“How does this make any sense?!” Otid scowled.
Adaware said nothing, gave no answer.
“We’re the ones in charge of that contract,” Otid continued in his anger as Adaware knew he would. “We were the ones that harried them into a corner in that forest, made sure we limited their destruction to a single area before whatever madman went in there and started tearing things up with his team.”
Otid slammed his hands on Adaware’s desk.
“Now you expect us to just hand it over? After everything we’ve done?” Otid turned away from Adaware and tossed his hands in the air. “Impossible. I don’t care if it’s some pampered noble’s bastard child or some high ranking adventurer. Heck! I don’t care if it’s a command from the crown. This is mine!”
Adaware arranged the stacks of papers Otid’s little tantrum had scattered before returning his attention to the man.
“The crown, huh,” he muttered, almost to himself.
If only the man knew. But that wasn’t important.
Adaware went through the stacks of paper before finding what he was looking for. It was a small identification tag, brown like wood, with words inscribed on it with black ink.
He held it out to Otid. “Here.”
Otid turned to him and took it. “What’s this?”
“The person who’s supposed to be taking charge of this contract quest. However, we are the head branch of the adventure society. We do not work for the king, we work with the king.”
Otid paled at Adaware’s words, looking up at him from the card. “Please tell me this is not a royal command. You know I was joking about what I was saying earlier about the crown, right?”
Adaware shook his head in disappointment. This was Otid’s problem; his temper. Once it got going, he said and did anything, forgetting that there were consequences. Even now he was indirectly accusing the person who was supposed to take over the quest of nepotism. What the man failed to understand was that nepotism was what had given him the quest as well.
If Adaware did not know the man’s father, he would’ve allowed him to continue his struggle at the bottom of the adventure ranks for a few more years. Instead, here he was getting a chance most adventurers did not get.
“As I was saying,” Adaware continued. “We do not work for the king. That said, a king’s request is not something easily disobeyed. It is also not something freely made.”
“Aiden Lacheart,” Otid read the ID with a frown. “I know all the royal houses, and I don’t know any Lacheart.”
“And that should let you understand that it is a false name,” Adaware said. “What he is will be a bastard son of some noble whose name I am not going to tell you. His father wishes to legitimize his claim on the boy but wishes for him to have some form of… clout. And he has chosen adventuring.”
Otid looked down at the ID in his hands. “It says here that he is only a level two. We have it on confirmation that there are goblins as high as level five out there. The boy won’t last a single fight.”
“Well, that’s why—”
“Hold up!” Otid interrupted him. “This says that he’s nineteen. What kind of nineteen-year-old is still at level two? You’re sending me to play babysitter to a slacker, Master Adaware.”
Adaware took a deep, calming breath.
“Otid,” he said as calmly as possible.
“Yes.”
“The initial request was for young lord Lacheart to take command of this quest. However, I have taken it upon myself to simply add him to your party. The reward for this quest will be updated to be split three ways amongst three current participants, based on individual contribution. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Otid placed the ID on Adaware’s table. “Which means I can just keep him in a safe place and complete this quest without him. He’s royalty so I’m sure it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Adaware didn’t hate Otid, but he could see himself hating the man. By the stretch of things Otid wasn’t a bad adventurer. The reason he was still so low in level was simple. He was talentless. But he was hardworking, and Adaware hoped it would one day count in favor of the man in the eyes of the gods and they would somehow bless him so that his level grew faster.
But by every conceivable notion, the man’s personality was shitty. Nepotism was the only reason Otid was in Adaware’s office throwing an unnecessary childish tantrum.
“Take the ID with you as you leave,” Adaware instructed, turning his attention back to more important matters on his desk. “When you get downstairs, ask for the young Lord at the reception hall. And if you are thinking of bullying him out of whatever he wants, I will have you know that while you remain in charge of this expedition, the young lord already has his own babysitter.”
Otid scoffed. “Of course he does.”
“And while his babysitter will not be a part of this party, he will be present. And I assure you, Otid, you do not want him to point out any form of abuse of your power as a leader.”
Adaware met Otid’s gaze. If the man was smart, he would be on his best behavior. If he was stupider than Adaware thought, he would continue on the path of stupidity his anger liked to lead him on.
