Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1920

Two people faced each other across a glass wall.

Wiggins’s gaze shifted to the old man’s face, which wore an inscrutable expression. Then, it subtly drifted to the large TV behind him.

“This is interesting.”

Wiggins’s eyes, fixed on the TV, returned to the old man.

The old man smiled faintly at Wiggins.

“I used to be able to watch TV whenever I wanted, but I never really turned it on myself. I could get information from reports, and those little stories on the screen didn’t help my personal matters.”

“That’s right.”

“But… now that this small space has become my whole world, that TV has become incredibly precious. At first, I didn’t even enjoy having it on, but as time passed, I found myself staring at it all day long.”

The old man shook his head.

“So, I’m reflecting.”

“What do you mean?”

“I never really liked the young people these days who enjoy TV and the internet.”

The old man, Master, gave a wry smile.

“But now that I’m in this situation, I think there might have been a reason why they were interested in those media. I always said that you should try to see things from the other person’s perspective, but I never did. I was just acting like an understanding old man.”

Wiggins had nothing to say to Master.

Normally, he might have outwardly agreed with Master, but Wiggins didn’t have the time to consider Master’s feelings right now.

Especially not with such vague talk.

“It seems that installing the TV wasn’t a waste of effort.”

Wiggins said, looking at the wreckage of the collapsed building on the news, and Master smiled.

“It’s strange.”

“It’s still useful for me to give you advice, even though you’ve risen to Master’s position and become the ruler of the Round Table. Judging by your energy, you seem to have been constantly consuming mana. Was this old man’s words worth that much investment?”

“My knowledge has increased.”

Wiggins tapped his head with his finger.

“I’ve gained vast knowledge and reached a high level. Now, in the realm of scholarship, even Master wouldn’t be my match.”

“I suppose so. You’ve ventured into places I couldn’t and returned with all of that.”

“But like Master, I’ve come to understand something only after being in this situation. Something I knew in my head but didn’t understand in my heart. Knowledge and wisdom are different.”

Master smiled and nodded.

“So, you understand now?”

“At least, I understand that if there’s a problem that can’t be solved with the knowledge in my head, I should seek advice from others, Master.”

“You’re an excellent student. Or rather, is it inappropriate to call you a student now?”

Master smiled faintly.

Watching him, Wiggins was once again struck by the dignity of the man called Master.

What would he have been like if he were in the same situation?

If he lost the mana he had spent his whole life with and was confined to a room barely larger than three pyeong [approximately 10 square meters], under strict surveillance?

The TV, which he had been allowed to have after a subtle request while Kang Jin-ho was distracted, was Master’s only friend and window to the world.

Compared to ordinary criminals, he might be in a better situation, but considering that he would have to live in solitary confinement for the rest of his life, it wasn’t necessarily something to be happy about.

But there was not a hint of frustration on Master’s face.

“You seem like a saint. Have you had some kind of profound enlightenment?”

“Enlightenment is too grand a word. I’ve just given up.”

“Given up?”

Master nodded.

“If I can’t escape this situation with my abilities, I should do what I can within it. I’ve just decided not to cling to it. Like how a person doesn’t get frustrated that they can’t go into space with their bare body, or suffer because they can’t flap their arms and fly in the sky.”

“If you think about what you’ve been deprived of, it’s endless. I’m just content.”

“…I don’t understand.”

Wiggins shook his head.

“Even so, people try to fly in the sky by making airplanes, and try to go into space by making rockets. People try to expand the world by creating even what they don’t have. Can you be content within that?”

Master didn’t answer and just stared at Wiggins.

He thought Wiggins would say something more.

“If you’re not content, please help me. Lord is very firm, but also benevolent. He may not be able to wash away all of Master’s sins, but he can at least provide a better situation than now.”

“I don’t know if I have that ability.”

Master shook his head.

Then, he turned his gaze to the screen showing the news.

“Is it because of that?”

“Yes.”

Wiggins said.

“It’s not that I don’t have a guess as to why they’re doing what they’re doing.”

“Hmm.”

“Everyone has a vague idea. Those guesses will be different for each person. But Master, I feel like I’m missing something fundamental.”

“Hmm.”

Master got up from his seat and went to the table attached to the wall.

