Chapter 2
“Ugh, hmm.”
I awoke that morning under the harsh morning sun that poured down on us like it was trying to boil us alive.
Either because I’d finally slept in a bed that wasn’t my own for the first time, or because the thrill of actually leaving home had kept me tossing and turning, I couldn’t settle back in.
“Heeeeng… brrr.”
Teraden was curled up inside his blanket like a hibernating bear, unwilling to wake from the cold.
“Nhaam…”
Maru, who had just raised her upper body, suddenly stretched her arms straight up, yawned wide, and shook out her whole body.
“Glug glug, pff!”
I washed the sleep from my mouth with a gulp of water and felt my senses snap back into focus. Only then did the world around me come into clear view.
“Ah, you’re awake. I hope the bed didn’t bother you too much.”
Lan approached us carefully after confirming we had risen, speaking politely.
“The Western King’s Capital is just ahead. Please give us a little more strength. Shall we begin preparing to set out?”
Lan’s words spurred us to straighten our places and pack our belongings.
Wait a minute… that guy was on watch all night with wide-open eyes.
And now, in this bone-chilling cold, he wasn’t even wearing a proper winter coat, just thin clothes suited for activity, yet he showed no sign of discomfort whatsoever.
Do the Seven Pillars really consist only of people this utterly composed?
I was still lost in vague clouds-of-thought when Lan silently approached my side.
Whoosh!
With one light gesture from him, a sudden gale swept around his figure.
The moment the wind died down, the bonfire that had kept us warm all night vanished as if it had never existed.
I knew what kind of mysterious power that was, but this was my first time actually seeing it in action.
Ineung.
Special abilities each person carries. The continent calls them Ineung.
And Lan’s Ineung fell into the category of the air element among them.
I was still marveling at the strange sight when Lan tilted his head and asked,
“Are you certain, Lord Haru, that you don’t yet possess an Ineung?”
“Yes. Maru and Teraden have none either.”
“I see.”
After clearing our temporary resting place, we continued our journey toward the Western King’s Capital.
As the sun began to set, we finally reached the place known as the Western King’s Capital.
“There it is—far ahead.”
Lan pointed a finger toward something distant.
The spot he indicated was still so far away that it appeared no larger than a grain of corn.
“Once we arrive at the Western King’s Capital, would it be all right if we first pay our respects to His Majesty?”
“Eh? His Majesty? Why would we meet someone like that?”
Teraden jumped in surprise, arms flailing.
“You’ve just left the place you were staying at, so you have no fixed quarters anyway, don’t you?”
“Ah, that’s true.”
“Fortunately, His Majesty has agreed to provide all the supplies you will need for your journey ahead. After you meet him and spend a short time here to stock up, you may depart.”
* * *
A mere grain of corn from moments ago had been so tiny it was invisible.
But now it was a fortress that looked like a well-crafted toy—growing larger the closer we approached, until it became a magnificent, towering sight.
No, it wasn’t that the fortress had grown; the distance had simply shortened, revealing its true scale.
“Whoa! Maru, this is the first time I’ve seen a house this big!”
Maru had apparently mistaken the walls for one side of a house.
Well, I was the same.
As the distance to the walls shrank, Maru kept tilting her head upward in amazement.
“Everyone, welcome to the Western King’s Capital.”
“…?”
Because we were too busy gawking at the walls, Lan’s greeting barely registered.
As we drew near the gates where the bell tolled, one sentry suddenly rushed out to greet us.
“W-we greet the majestic Seven Pillars of the continent!”
A moment later, another figure who looked like a comrade came running from afar and dropped to his knees.
“We greet the majestic Seven Pillars of the continent!”
The warrior holding our reins shouted at them with a commanding tone, watching us fumble through our awkward bows.
“What a mess. When the Seven Pillars enter the city, isn’t there even the basic rule of ringing the temple bell at least three li away? Have you people forgotten everything?”
The soldier who had come out earlier spoke first.
“Ah, no, we remember.”
“Then what in the world were you doing all this time instead of ringing the bell? Were you asleep? What’s your name, you?”
“We were in the middle of rotating dinner since it was mealtime. And my name is Jubern…”
“Hold on just a moment.”
“…?”
While the soldier caught his breath, I drew the warrior’s attention.
The reins-holding warrior looked surprised when I spoke and turned toward me.
“Is something the matter?”
“If this is too presumptuous, I apologize, but it would be best to investigate their exact situation before questioning them.”
Of course, I wasn’t familiar with every detail of their past, and I knew almost nothing about this country’s laws.
But I felt that once we heard their story, deciding whether to punish them would come later anyway.
“That’s right. I don’t know much either, but we have more important matters to attend to than this, don’t we?”
