Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 940

The Round Table without the Master.

That phrase meant only one thing.

The intention to kill the Master.

For a high-level mage like the Master, restraints or imprisonment were ineffective. The only way to completely subdue him was to end his life.

The Master knew this was not an empty threat.

His attendants were not here.

Those who should have been by the Master’s side while he was unconscious were his own attendants.

The fact that they were all excluded and Wiggins was guarding this place was all too clear.

Just like Wiggins, the Master could perform long-distance teleportation if he so desired. If he were to leave without his attendants, just his own body, there would be no way to hold him back.

Except for Wiggins, who was also a mage.

Wiggins could interfere with and cancel the Master’s magic during the brief moment he was teleporting.

Here, only Wiggins could hold the Master.

“You’re being naive.”

The Master scratched his chin.

“I’m talking about you. What if I say sweet words here and change my mind when I return to England?”

“As you said, one cannot see into a person’s heart.”

Wiggins smiled lightly.

“But one can look back at their actions. After all, the present and future are created from the past, aren’t they? I believe that you are not that kind of person, Master.”

“You’re going to completely believe what I say?”

“If I had to choose between believing the Master and not believing him, I would choose to believe him without hesitation.”

“I see. Then.”

The Master smiled.

A soft gaze turned towards Wiggins. A gaze filled with the same pride as looking at a grown child. With that soft gaze, the Master opened his mouth.

“You’ve become skilled at lying, Wiggins.”

“But you’re still a bit clumsy. After all, a lie can only be credible if it fits the situation. And that statement doesn’t fit the current situation at all.”

“Master…”

“If a perfect answer doesn’t come out, you’ll kill me even if I say I’ll step aside, won’t you?”

Wiggins did not answer.

The Master already knew everything. There was no point in making excuses to someone like that.

“Is this Kang Jin-ho’s idea?”

“No, it is not.”

Wiggins drew a line.

“The Lord has already lost interest in the Master.”

“Oh ho.”

“The moment the match was decided, the handling of the Master was left to me. No matter what choice I make, the Lord will not scold me.”

“Is that the freedom you’ve gained?”

“This is not freedom.”

He was firm.

“It’s responsibility.”

“Responsibility.”

“The Lord does not restrict my actions. And he does not look back at what I have done to check if it was the right thing. He believed in me, he pushed me forward, so he accepts all those decisions. That is the Lord’s way.”

“Isn’t that too irresponsible?”

“No. It’s actually a high sense of responsibility. Because the one who has to bear the consequences of all those decisions is the Lord himself.”

“I see.”

He could understand what Wiggins was saying.

The Round Table divided everything. There was a perfect manual for making any decision, and the Knights and the Master reviewed that manual and reinterpreted it with their respective opinions.

And they made a decision by gathering everyone’s opinions.

“The Round Table does not take responsibility.”

“Hmm.”

“It makes perfect decisions with a perfect system. In other words, it means that you can avoid all responsibility just by following the system. Even if a wrong decision is made, even if there are those who are sacrificed because of it, the Round Table will simply talk about the system. No one takes responsibility for their decisions, Master.”

“Then what about you?”

The Master’s gaze became a little sharper.

“Are you going to decide my fate and even take responsibility for it?”

“Yes. I will.”

“You’re mistaken.”

The Master spoke with a slight growl.

“There is a limit to the responsibility a human can bear. If the Round Table invades this place because of your choice, and countless lives are lost as a result of that invasion, how will you take responsibility for that?”

“I will stop it.”

“The war?”

“No. The Round Table!”

There was strength in Wiggins’ eyes as well. His voice was full of conviction.

“I know now. Conflict is unavoidable. What suppresses conflict is not rules but power. The Round Table’s invasion is certainly a frightening thing. But if we avoid war out of fear, we will eventually be driven to the edge of a cliff.”

“Listen, Wiggins.”

“Master, I will not avoid the decisions given to me. I will not avoid the responsibility that comes with it. And I will not even avoid war. I will not avoid anything!”

Wiggins’ voice trailed off.

“I will not avoid it.”

The Master’s eyes wavered.

‘No, he’s not.’

He was not the Wiggins he knew. This person was Wiggins, but he was different from the Wiggins of the past. He didn’t know if Kang Jin-ho had changed him, or if the environment of Korea had changed him, but Wiggins had definitely changed from the past.

Growth?

He didn’t know.

This was a change. But as the Master, he could not tell if this change was heading in the right direction. That was why he couldn’t call it growth. Growth was a word that could only be used when change was heading in the right direction.

