The Regressed SSS-Rank Water Mage Wants To Live a Calm Life-Chapter 9: Vin and the Mercenary Guild

’It seems I rambled on for too long because of my excitement, haha.’

Vin’s facial expression immediately crumbled as his eyes met Maxwell’s.

The scene that played out about twenty minutes ago flashed through his mind. That pressure that had dominated him, and the way the young man killed the wyvern with one shot.

Why the hell was he back here again? Hadn’t he gone off to the mercenary guild to brag about his kill and about how Vin couldn’t defeat the wyvern?

Vin cleared his throat, adjusted the bag of chopped-up wyvern corpse on his shoulder, and glared at Maxwell.

"Why are you here, Maxwell?"

’Well, isn’t he a ray of sunshine?’ Maxwell thought.

"..."

Frilo, visible only to Maxwell, moved toward Vin, circling the man’s head. It seemed to have taken a liking to him.

"Max–"

"Remember when I said I was having trouble recalling some things?"

Vin blinked, slightly taken aback.

"Y-yes?"

"Ah," Maxwell, with a warm smile, scratched his head. "Well, I might’ve forgotten where the mercenary guild is located."

The top left corner of Vin’s lips curled into a sneer as he furrowed his brows.

"You weren’t just making up an excuse to avoid packaging the wyvern’s corpse?"

Maxwell shook his head.

"No, I don’t need an excuse to avoid touching a beast’s corpse. I’ll just tell you plainly."

Vin’s lips froze. Technically, that was what he had done.

So did that mean he falsely accused the young man of slacking?

Vin bit his lips, shutting his eyes as he lowered his head.

Maxwell tilted his head as he silently mouthed at Frilo, who still circled Vin’s head:

’Why is he silent all of a sudden?’

Frilo paused, stared at Maxwell for a second, shrugged, and continued circling the man.

Maxwell held back a chuckle.

Vin finally raised his head.

"I... uh, I’m sorry, Maxwell," the mercenary said softly. "Since the moment I first saw you, I naturally assumed you were a slacker because you’re a noble. Well, former noble. And I thought you were just saying what you said back then to avoid doing extra work. I shouldn’t have, knowing that you were the one who killed the wyvern I was struggling with."

Vin bowed.

"I let my bias against nobles cloud my sight. I deeply apologize, Maxwell."

Maxwell blinked, quite surprised.

He raised a hand.

"Please, call me Max," he said, gesturing for Vin to raise his head. "And you have nothing to apologize for. Instead, I should be the one apologizing for being that rude to you. I know I was a bit cranky and disoriented then, but that’s not a good excuse."

Maxwell waved his hand.

Vin’s eyes and mouth widened slightly as he saw Maxwell’s hand. But they narrowed immediately as he smiled.

Vin raised his head and grabbed Maxwell’s hand.

"Let’s just say we both accept our apologies. Good, right?"

Maxwell smiled and nodded.

"Good."

They shook firmly.

"So," Maxwell faced forward. "You’re done here, right?"

Vin nodded as they unclasped hands.

"Yes, I’ve packaged the corpse. It’s all in this bag."

Maxwell stared at the bag hanging over the man’s shoulder.

"Need help with that?"

Vin smiled, shaking his head.

"No. I should do this much. You killed the beast after all."

Maxwell nodded.

"Let’s head to the guild then."

"Yeah, let’s go."

Frilo trailed behind them, dancing in the air and leaving traces of mana mixed with subtle divinity as they walked toward the mercenary guild.

After about thirty minutes of walking through the city, they slowly approached the front of a large block building, different from the bulk of wooden buildings Maxwell had grown used to seeing.

A large metal bar gate towered in front of the building. The bars of the gate exposed the front yard, filled with mercenaries training, exercising and some sharpening their weapons.

"You know, Max," Vin said. "I always assumed you were some kind of aloof, prideful, blunt and overly straightforward man. I never knew you were capable of such warmth."

Maxwell’s lips curled into an awkward smile. He’d been conversing with Vin all the way here, and he discovered that the guy wasn’t such a bad guy. Just a bit rough on the surface.

’I guess I gave off that vibe back then, huh? Cold young master type. But to be fair, I was a young master before getting thrown out.’

’And since I had all the traits of an arrogant young master, it’s no surprise Vin thought I was lazy as well, haha.’

"Well," Maxwell shrugged. "Life is full of surprises."

They currently stood in front of the gate, awaiting the guards.

"And that too!" Vin exclaimed, a bit too excited. "You also speak like some wise, all-knowing Archmage. But you didn’t speak like this before. I guess the more you get to know someone, the more you discover things you didn’t know about them?"

Maxwell smiled.

"Things aren’t always as they seem."

Finally, Vin showed the guards his mercenary license, and they opened the gates immediately.

’Does this guy think I’m some sort of elusive hotshot that’d been hiding his true strength? Is that why he apologized earlier?’

They walked into the front yard, and the eyes of all the mercenaries going about their duties focused on them. Particularly on Maxwell.

’Well, that’s not bad for me, I guess.’

As Maxwell noticed the hostile gazes of the mercenaries and the subtle killing intent that lingered in the air, he scoffed.

This place was exactly as he remembered.

Most mercenaries hated mages. Jealousy, it was. After all, they were in the Southern Continent, Levaria. Where the practice of magic and even the existence of elemental mages were more dominant than weapon users, unlike the Northern Continent filled with said weapon users.

Here in the Jalozi Empire of Levaria, the non-mages were considered failures who had no elemental affinity and therefore couldn’t hone their mana, and so they chose the path of weapons for defense and to earn a living.

People like most of the mercenaries.

Vin opened the inner door to the main building. And they stepped inside, ignoring the hostile mercenaries.

’Mortals and their games.’