“Yes, Lord Haru and Lord Teraden are correct. We’ll let it go.”
Teraden and Lan both added their weight to my words.
“It’s only once in a while, you know. Even the Seven Pillars get tired patrolling the borders sometimes. Understood? And after today’s scolding, you won’t do it again. You’re always welcome here. Now, be off with you.”
I had no idea exactly what they had done wrong, but Lan didn’t seem to care much.
Instead, he defended the soldiers and passed through the gate without another word.
The warrior followed, glancing at the soldiers still kneeling on the ground like insects.
‘I-ick…!’
The soldier who had failed to ring the bell because he was asleep trembled in fear, while Jubern stood frozen in place, face flushed with rising shame he couldn’t contain.
* * *
The Western King’s Capital lived up to its reputation as the capital of a kingdom—vast and teeming with people, filled with remarkable development.
A wide avenue stretched from the city gate all the way to the royal palace.
Around it, homes and markets bustled with lively voices and overflowing happiness.
Woo-woo-woo!
Woo-woo-woo!
The clear, purifying ring of the temple bells drew crowds from every direction to the avenues.
As soon as Lan and we others stepped onto the main road, people gathered without hesitation and chanted in unison.
“We greet the majestic Seven Pillars of the continent!”
The clear, unbroken cry echoed through the palace walls, and the sight made my entire body tingle with excitement for the first time.
While the rest of us were stiff with goosebumps, Lan’s face remained strangely calm.
He offered a polite smile toward the crowd, waved once, and hurried down the avenue.
When we reached the front of the palace, the guards there also tried to bow, but Lan cut them off before they could speak.
“The majestic Seven Pillars of the conti—”
“No need. Save the formalities. I’d much rather hurry inside the palace right now.”
Before his sentence ended, the soldiers opened the palace gates without the slightest hesitation, swift and disciplined.
Thanks to the prestige of the Seven Pillars, we bypassed inspection entirely and headed straight for the king’s residence.
Lan, who had been walking ahead, stopped in front of an enormous gate.
The massive doors themselves groaned like living things and swung open, and with Lan leading, we all stepped through.
Unlike the spacious exterior, the interior space was narrow and bare.
At most, it could fit just a few people—bookshelves, a desk, chairs for resting, and a single bed.
No decorations at all, making it feel completely different from the outside world.
Stepping into this small, mismatched space that didn’t match the king’s office made the already cramped area feel even tighter.
“Ah, welcome. Thank you for your long journey.”
A man seated at the desk greeted us warmly.
The piles of miscellaneous documents and the lavish clothing around him clearly marked him as the ruler of the Western Kingdom, Azsha Lemann.
The man rose and pointed to the empty chair nearby.
“I’d like to discuss a few things. Please, sit here.”
Following his gesture, we each took our seats in turn.
“It’s not easy to shed one’s old habits. Were there no hardships during the journey here from the place you once lived?”
“We’re fine. Thank you for your concern.”
“That’s good to hear.”
The man nodded cheerfully.
“I see I forgot to introduce myself. I am Azsha Lemann, the ruler of the Western Kingdom. I’m sorry you’ve had such a long journey. Ah, the reason I’ve brought you here is not entirely for hospitality but because I have something I wish to give you.”
“Yes, we received word from Lord Lan. He said you would provide supplies for our journey…”
“Exactly as he said. There are a few matters I should warn you about as well. For the next few days, how about staying here? You can see the capital and stock up on supplies.”
Maru, who still loved to play, nodded repeatedly with eyes and mouth wide open.
Teraden and I decided to accept Lemann’s kind proposal without refusal.
“That would be wonderful.”
At our agreement, Lemann snapped his fingers lightly.
Urrururung!
The door at the entrance swung open on its own, and several attendants entered with lowered postures.
“You must be tired after such a long journey. Rest well today and tomorrow for two days. Treat these honored guests with the utmost care. I entrust you with them.”
Once Lemann’s command ended, Haru, Maru, and I left the small space with the attendants’ guidance, leaving only Lemann and Lan behind.
“Why were you so tense? You were even sweating despite it being inappropriate.”
Lan wiped the sweat from his forehead while looking at Lemann.
“Hah… I suppose it’s because of that lineage.”
Lemann finally sighed in relief.
“I’ve met members of that lineage before, and they’re all extraordinary people, so I unconsciously grew tense. Their appearances are equally outstanding, which surprised me quite a bit.”
“Hmm, I need to attend a meeting in the Imperial Capital. Would it be all right if I leave these people to you?”
“Of course. There’s no problem.”
“Thank you. Our brief companionship ends here, but if our paths ever cross again, we’ll meet someday. Please take good care of them from now on.”