Scumbag Fate System-Chapter 113: Victoria Room (1)

Reinhard left the building, lost in thought.

And then he paused.

Victoria stood in the pathway ahead, leaning against a stone pillar. The moonlight caught her black hair and eyes as she smiled and waved at him.

"Hello, Reinhard." She called out warmly. "Walk with me?"

Her smile held something knowing.

They walked together through quiet campus paths. Most students had gone to bed hours ago. The night air carried autumn’s chill, but Victoria’s presence somehow made it feel warmer.

"I want to know the real secret," Victoria said after a moment. "How you actually gained your Sigil. Not the story about your mother’s notes, though I suspect that’s partially true. I want to know the method."

Reinhard glanced at her. "Why now? You’ve never pressed me about this before."

"Because something important always showed up. But now we have time."

Reinhard chuckle. "I supposed that’s true. So, do you want it now-"

"You can tell me in my room."

Reinhard didn’t say anything after that but inwardly he did smile at that. It has been a while since he spent time with Victoria and he did enjoy their verbal sparing and teasing. Even if it she had that annoying ability to see through his words and knew sometimes when he was lying.

They reached the faculty residential building.

Victoria led him inside and up stairs to her private quarters. Her room was larger than student dorms which had a sitting area with comfortable chairs, a desk covered in papers, bookshelves lining the walls, and a door leading to what was presumably her bedroom.

She locked the door behind them and activated privacy seals with a casual gesture. "No one can hear us now. Whatever you tell me stays between us."

The implications weren’t lost on him.

Victoria moved to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses. "Drink?"

"Sure," Reinhard said while settling into one of the chairs.

She poured generous amounts into both glasses and handed him one. Their fingers brushed during the exchange, a touch that lingered just slightly longer than necessary.

"So," Victoria said as she sat across from him. She crossed her legs slowly, the movement drawing his attention. "Tell me about this method that gave you a Sigil when you had none."

Reinhard took a sip of wine to buy himself time to think.

System, he thought. How many wishes do I have available now?

The blue screen appeared.

And quickly words began to appear.

[Host! Since you haven’t used the previous one and a week has passed. You have two wishes!]

Good. I need you to create a formula that can help a person copy an existing Sigil from someone else.

The system paused for several seconds while Reinhard took another sip while Victoria patiently waited.

[I think copying existing Sigils would be better than granting random ones, Host. It would also help explain why your Sigils are so similar to your clubmates’ if Victoria or others find out about your multiple Sigils later. The connection would be obvious—you copied from them.]

The system was right. Sooner or later others will notice how similar his Sigils are to his friends. It would all make sense if he’d copied their powers.

Reinhard nodded inwardly. Okay, do it.

[Alright, Host! Whenever your ready, Just ask her for a pen and paper to write it down. I’ll download the formula directly into your mind.]

"Do you have a pen and paper?"

Victoria’s eyes brightened with interest. She moved to her desk and retrieved writing supplies, then brought them over and sat on the armrest of his chair instead of returning to her own seat.

The proximity made her perfume which had subtle hints of vanilla and jasmine, much more noticeable.

Information flooded Reinhard’s mind as the system downloaded the formula. It felt like having knowledge poured directly into his brain, uncomfortable but manageable.

He began writing quickly, translating the downloaded information into clear instructions. The formula filled two pages of diagrams showing energy flows, and step-by-step procedures for the ritual.

Victoria leaned over his shoulder to watch him write. Her hair brushed against his cheek. "This is incredibly detailed... Just where did your mother learn this or found it?"

"I have no idea," Reinhard said honestly while finishing the final diagram. "I found her notes and followed the instructions. It worked, but I don’t understand half of what I’m doing."

The lie came smoothly and Victoria was too focused on the diagrams to even notice.

Reinhard finished writing and handed her the papers. "There. The complete method for gaining a Sigil when you have none."

Victoria took the pages eagerly and moved back to her chair to read. Her silver eyes scanned the text rapidly, occasionally widening with recognition or surprise.

"This is brilliant." She breathed. "The framework alone is groundbreaking. But the practical application..." She looked up at him. "This doesn’t just give you a random Sigil but allows for a chance to copy from those around you."

"You figure that out, so fast? It took me a while to see." Reinhard said with a sigh.

"Ascendant~" Victoria said lightly. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Reinhard lips twitched.

Victoria set the papers down and studied him with new intensity. "So when you gained your Sigil, you copied it from someone. Who?"

"I didn’t copy, I was just given a random one."

"Which is?"

"Shouldn’t that be a secret?"

"Don’t you think we’re far too close to keep a secret like that? Especially after giving me this?" Victoria said with a faint smile. "Besides, I think I have an idea."

Reinhard chuckled and said. "Do you, now?"

"It’s a future sight one."

Reinhard sighed before leaning back. "Did you notice back when I warned you about Morphin?"

"Bingo~ Which means you most likely copied Rika."

"Or maybe I just got a Sigil like hers. I wasn’t close to her when I did it." Reinhard pointed out.

"That’s true. Still, it’s funny it gave you that type of skill, I wonder if you’ve been using it when we talk." Victoria said in amusement.

"You would have noticed and called me out."

"Who knows, I’m the type who likes to watch how things play out."

"I know, you damn tease."

Victoria laughed before saying. "Still, I’m a bit surprised you really did come true. I was expecting you to keep this a secret or try to deflect."

Reinhard reached up and gently took her free hand. His thumb brushed across her knuckles. "I told you before. I always make those I owe very happy."

Victoria’s smile grew. "You did say that, didn’t you?" She set her wine glass down and used her now-free hand to brush black hair back from her face. "And you certainly delivered with this."

"I do aim to please~"

"You sure, do..." She sat fully on the armrest now, close enough that their shoulders touched. "So tell me, Reinhard. What do you really think about this Void Assembly? About the threat they pose?"

The shift to serious topics felt natural despite the charged atmosphere between them.

"I think they’re more dangerous than I thought before..." Reinhard said honestly. "They’ve been planning this for over a decade. But I will lead them to you guys."

Victorian chuckled before nodding. "I hope you do. I don’t want to think my dear students will come together and mount a foolish hunt for them."

"We aren’t stupid."

"When it comes to love, people do stupid stuff."

"Ugh... You’re right."

Victoria smiled before reaching out and traced her finger along his jawline. "Still... You’re fascinating, you know that? You appeared at this academy as nothing special. And now?" Her voice dropped lower. "Now you’re the most dangerous student here. In the best possible way."

Reinhard caught her hand and held it against his cheek. "Dangerous how?"

"Because you have my attention."

The distance between them had shrunk to almost nothing. Her breath warm against his face.

"It has been a while..."

"Hm? Since what?"

"Since we’ve been together."

"Whatever do you mean~"

Reinhard rolled his eyes before kissing her softly. Then it deepened as Victoria shifted from the armrest into his lap, her hands sliding into his hair. Reinhard’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer.

She tasted like wine and something uniquely her. The kiss broke after several breathless moments, but Victoria didn’t move away.

She stayed in his lap, forehead resting against his.

"Ahh, now I remember."

"I hope you would. Because I don’t think I want to leave anytime soon."

"Good because I would be disappointed and angry."

"How angry?"

"Alot."

Then Victoria’s lips descended onto him once more.