“Yes, sir,” Otid grumbled before leaving the room unceremoniously.
Adaware took a calming breath and brought up his interface. With a simple mental command, all the contract quests administered by him directly came up, filtering themselves straight to the one currently under Otid’s ownership.
Contract Quest [Goblin Subjugation]
Goblins have been spotted somewhere in the capital city of Brandiv. Investigate this report, confirm goblin threat and conclude extermination.
Objective complete: Confirm goblin location 1/1.
Objective complete: confirm goblin 32.
Objective: Exterminate goblin 0/24.
Reward: silver coins x10
You have administrative rights.
Quest is ongoing…
Party requirement: None
Participants: 2
Would you like to update quest?
Y/N.
Adaware looked through the details and accepted the update request. Truthfully, he knew next to nothing about the quest. In fact, the quest was too far beneath his attention that he wasn’t supposed to be aware of it. But he had picked something for Otid to deal with and took command of it lest someone with delegated authority make decisions surrounding it.
Personally, while most people would disagree, he saw this as an abuse of power. With the [Guild Master] title, he had free reign and authority to issue and give contracts on authority of the adventure society. It was a perishable title, but a title nonetheless.
Update quest, he thought.
With a simple shrug of will and a few adjustments, the quest carried more information.
Contract Quest [Goblin Subjugation]
Goblins have been spotted somewhere in the capital city of Brandiv. Investigate this report, confirm goblin threat and conclude extermination.
Objective complete: Confirm goblin location 1/1.
Objective complete: confirm goblin 32.
Objective: Exterminate goblin 0/24.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Reward: silver coins x10
You have administrative rights.
Quest is ongoing…
Party requirement: None
Participants: 3
Now he just had to hope that Taliner had enough control over Otid to prevent the man from doing something stupid. Just thinking about it was making Adaware tired.
…..
Otid made his way down the stairs of the adventure society building with thoughts in his head and worry in his mind. Adaware was being unreasonable. He could’ve just given the noble prick another contract to handle. He heard Jayton was handling some contract about some over-moles terrorizing some farm somewhere.
Over-moles were relatively safe creatures to deal with. Otid couldn’t imagine the noble would not be happy having their bastard child deal with something more on the safer side.
When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he strolled up to the receptionist’s desk. Every adventurer had to get here if they wanted to register their collected contract or update it or register their party. There was one in every city or town, and this was the capital city’s.
The hall was filled with the constant bustle of adventurers coming and going. Each one was busy with something important and unimportant. But these were the low level adventurers, those below level fifty. The higher ranking adventurers were rarely ever seen. Unlike the rest of them, those ones didn’t come looking for their quests, their quests were sent to them.
“Good afternoon, Daity,” Otid greeted the lady at the reception desk.
Daity was a lithe woman in her thirties who’d retired from adventuring early. No one knew what happened or why and it remained one of the secrets of the adventure society. She had brown hair she kept tied back in a neat ponytail and a small fringe cut in front that covered her forehead and fell just above her eye brows. She currently wore a green vest over a black shirt and was going through applications on her desk.
“Good afternoon, Otid.” She didn’t look up from her files.
Otid placed the ID on her desk gently. “Ad—the guild master said I’ve got a new party member. Some young lord or something related. Aiden Lacheart.”
She raised her head to look at him, finally acknowledging him. “Lacheart?”
“It’s what it says on his card.” Otid tapped the ID. “Aiden Lacheart.”
Daity looked down at it, read the card, then pointed across the hall. “I guess that’s your kid. And your contract has already been updated so you don't have to worry about that.”
Otid snorted as he turned around. “Got no kid, love.”
Otid crossed the hallway, avoiding other adventurers. He exchanged verbal greetings and simple head bobs until he arrived at the bench Daity had pointed him to.
When he got there he was surprised to find Taliner talking to a boy and his companion. While the boy was young, his companion looked like he was probably in his early twenties. What mainly grabbed Otid's attention was their attire.
None of them were dressed like they had any relationship to nobility.
