Luo Ge strolled out of Roxy's room and gently closed the door behind him.
Most of the lights in the corridor had gone out, with only one lamp at the far end still casting a dim, yellowish glow.
He had only taken two steps when the door to the next room quietly opened a crack, and Elinalise peeked out, panting, "Oh... um, how's Lo... how's Roxy?"
Luo Ge waved his hand dismissively at what had happened to Elinalise, saying, "It's alright, the teacher is already asleep."
"Oh, that's good."
Upon hearing this, Elinalise breathed a sigh of relief and then hurriedly closed the door again.
Judging from the commotion inside, there was definitely more than one person.
Luo Ge couldn't help but roll his eyes, and after muttering "a genius," he went downstairs.
I hadn't been downstairs long when someone outside came over to greet me.
"Yo, Luo Ge!"
The speaker was Paul, Paul looked much better now than when he was first seen with his hair all messy.
As soon as he came up, he put his arm around Luo Ge's shoulder. "Come on, come on, let's go have another drink. There's been so much mess these past few days dealing with the disbanding of the search and rescue team, it's finally getting a little quieter."
Luo Ge was about to nod when he suddenly seemed to remember something, and changed the subject. "Wait a minute."
"Where's Lilia? And Aisha and Norn? I haven't seen them much these past couple of days."
Paul said "Oh," and waved his hand, "You mean them? The three of them live at Latorrea's house."
Is this really a good idea?
"After all, I'm staying at someone else's house."
Paul suddenly sighed, leaned against the corridor wall, and said helplessly, "Well... it's like staying in a hotel all day. Don't you see how all sorts of people come and go in this place?"
"I'm busy with the search and rescue team all day long, sometimes I don't get back until midnight. It's a bit difficult for Lilia, a woman, to stay here alone and take care of two children."
"Besides, Latorrea is, after all, Zenith's family. Even though they have grievances against me, having someone look after them makes things easier for Lilia and the others."
"I see."
Although living under someone else's roof is indeed not easy, after a few seconds of silence, I looked at the weathered man in front of me.
Suddenly I understand Paul a little better.
Since the Great Teleportation Incident began, his family was almost destroyed, and as the head of the family, he still had to travel around.
It's really not easy for one person to run the search and rescue team, run around reporting information, and take care of two children all by themselves.
Back in Buena Village, he could manage to support his family, but now that he's in Milcion, with so much more to do, Paul's responsibilities have become heavier.
Not long after.
Ten minutes later, the two of them arrived at a nearby tavern and sat down facing each other at a window seat.
Paul was a little reserved at first, probably because he hadn't seen Luo Ge for so long, and the joy of seeing him again had caused him to experience a rollercoaster of emotions.
However, after a few glasses of ale, the atmosphere became lively.
"... So when do you plan to set off together to the continent of Licabet to find your mother?"
Without much small talk, Luo Ge got straight to the point.
Hearing Luo Ge's question, Paul clearly had a plan in mind, nodded earnestly to Luo Ge: "I'm currently raising funds. After the search and rescue team disbands in a while, I will set off for the labyrinth of Gapon on the Begaritt Continent."
"Oh?"
"Yeah?"
Luo Ge was a little surprised and glanced at him. "But isn't the search and rescue team the culmination of your three years of hard work? Wouldn't you feel it's a pity to disband it now?"
"Pity?"
"Stop teasing me, my father! You're joking..."
Paul gave a wry smile, his expression gradually becoming serious.
"Others may not know, but don't you? Before, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack for me to search the world all by myself... It was practically impossible."
After a pause, Paul looked at Luo Ge with a complicated expression.
" Luo Ge..."
"I'm not a genius like you or Rudeus. I, Paul, am just an ordinary person. If I want to find people, I can only rely on this clumsy method—many hands make light work..."
"My initial motivation for organizing this search and rescue team was never out of altruism, but rather to use this method to rescue people... while simultaneously searching for Zenith's whereabouts."
"As for the search and rescue team? Now that I've achieved my goal, there's no need for me to continue."
"No wonder there are fewer and fewer people around you lately, besides the Vera and Shera sisters."
"Yes, during this period, apart from the elderly who initially followed us, almost everyone has left."
Some chose to remarry and start new families, while others embarked on a journey back to their hometown of Fittoa...
"As for me, I estimate I'll leave Milicion after I've sent away the last group of people here."
"You'll probably be with me then, Luo Ge, right?"
"Of course."
Luo Ge nodded at Paul, his tone revealing a hint of Paul.
Although Paul may not have been a good person in the past, he proved to be very reliable in crucial moments. The Mass Teleportation had been going on for so long that most people would have given up long ago.
