Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1846

“First, I need to visit Europe.”

“Alright.”

Though the answer was remarkably simple, Wiggins wore a subtle expression.

“Why?”

“…It means I’m going to the Round Table.”

“I said go.”

“Why?”

Wiggins sighed and opened his mouth.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Then?”

“…You must know what it means for me to visit the vacant Round Table, right? What if I swallow the Round Table whole and cut ties with the Assembly?”

“I’d let it be.”

“Pardon?”

“I said I’d leave it alone.”

Wiggins’s eyes twitched at Kang Jin-ho’s indifferent words.

“Is that something you can just leave alone?”

“Then?”

From Wiggins’s perspective, he was trying to raise awareness. It was unlikely to happen, but if it did, the Assembly would lose its power once again.

“Are you planning to do that?”

“Yes?”

“Are you planning to do that, I asked?”

“…What if I said I was?”

“Have a good life.”

Wiggins covered his face.

‘I don’t know what this guy is thinking sometimes.’

“Lord, I am truly happy that you trust me.”

“…Where did you learn to say such things?”

“But haven’t you already been betrayed by someone you trusted?”

He was referring to the Master.

However, even after hearing those words, Kang Jin-ho showed no change in expression.

“I have.”

“Then now, you should…”

“But does that change anything?”

“Yes?”

Kang Jin-ho spoke indifferently.

“If there’s a problem because I trusted someone, that’s my problem.”

“I’m not particularly skilled, so I can only act according to what I’ve learned. What I’ve learned is that it’s better to be betrayed than to not trust someone out of fear of betrayal.”

Wiggins was speechless and stared blankly at Kang Jin-ho.

However, Kang Jin-ho responded to Wiggins’s expression with a smile.

“Have a safe trip.”

“…I can’t handle you.”

Wiggins chuckled softly.

‘When did it become like this?’

Since some time ago, the people of the Assembly had completely trusted him. Not only Kang Jin-ho, but also the members and other directors showed absolute trust in him.

And this was towards him, who had only been involved with the Assembly for a few years.

“I joined the Assembly for profit, and I’m someone who could leave at any time if it’s not profitable.”

“Suit yourself.”

“…When someone speaks, please think about it.”

“I did think about it when I said that.”

It doesn’t work.

It’s better to read scriptures to a deaf ear. That stubbornness…

“Ugh, I’ll go as quickly as possible, get the Master’s qualifications, and come back.”

“Didn’t I leave the gate open? Do you have to take a plane?”

“…I’ll go through the gate.”

“Then it won’t take a few days, so why are you reporting everything? Just go.”

Wiggins shook his head.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I’m suddenly going to Europe?”

“You’re probably finding your own way.”

“Not bad. Whatever the method, as long as you produce results.”

Wiggins quietly looked at Kang Jin-ho.

‘He’s a strange person.’

Once, he admired the Master.

The Master was the wisest person he knew, and the most righteous. Although their relationship was already strained, he still respected and acknowledged the Master.

And once, he admired Kang Jin-ho’s strength.

He had shown Wiggins that violence could be a goal, not just a means.

And sometime ago, Wiggins had begun to look at Kang Jin-ho as a person, not just his violence.

He was neither as wise as the Master nor as cunning as Lee Hyun-soo. He wasn’t as steadfast as Bator, nor as patient as Jang Min.

And yet…

Wiggins curled up the corners of his lips.

“I’ll also be doing some tidying up, so it’ll take a few days. I’ll bring good news.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“In the meantime, I’ll use your name and the Assembly’s name as I see fit. It’s not too difficult for me alone now, but it’s better to do that to save time.”

“Do as you please.”

“Ugh.”

Whether this was trust or neglect, he couldn’t tell.

“Anyway, I’ll be back.”

“Wiggins.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t overdo it.”

Wiggins, who was about to answer immediately, closed his mouth. After pondering for a while, Wiggins put on a handsome smile.

“It’s not overdoing it, Lord.”

Wiggins shrugged his shoulders.

“This is my own choice.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded silently.

“Then.”

Wiggins turned around without any regrets.

Wiggins’s face, as he walked out of the Lord’s chamber, looked somewhat relaxed.

“Why is that guy suddenly…” Bang Jin-hoon sighed deeply.

‘This feels like I’m the only one falling behind…’

Just by looking at Jang Min and Bator, it wasn’t hard to guess that something unusual was happening.

And seeing that that smart guy was suddenly going to Europe, it was clear that he had found his own way.

Among the directors, he was the only one who hadn’t grasped any clues and was just overworking himself.

“Ugh, in the first place, this…”

He couldn’t say it out loud, but he couldn’t help but think that it was inevitable.

To be blunt, Bator and Jang Min were already absolute masters before they even joined the Assembly. His starting point was different from theirs.

And Wiggins was originally considered one of the talents who would become the next Master of the Round Table.

From the start, his background and life were different from his, who had been fighting for power in a small country like Korea.

In fact, Bang Jin-hoon knew it.