The man was dressed in a simple brown cotton shirt with leather armor to cover his chest and knee pads worn over brown pants. As for the boy, he wore a grey long-sleeved shirt quite casually and black pants. He also had deep black hair that was slowly growing from medium length to long.
He wore no armor of any kind, which Otid found quite pompous of him. A newbie adventurer who thought he wouldn’t need armor. In place of armor, he wore three soldier belts, which was nothing short of overkill. One at the waist, another that hung diagonally down from one side of his waist to rest at his hip, and one that cut across from left hip to right shoulder. Attached to the one at his waist was a single longsword on one side and a sheathed dagger on the other.
Poor kid’s trying to be over prepared.
Otid had seen the kind. They walked into battle thinking they could be prepared for anything, getting all the offensive items they could get because they thought being flashy and destructive was somehow cool.
He ran a hand down his face as he approached them, wondering why he had to babysit a reckless noble bastard.
“You must be Lord Lacheart,” he greeted when he got to them.
The man turned to him. “And you are?”
Otid held offered the man a handshake. “Otid.”
He didn’t have to like the noble brat, but he could at least be nice to his fellow baby sitter.
The man shook his hand. “Ded.”
“The guild master sent me,” he added, handing the ID over to the bastard. “I take it you’re Lacheart.”
Aiden Lacheart was forced to look from Taliner and acknowledge Otid’s presence. But he wasn’t the one who took the ID.
Ded collected the ID and turned it one way then the other, before handing it to Aiden.
“It’s pronounced Lack-heart,” Ded corrected as Aiden took the ID from him. “Not Lach-heart.”
Aiden waved Ded’s concern away.
“He can just call me Aiden,” he said. “It’s easier for me.”
Otid smirked. “Not used to daddy’s title yet?”
“Daddy’s title?” Aiden raised a brow in what looked like confusion. “Oh, yes. That. Is that going to be a problem, Otid?”
“Not at all,” Taliner moved to answer quickly. “Otid’s just not happy to have nobility taking over. He’s quite head strong about some things. Like quests he takes.”
Aiden slipped his ID into one of his pants pockets. “I see. I’ll be more than happy to just go my way and deal with the quest however I see fit, if he’ll have a problem working with me.”
Otid frowned. The pompous little prick.
“Well you better not—”
Taliner shot him a scowl, silencing him.
“Oh, don’t be like that, Aiden,” Taliner told the bastard, all smiles and sycophancy. “We’re all in this together. How about we get to it while the sun’s still up.”
She gestured towards the exit and Aiden nodded.
The stroll out of the hall was done in silence. Taliner tried to initiate conversation once, asking Aiden about his life before finding out he was a noble. Aiden’s answer had been bland and simple. A single word. It was all Taliner needed to lose interest in the conversation.
When they were outside the hall and turned to head in the direction of their quest, Otid grabbed Aiden by the arm.
“Hey, kiddo.”
Aiden looked down at Otid’s hand, then up at his face. Otid was only taller by an inch or two.
“It says on your ID that you’re only a level two,” Otid said, ignoring the insult of the boy’s look. “This mission has goblins with levels as high as level 15. If I’m going to be handling this with you, I’ll need to be sure that you can handle yourself. So we’ll need to have a quick test once we’re in the forest.”
Aiden scratched his forehead with a single finger. Otid wasn’t sure how he did it but there was something very condescending about the action. All it was missing was the condescending tired sigh.
“I’m a specific type of fighter,” Aiden said after scratching his head. “My fights tend to cost money on account of the items I use. You think you’ll be able to foot the cost of the items I’ll need to face you?”
At level 2, whatever consumable items the boy used weren’t going to be expensive. Besides, Otid still had enough money to indulge. Worst case scenario, he wouldn’t be drinking for a while.
“Sure,” he smiled. “Why not?”
…………..
How did I get here again?
Aiden reached across with one hand to scratch the elbow of the other arm. He was standing in a small clearing in the same forest Ded had led him and the others to find the goblins.
Otid, the adventurer who had brought him his ID, stood a few paces away from him. To their side, Ded and the lady who’d called herself Taliner stood by silently.
“Remember the rules,” Otid said with a far reaching voice. “Since you have no class, I will not be using any of my skills while you are permitted to use any skill you might have.”
