A tall stern looking student walked in with a pretty student.

"Oh my goddess, that's Hobin and Juliana," the students fawned at the two incoming students.

"Wow, can't believe we are seeing the academy royalty."

"Are all the red robe students treated as royalty?" Nico asked Xavier.

"Just them two, they are two of the youngest foundation stage students in the Academy."