The Master sighed softly.

“I see. So you’re my messenger.”

“Yes. It’s you.”

The Master laughed lightly.

To put it coldly, he could not handle Wiggins right now. If it were his usual self, dealing with Wiggins would be nothing, but not now.

The mana within his body was scattered. The demonic energy that Kang Jin-ho had hammered into his body through battle still remained in his body.

It would take at least a few days to push out this demonic energy and regain his original power. Until then, the Master was just an ordinary old man.

Wiggins could snap the Master’s neck right now if he wanted to.

“Listen, Wiggins.”

“Yes, Master.”

“I cannot give you the answer you want.”

“I don’t even know what answer you want.”

“Just…”

Wiggins closed his mouth.

There was no point in him speaking. The Master sighed lowly.

“You threw it away.”

“Pardon?”

“Your position, your country, and even those who followed you. You threw it all away and started a new life here. And the result… I admit, it doesn’t look so bad on the surface. You may have made the right choice.”

“But I cannot become like you. Throwing away is strength. Being able to let go of what you hold is a great thing. But grasping is also strength. I do not throw away what has been given to me. I embrace all of it and move forward.”

“Master…”

“You asked what I would do?”

“Yes.”

“You are not qualified to hear that answer.”

The Master straightened his back. At that moment, Wiggins unconsciously pushed his body back.

Only when the back of the sofa could not be pushed any further did Wiggins realize his unsightly behavior.

‘Ah…’

It was a sight that should not have been shown. But there was nothing he could do. The Master was just an old man who could not use mana right now, but his dignity was not diminished in the slightest.

The Master, who was looking at Wiggins with clear eyes, opened his mouth.

“I am the Master of the Round Table. You are not qualified to negotiate with me, Knight Wiggins. No, Wiggins of the General Assembly.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Guide me to your master. I will face him directly.”

The dignity that radiated clearly.

Wiggins nodded, feeling that dignity with his whole body.

He was not wrong.

The ones who should decide everything were the Master and Kang Jin-ho.

But….

Wiggins sighed deeply.

“I understand, Master. I will arrange a meeting with the Lord. But to do that, you will have to wait here with me until tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

The Master tilted his head.

“Of course, he is the head of the General Assembly, so he must be busy. And he must have a lot to do. But finishing things with me should be more important than anything he has to do right now. And yet, you’re saying I have to wait until tomorrow?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Did you perhaps use too much power and cause a problem?”

I didn’t use too much power.

He did that while playing around.

There was much he wanted to say, but he couldn’t.

“It’s not that. He has a prior engagement.”

“A prior engagement?”

“Yes.”

“May I ask who it is?”

Wiggins hesitated.

He pondered which would make the Master feel worse, telling the truth or vaguely glossing over it. The answer came quickly.

“It’s….”

“Yes?”

“He has a date.”

The Master, at a loss for words, stared at Wiggins. And Wiggins slightly lowered his head to avoid the Master’s gaze.

“A date?”

“Yes.”

“Is it perhaps that young lady from before?”

“Yes.”

“I see, a date. A date…”

The Master leaned back on the sofa and looked out the window. The sky was blue, and the clouds were white. It was perfect weather for a date, no matter who looked at it.

“The great me is being pushed back because of a date. I’m having all sorts of experiences in Korea.”

“I’m sorry…”

“No, wait a minute.”

“Yes?”

“That young lady looked young, didn’t she?”

Wiggins’ eyes widened.

“Even though your Lord is not that old physically, isn’t he actually older than me? And yet, he’s going on a date with that young lady?”

Wiggins didn’t know what kind of expression to make when he saw the Master’s face. The Master, who had not lost his composure even when his life was threatened, was now consumed by deep anger and annoyance.

“What a thief…”

What should he say?

No, he really seemed angry.

“Ugh, fine. I’ll wait a day. But I must meet that Kang Jin-ho tomorrow. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master. I will prepare.”

“Alright, then go out.”

“Yes?”

“Go out, I said.”

“I have to stay here.”

The Master’s face turned sour. Come to think of it, Wiggins could not leave his side for even a moment to watch him. The Master could barely use mana, but he was still the Master.

Wiggins could not leave him alone either.

Then he would have to spend the night in this hotel room with Wiggins until tomorrow.

It was uncomfortable.

The relationship between the Master and Wiggins was subtle, and the atmosphere became subtle as well.

Wiggins awkwardly opened his mouth.

“Would you like to play chess?”

The Master was determined to question Kang Jin-ho about this situation tomorrow.