Lord: I can see loyalty.

In a rare mountain forest in the Southern Territory, a militia clad in leather armor, led by Xavier and Gaelto, cautiously advanced.

Gailto was accompanied by several equally experienced old hunters, who led the way for the militia behind him.

Xavier looked at the map in his hand, subconsciously rubbing his handsome face with his hand, planning his route in his mind.

"Wait, everyone." Galto, who was in front, raised his left hand and called out to stop the crowd.

"There are traces of human life."

Hearing this, Xavier's eyes lit up, and he quickly went to his side and asked, "How is it? How many are there? Are you worried they might be bandits...?"

"They shouldn't be bandits." Gertó observed the trail without looking up.

After a brief pause, the team quickly set off again, but stopped once more after a short distance.

Geltor, hiding behind the bushes on the cliff at the forefront, carefully observed the area below, while Xavier and the militia had also distanced themselves from each other.

After a long while, Gertó rose again and quietly retreated to the militia group, saying, "That's right, they are refugees from other villages!"

The militiamen exchanged glances, all feeling relieved that they had found their target so quickly.

After thinking for a moment, Xavier said, "Let me negotiate with them. Too many people might be mistaken for bandits."

After gaining the approval of the others, Xavier moved the longsword at his waist slightly backward and walked toward the landslide leading down to the side.

The refugees built makeshift shelters using tree trunks and branches, with a bonfire burning brightly between several tents.

Several robust young men were sitting around a campfire, forging weapons. They held wooden spear shafts with sharp stones attached to the other end.

A haggard-looking woman brought forward a bowl of hot soup, forcing a bitter smile. The young men stopped what they were doing, stood up, took the soup, and thanked her in hushed tones.

Xavier was moved by what he saw not far away. After preparing his words in his mind, he quickened his pace.

"stop!"

Before Xavier could get close to the refugees, a voice came from the side, startling him.

Turning around, the voice came from an old man covered in thick leaves, his face covered in a messy beard, who was sitting cross-legged against a tree.

What's even more eye-catching is the huge "tree root" next to him, a long stick that looks like a cane.

"Ahem, I am Xavier, the captain of the militia under the lord of Bordeaux Village. I am here on the lord's orders to find refugees from other villages."

Xavier quickly regained his composure and said with a serious expression.

"The lord of Bordeaux Village? That old bastard from Dune is still alive?!" Upon hearing Xavier's words, the old man's tone clearly rose, and a glint seemed to flash in his eyes.

Xavier also noticed this detail; the man seemed to have mistaken him for the old lord, and might even know him!

"Old sir, is the 'sand dunes' you speak of Lord Odom Ross?" Xavier moved slightly closer to the old man, trying to make out his features. "Lord Odom has passed away. The current lord of Bordeaux is Lord Vio."

"Dead?"

The old man's tone held a moment of disappointment, but it quickly returned to its mocking tone.

"Vio? Which son of that old man? The eldest or the youngest? He's too old to remember names." As he spoke, the old man stood up and grabbed a cane.

"Lord Vio is the young master; the eldest young master left the family several years ago."

After speaking, Xavier subconsciously stopped moving forward. Looking at the clearly unsuspecting old man in front of him, he actually sensed danger!

This unarmed old man seemed capable of taking him down in an instant.

"Grandpa, what's wrong?" A melodious and clear female voice came from the campfire not far away, and then a girl dressed in simple clothes ran out lightly.

"Have you found someone else? Oh, and who is this...?" The girl was taken aback when she saw the handsome Xavier. Her originally open demeanor immediately turned somewhat shy, and she quickly went behind the old man.

"I am Xavier, the militia captain of Bordeaux village."

Xavier spoke again to explain, while his gaze swept over the young woman, the old man, and the refugee group, speculating about their relationship.

"Speaking of which, what is this militia? When did Bordeaux come up with such a thing?" The old man patted the girl behind him and instead took the initiative to move closer to Xavier.

Just as Xavier was about to explain, the old man waved his hand impatiently: "Forget it, don't explain anymore, I don't want to know."

"Since you've given your name, let me introduce myself briefly. I am Valentine Hawthorne, an old, worn-out magician." The old man walked past Xavier toward the refugee group.

"This is my granddaughter, Xenia."

"A magician?!" Xavier was startled, wondering if he had misheard. This old man was actually a magician?

Although Xavier had lived in a noble family, he was only a minor nobleman in the South and was eventually wiped out by other families in political struggles.

If it weren't for the master saving him, he would have been dead long ago, let alone ever having seen a magician!

"I was hoping for some peace and quiet in these mountains, but I never expected that the villagers would flee here not long ago." The old man raised his cane and said, "I only found out after asking around that the outside area had been taken over by those bandits."

After saying that, he slammed his cane into the ground, and the ground seemed to ripple with emerald green. The campfire suddenly shot up, and the entire refugee group was startled and turned around.

"Alright, didn't the lord ask you to find people? Talk to them yourself." After doing all this, the old man slowly returned to his seat.

Xavier was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered and thanked him, "Thank you, sir."

"Who is that?"

"They don't look like bandits, could they be from the fortress?"

Looking at the refugee group discussing in front of him, Xavier took a deep breath and introduced himself again.

"I am Xavier, the captain of the militia of Bordeaux village! I have come by order of the lord to find those willing to follow me!"

"Bordeaux village?" The refugees exchanged glances, a chorus of doubt rising within them. "Wasn't that the first place to be attacked?"

"Yes," Xavier readily admitted, raising his voice, "but just recently, our lord led us to retake Bordeaux village!"

"And I have come today to deliver a promise: no matter where you come from, my lord will provide you with a fertile land!"

"As long as you are willing to follow the lord, there will be a place for you in Bordeaux Village, and we may even help you reclaim your homeland!"

After the words were spoken, the refugees fell silent. Several young men looked at each other, gripping their crudely made spears tightly in their hands.

"I...I am willing to follow the lord!"

A burly young man couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward, gripping his spear. The other young men around him, seeing this, also raised their weapons.

"We are also willing to follow our lord!"

Xavier glanced at the group and saw that the number of refugees was not large; it was probably a small village with fewer than eighty people.

Because of the small number of people, after most of them chose to follow, the others had no other choice.

No one wants to act alone in this chaotic world.

"Um, that..." a soft voice came from beside him, and Xavier felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. "Can I... also follow the lord?"

Xavier turned around and saw the girl, Xenia, looking up. He then gave her a hearty smile.

"Of course, no problem!"