Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1007

The Master couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded.

‘This has to be a joke, right?’

Of course, it had to be a joke. There was no way such powerful figures would move for such a reason.

But the problem was that the joke didn’t sound like a joke.

Moreover, what was with their reactions?

Wiggins looked like he regretted speaking, and Kang Jin-ho also had a subtle expression on his face.

‘I get one thing.’

Perhaps this whole expedition wasn’t as systematically planned as the Master thought. Of course, the claim about coming to punch Knight Levo was probably not true, but there was a reasonable suspicion that it was more impulsive than he had imagined.

‘So, does that mean they really don’t have a plan right now?’

No way.

That couldn’t be the case.

Kang Jin-ho was one thing, but Wiggins wasn’t that kind of person. The Wiggins the Master knew was calm, rational, and meticulous…

‘Don’t make that face, you idiot!’

The Master almost jumped up from his seat when he saw Wiggins looking so vacant.

Perhaps sensing the Master’s gaze, Wiggins looked embarrassed.

‘People can’t always be planned, you know.’

‘Haha…’

The Master just laughed.

Even though people were influenced by their environment, he never thought Wiggins would say something like that.

‘Good grief.’

To put it nicely, he had become more relaxed; to put it badly, he had lost his mind. The Master decided to think of it in a positive light.

‘So, you really didn’t even consider the possibility of me rebelling?’

‘That’s right.’

‘With what confidence…’

The Master covered his mouth.

Perhaps it was because the story wasn’t going as he had expected, but he kept using words he shouldn’t have.

However, Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth casually, as if he didn’t care.

‘Because there’s no reason to refuse.’

‘Huh?’

‘Neither side loses. You’re happy because you can move the Round Table again, and we’re happy because we can get the Round Table’s cooperation.’

‘That’s not cooperation. That’s intimidation.’

Kang Jin-ho chuckled lightly.

‘You don’t understand.’

‘……Huh?’

‘You seem to be mistaken, but it’s better to be aware of your position and situation.’

The Master bit his lip slightly. He had taken this as a threat from Kang Jin-ho. But Kang Jin-ho was saying something completely different.

‘You seem to think you can resist us by refusing to cooperate and throwing away your life, but that’s wrong. You’d know if you thought about it a little?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘If you step down and another Knight takes over the Round Table, do you think he would try to resist us?’

The Master’s eyes wavered.

This was a problem he hadn’t considered.

He thought Kang Jin-ho and the Assembly’s choices were one of two things: either use the Master as a puppet to control the Round Table, or have Wiggins directly govern the Round Table.

Now that he knew Kang Jin-ho had no intention of placing Wiggins in the Round Table, he thought he had to resist.

But what if the Master stepped down and a third party, one of the surviving Knights, became the new Master?

Would he be able to refuse the pressure from Kang Jin-ho and Wiggins?

‘That’s absurd.’

It was obvious who the Assembly would make the new Master.

They would make one of the survivors of this battle the Master. Then, would someone who had directly experienced Kang Jin-ho’s power and seen the Elder Knights wiped out dare to oppose Kang Jin-ho?

Wouldn’t he know he would end up like Knight Levo?

‘It’s impossible.’

This was the best outcome for the Assembly.

A puppet who couldn’t even think or resist, like the Master, would take control of the Round Table, and they would be able to manipulate the Round Table as they pleased based on that control.

If the Master were in the Assembly’s position, he would have moved things in that direction without hesitation.

‘……Then why aren’t you doing that?’

‘We’re going in circles.’

Kang Jin-ho took a deep drag from his cigar.

‘Stop beating around the bush and get to the point, Master.’

‘Yes, Lord.’

‘I want you.’

Kang Jin-ho looked at the Master with clear eyes.

‘I’m not saying you should obey me. I think there’s no one more suitable than you to move and change the Round Table. Of course, I haven’t seen all the members of the Round Table, so I can’t say for sure. If even Wiggins thinks the same, there’s no need to confirm it.’

‘I appreciate that assessment.’

‘It’s simple. If we want help from the Round Table, the Round Table has to become stronger. It’s funny, but if we weaken our forces to take control of the Round Table, that power won’t reach Korea. And even if we take troops, they’ll just be prisoners, so we can’t expect proper cooperation.’

Wiggins nodded.

‘Paradoxically, we need to make the Round Table a stronger place to utilize it.’

‘And you’re the right person for that.’

The Master sighed.

His high evaluation, the low evaluation of the Round Table, and…

‘I’ll ask one last thing.’

‘Anything.’

‘The premise of all those plans seems to be that even if you return to Korea, I will cooperate with you. Do you trust me?’

‘Not at all.’

Kang Jin-ho waved his hand as if it were absurd.

‘I don’t trust anyone who isn’t my family. And you’re not my family.’

‘That’s right. So, how?’

