at the same time.
A search and rescue team that had been traveling for months from the Fittoa Territory, passing through dozens of small countries in the conflict zone, finally arrived at the Kingdom of Wanglong.
This is a superpower whose comprehensive national strength ranks among the top three in the world.
But their destination was not here; it was the more distant, sacred kingdom of Saint Millis.
This team started with just a handful of people and carried out search and rescue operations as they went.
It quickly grew like a snowball, and the team grew to more than a hundred people.
Paul, the team leader, was once an S-class adventurer and the resident knight of Buena Village, so he naturally became the leader of the search and rescue team.
In every country they passed through, whether large or small, Paul would lead his search and rescue team to rest and regroup the local adventurers and launch rescue operations.
After each mission, he would leave a message for the search and rescue team at the local Adventurers' Guild before heading to the next country.
It's a miracle that this search and rescue team has lasted this long.
Back in the Asura Kingdom, Paul had hoped that the House Boreas could provide funding to assist the search and rescue team's work.
After all, the House Boreas were his relatives, and they were also the local lords.
They did receive some money at first, but later the political struggles in Asura intensified.
The hostile forces seized upon the incident of the Great Migration of Fittoa to relentlessly attack the House Boreas.
It was originally just a natural disaster, and the blame did not lie with the House Boreas at all, but political struggles never follow reason.
The House Boreas was accused of dereliction of duty and incompetence by hostile forces.
Not only did the aid funds stop, but the former patriarch, Lord Sauros, was also taken to the capital City of Ars and imprisoned. It is said that he has already been secretly executed.
Without the support of the House Boreas, Paul was left all alone, and the rescue efforts in Fittoa came to a standstill.
There is no funding.
There's nothing we can do.
Paul gritted his teeth and led the search and rescue team away from the Asura Kingdom, heading south through the conflict zone.
Their target is the Holy Kingdom of Saint Millis.
There are two advantages to doing this.
Firstly, it would allow them to escape the political quagmire of Asura's aristocracy; secondly, it would allow them to continue saving more people along the way.
And more importantly...
Holy Saint Millis is Zenith's hometown. Paul had heard her mention it when they were adventurers Zenith. She said her family in Millis was a great noble family with a distinguished reputation.
If we can find Zenith 'Zenith family and leverage their influence, the search and rescue operation can resume.
But this road is just too far.
Not only does it require traversing dozens of small countries in a conflict zone, but it also involves passing through the Kingdom of Wanglong, the third strongest nation in the world, before finally arriving in Millis by ship from the port.
They not only had to travel quickly along the way, but also carry out search and rescue operations.
It is fraught with danger.
Exhausted.
If it weren't for his mission to find his family, Paul would have long been overwhelmed by the bitterness of this life.
night.
Inside the Adventurer's Guild in the Kingdom of Dragon Kings.
Paul sat alone in a corner, drowning her sorrows in alcohol. Seeing no hope, she could only numb herself with alcohol.
Paul today.
He was no longer the spirited man he once was; his face was haggard and weathered, as if he had aged decades in an instant.
Inside the Adventurers' Guild in the Kingdom of Dragon Kings, Paul held a wine jug in his hand and took a swig.
His face was much thinner than it had been a few months ago, his cheekbones were prominent, his dark circles were so deep they were almost purple, and he hadn't bothered to groom the stubble on his chin.
He stared blankly at the darkening sky outside the Adventurers' Guild.
"... Vera, how much longer until we reach Millis?"
He asked, his voice hoarse.
"Commander, we're almost there."
A scantily clad woman peeked out from the side; she had a hot figure, but her voice carried a sharp, straightforward energy.
"After resting for a few days in the Kingdom of Wanglong, our team will continue our journey by ship from the port and will soon arrive in Millis."
"Commander Paul, you'd better cheer up soon too."
The person offering words of comfort was a short-haired girl named Vera, who was dressed very provocatively.
Behind Vera, however, was a girl who was completely covered up.
Shera hunched her shoulders and lowered her head.
Her eyes darted around timidly, and she would instinctively back away whenever a man passed by, trembling like a frightened rabbit.
Vera and Shera.
A pair of sisters.
They were also victims of the Great Migration.
Paul first encountered them at the hands of a group of bandits in a conflict zone.
At that time, Vera, the older sister, was still holding on, but when Shera, the younger sister, was rescued, she was already on the verge of a mental breakdown due to the torment.
Paul vented his anger on the band of mountain bandits, killing them all without exception.
Later... I heard that they were also victims of the relocation, so I took them in and let them work in the search and rescue team.
The two sisters are quite strong, especially Vera, who is a Beginner Rank Swordsman, and her younger sister Shera, who is a low-level healing magician.
Soon, the two became the second-in-commands of the search and rescue team.