Then, he put water in the electric kettle and slowly waited for it to boil. Soon, the water began to steam, and he grabbed the kettle and poured water into a cup.

Master, having filled the cup with warm water, sat back down and looked at Wiggins.

“How is it?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Don’t you think it’s quite a luxury? In Korea, it’s unimaginable for a prisoner to be able to drink boiled water.”

“But some countries in Northern Europe provide houses and even yards to prisoners, allowing them to live like ordinary people as long as they don’t leave the designated area.”

Master shook his head.

“To them, this cup of warm water might seem insignificant. But to some prisoners, this electric kettle might be a symbol of luxury. A luxury that a prisoner shouldn’t dare to enjoy.”

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

Master took a sip of the warm water and smiled enigmatically.

“The same thing can be evaluated differently depending on the perspective. If you can’t find an answer no matter how much you try to interpret and understand, shouldn’t you change your perspective instead of looking for another reason?”

“Perspective, you say?”

“That’s right.”

Wiggins’s face hardened.

“Master, we don’t have time for vague talk. We don’t know when they’ll move again. Please speak clearly…”

“Wiggins.”

Master’s cold gaze pierced through Wiggins.

Seeing that look, Wiggins involuntarily shut his mouth.

Master was proving that a person’s dignity is not determined by their power.

“What you’re doing is hypocrisy.”

“It seems like you’re trying to avoid the guilt by wearing the mask of an evil person, but that’s not a good way.”

“I…”

Wiggins closed his mouth without being able to make any excuses.

“Do you know why I say it’s not a good way?”

“…I don’t know. Are you saying I shouldn’t act evil and should act good?”

“No.”

A sneer appeared on Master’s lips.

“Hypocrisy is something that only those who believe they are good can do. You seem to believe that you’re not that evil, but you can’t give up the benefits of pretending to be evil…”

At that moment, Wiggins couldn’t help but look away from Master’s gaze.

“Well, in my opinion, you’re not that good. No, you’re closer to evil.”

“…I won’t deny it. You can criticize me…”

“No. You don’t understand.”

Wiggins stared blankly at Master.

“That’s why I’m telling you not to be a hypocrite. You’re just trying to get away with thinking you’re evil. You don’t really think you’re evil. Do you know why?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Because you believe that those you’re fighting are evil.”

Wiggins’s mouth clamped shut.

His eyes twitched slightly at the unexpected words.

“That’s…”

“Those who think they are evil and admit it don’t think their enemies are evil. But you’ve already defined those Black King people as evil. You think they’re stirring up the world for some personal or evil reason.”

“It’s not just you. The others in the General Assembly are the same. Why? Have you been fighting so many enemies that you feel like a hero fighting against evil?”

Wiggins clenched his fist.

But this was not an expression of hostility towards Master. It was just an act to hide his trembling fingertips.

“Don’t forget, Wiggins.”

The corners of Master’s mouth curled up further.

“You are the evil ones.”

“Nowhere else has expanded its power so rapidly, invaded and subjugated other countries, and treated people like slaves. If those who are not involved in all of this were to see it, who would they think is the villain?”

“We’re just…”

“I know. You want to say that’s how it turned out because you were fighting back. Of course, it might have been like that at first. Then let me ask you one thing…”

Master slowly drank the warm water and looked at Wiggins.

“So, when did you start fighting in China?”

Wiggins stared blankly at Master without being able to answer.

“No place starts out evil. But as you go on, you become corrupted at some point, and you create reasons without realizing it.”

“But that’s…”

“Did they attack you?”

“…No.”

“If not, did they say they would fight until only one of them was left?”

“…That’s not it either.”

“Then why are you fighting?”

Master shook his head.

“That’s what hypocrisy is. On the outside, you talk about the path of the tyrant and evil, but inside, you believe that you are right, good, and not wrong. You comfort yourself that you are just pursuing something that others don’t understand.”

Master smiled.

“Think about it, Wiggins.”

“Maybe the hero and the demon king have switched places. But if you look at the demon king from the hero’s perspective, nothing fits. Clearly understand your own position. If you recognize that you are the demon king, all of this might look different.”

Wiggins’s eyes trembled slightly.

Carrying an immense weight.