Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1864

Knight Tavares waited patiently, maintaining a respectful posture, for Wiggins to speak.

However, Wiggins, seated across the large desk, merely sipped his tea, not immediately opening his mouth.

His gaze lightly swept across various parts of the office, but he didn’t particularly look at Knight Tavares, as if he wasn’t even there.

However, Knight Tavares wasn’t at all offended by such treatment.

Why would he be?

After all, treatment stems from relationships. And relationships are formed through the power and status each person holds.

Knight Tavares wouldn’t be angry even if Wiggins treated him like an insect. Even without ill intentions, Knight Tavares would likely appear no different than an insect in Wiggins’ eyes, so why would he expect any better treatment?

“Hmm.”

Wiggins let out a low hum.

“Knight Tavares.”

“Yes, Master.”

Wiggins smiled faintly as he looked at Knight Tavares.

“This is the Master’s office, isn’t it?”

It was an obvious statement. But Knight Tavares simply waited for Wiggins to continue. He knew that Wiggins wasn’t one to bring up the obvious for no reason.

“For generations, mind you.”

Wiggins smiled and once again surveyed the room.

“Since this place was built, all the Masters of the Round Table have used this office. Perhaps this place, along with the conference room with the round table, symbolizes the history of the Round Table.”

“That is correct.”

“What do you think?”

Knight Tavares raised his head to look at Wiggins.

“Isn’t it strange that I’m sitting in such a place?”

Knight Tavares quietly shook his head.

“Master, you were elected as the Master of the Round Table through a legitimate process. Why would it be strange for such a person to rightfully sit in their position?”

“A legitimate process, you say.”

Wiggins chuckled softly.

His words were true.

He had indeed risen to the position of Master through a legitimate process. No one had opposed his becoming Master, so it could certainly be called legitimate.

If choosing the only remaining option could be called a choice, that is.

“It’s just a charade.”

Wiggins didn’t particularly want to sugarcoat what he had done. If it was a dictatorship, then it was a dictatorship; if it was a tyranny, then it was a tyranny.

“What are you planning to do now?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“…Yes?”

Wiggins smiled faintly.

“Don’t act foolish, Knight Tavares. I told you, didn’t I? That I would give you power and status. And I’ll give you authority on top of that.”

“It’s you who should say what you want to do. So… what do you want to do now?”

Knight Tavares swallowed hard.

‘Power and authority…

Is there any meaning to having power and authority while being a puppet of someone?

Knight Tavares’ answer was ‘yes’.

That power and authority might not mean anything to him, but it would certainly mean something to those who had to face him. If that was the case, wouldn’t that be enough?

“I will purge the bloated pigs.”

“Oh ho.”

“The Round Table needs change. If we don’t cut out the rotten parts, even if it means shedding blood, the Round Table will never regain its true value.”

Wiggins smiled faintly.

‘He’s radical.’

Perhaps it was because he was young.

The Master had called him too radical, but compared to Knight Tavares, he felt like he had become a complete old man. The vigor in the young Knight’s eyes made Wiggins feel more than satisfied.

“Do as you wish, if that’s what you want.”

“Is that alright?”

“Don’t misunderstand, Knight Tavares.”

Wiggins said firmly.

“To me, the Round Table is my home. Although it’s a shabby and desolate place now, my roots are still in the Round Table.”

“Unlike what you might think, I don’t want the Round Table to fall apart.”

“But Master, you don’t consider yourself a part of the Round Table, do you?”

It wasn’t a question of accusation, but a pure inquiry.

“It’s the same thing.”

Wiggins smiled faintly.

“If I decided to profit from the Round Table, I would have to normalize it even more. It might be a loss in the short term, but it’s a gain in the long term. And to be frank, the current Round Table doesn’t even have anything left to exploit. At best, it can only provide me with the magical tools and materials I want.”

“Just that much…”

“Yes. Just that much.”

He had already gotten what he needed from the Round Table. The battles that would take place from now on wouldn’t be about numbers.

The Round Table, which was inferior to the Assembly, was no longer a force for the Assembly.

“So, please don’t think that I’m trying to ruin the Round Table. Of course, I chose you out of necessity, but I genuinely want to see you reform the Round Table.”

“Even if that eventually leads to me opposing you, Master?”

“That won’t happen.”

Wiggins stated firmly.

“You’re not that foolish. If I don’t make unreasonable demands, you’ll try to mediate between me and the Round Table on your own. Isn’t that right?”

Knight Tavares couldn’t easily answer.

Indeed.

It was different from before.

Now, he didn’t want to become an enemy of Wiggins at any cost. No, he couldn’t even imagine such a thing.