Paul still didn't respond to Vera's words of comfort, and took another swig of his drink.
"Hateful..."
He lowered his head, his voice muffled in his throat, "I'm such a useless father."
The people around him remained silent; no one dared to approach him at that moment.
Although Captain Paul is usually rough around the edges, he has never been this dejected as he has been lately.
He visibly aged and became extremely haggard, falling into a deep slump in his life.
Just as Paul was muttering curses against God's injustice and venting his own powerlessness...
"Dad!"
A soft, sweet voice.
Suddenly, it came from outside the door.
Immediately afterwards, a small figure wobbled over.
It's Norn.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes, her little feet shuffling across the grass as she wobbled toward Paul.
The search and rescue team all knew this beautiful little girl.
The regimental commander's daughter.
The youngest member of the search and rescue team.
The moment Paul saw Norn, his hand holding the flask froze.
He quickly shoved the flask behind his back, wiped his face hard, and tried to make himself look less bad.
But Norn had already walked up to him, tilting her little face up and stretching out her little arms for him to hug her.
Paul picked up his daughter and placed her on his lap.
Norn touched the prickly stubble on his chin with his little hand and asked in a childish voice, "Daddy, when is Mommy coming back?"
Paul's throat tightened.
He looked down into his daughter's clear eyes, and the expectation and trust within them felt like a knife piercing his heart.
He reached out and gently patted Norn's head, his voice soft. "It's alright... Don't be afraid, Norn."
"Mom just went to a very far place, and Dad will be going to Mom's hometown soon."
"Once we get there, we can ask your grandparents for help to find your mother."
"Really?"
"Yes, Daddy promises you, Norn will grow up quickly too."
Norn nodded obediently, pressed his little face against his chest, and after a while, his even breathing could be heard.
She fell asleep again.
Paul held his daughter and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Looking back on what I've experienced during this period.
The disaster had been going on for several months.
Depart from the Fittoa Territory.
Having traversed the strife-ridden region and arrived at the Kingdom of King Dragon, we are now almost at the Saint Millis.
But the whereabouts of his family members remained unknown.
Not only Zenith, but also Lilia, Aisha, and even Rudeus are missing.
He posted a missing person notice in the Adventurers' Guild, but it went completely unnoticed.
"Dad..."
Just as Paul was feeling lost, Norn in his arms suddenly spoke again, his words mumbled as if someone were talking in their sleep.
"Ugh... I miss my mom so much!"
" Norn!"
Paul felt a lump in his throat, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed the rising bitterness.
He gently patted Norn's back, his voice low, as if speaking to his daughter, but also as if speaking to himself, "Daddy will definitely find Mommy, he will, he definitely will."
This kind of suffering wasn't unique to Paul; everyone in the Adventurers' Guild of the Dragon Kingdom experienced the same pain.
Paul wasn't the most special person either.
Vera whispered to Shera, as if trying to soothe her sister's emotions.
As for the rest of the search and rescue team, they were all weathered by time... their faces etched with exhaustion.
It was late at night.
As the surroundings gradually quieted down, Paul carried his sleeping daughter, and the two returned to a nearby hotel.
Paul, reeking of alcohol, kept watching his sleeping daughter.
He knew he absolutely could not collapse at a time like this.
If I collapse.
What should be done about their daughter, Norn?
Paul's weathered and profound gaze shifted from Norn, and he couldn't help but look out at the starry sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
if...
If only Luo Ge were still alive.
If it were that child, wouldn't they surely do a better job than this incompetent father?
That child who was smarter, more composed, and more reliable than his peers from a young age.
If he were still alive.
So he should be ten years old now.
He must be tall and beautiful, like Zenith, and might already be a great swordsman.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Paul's haggard face was suddenly reminded of sad memories.
Unfortunately, the nightmare in the Red Dragon Mountains took his life.
That was a scar Paul never wanted to touch in his life, a lingering shadow in his heart.
As for his other son, Rudeus, he's doing very well too.
Although he wasn't as good as Luo Ge from a young age, the boy had his strengths, which Paul also found admirable.
If both sons were alive, they would definitely have done a better job than this useless father.
But now not only is Luo Ge dead, but Rudeus has also disappeared, vanished without a trace during the Great Transfer.
The youngest son died in the Red Dragon Mountains.
The eldest son also went missing during the Great Migration.
His wife Zenith, maid Lilia, and another daughter Aisha, are also missing.
Paul lived most of his life, but in the end, he couldn't even protect his own family.
actually.
Paul didn't know.
His beloved second son, Luo Ge, was not only still alive, but also in the Shirone Kingdom, not actually too far away from him.
Even though they were in different places and countries, their goals were surprisingly aligned.
Luo Ge is also working hard to find his family.