(Book 1 Complete!) Side Quest [Isekai / LitRPG]

Logan froze under the dragon lady's gaze. His mind told him to run before she went full-on beast mode on him, but his feet didn't answer.

Liorna jumped at the spilled chicken feed, apparently not noticing the intense eye contact exchange between Logan and the dangerous woman. "Oh my! Are you all right, Razor? Let me grab a broom."

She bustled to a corner of the coop where implements hung from hooks on the walls.

At that moment, another person bustled in: Mariv.

"Razor, could I trouble you to read—" Mariv cut himself off and lifted his eyebrows in surprise as he saw Logan and the egg held in his arms.

Razor took one firm step toward Logan but Mariv spurred into action and grabbed her elbow, pulling her to the corner. She clearly could have overpowered the gnome, but she allowed him to steer her away from Logan.

"Liorna," said Mariv, "why don't you visit the mill and request another bag of feed? I will tidy up here in the meantime."

"That's so kind of you," she said. Then she furrowed her brow at the quiet tension in the room. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is perfectly fine. Thank you very much."

Liorna nodded and did a last doubletake before shuffling out and closing the door behind her.

Mariv cleared his throat and opened his mouth, but it was Razor who spoke. "Explain yourself, gnome."

While Logan was glad she focused her ire elsewhere, he didn't relax just yet.

"Razor, meet Logan."

She bared her teeth. "Why is he holding the egg? What have you meddled in? I told you, we must find the—" She caught herself and pressed her lips shut before glaring at Mariv and widening her eyes, as if communicating an unspoken word.

"It is quite all right, Razor. You can say it out loud. The champion." Mariv splayed his hands with a wide grin and presented Logan.

"Hold on," said Logan. "You said the Waterwoods were gnomish lands. She isn't a gnome. She's a…" Logan didn't know if he should say human or dragon. Probably better to say nothing.

"I am a dragon!" The glint in her eyes made Logan take another step back. She regarded him with a calculating gaze that made his skin crawl until her eyes drifted down to the egg. She relaxed slightly. "I am sorry, champion. We have awaited you for a long time. I have visited your summoning cave every morn and eve, and have been scouring the blight for you since I noticed the summoning stone gone." As she spoke, the tension in her body eased. She smiled. "Please, remove your mask."

She dropped hers and the level 19 label became level 50.

"Uh, I don't have a mask."

Her laughter made Logan nervous, and it altogether faded when Logan looked at Mariv for help. Mariv cleared his throat again.

Before the gnome could save him with an explanation, she interrupted. "What is the meaning of this? No mask?" Her eyes flitted to him with a scrutiny that felt belittling and she turned back to the gnome. "He is level 6." She retreated from Mariv, horror on her face. "He is level 6! You said he would be powerful enough to defeat the reavers and restore my home! Zyrraveth may still be out there somewhere, and… the egg…"

Logan's stomach twisted. Her tone wasn't angry. It was raw and tinged with desperation. He looked down at the egg, its faint glow casting an enchanting light across his hands. Pawning it off was definitely no longer an option.

"The System," said Mariv, his sharp tone correcting her, "said he will have the potential for greatness. And there is more to him than meets the eye." Mariv flashed Logan an encouraging smile. "Just yesterday he was level 5. Now, Liorna will probably return soon. We can resume this discussion at home, but let us do her a favor and clean as we said we would."

"As you said you would," Razor muttered. But she grabbed a broom with such ferocity Logan didn't dare not join. Each of her sweeps was powerful, but the task seemed to take her full focus, which meant it wasn't on him. Logan awkwardly held the dustpan for her and dumped the gathered feed into the bag Mariv held open.

They finished and walked in silence to Mariv's house, while Mariv excitedly relayed to them he had just received a new tea from some faraway land.

Logan hardly listened. I can't catch a break in this world either, can I? Herding chickens was one thing, but this? He glanced back toward the town exit. If he fled now, where would he go? He didn't know any other towns. Besides, how could he realistically expect to evade the dragon lady? He still remembered the messy remains of the prowler.

He opened his notifications and sure enough the quest "offer" remained up. Escape wasn't an option.

There had to be some catch. He just didn't know what it was. They kept talking about potential, and Logan had to admit, he got more satisfaction from the leveling up than he ever did from the mundane jobs back home. Even the ones he was good at. His growth since starting this chicken-herding quest alone had been more fulfilling.

He could figure something out. It's not like anybody could expect him to save an entire race in a matter of days. I'll just take it one step at a time. He wasn't completely defenseless. He had defeated a monster, absorbed its core, and just now bested two creatures at a higher level than him.

