Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1100

Knight Bellinger silently stared at Besley.

‘Knight Besley.’

He is a wise man.

And more courageous than anyone.

A great general possessing both wisdom and valor.

If one had to evaluate him, that would be the only way.

That’s why he was respected and supported by many.

‘That man…’

‘What on earth could have happened to make him so cynical?’

“Knight Besley.”

“I have nothing more to say.”

“No. I must.”

Knight Besley’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“This isn’t an emotional matter. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but this is about the rights of all knights and the direction of the Round Table. It’s fine to object. You can even insult me. But refusing to talk goes against the principles of the Round Table. Surely someone of Knight Besley’s stature understands that.”

Knight Besley looked at Knight Bellinger with a strange gaze.

“Principles, you say?”

“Yes.”

“A fine word, principles.”

Knight Besley’s lips curled up slightly.

“Don’t forget that word.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Just as I said. I believe Knight Bellinger will uphold the principles until the very end. No matter what problems may arise.”

Knight Bellinger stared at Besley without a word. But Knight Besley, as if he had nothing more to say, crossed his arms and lowered his head.

‘Is he implying that my principles will be shaken?’

His tone suggested that it was a given.

And the phrase ‘any problems’ that Besley mentioned bothered him. If he tried not to care, he wouldn’t have to, but it was as if Besley already knew the problems that would befall him.

‘Is it Kang Jin-ho?’

And the problem that Besley would mention was all too obvious.

‘I can’t understand it.’

Kang Jin-ho, and the Assembly, formed an alliance with the Round Table. But that was just an alliance. By forming an alliance, Kang Jin-ho didn’t place himself above them. He could only act as the head of the alliance, not directly interfere with the affairs of the Round Table.

In the past, when Knight Levo tried to take over the Round Table, the Assembly did stop it, but if the Master hadn’t acknowledged them, the Round Table would never have accepted them.

They would have fought until only one remained.

‘Is the Round Table already Kang Jin-ho’s?’

A sense of unease washed over him.

One thing was certain.

The Knight Besley he knew was gone. The one sitting here now was just someone wearing the shell of the former Knight Besley.

“Understood for now.”

With those words, Knight Bellinger sat down.

He had failed to persuade Knight Besley, but it didn’t matter. He had already secured enough power to be fine even if Knight Besley’s faction didn’t join.

Knight Bellinger erased Knight Besley from his mind.

And at that moment.

“The Master is coming!”

The guards at the hall’s door shouted loudly.

Twitch.

At that moment, the knights’ faces contorted in unison.

‘It’s like a king is entering.’

The Master and the knights were originally equal beings. All those who sat at the Round Table were equal, all were the same. That was the law of the Round Table.

That’s why, until now, the Master hadn’t taken such formalities when entering.

A clear regression.

The regression was unsettling.

The Master entered through the dark corridor. Behind him, Wiggins and an unfamiliar Asian man followed as if they were guards.

Knight Besley’s faction rose from their seats. But unlike when Knight Bellinger had entered earlier, the other knights didn’t lift their buttocks from their chairs.

It was a moment when the reactions of those who supported the Master and those who didn’t were clearly divided.

It was a slightly petty sight, but it couldn’t be helped. In a place where they were asserting their rights, they had to show that their side was stronger. That way, they would feel the pressure.

“It’s been a while, Master.”

But they couldn’t not greet him. As Knight Bellinger spoke, greetings followed haphazardly from here and there.

The Master lightly nodded his head to accept their greetings and moved to the central seat and sat down.

“Thank you all for coming.”

The Master, who had started speaking, pressed his eyelids and looked at everyone.

“Well, today’s…”

“Before that, a moment.”

As Knight Bellinger interrupted, the Master turned his head to look at him. The two men’s gazes met in the air.

“Master.”

“Speak.”

“Who are the two behind you?”

“Hmm? Ah, I don’t know this one. Let me introduce them. This person is…”

“That’s not it, Master.” Knight Bellinger cut off the Master again.

“This is the Round Table. Why is someone who doesn’t belong to the Round Table here?”

“Is it not allowed?”

“Surely you’re not asking because you don’t know?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know. Is it not allowed?”

“Of course…”

Knight Bellinger couldn’t finish his sentence.

Is it not allowed?

No, there was no law that said it wasn’t.

The only ones who could sit at the Round Table were the Master and the knights. But there was no rule that other people couldn’t enter the space where the Round Table meetings were held.

A loophole, if you could call it that….

‘Who would have thought of such a thing?’

There was no way to create a law that only knights could enter this place. Knights were beings who represented force. But the Round Table meetings didn’t only discuss military actions.

The Round Table was the place where all the events happening throughout Europe had to be decided.

Naturally, consultants would accompany the meetings.

That’s why they didn’t prevent non-knights from participating.

The problem was that neither those who made the rules nor those who followed them had ever considered the possibility that someone not affiliated with the Round Table could brazenly walk into the heart of the Round Table.

“There’s no such rule at the Round Table, is there?”

“…That’s correct.”

“I need these two people to properly convey what I want to say today. If there’s a problem, speak now.”