Because the price they would have to pay if that happened was clearly visible.

“This is what you call hostile symbiosis.”

Knight Tavares quietly nodded.

“By the way…”

“Hmm?”

“What you’re saying now, Master, sounds like you’re not going to perform your duties as the Master of the Round Table…”

“Isn’t that why you’re here?”

Knight Tavares spoke as if he didn’t understand.

“I’m not saying that you have to fulfill your duties, Master. Even if the Round Table doesn’t mean much to you anymore, the position of Master is still a glorious one, isn’t it?”

“Glory…”

Wiggins shook his head.

“My glory isn’t here. My glory is only in a small country in the East.”

“Once things have calmed down, you should visit the Assembly. Then you’ll understand what I mean.”

Knight Tavares looked at him with questioning eyes after hearing Wiggins’ words.

“In that place…”

“Hmm?”

“Are there many people like you, Master?”

“How could there be?”

It was the moment Knight Tavares was about to let out a sigh of relief.

“There are many who are incomparable to the likes of me. And there is one who is on a different level from them.”

“The world is vast, and there are many strong people. I once thought the Round Table was the whole world. But when I left the Round Table, I realized that the world the Round Table sees is too narrow and biased.”

“…Narrow.”

“Yes, it was narrow.”

Wiggins nodded lightly and continued.

“Someday, you’ll have to see a world wider than the Round Table.”

Knight Tavares swallowed hard.

When he said ‘a different level’, there was a clear sense of reverence on Wiggins’ face.

‘That person…’

By his standards, Wiggins was not human either. If the current Wiggins was the opponent, he doubted whether a proper match could even take place even if all the Knights joined forces.

A strength that was impossible to measure with his eyes.

But if what Wiggins said was true, it meant that there were even stronger people than Wiggins in the Assembly.

‘What on earth is the Assembly…’

Wiggins slowly got up from his seat.

“We’ll be in contact quite often from now on. You’ll need my advice, and I’ll need yours.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Prioritize the tasks I’ve instructed you to do. Some of the Knights will give you their full support, so it won’t be too difficult.”

It was a warning.

That Wiggins’ confidants weren’t just him in this Round Table, so he shouldn’t act rashly. And Knight Tavares clearly understood that warning.

“There won’t be any problems. Please don’t worry.”

Wiggins, who had walked towards Knight Tavares, lightly tapped his shoulder.

“I’m leaving it to you.”

“…Yes.”

Knight Tavares, who was quietly staring at Wiggins’ back as he left the office, opened his mouth without realizing it.

“M-Master.”

“Hmm?”

Wiggins turned his head to look at him.

“Can I… can I become like you someday?”

It was a statement with quite a few hidden meanings.

But the biggest part of that statement was definitely ‘strength’.

“It won’t be an easy path.”

“But it’s not impossible, is it?”

“Ah.”

“Keep striving.”

Wiggins smiled faintly at Knight Tavares and resumed walking.

Thud.

Wiggins, who had closed the office door, wore a subtle smile.

‘Interesting.’

In the past, he had set his sights on the Master’s back.

But now that he had become the Master, Knight Tavares was aiming for him.

History repeats itself, but it was quite an interesting thing.

However, what’s unfortunate is…

‘The Master was someone who didn’t deserve to be a goal, and I’m someone who shouldn’t be a goal.’

If a virtuous cycle had occurred where the predecessors pulled the successors and the followers pushed the leaders, the Round Table wouldn’t have become like this.

Now, all that was left was whether Knight Tavares could reform the Round Table. Choosing someone who had their own thoughts and could maintain balance, rather than just a puppet who listened well, was his last consideration for the Round Table.

Wiggins’ own consideration.

“Well then…”

Everything that needed to be done here was done.

The minor tasks would be handled by the remaining Knights. Although they didn’t meet his standards, those who remained here were also carefully selected to represent their respective countries. They were definitely not incompetent.

For a while, he could certainly expect a cleaner job than Wiggins had imagined. When the system changes, everyone tends to engage in a competition of loyalty.

So now, all he had to do was watch.

How the Round Table would change.

“Shall we go back now?”

Wiggins smiled faintly and began walking towards the deeper underground.

It had taken quite a long time, but he had achieved all his goals in Europe.

“It felt like ten years.”

Even though the actual time was only ten hours.

He was certain now.

This place was his home. But it could no longer be his home.

If home meant not just the place where one was born and raised, but a place one longed for when away, then his home had already become the Assembly.

Wiggins quickened his pace towards the underground.

To the place where the teleportation gate connected to the Assembly was located.