Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1081

‘Could I trouble you for a cup of tea?’ No sooner had the words left his mouth than a reply came back.

‘I’ll prepare it right away, Master.’

‘Thank you.’

As the secretary left, the Master put a hand to his forehead.

‘This is no way for a person to live.’

The Master had always been plagued by an excessive workload. But the amount of work he was handling now made his past workload look like child’s play.

The reason was simple.

In the past, the Master was a member of the Round Table, with slightly more authority than the Knights. Now, as the ruler of the Round Table, he held the power to be involved in all decision-making.

‘They say the biggest victim of absolute monarchy is the king himself…’

‘I think I understand why that saying exists.’

The first step in creating power is to make it so that nothing can be done without his permission. This wasn’t just a practical matter.

It was important to instill in the other Knights the ‘perception’ that everything they did had to be approved by the Master.

Giving them autonomy would allow for a smoother operation of the Round Table. But that would be no different from the past. He had to maintain this situation, no matter how difficult it was.

‘I know, but at this age…’ The Master sighed.

If he were just ten years younger, he could have pushed the Knights harder. But now, he was facing his physical limits.

What physical limits for a martial artist, you ask?

Physical strength isn’t just about the body. Maintaining concentration is also a form of physical strength. Even students who sit and study all day need physical strength.

He didn’t feel physical fatigue, but there was nothing he could do about mental fatigue. Still, he was the Master, so he could handle this much without any problems.

‘I don’t know how the kings of the past lived.’

The Master couldn’t imagine how the kings of the past handled work that was so overwhelming even for him. Of course, the reports they received weren’t as detailed as the ones the Master handled now, but considering they didn’t have mana, their fatigue wouldn’t have been much different.

‘Hoo…’

Just then, the secretary came in with a steaming cup of tea.

‘It would be good if you could rest a little, Master.’

‘Thank you for your concern.’

The Master gave a slight wink.

‘But it’s still time to work.’

‘I’m worried you’ll harm your health.’

‘Hahaha.’

A martial artist harming their health. It was a polite remark, but it was quite amusing.

‘Don’t worry. I know how to manage myself.’

‘Yes, then.’

As the secretary bowed and left, the Master sighed.

‘I’ve become quite good at lying.’

In truth, he was pushing himself quite hard. The proper balance he had in mind had long been broken.

But this wasn’t the time to complain.

The situation of the Round Table was actually very delicate right now.

After the fall of the Elder Knights and the suppression of Knight Levo’s coup, they had barely regained stability. But since then, as the Master tried to seize full control of the Round Table, a subtle tension had been building.

People don’t want to let go of what they hold in their hands.

Even if it’s something useless, they might throw it away themselves, but they won’t let others take it. This isn’t a matter of reason, but of instinct.

It’s the same reason why a child cries when you try to take something from their hand.

If even a child doesn’t want to have what they hold taken away, how would the Knights feel?

Each of them was the head of a family. There was no way they would easily give up what was given to them.

And even if they wanted to give it up, they couldn’t. The Knights represented their respective countries. They could give up their own things, but could they give up their country’s?

Even if the Master were in their position, he would have resisted fiercely.

But the current Master had no choice but to push them, knowing their position. He had already experienced the limitations of the Round Table firsthand.

However…

‘It’s strange that they’re not confronting me head-on.’

The Round Table was basically a consensus-based body.

All decisions were made through discussions at the Round Table. Those who were used to that method would likely try to resolve the situation through meetings. But since the Master took full control, no one had directly opposed his opinions.

‘They definitely haven’t given up.’

That couldn’t be.

They weren’t so docile that they would just accept having what was in their hands taken away. Moreover, even though the Master was poking them to rebel, not even a groan was coming out. It was clearly strange.

There were two possible reasons.

One was that Kang Jin-ho’s power was suppressing them more than the Master had imagined.

‘It’s possible.’

The Master also thought he was surprised enough by Kang Jin-ho. But looking at it the other way, the Master had time to adapt to Kang Jin-ho’s existence.

He had already met him in Korea and even fought alongside him.

It would definitely be different.

Knowing what kind of person Kang Jin-ho was and what he would do, and facing him with no information after seeing him slaughter the Elder Knights were two completely different things.

Thinking about it, it was true.

Even the Master, who understood what kind of person Kang Jin-ho was, was shocked to see him unilaterally massacre the Elder Knights. Then, one could easily imagine the shock the other Knights must have felt.