Knight Bellinger slightly gritted his teeth.

‘Master.’

There was a time when he could look at the Master with nothing but respect. But now, he could no longer do that.

“I won’t make an issue of it.”

“Thank you.”

The Master concisely concluded and continued speaking.

“Well, I’m not sure how to proceed with this meeting. Since it’s not a meeting I organized. Knight Bellinger.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Since you called the meeting, wouldn’t it be good to have a discussion?”

“…That’s what I intend to do.”

The Master’s face, as if he knew nothing, was infuriating.

“Master.”

“Speak.”

Knight Bellinger took out a document from his pocket. It was an order with the Master’s seal on it.

“I received this.”

“That’s not new.”

“In the future, the Master’s permission is required to move the knight orders of each country. Is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Does the Master have the authority to issue such an order?”

“Do you think I don’t?”

“This is the Round Table.”

Knight Bellinger’s voice rose slightly.

“All the laws of the Round Table are changed through a vote by the Round Table. How can the Master change that at will? This is an overreach of authority.”

“It could be seen that way.”

The Master smiled.

“But it’s not an overreach.”

“I will explain that.”

The Asian man who was guarding the Master spoke. At that moment, displeasure filled Knight Bellinger’s face.

“Who do you think you are to dare speak here!”

“Dare?”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled coldly.

“I am here as a representative of the Assembly. Watch your words. No matter how much of a knight you are, you cannot ignore the Assembly, an ally of the Round Table.”

“You…”

“If you make one more inappropriate remark, I will formally protest to the Round Table.”

Knight Bellinger gritted his teeth.

“I acknowledge that. But that doesn’t mean your remarks are allowed.”

“It’s the first time I’ve heard that permission is needed to speak at the Round Table. As far as I know, there is no such law?”

“It’s not the Master who is overstepping his authority, it’s you, Knight Bellinger.”

Knight Bellinger took a deep breath.

In an instant, anger rose to the top of his head. He hadn’t even exchanged a few words, but that Asian man was completely crushing his reason.

He couldn’t lose his reason any further here.

Knight Bellinger desperately took deep breaths and calmed his mind.

Wiggins clicked his tongue at the sight.

‘Anyway, he’s good at being annoying.’

He was someone who knew how to say the things that the other person hated the most. It was a good thing he was an ally, if Wiggins had met Lee Hyun-soo as an enemy in this situation, he would have collapsed holding the back of his neck.

Regardless, Lee Hyun-soo continued to speak with a calm face.

“All the laws of the Round Table can only be changed through a meeting of the Round Table. That’s correct. But there are exceptions.”

“Exceptions?”

“Yes. The situation where an Elder Knight has appeared.”

“…Huh?”

Knight Bellinger’s eyes widened.

What was this?

Lee Hyun-soo smiled and continued his explanation.

“From the moment the seal of the Elder Knight is broken until the moment the Elder Knight is sealed again, the voting rights of the knights are transferred to the Elder Knights.”

Of course, that was right.

The Elder Knights were beings who existed to resolve the crises of the Round Table. They weren’t just swords. They were the wisest and greatest knights.

So, of course, they should rule the Round Table while they were resurrected. They were even Elder Knights who had the right to judge the Master.

“The voting rights of the knights are suspended until the Elder Knights are sealed again. Do you understand? Then there is only one person who has the right to vote.”

A groan escaped from Knight Bellinger’s lips.

“…Master.”

“Yes, that’s right. The Elder Knights and the Master. Only they can have the right to vote. But the Elder Knights have not been sealed again. And their voting rights have not returned to the knights.”

Of course not.

Because they were dead!

“What nonsense!”

“Nonsense?”

Lee Hyun-soo smiled.

“It’s difficult if you call what is decided by the laws of the Round Table nonsense. Knight Bellinger, you have been overstepping your authority and trying to violate the laws of the Round Table since a while ago. Please be careful.”

“You bastard!”

“How dare a non-knight speak such nonsense at the Round Table!”

“Get out of here right now!”

The knights rose from their seats in a flurry.

Were they angry?

No.

They had instantly realized that they had lost their justification. Then there was only one thing to do.

Show off.

Their side was stronger. They had to show that they could crush even the justification and laws if necessary.

“Quiet.”

The Master raised his hand.

“But Master! That man is too arrogant!”

“I cannot acknowledge a meeting that that man has participated in.”

“Master, what are you thinking!”

The Master nodded his head at the knights’ protests.

“I understand what you are saying.”

“…Then?”

The Master’s lips curled up.

“It’s not right for someone who doesn’t fit the status to participate in the Round Table.”

Knight Bellinger’s eyes shook.

What was he trying to do?

The Master smiled at Knight Bellinger.

“So, I have invited someone who fits the status. He’s coming over there. Please welcome him. Kang Jin-ho, the head of the Korean Martial Arts Assembly, will be observing the meeting.”

Twitch.

The knights’ bodies twitched slightly the moment Kang Jin-ho’s name was mentioned. At the same time, without anyone saying anything, the knights’ heads turned to one side.

Thud.

Thud.

Low footsteps echoed through the dark corridor.

The air in the hall began to cool down.