And he had a dragon egg. That part was pretty wild to think about, too.

Lost in thought, he sighed and stepped through the door into Mariv's house, following behind the cheery gnome and the dragon woman.

Razor cast a stern glance over her shoulder at the noise Logan made. He offered her a sheepish smile and she just snorted.

"Please, sit," said Mariv when they went upstairs to the cozy room with the square grid on the floor.

Logan shuffled to the chair he sat in last time, and Razor sat opposite him. Her grave countenance made the room feel smaller despite its magical expansiveness.

Mariv busied himself at a cluttered side table, boiling water with a wave of his hand and humming a tune that clashed with the tense silence. Logan sat stiffly, clutching the egg as Razor's sharp gaze bore into him.

"Relax, champion," she said, though her tone was anything but soothing. "If I wanted to incinerate you, I would have done so already."

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"Comforting," Logan muttered, trying to ignore the tightening in his chest. But she had a point. He forced himself to relax.

Razor folded her arms. "So you have potential. What can you do, really?"

"Razor," Mariv interrupted, carrying a tray with three steaming cups of tea. "Let the boy breathe. He's had a long day."

She huffed but said no more, settling into her high-backed chair.

Mariv placed a cup in front of each of them and took his own, perching on the edge of a nearby stool. "Now," he began, "while Razor may be skeptical, I have had time to dig into some of the details you shared earlier, Logan."

Logan perked up slightly, eager for something concrete. "And?"

Razor inclined her head at the gnome.

"He," Mariv said to Razor, "has two races."

She frowned and Analyzed Logan, but confusion glazed her face. "How? I only see Human."

Logan shrugged. "It's called Exalted Kin. I'm not sure how I got it."

"The Exalted Kin," said Mariv, "are no longer around. Or rather, were no longer around until now." He sipped his tea. "Logan, do you remember what I said of mana and affinities?"

Logan nodded. "Ambient mana exists in different types, and affinities shape ambient mana into a refined purpose."

"See?" Mariv said to Razor. "He's sharp, and he only just jumped into this."

Razor grunted but said nothing.

"There is another force that shapes mana," Mariv continued. "Three forces, specifically. Chaos, Order, and Balance. These are primal in nature and I would wager often unnoticed."

Logan squinted in thought. "I've seen Balance mentioned before. The Kalashi brothers I told you about, one of them had a gift that limited its wielder to the Balance School."

"Wonderful. Well, the three schools are quite self-explanatory. Imagine you had a limitless supply of fire mana available. Someone stronger in the Chaos school might find it easier to ignite that mana into a wildfire. Another who is more gifted in the Order school might have an easier time channeling that fire into a consolidated pillar. And one in the Balance School might be more skilled at expelling a flaming arc from them in a 20-foot cone. The schools are not as definitive as an affinity or mana type, but rather often reflect a range and natural aptitude that comes depending on how one trains to manipulate mana."

Logan understood.

"While it is more primal than tangible, it can become overabundant, much like typed mana." Mariv took one more sip from his teacup and set it down. With his freed hands, he grabbed a scroll that had rested by his chair. "This," Mariv began, tapping the scroll, "is one of the few remaining accounts of the Exalted Kin. Their story is both remarkable and tragic."

Mariv unrolled the scroll with a reverence that caught Logan's attention. The parchment was old, its edges frayed, and the ink on it shimmered faintly, as if the words themselves held some latent power.

Logan leaned in as Mariv continued.

"The Exalted Kin were once the stewards of Balance, tasked with maintaining harmonic concordance between the primal forces of Chaos and Order. It is said they were created by the System itself during the world's infancy, a safeguard against the instability that came with unchecked extremes. Their mastery over mana allowed them to shape it in ways even the most talented mages could only dream of. Unlike most people who are limited to a single affinity, the Exalted Kin possess a unique racial trait. This," he said, tapping the squiggly lines on the scroll, "describes it as a Rotational Affinity. It enables them to adapt to the needs of the moment."

"That sounds like it could be useful," Logan murmured.

Mariv nodded solemnly. "It was. But with such power came fear. For there are those who revel in the imbalance of powers and would seek to lord themselves over the weak. Fearful of this perceived threat, kingdoms united to hunt them down, eradicating their kind."

Logan's throat tightened. "All because they were trying to keep things balanced?"

"Indeed. Balance is often misunderstood. It isn't as glamorous as Chaos or as reassuring as Order. It's the quiet middle ground, easily ignored until it's gone."