Aiden nodded absently.
“Second,” Otid continued. “You may use any of the items you see fit, including the sword and dagger at your waist. Third, I will assist in the replenishing of any said item used as long as it is a single use consumable.”
Aiden nodded.
“And finally.” Otid let out a dramatic groan as he stretched. “Your victory is determined by you landing two hits. I will attack with nothing but fighting techniques and limit my Class strength the best of my ability. My victory is determined if you can’t land these two hits within five minutes. Agreed?”
Aiden nodded, already growing tired of listening to the man. He had found himself in a cliché over-powered isekai trope. Otid was going to be the adventurer who thought he was so powerful that he would teach the ‘young lord’ a lesson in the beauties of danger.
The twist…
The young lord is overpowered. Aiden almost winced at how corny it was. But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that if this subjugation went the way he wanted it to, he would be level ten by the end of it.
From the style of fighting he’d maintained, he was sure [Enchanter] was going to be one of the classes he would be offered. If he’d gotten [Mana mastery], there would’ve been a chance at getting [Battle mage].
But alas, in this world and the one before, I am without magic.
Regressed with all his knowledge and he was still without magic spells. It was like he was destined to be spell-less. At least, [Battle Enchanter] might be on the table.
“If I win, and you’re unable to strike me twice in five minutes,” Otid was still going on, “you will obey every instruction I give throughout this expedition. Even if it means you sitting in the corner where it is safe.”
Aiden could understand the man, but only a little. This was an unnecessary display of authority. A wrong way to define hierarchy.
At least that was what he would’ve liked to say. But it wasn’t. Aiden was clearly not going to listen to instructions he did not agree with. And Otid was likely to cause a problem if he didn’t listen. So this was the fastest and surest way to establish a hierarchy of command. It was used between adventurers and worked more often than not. It only failed when one of the adventurers was a dishonest one.
“And if I can land those two hits, I get to do whatever I want, correct?” Aiden began his own simple stretches, limbering up his muscles.
“Correct.”
“And if I land three I will take command of this quest and you will listen to my instructions.”
Otid paused at that, frowning.
So he’s not a complete airhead.
The adventurer held his hand up with his thumb tucked away. “Four hits," he said. "If you land four hits, you get to take charge of this quest.”
Aiden nodded, then turned to their spectators. “Miss Taliner, would you be kind enough to call it?”
Taliner looked awkwardly between Aiden and Otid. “Are you sure you want to do this, Aiden? Otid is a level—”
“I’ll be alright, miss Taliner,” Aiden interrupted her.
Taliner frowned in discomfort as Otid unsheathed his sword. He was a bulky man, and he drew a longsword from the scabbard at his hip.
Aiden did not reciprocate. Instead, he lowered his stance and held his hands out to his side like a gunslinger waiting for the draw.
Otid’s displeasure was emblazoned on his face.
Taliner raised her hand where she was and dropped it.
“Fight!”
Otid dashed forward, sword held to the side for a horizontal slash and Aiden acted immediately. His hands skimmed over four pockets, unclipping one and allowing the single enchanted item drop into a waiting palm.
He tossed it into the space between him and Otid as the adventurer swung his sword, and braced for impact.
You have activated [Enchantment of Lesser madness].
Effect: 8% disruption of ambient mana.
Duration: 00:00:08.
Radius: 0.0005km.
Aiden closed his eyes as the enchantment too effect. It shook the ambient mana in the air, disorienting sight and sound. It was this world’s version of a miniscule flash bang.
Unprepared for it, Otid lost his balance. Disoriented, he staggered with his swing. Aiden took the opportunity, knowing it was coming, and stepped into the adventurer without hesitation. With the swing faltering, he ducked it easily, grabbed Otid by the arm and spun him into a shoulder throw.
Otid hit the ground with a loud thud, bouncing once.
Aiden stepped away from him quickly. He had been expecting a follow up attack, maybe a sword slash to keep him at bay, but nothing came. Instead, Otid just remained lying on the ground, a confused look on his face as he stared at the sky above.
Aiden cracked his fingers. “That’s one.”