But this man...
They never forgot their original intention from beginning to end.
"Oh, right."
Now that you've talked about me, shouldn't you tell me about yourself?
Paul suddenly came over again and started chatting casually with Luo Ge, their arms around each other's shoulders.
"Tell me... what are you planning to do?"
"What? What do we do?"
Paul immediately gave him a lewd look that everyone knows, since we're all men.
"I know everything about you and that girl Lara."
"That's amazing! If I remember correctly, you just turned thirteen this year, right?"
"I never expected... you secretly got married without saying a word! You've been keeping it a secret for a while now."
"Wait a moment!"
Luo Ge's lips twitched. "No way? You actually believed her completely fabricated lies? Don't you have a brain?"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Paul stroked his chin, a regretful expression on his face, and clicked his tongue twice. "I thought my blockhead son had finally come to his senses, but it turns out... it was all for nothing."
"..."
Luo Ge stared at him expressionlessly.
Paul wasn't finished; he got more and more excited as he spoke.
"Hey, Luo Ge."
"Tell me honestly... what are you really thinking? You know, those three women around you Lara, lively and adorable; Nanahoshi, intelligent and wise; Roxy, gentle and rational..."
"So, which of these three girls do you like the most? Even if you don't have a favorite... you should at least pick one, right?"
"..."
Luo Ge's eyebrows twitched, and the dark lines on his forehead were almost impossible to suppress.
"Hey, hey, hey, aren't you going to say anything?"
Paul leaned closer, adopting the air of someone who'd been there all along. "Shy? Or are you actually saying you want all three? If that's the case... then I'll have to give you a good talking to. You can't be so greedy."
"If you marry three wives, it's very easy for trouble to break out in the harem..."
Luo Ge looked at Paul, who was still lecturing him, with disdain.
Anyone in the world has the right to preach this to themselves, except Paul.
"Hehe."
Luo Ge forced a smile and finally spoke.
"... I wonder who cheated on their spouse and almost tore the whole family apart... They say even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow, where's their shame? This person has the nerve to lecture me?"
"Hello!"
" Luo Ge!"
"Why are you bringing up something you don't want to talk about? This happened so many years ago, why are you bringing it up again?"
"There are so many people in the tavern, give me some face."
"..."
Luo Ge stood with his arms crossed, expressionless.
Paul coughed twice, cleared his throat, and steered the conversation back on track. "Seriously... I've been there, when it comes to relationships."
"I can tell from these three girls that they all have a good impression of you."
" Lara, I'm not entirely sure... but as for Nanahoshi and Roxy, especially Roxy..."
Paul held up a finger and shook it seriously. "If you confess your feelings, I don't think she'll refuse... Confess tonight, then get her drunk, and maybe you can seduce your teacher."
Listening to Paul teach me how to seduce women, how to win over a teacher?
Is this something a human being could do?
Luo Ge remained expressionless, and even felt an urge to punch him.
Why weren't you this enthusiastic when you were teaching me swordsmanship before?
Back then, he was inconsistent in his efforts, only teaching half the moves before running off to have babies with Zenith. Now, however, he's incredibly enthusiastic.
Paul!
What's going on in your head?
Luo Ge, his face growing increasingly dark, finally couldn't hold back any longer, "So... besides those lewd and obscene thoughts in your head, is there nothing else?"
"Also, let me emphasize this point! My relationship with Teacher Roxy is completely innocent; there's absolutely nothing like what you're saying."
"What about Nanahoshi? You're her only support. If you're more assertive, she'll definitely..."
Paul continued to grin mischievously.
Bang!
Then he was punched away by Luo Ge.
A few minutes later, Paul, his face bruised and swollen, got up from the tavern floor, his expression full of disappointment and frustration.
"That idiot Luo Ge, he's a complete idiot."
If it were him in this situation, he would have already hit a home run to complete the game, right?
Be a little bolder; maybe the teacher has already had a second child.
But his son is like a block of wood, all he does all day is practice, practice, practice... I really don't know what's so good about practicing swordsmanship...
Luo Ge ignored his complaints and turned to walk towards his room.
Paul called out from behind, "Hey, don't go! Let's chat a little longer!"
"Sleep."
Luo Ge waved his hand without turning his head.
Paul stood in the tavern, watching Luo Ge leave alone.
This son is good at everything—talented, intelligent, and a great fighter—but he doesn't seem to have much interest in women.
In this respect, he's nothing like him.
Instead, it seems more like she inherited Zenith's personality.
"Well..."
Paul couldn't help but think of his wife, Zenith, and murmured, " Zenith, if you were still here with us, you'd probably be worried about Luo Ge too, wouldn't you?"