The process of witnessing becoming a rumor, and a rumor becoming fear, was obvious.

Then, their current silence could be understood. They also knew that Kang Jin-ho guaranteed the Master’s position.

The other possibility was…

‘They’re not going to do something clumsy like Knight Levo, but wait until they can completely seize my lifeline.’

That was also a possibility.

So, which was the truth?

‘Probably both.’

Kang Jin-ho was a burden. So, to keep the Master in check, they needed to find a more certain opportunity.

They were probably watching with that in mind.

They must be feeling a burning sensation in their stomachs.

‘Don’t blame yourselves too much.’

The burden the Knights were feeling was probably significant, but the burden the Master was carrying was even greater.

But he had to endure it.

Overhauling a system that had become entrenched was, in some ways, more difficult than starting anew. Familiarity leads to habit, and habit develops into custom. Eventually, when custom develops into rules, the system created by people ends up strangling them.

The Round Table had already reached that stage. If they couldn’t overturn it here, they would rot instead of develop.

‘The problem is that this old man has to take on that important role.’

The Master sighed deeply.

In a way, this was his karma.

The Master had mocked the martial world, which had adopted a different system from the Round Table. How could the martial world, which still operated under a one-man dictatorship, be so primitive when humans and systems were developing?

That was why he had looked down on those who couldn’t accept the system.

But now he knew.

‘They’re not human.’

Leading a group alone required an enormous amount of mental strength. Authority always comes with responsibility. Even things that could be passed on when authority was shared started to require attention, one by one.

How long could he endure like this?

‘Hoo…’

The Master was about to let out a low sigh when his phone started ringing loudly.

‘Hmm?’

The Master frowned slightly at the name on the screen.

Then, he put the phone to his ear.

‘You always seem to interrupt me whenever I try to rest. I’m starting to suspect you have a surveillance camera somewhere.’

[It shouldn’t be too late in the UK yet. I didn’t expect you to be resting at this hour. Have you become a bit more relaxed?]

‘Quite the opposite. I don’t have the luxury of having a separate rest time, so I’m trying to make time whenever I can.’

[Oh, I apologize.]

The Master chuckled.

Wiggins’ voice was always sly. Of course, it wasn’t just his voice. The man himself was sly.

‘What’s the matter?’

[I believe I should come and speak to you in person, but I thought that my visit would take up your time, so please forgive my rudeness in calling.]

‘You’re being long-winded. You weren’t like this before.’

[Please consider it a form of self-preservation.]

‘If you’re going to talk about self-preservation, speak quickly. The most terrible person to me right now is someone who wastes my time. You’re already close.’

[Then, I’ll get straight to the point.]

‘That would be good.’

Contrary to his words about not wasting time, Wiggins didn’t speak right away. But the Master didn’t rush him.

He was a good talker. To put it nicely, he was a good talker, and to put it badly, Wiggins was an endlessly sly man. The fact that such a person was having trouble speaking meant that he was about to ask for a difficult favor.

The point here was that ‘difficulty’.

Was the reason Wiggins was hesitating because the request he was about to make was difficult for the Master, or because it was a story that Wiggins found difficult?

It was intriguing.

Just being able to forget about work for a moment and focus on this was healing.

‘You don’t have to rush, so take your time…’

[No. I’ll speak.]

‘That I’m in trouble.’ Take a little more time…

[Master!]

He never listens.

[Please teach me.]

The Master took the phone away from his ear. Then, he checked the name on the screen again.

‘It’s Wiggins, isn’t it?’

Surprise filled the Master’s face.

With an awkward expression, the Master put the phone back to his ear and said with a hollow laugh.

‘I think I misheard. Could you say that again?’

[I wish to seek your guidance, Master.]

He hadn’t misheard.

There was no way he could have misheard twice.

The Master smiled subtly and opened his mouth.

‘I feel a little embarrassed to contradict myself, but I don’t think this is something to discuss over the phone. If you have time now, why don’t you come over here? I’ll open the gate.’

The answer came without a moment’s hesitation.

[I’ll be there right away, Master.]

‘Then, I’ll hang up.’

The Master hung up the phone and got up from his seat.

‘At this rate…’

He had a mountain of work to do. Today, it was a battle of whether he could go home or have to take a nap on a cot.

‘This confirms a nap on the cot.’

He felt a little sad, but it was okay.

Because he would be able to see something quite enjoyable.

The Master chuckled and moved towards the gate.