Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1862

“Where did he go?”

“Well, did he run away or something?”

“Is there any reason for him to run? Have you ever seen a lion run away from a rabbit?”

“Still, we’re at least wolves, aren’t we?”

“Wolves, my foot. You’re being ridiculous. If we’re wolves, then they’re a pride of lions over there.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Ahem!”

The young knights, who had been whispering, scattered in surprise at Knight Tavares’s cough.

Watching them, Knight Tavares smiled wryly.

‘I’m no different.’

It was a perfectly reasonable conversation. In fact, anyone would be curious about Wiggins’s whereabouts.

But he made his presence known and burdened those listening simply because he didn’t want to hear it. How was this different from wielding power?

He had watched with resentment as Wiggins used his overwhelming power to suppress the Round Table, but his unconscious actions were not so different from Wiggins’s.

Suppressing others with power and authority, rather than directly wielding a sword, was essentially the same. Only the intensity was different.

Knight Tavares bit his lip, feeling a wave of self-loathing.

“The world isn’t so simple. When things are good, everything seems good and reasonable. What’s important is the true face that’s revealed when a crisis comes. The real face hidden beneath that confident and noble facade.”

These words of Wiggins’s had left the deepest impression on him.

True face.

A simple phrase that could define so much.

The reason Knight Tavares couldn’t erase those words from his mind was that they weren’t just applicable to the other knights.

How was he any different?

When faced with truly inescapable fear, could he really be confident that he could maintain the same mindset and attitude as he did now?

Really?

If it had been a little while ago, he would have said yes.

He was someone who could stake his life on the Round Table’s ideals. But now, the Round Table’s ideals had crumbled, and he too had lost his life’s compass.

How could he be the same as before when he had learned that what he had blindly believed in was actually there to fill the bellies of the weak and corrupt?

If he was the same as before, he would become a different person. If he was different from before, he would also become a different person.

The only path left for him was to change.

“If you ask me what I think about those kinds of people leading the Round Table, would it be a little easier?”

Wiggins’s words lingered in his mind.

After pushing away the less clear thoughts one by one, the only words that remained in the end were:

“Status and power. That’s all it takes.”

“…Damn it.”

This was the devil’s temptation.

But that didn’t mean he could escape it.

Those who are tempted by the devil don’t fall for it because they don’t know it’s the devil’s temptation. They know it, but the offer is so sweet and alluring that they can’t bring themselves to reject it.

He knew.

He already knew that it was impossible to restore the Round Table to its original state with his power.

Everything he did from now on would be nothing more than a desperate struggle. Perhaps he would even be impeached and lose his position as a knight before he could even put up a fight.

If one of the knights’ duties was to represent the interests of their respective countries, then his actions would be nothing more than harming his country.

So, what was left for him?

Should he struggle and shout, knowing it was futile, to convey his sincerity? Or should he become like them, agreeing to what he didn’t want to and putting on a fake smile?

It was ridiculous.

The former was meaningless, and the latter was worthless.

Neither of them satisfied the reason he had endured the grueling competition and risen to the position of knight. Even if the world was a place where you couldn’t live doing only what you wanted, wasn’t this too much?

‘Rather…’

Knight Tavares, who had been lost in thought, flinched and shrank back in surprise.

“What am I thinking…”

But once a thought had surfaced, it wouldn’t disappear just by shaking his head.

The thought that had occurred to him.

‘Rather than this, it might be better to accept Wiggins’s offer.’

Knight Tavares bit his lip.

He knew.

That this was an incredibly foolish thing to do.

An offer was something that had to benefit both sides. In other words, if he accepted Wiggins’s offer,

It meant that Wiggins would also gain something.

Perhaps things could go as he wanted.

He might be able to get rid of all those dirty, pig-like knights and replace the Round Table with young, motivated individuals.

And perhaps he could transform the Round Table from one that was just polishing someone’s shoes into one that truly protected Europe, and even the world.

Yes, maybe…

Maybe that was possible.

But if that happened, what would Wiggins gain?

Knight Tavares couldn’t even begin to guess. He was a genius who was incomparable to others, even when he was a knight. How could Knight Tavares possibly understand the plans that such a person had devised after reaching his current position?

He didn’t overestimate himself.

Then…

Whether Wiggins gained something or not, should he just be satisfied with the fact that he could change the world of the Round Table as he wished?

Knight Tavares couldn’t come to a conclusion.

No, the answer wasn’t with him in the first place.

All of his answers depended on Wiggins. The image that Wiggins had shown him so far was so varied.