Although they were linked as directors, he was only in the position of director as a representative of the Assembly, and he was not someone who could be compared to them.

There was no point in being proud or not. Pride was something you showed when the opponent was worthy, but when the gap between you and the opponent was this wide, you didn’t even feel like showing pride.

The reason he was still holding onto this position was because the members thought it was not good for the Assembly’s director positions to be filled only by outsiders. If that reason didn’t exist, he would have quit already.

“Quit…”

Bang Jin-hoon leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

‘Maybe that would be better.’

If he hadn’t been in the position of director, would Kang Jin-ho have told him that he had to overcome the wall along with the other directors?

Did Kang Jin-ho really expect that much from him?

Probably not.

He didn’t know what Kang Jin-ho really thought, but if he were in Kang Jin-ho’s position, he wouldn’t have had such expectations for someone like Bang Jin-hoon.

‘Maybe it’s better to just give up everything…’

Admitting that something is impossible and stepping down might be the way to reduce Kang Jin-ho’s burden.

Perhaps it was a cowardly escape…

‘Admitting your limits is also courage.’

Just as Bang Jin-hoon was sighing deeply, it happened.

Bang!

The door to his office burst open, and a person walked in quickly.

“…What is it, you brat?”

“Master.”

Bang Jin-hoon frowned at Chun Tae-hoon’s deathly pale face.

“Why are you making such a face? What is it?”

“That Director Wiggins said he’s going to be absorbed in training again…”

“Does this brat pick up all the neighborhood rumors? It’s been a while since that guy said that, how did that news reach your ears? Do you have a spy planted in the Assembly?”

“It’s not a spy…”

Chun Tae-hoon sighed deeply.

Lee Hyun-soo was in charge of the Assembly’s internal affairs, but the person who actually controlled the members was none other than Bang Jin-hoon.

And unfortunately, Bang Jin-hoon wouldn’t do all that work himself.

He dumped all the annoying tasks, and thanks to that, Chun Tae-hoon had to roam around every corner of the Assembly like it was his own home and handle all sorts of difficult tasks.

As a result, he naturally earned the title of the Assembly’s best networker, even though he didn’t intend to.

Not only the general members of the Assembly and the Cavaliers, but even the people of the Demonic Cult had met Chun Tae-hoon, and they would even joke around with each other.

So, naturally, the news was bound to be fast.

“Anyway, is that true?”

“It’s true. But why?”

“…Master.”

Chun Tae-hoon opened his mouth with a grimace.

“Can’t I skip training?”

“What, you brat?”

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes flashed with anger.

“How can you skip it as you please? Lee Myung-han and Gong Young-gil are struggling there, what will happen if you skip it?”

“Actually…”

Chun Tae-hoon sighed deeply.

“No… I mean, honestly, can I even be compared to those guys?”

“What?”

Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes widened.

“What are you talking about?”

“That’s the truth, isn’t it? Those guys are being nurtured by the Lord and Bator because they recognized their talents, and I’m just a guy who joined the Assembly a little earlier than them and became your disciple.”

“Honestly, it’s hard to keep up. Seeing those younger guys doing better than me makes me feel like crap, and I wonder why I’m even there…”

“No matter how hard I try, some things are just impossible. I want to quit before I get more humiliated…”

Chun Tae-hoon, who was talking, closed his mouth and slightly raised his head.

He felt an ominous aura in front of him.

“M-Master?”

When he looked up, Bang Jin-hoon’s face was red to the tips of his hair, and he was grinding his teeth. It was the first time he had seen Bang Jin-hoon so angry.

“I, I…”

“This, this brat…”

Bang Jin-hoon clenched his fist until it looked like it would break.

“What does someone else being better have to do with your effort, you brat! Whether you arrive late or early, it’s enough if you arrive at the same place! What kind of man says such things?”

“M-Master…”

“Ughhhhh.”

Bang Jin-hoon, unable to control his anger, grabbed his own face and twisted it.

‘Damn it, so this is what it feels like to see it from the side.’

Like master, like disciple, how could he act exactly like him?

“Tae-hoon.”

“Yes… Master.”

“The world is unfair anyway, you brat!”

Sparks flew from Bang Jin-hoon’s eyes.

“Different conditions, different starts, different talents! This damn it! So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to give everything to the talented ones and live like a loser?”

“If you don’t have talent, you have to crawl and follow when others are running! That’s how you avoid getting treated like trash, you brat!”

Bang Jin-hoon jumped up from his seat.

“I was short-sighted. Damn it, giving up my ass! Looking at you, I know what I’ve been doing!”

“W-What do you mean…”

“You’re going to train with me additionally starting today.”

“…Yes?”

Chun Tae-hoon’s eyes widened.

“No more complaining, get ready! I’ll push you so hard that you won’t think you’re falling behind those brats!”

Chun Tae-hoon, who had tried to get rid of one burden but ended up with another, sat down on the spot, tears welling up in his eyes. But thanks to him, Bang Jin-hoon was able to completely regain his resolve.

It was an ironic night where one person’s sadness became another person’s joy.