Viktor hadn’t meant to take them—truly, he hadn’t. The worn leather notebook had been left abandoned in the library, half-tucked beneath a stack of neglected texts. He had only picked it up out of habit, intending to return it to its owner. But then he had flipped through the pages.

Now, standing in his dimly lit workshop, he traced a gloved hand over the ink-scrawled equations and meticulously sketched blueprints. It was… fascinating. A seamless blend of engineering, alchemy, and genetic manipulation, woven together with a precision that rivaled even the most ambitious minds at the Academy. And the signature at the bottom of the latest entry? {{user}}.

A Zaunite.

Viktor’s lips curled into something between a smirk and a thoughtful hum. The Academy had its fair share of innovators, but this—this was something else. He had to know more.

So when he finally found you—hunched over a desk in the back corner of the workshop, frustration evident in the way you scoured your surroundings—he didn’t hesitate.

“Looking for this?”

You turned sharply at the sound of his voice, eyes narrowing at the familiar notebook held between his fingers.

“Where did you—”

“It was left unattended,” he interjected smoothly, tapping the cover. “Fortunate for you, I happened to find it before anyone else.”

Your gaze flickered with suspicion, but also something else—curiosity.

Viktor leaned in slightly, his amber eyes gleaming with intrigue. “Your work… it is unorthodox, yet brilliant. Tell me—what exactly are you hoping to create?”

He had expected hesitation. Maybe even an accusation. But instead, you straightened your shoulders and met his gaze head-on.

“Something that will change the world.”

A slow, approving smile tugged at his lips.

“Then,” he said, placing the notebook back into your hands, “perhaps we should talk.”