Sometimes he was a genius called the future of the Round Table.

Sometimes he was an invader who encroached upon the Round Table.

And sometimes he was an oppressor who suppressed the Round Table.

Knight Tavares had no way of knowing which of these was Wiggins’s true self.

Knight Tavares pressed his head.

“In the end, it’s something I have to choose.”

How many times in life would one have the opportunity to know everything completely and make the right choice? Most choices were made emotionally, swept away by incomplete information and an uncertain future.

However…

However, just…

It was at that moment.

Knight Tavares’s head snapped back.

‘What is it?’

He turned his head.

He turned his body to look behind him.

But even Knight Tavares didn’t know the reason.

‘Why?’

Knight Tavares didn’t know why he had turned his body, or why he was looking there now.

His body had simply moved.

As if it was the most natural thing to do.

Too naturally.

And what came into his view was none other than the Master’s office. The very office that the knights who had gathered earlier had been glancing at.

But that place should be empty?

And then.

As if it were a lie, the door to the office slowly began to open.

Knight Tavares’s eyes widened.

‘He was inside?’

That couldn’t be.

He had confirmed several times that there was no one inside. And there were no magic circles for teleportation inside either.

Short-distance teleportation wouldn’t be a problem without a magic circle, but he hadn’t felt the magical energy fluctuations that always accompanied such teleportation.

Then what on earth had happened inside?

Creak.

The old door opened heavily, and Wiggins slowly walked out from behind it.

Nothing was different.

Wiggins was still Wiggins, and neither his appearance nor his aura had changed.

However…

The moment he saw Wiggins, Knight Tavares felt a chill run down his spine, as if his very soul had frozen.

This was the same.

Knight Tavares had no idea why he was trembling so much. Everything had a cause, and the result followed the cause, but these series of events had results without causes.

But one thing was certain: everything he was feeling now was undeniably real.

Step, step.

Wiggins walked towards him calmly.

‘What’s changed?’

He couldn’t tell.

But something had definitely changed. If he removed what he could see with his eyes from his senses,

He would be perceived as a completely different person.

A gentle wave of energy pressed down on his entire body. His legs trembled, and his heart began to pound.

‘So this is what they mean by being on a different level…’

He didn’t know what had happened in just a few days, but Wiggins had definitely changed. Definitely!

“Hmm?”

Wiggins, having noticed Knight Tavares, tilted his head slightly and smiled.

“It feels like it’s been a very long time.”

“How many days has it been?”

Knight Tavares couldn’t answer and just stared blankly at Wiggins with a dazed expression.

“Hey, Knight Tavares.”

“…Yes?”

“I’m asking how many days it’s been.”

“Yes? H-how many days?”

“I’m asking how many days have passed since you and I last saw each other.”

“Ah…”

Knight Tavares nodded blankly.

But he couldn’t think of what to say. It was as if his mind had gone completely blank.

“Hmm?”

Wiggins, looking at Knight Tavares, realized something and scratched his head.

“Hmm, I didn’t think of that. My apologies.”

And at that moment, the oppressive aura of Wiggins that had been flowing around Knight Tavares disappeared as if it had been washed away.

Sway.

There was no physical force acting on him, but Knight Tavares staggered forward as if a typhoon had suddenly disappeared.

His eyes, filled with shock and fear, stared at Wiggins.

“Can I get an answer now?”

“O-one week…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s been one week, M-Master.”

Wiggins hummed.

“Only a week? It feels like seven years to my senses.”

Knight Tavares didn’t understand what Wiggins was saying. But his head was nodding vigorously regardless of whether he understood or not.

“Alright, have you thought about it?”

“Th-thought about what?”

“The offer I made. I said that if you came to my side, I would give you power and status.”

“I’m a busy person, so I can’t wait too long for an answer. I’d like you to answer me right here and now.”

Knight Tavares’s body trembled.

‘Why was I hesitating?’

All of his worries felt pointless.

Choice? A choice, you say?

What was he even choosing, someone like him?

“M-Master.”

His knees slowly bent. Knight Tavares, with one knee on the ground,

lowered his head deeply and whispered with sincerity.

“If you’ll have me, I will give you everything I have.”

“Hmm.”

Wiggins smiled faintly.

“Not a bad choice.”

Looking at the back of Knight Tavares’s head, which was bowed down, the corners of Wiggins’s mouth curled up subtly.

“And not a bad feeling either.”

It was the moment when the one who had grasped the pinnacle of magic with his own hands descended upon the Round Table.