Chapter 47
**CHAPTER 46: The Seven Pillars' Unyielding Resolve**
Everyone in the hall dropped to one knee the moment the words rang out.
“**The Greatest Pillar of the Continent!**”
Even though traveling from the Imperial Capital to Dongye by carriage could take a full week or more, the shocking part was that Feltics had sensed the clash of powers from such a distance—and had arrived in Dongye in less than three shikjin.
‘Seven... pillars? I didn’t feel a single trace of his presence. How...? No, that’s not important right now. The bigger question is who this “He” is. Is he the one who told me about this person? Is he the First Seat? But I heard the First Seat never takes anyone under his wing...’
“Enough. Rise.”
The wounded Blanser Baron rose slowly from the floor and lifted his head. Their eyes met.
Even just locking gazes sent a wave of searing pain through Feltics’s body, as if he were being burned alive.
There might be more hidden depths, but publicly known, his Ineung was White Flame—besides Immunity.
The sheer pressure he exuded, breathing out like natural heat, instantly dried the moisture on his skin.
“Your Grace... why are you here?”
‘...This is my own fault. He couldn’t have sensed the existence over there, could he?’
“Three shikjin ago, I felt a powerful collision of energy somewhere northeast from here. I came to investigate.”
When Lan and Wolhyang had sensed the battle between Junior and Blanser, Lan had rushed to leave the capital, but Wolhyang—unable to part from him—had stopped him and even threatened Feltics.
‘Go.’
‘Right now the 4th Seat is gone. If I leave the capital too, who will protect the Emperor...’
‘I’ll take care of it. Go.’
‘...Fine. I was already owed him a favor anyway.’
For that reason, instead of Lan, Feltics had come to Dongye.
“You saved me the trouble. The culprit is right in front of me. What exactly happened?”
The authority of the Seven Pillars across the continent was truly overwhelming. No single word could describe it.
They received treatment equal to that of a duke wherever they went, and the privileges that came with it were so numerous it would make a mouth water to list them all.
The Seven Pillars’ demands had to be met without question, so how could a mere baron of a kingdom possibly speak?
Even on the surface, he had no grounds to refuse.
Right after speaking, “I’m sorry, but I was investigating something and need to step aside for a moment?”
If it had been Modeus instead of Feltics who said that, he would have lost his head on the spot.
‘Everything’s over. Unless that arrogant bastard shows up, I have nothing left I can do.’
“Last night I discovered suspicious movements...”
His vague reply clearly conveyed that he would not reveal any more.
“But the moment I looked at him...!”
Unlike the rude Saero who had been about to start slapping and cursing the instant he saw the provocation, Feltics’s reaction was strangely calm.
“So, from now on I will personally search for that suspicious person.”
After all, his primary reason for coming here had been to confirm Junior’s fate.
If Feltics had simply wanted to, he could have half-killed Junior and forced him to confess. But to dig deeper risked exposing the connection with Junior or Lan. So he decided against provoking Blanser any further and inviting unnecessary suspicion.
*Throb.*
The pain in his side made the wounded Blanser Baron pull his injured area and step back without a word.
“I understand, Pillar. Then may I take my leave?”
“Very well. You seem to be in quite a bit of pain—get well soon.”
Feltics’s concern carried an unspoken warning.
‘I don’t know your full intention, but stop acting recklessly and leave quietly.’
*Crack.*
“Thank you for your concern...”
The wounded Blanser Baron summoned his knights stationed all across Dongye and ordered them to withdraw from the city.
“Captain! We still haven’t caught that guy! Should we really withdraw now?”
“He’s a Pillar! There’s a Pillar in this city! Once a Pillar has come, there’s nothing we can do!”
After every last knight of his and the Baron had left Dongye without exception, Feltics followed Saero’s guidance to the heart of Dongye where Junior was hiding.
“Great Pillar of the Continent...”
“Enough. Your body is clearly injured. I’m not so cold-hearted as to force you to perform etiquette for a patient. I’m glad nothing worse happened.”
‘His power is so vast I can’t even imagine the edge. This... is the peak of the continent...!’
Junior, chastised by Feltics, could not help but feel a surge of awe at the overwhelming aura he had never felt before.
Normally Water Ineung held an advantage over Fire Ineung, but if his Muran clashed with Feltics’s White Flame, the power disparity would be absolute—it would tear him apart regardless of superiority.
“I came because I wanted to meet you properly one day. You were praised so highly by that man he was unforgettable.”
“Lord...”
“I am late in offering thanks for saving my clan’s children. Please accept my gratitude. I hope you will continue to provide them with great strength from now on.”
“Of course.”
“You seem to have suffered a wound no less severe than the one from earlier. It would be best to receive treatment here for a while.”
Under Feltics’s protection, Junior would remain in Dongye to recover his wounds.
Meanwhile, after receiving Yebaek’s report that Junior had fought Blanser to a standstill, Saero had latched onto Junior’s heroic deeds like a child, eyes sparkling with insatiable curiosity.