Mariv's tone softened as he pointed to a note in the scroll's margin. "There is something more of interest: the Exalted Kin's Rotational Affinities also appear to be their weakness. While they could change affinities, they could only ever hold one at a time. Changing affinities took its toll and was used only when necessary. The inherent shifts in their nature meant they lacked the permanence that others relied on to master their craft."

Logan processed this quietly, but Mariv smiled and clapped his hands, setting the scroll back down and taking another sip of tea.

"This is truly delicious, isn't it?"

"So, do I have this Rotational Affinity?"

"I would assume so."

"And if I, say, gained an affinity by accident, that's not necessarily a bad thing?"

"Speak plainly, champion," said Razor, who Logan had somehow almost forgotten about.

"Ah," said Logan, scratching his neck sheepishly. "I had this monster core…" He explained how he had accidentally (which he emphasized) fallen on the core while pursuing the chickens and how he had gained a skill, which forced him into the Void affinity.

Razor listened with interest. "So, you possess an epic skill." She nodded her approval and took what Logan thought was her first actual sip of tea. "At least that shows promise."

"Thank you," he said politely. She was practically a stranger, but for some reason it felt good to hear the warmth in her voice. He turned to Mariv. "Did you discover anything about the Kalashi brothers?"

Mariv's expression darkened. "Unfortunately, nothing. No records, no mentions." His eyes glimmered merrily. "But you mentioned they numbered eight?" When Logan nodded, Mariv wiggled his torso with raised shoulders and downed another sip of tea. "I can't be positive, but I came across a text that mentions the Tale of the Eight Guardians. I have yet to find anything else about them, but their obscurity makes them more intriguing."

Logan sighed but thanked Mariv. Of course, it couldn't all be straightforward.

The room fell into silence for a moment before Logan broke it. "So... what do I do now? How am I supposed to fit into this world, especially with people like the Adventurers' Guild keeping tabs on me?"

"Then you will accept the quest?" asked Razor. Hope filled her voice.

The question shocked Logan. The dragon-saving quest hadn't given him an option to decline it. But, at the same time, he could leave it in limbo by simply not addressing it. If he did that, maybe he would find some way back home.

But why? Nothing waited for him there.

And he was done half-assing it.

He raked a hand through his hair, barely believing this was his life now. He smiled at Razor. "Yeah. I think I will."

She eased into her chair and took a deep sip of the tea.

Mariv beamed. "Wonderful! Because I never officially asked you to save the Waterwoods. But now seems the right time."

Logan inhaled a quick breath as a notification flashed. He didn't open it yet, but it had to be the Waterwoods quest. He just let out a half chuckle.

Without these two, he would be nowhere. Plus, they were powerful. And they seemed to need him.

It felt kind of… nice. Not in a prideful way. But he no longer felt expendable. "Yeah, the Waterwoods too."

"Well then," said Mariv, hopping off his stool and refilling his cup. "Having the Adventurers' Guild attention is not a bad thing. It spans almost every sector and offers resources, quests, and opportunities you won't find elsewhere." He tapped his brow. "That includes some highly skilled trainers."

Logan frowned and shared the shady conversation he had overheard by the stable between Thessin and Jorek.

Mariv's expression turned pensive. "There may be something there to be wary of. But I would not let that turn you off to the advantages of joining the organization. It is expansive, and while some branches have their faults and politics, the guild as a whole is reputable.

"There's always tension between the Adventurers' Guild and the Mage's Guild, particularly when it comes to mana-related matters. The Mage's Guild sees themselves as the rightful overseers of all magical phenomena, while the Adventurers' Guild tends to be more pragmatic. It's not uncommon for branches to bend the rules to keep things running smoothly."

"Or keep things hidden," Logan muttered.

Razor, who had been listening quietly, chimed in. "The guild will give you access to quests, information, and funds. Those are things you'll need if you're going to make any real progress. And if they have something to hide..." She gave a scary smirk. "Well, that's just another reason to get close, isn't it?"

Logan sighed, but he couldn't deny the logic. He needed the resources, and keeping a low profile within the guild might also give him insight into their activities. "All right," he said finally. "I'll join the guild. They want to invite me officially tomorrow. But if something feels off, I'm not sticking around."

Mariv beamed. "A wise decision."

Together, they discussed what information was safe to share with others regarding skills and affinities. A flicker of determination replaced the lingering doubts in Logan's mind. For the first time, he felt like he had a solid path forward, even if it was far from simple.

As they all enjoyed a final cup of tea in silence, Logan accepted the dragon quest, as well as the new one for the gnome's homeland.