Scumbag Fate System-Chapter 3: A Sweet Deal

Reinhard had already thought of a plan before reaching the cafeteria doors.

The girl from the Resonance Club steps seemed to be the shy and nervous type. He would need to approach her in a way that isn’t too casually and meant to show he needs her help. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

He pushed the doors open.

There were only a couple of students inside, scattered across the round tables. But he ignored them as he quickly found her standing at the menu lines. She was staring up at the five options with an expression he already recognized.

He looked at the food to see steam rising from the dishes, which looked like they were from a 5-Star restaurant.

Oh? The First Class and Second-Class menus require gold? He thought in surprise, seeing numbers next to the food.

Spicy Wyvern Meat - 300 Gold.

Grilled Vectar Fish - 400 Gold.

She was staring at the first-class menu with the particular expression of someone doing the math they already knew the answer to. Hopeful for exactly as long as it took to confirm the hope was pointless. Then she swallowed once, looked away, and turned toward the standard line with a resigned look.

That looks like a habit, he thought. Seeing something that is out of her reach before moving on without anyone noticing.

He’d seen it in people who’d spent long enough being told their wants were inconvenient. Still, this does open up an opportunity to talk with her and get to know her.

Reinhard headed towards the side of the line and then smiled at her. "Hello there-"

She took a step back before giving him a weary look while shifting nervously. "D-Do you need something? I’m busy right now."

"I was hoping I could ask you a few questions about the school."

The girl blinked before giving him a peculiar look. "You can just ask a teacher."

"They are busy with other students right now. So, I figure it would be best to ask another student, and you came into view."

The girl blinked before shifting uncomfortably again with a slight bush. "I see... Well, I’m sorry, but I’m-"

Reinhard smiled and spoke. "How about I buy you lunch from the First-Class line as compensation? It’s only right since I’m taking up your time."

The girl blinked before looking at the first-class line. Then she looked back at him with a suspicious expression, as if trying to identify which part of this was the trap.

"You don’t even know me."

"I know you’re standing in the standard line when you’d rather not be. And I know you’ve been generous enough to consider helping me despite having no reason to." He kept his tone easy, unhurried. "That’s enough to earn a meal."

She hesitated.

He watched her talk herself into refusing, noting the small straightening of her posture, the breath she took to deliver the polite decline.

Then the steam from the first-class line drifted over.

She looked at the grilled fish glazed with nectar for exactly two seconds.

"For questions?" She finally said.

"For answers... I don’t want to wait for a professor or my progress. I’m sure you understand the sentiment."

The girl’s eyes slightly widened. "I do understand. But..."

She hesitated before glancing at the first-class line again. The steam made its way over, leading her sniff it and tremble with a flash of longing.

Reinhard came closer and spoke. "Imagine eating that good food as a reward for answering a few questions."

The girl paused.

"Don’t tell me you’d allow another person to–"

"Fine, I will do it!" The girl quickly said, but then paused. "But... You have to buy exactly what I want."

"Sure."

The girl blankly stared at him as he took her hands and gently pulled her over to the first-class line. He knew her words were meant to be threatening or get him to hesitate.

But it was far more amusing and entertaining.

The girl only realized he had been holding her hand after letting go, and it was her turn to order. She glanced at him before looking over the food and slowly raising a hand.

"That." She pointed at the grilled fish glazed with nectar. "And... that."

After a couple of minutes, she had overloaded her plate with food. And even stared in shock when he paid for the food.

When they left the lines, she looked at the food piled up on her plate. "You actually bought what I wanted."

"You should have some faith in me. Oh, right, what’s your name?"

"Rika."

They exited through the side areas and headed towards the area filled with small round tables and chairs. Once seated, Reinhard leaned back as he watched Rika begin devouring the food. As he bit into his apple, he saw her pause before blushing and then eating slowly this time.

He chuckled. "So, can you tell me about the Academy Departments?"

Rika swallowed quickly. "R-Right!"

She straightens herself up while closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and opening them up.

