The Regressed SSS-Rank Water Mage Wants To Live a Calm Life-Chapter 43: A Quiet Game of Cloker

Eithan was a natural social butterfly. And so, it hadn’t taken him long at all to worm his way into Vin’s heart.

The cheerful young man was quite proud of his ability to befriend anyone. After all, Maxwell had once been a cold, unsociable snob at one point.

Eithan giggled, remembering the first time he met Maxwell at the shared mercenary accommodation. He had this quiet, aloof air around him, and he refused to spare a glance at anyone around him.

And, with the dignified way he carried himself, Eithan had assumed that Maxwell was a noble. It was only confirmed the first time they spoke.

It was when Eithan was exiting his own room, which was next door to Maxwell’s. It turned out that Maxwell was stuck with the key, fiddling with it while cursing under his breath and muttering inaudible words, something along the lines of, "damn father... commoner... hussle.. mercenary.. damn door."

Eithan had barely held back a chuckle that day. It was a funny sight, seeing the normally aloof and somewhat prideful young man all flustered and cursing a door.

That was when Eithan began calling Maxwell the so glorified title, ’noble boy.’ He had offered to help Maxwell with his door problem, which, to his surprise, Maxwell had agreed to, eagerly nodding in acceptance.

That was their first conversation. From there, they began talking every day. Just light-hearted conversations.

Eithan chuckled.

He never expected that the day would ever come when he’d be in Maxwell’s own personal house, doing...

What was he doing again?

"Eithan!"

Eithan shook his head, blinking as he stared at the eagerly awaiting Vin.

’Oh,’ He grinned.

Right. He was absolutely trashing Vin at cloker. A really, really interesting card game if he said so himself. It involved the strategic use of different cards to overwhelm one’s opponent and render them incapable of countering.

To date, Eithan hadn’t found anyone who could defeat him at the game. Even Maxwell had tried and failed.

And Vin, no matter how much he bragged about being good at it, could never best him.

"Hehe," Eithan brought out the card in his hand, dropping it on the wooden table.

Vin sat just opposite the blond youth on a wooden chair that surrounded the round wooden table in Maxwell’s dining room, complete with four sets of wooden chairs.

The blond youth was dressed in a casual outfit. Just a light milk singlet and brown shorts. Vin, on the other hand, was dressed in the inner attire of his mercenary outfit. When Eithan had asked, Vin said something along the lines of his wife thinking he was going to the guild.

Eithan chuckled, thinking about how Vin’s wife would react, knowing her husband skipped work to go play. Like a damn kid skipping school.

Seeing the design on the bright yellow card that Eithan had dropped on the desk, Vin leaned in closer, surveying his own deck of cards.

"Tch," Vin clicked his tongue as he whispered, "how can someone be so good..."

Eithan raised his chin in pride.

"I told you, ya can’t beat me! Hahaha."

Just then, while Eithan let his guard down, Vin smirked and dropped an almighty red card.

Eithan’s mouth froze mid-laughter. And he stared down at the card.

Vin immediately stood up from his chair and raised a balled-up fist in victory. He’d dropped the almighty card. There was no other card that could counter that.

"In your face! ’can’t beat me’ my ass!’"

Eithan blinked, closing his mouth as he sighed and shrugged. This was his first defeat in cloker.

"Yeah, yeah. I lost. You win." He rolled his eyes, then grinned, leaning in. "But I bet ya can’t win a second time, ya got lucky!"

Vin, sitting back down on the chair, let out a sigh, resting his chin on his palm.

"Nice try. But I’m done. In fact, I’m never playing Cloker with you again. This win’s gonna be the–"

"So... 29 wins, 1 loss." Eithan nodded.

As Eithan mentioned his absurd amount of losses, 29, Vin raised his head.

"You know, you’re very good at drawing me in..."

"Of course I am. I’m Eithan!"

"...But no. I’m not playing anymore."

Eithan’s playful expression melted as he pursed his lips, sighing.

Vin looked toward the window a few inches beside them.

The world outside the building had begun to darken; the golden glow of the setting sun was the only solace, it cast a pale light on the world, and the window caught subtle rays of that golden glow.

"He’s late," Vin said, sighing.

Eithan licked his dry lips, gazing at the window too.

"I wonder why."

Then, a sudden thought flashed through Eithan’s mind as he observed the quite serene sight of the golden rays.

’How warm,’ he thought. ’I never expected to make friends such as these before I finally set out to Avalon.’

A serious expression hovered on Eithan’s face now as he remembered the date of his departure. Just three weeks left.

He began to feel like...

’Should I just... stay? Is there really any need to toil to become stronger? Can’t I just let her rest in peace?’

Scenes began to flash through his mind. Of how warm his days would be here, spending the carefree evenings with Maxwell and Vin, the days with Malik and his few friends at the accommodation, and going task hunting on some days.

He’d...

No.

Eithan shook his head. His heart began to pump. Faster and faster it became.

No, no, no.

That title. Great Lance. He desired it, he desired it so very badly.

There was no way he could afford to slack off. There was no way he could afford to bury the grudge lying deep within his heart.

After all, the only way to approach that person was to become a great lance himself. He lacked power severely as he was. He had to become stronger.

The death of his mother couldn’t just be ignored and pushed aside like it never happened. More so when he knew the killer was somewhere out there in Nuncapor, walking freely.

Eithan’s fists curled, mana circulating his pathways a little too fast, jaw clenching, veins pumping.

He would kill his father. Even if it was the last thing he’d do.

"So you’re leaving soon, huh?" Vin suddenly asked.

Eithan’s temper cooled down immediately, and he blinked, inhaling.

His warm, bright smile made its way back to his lips.

"Yeah, in three weeks."

Vin turned away from the window, gazing at him.

Then he looked at the window again.

"Bummer," Vin said.

Eithan chuckled.

"Gonna miss me?"

"A bit, yeah." Vin shrugged. "I think Maxwell will miss you more, though."

Eithan smiled.

"Speaking of Max—"

Clack––!

The two conversing mercenaries turned their heads toward the direction of the door.

"Speak of the devil," Vin chuckled.

"Maxwell!"

Eithan and Vin’s excitement at seeing Maxwell was cut short as they caught sight of the figures walking behind him.

Brows furrowed.

Maxwell waved.

"I’m back."