‘I’ll give you what you want.’

Kang Jin-ho smiled.

‘You must have felt the problems of the Round Table. And that if you don’t reform the Round Table, it will eventually fall behind.’

He couldn’t deny it.

In fact, he was getting a little impatient.

But the problem was that it wasn’t easy. The Master’s control was severely weakened.

It was a big problem that he had lost his position as Master by being subdued by the Knight Levo, but the fact that the Elder Knights were annihilated was even bigger.

Ordinary members of the Round Table would feel the former more, but for the Knights, who were supposed to be under the Master’s control, the latter was much more significant.

It was because the Master had lost the means to pressure them with force. No matter how strong the Master was within the Round Table, if there were two Knights, they were equal, and if there were three, it was difficult to handle. So, control over them was impossible.

Reform had to be based on power. He felt the need for reform, but he didn’t have the power to achieve it.

‘I’ll push you.’

‘You, Lord?’

‘Yes.’

Just as the Master was about to talk about the practical difficulties, Wiggins jumped in.

‘We’ll install a portal.’

‘A portal?’

‘Yes. It would be good to connect the Master’s and Lord’s offices, or if not, we could find a suitable place. If we can install a portal that allows the Lord to travel to and from Europe, you won’t have to worry about control over the Round Table.’

The Master’s mind raced.

If they installed magic circles on both sides to open a portal, Kang Jin-ho could freely travel to and from Europe.

And the biggest advantage of this method was that anyone could dismantle the magic circle and close the portal at any time. It meant that they could make it so that Kang Jin-ho could only be summoned when the Master wanted.

Not bad.

No, it was the best option among the available plans.

‘Think of it simply. I’ll help you. I’ll help you as much as possible, not only with my power but also with anything you want. You’ll use that power to regain control of the Round Table and reform it. And in return for that reform, you’ll use the power you’ve regained to support us.’

‘One more thing…’

‘I’ll add one more thing as a price for this alliance.’

Kang Jin-ho said indifferently.

‘As long as this alliance lasts, the Assembly will never try to take over the Round Table again. We won’t come to Europe.’

The Master’s eyes wavered.

That was what he wanted to hear the most. But it was something he couldn’t bring himself to ask first.

Kang Jin-ho had given him everything he could give.

Now it was the Master’s turn to make a decision based on Kang Jin-ho’s words.

The Assembly had already presented all the conditions to them. The conditions were not bad, even for the Master. No, they were not just not bad, they were the best conditions he could ask for.

Because conditions he hadn’t even expected had come one after another.

So, in the end, there was only one thing he had to think about.

Could he trust Kang Jin-ho’s words?

He had already made that conclusion.

‘Lord.’

‘Yes.’

‘Although it’s embarrassing since I haven’t regained my position as Master yet, I’m willing to accept your proposal as the Master of the Round Table. A permanent alliance between the Round Table and the Assembly. If we can become a relationship where we can develop together, not just a relationship that pursues mutual benefits, the Round Table will remain a friend of the Assembly forever.’

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

‘Welcome. I accept.’

Kang Jin-ho stood up and extended his hand to the Master. The Master also stood up and took Kang Jin-ho’s hand.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

‘It could have been resolved easily, but we went further than I thought.’

‘You’re right.’

‘Discuss the details with Wiggins.’

‘Yes. I will.’

Kang Jin-ho turned and walked out. The Master watched Kang Jin-ho for a long time. Even after Kang Jin-ho had left, his gaze did not leave the door Kang Jin-ho had exited from.

‘Master.’

‘In many ways…’

The Master shook his head.

‘He’s a difficult person to deal with.’

‘That’s not true. You’re thinking of the Lord too difficultly. He’s simpler than you think.’

‘Do you really think so?’

‘On the surface, yes.’

Wiggins smiled slyly.

‘I still can’t clearly explain what kind of person the Lord is. He seems impulsive, yet calculating, rational, yet emotional.’

‘That means he’s complicated.’

‘I can’t deny that. But one major principle is certain.’

‘A major principle?’

‘He cherishes those he considers his people.’

Wiggins smiled brightly.

‘I hope you will also become one of the Lord’s people, Master.’

‘That’s terrible. To have to go under someone else at this age.’

‘The Lord might be older than you.’

‘Ah, that’s true.’

The Master shook his head.

‘A big change is about to begin.’

The die had already been cast. He didn’t know if this was a good decision, but there was no way to undo his choice.

He now had to start a precarious tightrope walk. Not upsetting Kang Jin-ho while getting as much benefit as possible from the Assembly. That was what the Master had to do.

To do that…

The Master turned his head and looked at Wiggins. Looking at his sly smile made him sigh.

‘You didn’t seem like such a sly character before…’

‘People change, don’t they?’

‘……You annoying bastard.’

The Master sighed and sat down. Now he had to start the tedious negotiations.