“That insolent bastard’s face must have been thoroughly shattered! Hehehe! While I stay in Dongye, I won’t spare any support. Tell me all about your fight with that guy!”
Saero’s pleas continued until Junior left Dongye.
“Huh? Where are you going? I’m begging you! Please!”
“...”
Although he hadn’t figured out Blanser’s full motive, after this incident Junior felt a growing sense of danger. He had stopped his work in the cave and prepared to withdraw.
From Yebaek, he had received the information Junior had secretly taken, so at minimum he had gained two valuable harvests.
“Junior-nim has received the blessing of life.”
“What do you mean? The blessing of life? If it weren’t for Yebaek-nim accompanying me, I would never have been in such danger.”
“No. I chose to accompany you. If you hadn’t been there, I would have been as good as dead already.”
“That’s the same for me. If not for your help, I would not have remained whole.”
“Whatever you ask of me, I will not refuse. So if you need my help, contact me anytime.”
After several days of recovery, Junior finished treatment safely and departed Dongye under Yebaek’s escort, returning to the Imperial Capital.
* * *
It was only ten days after Junior’s disappearance that he reappeared before us.
His complexion looked a bit pale, and worry gnawed at me—I asked about the events that had happened in his absence.
“Thank you for worrying, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Please don’t worry.”
He seemed reluctant to reveal the full truth.
Since he refused to answer, I decided not to press further.
Shortly after Junior’s return, the final Ineung Lecture of the term before the exams.
“If the first Release is delayed, the Ineung level tends to become stronger. Note that as well.”
“Professor! I have a question!”
“...What is it this time?”
Professor winced at Teraden’s question.
It seemed he had already guessed what kind of question the hot-blooded man would ask.
“Why does the Ineung become stronger the later the Release?”
“Yes! Maru’s curious too!”
Professor hesitated for a moment, as if thinking, and furrowed his brows.
“Let’s assume a five-year-old and a ten-year-old open the same door. When I give them each one chance to open it, which child opens it wider? Both children are identical, and all conditions except for the natural growth of their bodies over time are the same.”
“Eh? Hyung? Do you... understand what that means? What is this nonsense?”
“Of course I understand. You think I’m a blockhead like you?”
We who had been listening to the professor probably understood instantly, and without hesitation, like Blanser.
“Maru thinks the ten-year-old would open it wider, of course.”
Teraden and I nodded in agreement with Maru’s words.
“Correct. If opening a door is the Release, the door’s size is the person’s capacity. The force used to open the door is talent. The degree to which the door opens determines the size and limit of the Ineung. The Seven Pillars usually first Release at age thirteen.”
“Eh? Hold on. I first Released at fifteen, so does that mean I’ll be stronger than the Seven Pillars later? Hehehe!”
“...Congratulations on your thick skull. The final mid-term exam date has been moved from two weeks from now to tomorrow. Memorize it well and prepare thoroughly. That’s all for today’s lecture.”
“It’s finally over! Let’s go!”
The professor watched Teraden’s noisy departure and muttered to himself.
*Sigh.* I suppose I’ll have to quit after this semester. If I keep facing that guy any longer, I won’t survive.
* * *
Despite the exams approaching, the atmosphere at Gukhak was strangely lively.
The reason was that after the exams, the greatest festival on the continent awaited us.
A thousand years ago, humanity had won the Great War against the Yokai. Every year, as the anniversary of that victory approached, they held a festival to offer gratitude to the ancestors’ sacrifices.
Originally, the mid-term exam date had fallen after the ten-day festival period.
“Even during the festival you hole up in the library studying and skipping around?! This is ridiculous! Let’s take a break during the festival!”
*Bang bang bang!*
“Grandpa Dean! W-we’re not inside! Open the door! I was just going to talk to you!”
Teraden had incited the students to cause a commotion, which pushed the exam date before the festival began.
“Yo, Junior still not coming today?”
On the exam day just before the festival started, Teraden looked at the empty seat and commented.
“Yeah. Junior’s never missed a lecture before, and now he’s skipping the exam too?”
“But if you skip the exam you fail, right? With Junior-nim gone after he returned, now there’s no one.”
*Hehe.* “First, it looks like one person’s been caught, Hyung.”
“Then I’ve got at least two to knock out from the start.”
“Eh? Why two, Hyung?”
Instead of answering, Teraden raised his thumb to point at Blanser.
“You’re there.”
“...”
As described, after the exam began, Blanser sat blankly for a while before scribbling something on the paper with a line and leaving the lecture hall first.
Teraden clutched his stomach, laughing until he couldn’t breathe.
*Hehehe! Haha, that idiot didn’t study at all! Kihihihi!*
Before long, Teraden also submitted his exam paper.
In order, it was the second one.
While leaving, Teraden made eye contact with the professor and deliberately looked away, fidgeting.
“I didn’t cheat, though. And from third place and below it’s fine.”
“...”
After finishing the exam and preparing properly for the festival, we received shocking news.
Junior had gone missing.