"There are countless departments such as the Combat Arena, Magic Theory, Magic Engineering, Environmental Echos, Sovereign Studies-"

"Sovereign Studies?"

"Yes." She clasped her hand. "It’s focusing on finding objects or areas that have remnants of the Mythical Sovereign’s magic."

He noted that before asking. "Which Departments did you pick?"

"Well, the History Department."

"So, you enjoy history?"

Rika’s eyes lit up, and she nodded. "I’m not sure why, but I’ve just been curious about the world."

"Such as?" Reinhard asked. He was a bit surprised that he was far more curious about this than he should be. Something in her face when she mentioned being curious made him want a real answer.

The look of someone who found the most joy out of pursuing and doing something they love.

"Well... I wonder about the Echos across the land. Don’t you want to know why they show things from the past?"

He touched his chin as she watched him closely, waiting to see if he was really listening or just pretending. He knew that look well, since he did the same thing himself plenty of times. He guessed people had asked her questions before but didn’t care about her answers.

"I do, actually." He and leaned a bit forward. "I sometimes wonder if the world keeps them because it wants to remember them. Or do they keep them because it’s something that can’t be forgotten?"

Rika stared at him before smiling and relaxing.

"Yes. That’s it exactly." She leaned closer. "Nobody back home cared. I had to beg my parents for books about it."

He noticed the change.

The way she leaned in, how she stopped being so careful, and he felt something else. He recognized someone who’d been smart and lonely so long that being understood felt strange.

This isn’t a performance, he thought. She’s really been keeping this to herself and been wishing she had someone she could share this with.

"I can relate." He said softly. "No one where I grew up was interested either."

Rika’s eyes widened with immediate sympathy. "That must have been hard... Did they ever just tell you to stop bringing it up?"

"Something like that." He smiled slightly. "Eventually you learn which conversations are worth starting."

"And which ones aren’t." She said it quietly, like confirming something she’d already known. "I suppose they were right to find it boring-"

"It doesn’t matter. The fact that you were willing to share shows how important it was to you, and that’s what matters."

Rika looks up in surprise. "Y-You mean that?"

Reinhard gently held her clasped hand. "Of course. But I’m kind of happy I went through that because now I can better appreciate finding wonderful people like you."

"U-Um, I also agree." Rika bit her lips while staring down at his hands.

"Is that one of the reasons why you came here?"

"Yes. The recruiter told me about the History Department and there being other history lovers like me."

"Ahh, they lock you down with that. And now you’re here with the rest of us."

Rika laughed. "Yeah, and they were right. The things I have learned in the first week were amazing."

"And now you have me to hear you out on any new findings."

Rika’s eyes widened before muttering." A-are you sure? Won’t you be busy with classes and getting-"

"I will, but to the point, I won’t have time with my beautiful friend, Rika."

Rika blushed, but that didn’t stop the smile from appearing.

"There, it’s the cute smile I knew you had." Reinhard chuckled, making her pout and lightly glare at him.

He laughed again as he moved a hand to gently caress her cheek. "I haven’t laughed so much in a long while. Thanks, Rika."

Rika’s eyes slightly widened before smiling and not pulling away from his touch. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"I’ve been thinking about various clubs at Virellion, but I am not sure if I should-"

"You should! There are so many in the academy that are fun!"

"Oh? Did you visit a lot of them?"

Rika blushed before giggling and saying. "I’m just a good observer and heard a lot about the other clubs."

"And did you already join a club?"

Rika nodded as she gently tapped her fingers together. "I joined the Resonance Club... It’s a nice place."

Reinhard’s eyes widened before grinning as he stood up. And moving to Rika’s side and sitting right next to her.

She didn’t move away.

But he felt her breath change as she trembled. She kept her eyes forward, fingers tapping once against the table before stopping themselves.

Then he leaned in slightly and asked her softly. "I am curious what type of club could catch your attention."

Rika turned her head to answer him.

And found his face much closer than she’d prepared for.