Descent Of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 973

Thud, thud.

Wilson walked down the hallway without a word.

Wiggins and the others followed behind him, but not a single word had been exchanged for some time now.

Wilson bit his lip.

‘What am I doing?’ He couldn’t understand himself. When he learned that the intruders were Wiggins and his group, and Knight Chadwick ordered him to stop them, Wilson was determined. He was going to stop Wiggins no matter what.

He knew that Wiggins had his reasons. But they had their own reasons too. In a situation where reasons clashed, what he had to protect was the principle.

He had never learned how to choose his position according to the situation.

To become the captain of the Garter Knights, all he had to learn was to obey the orders of his superiors absolutely and to strictly adhere to rules and regulations.

But all of that was shattered.

Wilson glanced back. Kang Jin-ho was walking behind him without a word.

He looked ordinary. Just ordinary.

But Wilson had seen it.

The demonic nature Kang Jin-ho had shown the moment he grabbed his face.

If Wilson had refused at that moment, Kang Jin-ho would have crushed his head without a second thought.

He had no human heart.

Or, to be more precise…

‘He wasn’t looking at me as a human.’

Kang Jin-ho’s eyes were not those of someone looking at an enemy. An ‘enemy’ meant a hostile ‘human.’ But Kang Jin-ho’s gaze did not contain the emotions one would show to an enemy.

It felt like looking at something inorganic.

It was no different from looking at a desk or a chair. That was why it was so eerie.

Inorganic things are discarded when they are no longer needed. Wilson was the same. The moment he was deemed useless, Kang Jin-ho would have discarded him.

There was no honor or pride in being discarded.

Living in the martial world was like walking on a knife’s edge. No matter how strong one was, they were bound to encounter someone stronger. That was why one always had to be prepared for death.

Wilson had never forgotten that he could die at any moment.

But…

He never wanted to accept a death where he was simply discarded like trash by an enemy he had just met.

‘If it’s an excuse, then it’s an excuse.’

He wanted to live.

The moment Kang Jin-ho grabbed his face, he felt more intensely connected to death than ever before. The concept of death, which had only existed as a vague idea in his mind, became a tangible reality. An intense survival instinct he had never felt before surged within him.

Yes, he just wanted to live.

What was wrong with that?

“You look troubled.”

Wilson was startled and turned to the side at Wiggins’ voice. Wiggins was walking next to him, but he had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed.

“There’s no need to be so troubled.”

“I was the same way,” Wiggins said with a bitter smile.

Wiggins knew very well what kind of shock Wilson was feeling. When he first witnessed Kang Jin-ho’s power with his own eyes, Wiggins had felt the same thing.

Well, Wiggins hadn’t been directly threatened by Kang Jin-ho at that time, so he might have been in a better situation than Wilson.

“…Was the Knight the same?”

“I told you, I’m not a Knight anymore.”

“…I apologize. It’s just habit.”

Wiggins smiled bitterly.

‘Knight…’

It wasn’t just him who was used to it. Sometimes, Wiggins would introduce himself as a Knight. Even though he knew he shouldn’t anymore.

He had lived as a Knight for over a decade. How could he just throw all of that away overnight?

“May I ask you something?”

“Ask away.”

“Why did you do it?”

It was ironic.

He hadn’t asked when he should have. Now, after everything had cooled down, he was asking.

“Because I felt the same way as you.”

“…What do you mean?”

“What are you feeling right now?”

Wilson closed his mouth.

What was he feeling right now?

Confusion, fear, betrayal, anger, and…

‘Powerlessness.’

Powerlessness was the greatest.

Humans always tend to overestimate themselves. Looking at oneself objectively is twice as difficult as seeing the world with a perfectly cold eye.

Wilson thought he was someone who would not succumb to power. He believed he was a true knight who could throw away his life without hesitation for the sake of honor.

But the true self he had faced was just an ordinary commoner who could throw away his honor without hesitation for the sake of his life.

How could he not feel powerless?

“It’s not your fault.”

“I’m not trying to comfort you. I really think so. It’s not your fault.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The standard by which a person judges themselves is how they have reacted and responded to the events they have experienced. If you have always prioritized honor in every situation you have faced, it’s not strange that you consider yourself a knight who values honor.”

“You didn’t misjudge yourself. It’s just… how should I put it…”

Wiggins turned his head slightly.

“There are situations that you can never experience at the Round Table.”

He had to agree.

It wasn’t to defend himself. It was a clear fact. Wilson had lived for the Round Table and the Garter Knights since he was young.

He had been through countless battles and done countless things.

But he had never encountered a person like Kang Jin-ho. In his life, that man was clearly an anomaly.

“Do you think I would have been any different?”

Wiggins gave a subtle smile.

“The shock I received was no less than the shock you received. I felt like the world I knew was collapsing. I, who had believed that the Round Table was everything, realized that there were many things outside that I couldn’t understand.”

“…The Round Table isn’t a place to be treated like a well.”

“I thought so too. But… do you still believe that?”

Wilson couldn’t answer.

The Round Table governed the world. That was why he thought it was enough to look at the world only from within the Round Table. But Kang Jin-ho’s existence had shattered Wilson’s thoughts without a trace.

“Is that why you left the Round Table? To see a wider world?”

“I’d like to say that…” Wiggins grinned.

“But the truth is, it seemed fun.”

Wilson closed his mouth.

He wasn’t angry, nor was he dumbfounded.

‘That’s right.’

The Wiggins he knew was this kind of person. He knew how to hide his true feelings behind humor, and he seemed incredibly calculated, but he was also incredibly impulsive.

That was why he was so charming.

“…Sir Wiggins.”

“Hmm?”

“I know that you are originally like that. But honestly, I want to say one thing.”

“…Go ahead.”

“If you’re going to make such decisions in the future, at least think about those who are left behind.”

U Q..»

M…•

“We were even deprived of the chance to follow you. But can we emotionally agree with you just because you come back and say these nice things?”

“That’s my apology.”

Wiggins looked genuinely sorry.

“But if I may make an excuse, it was not a situation that I could have resolved by returning.”

“Phones aren’t just for show.”

“…I’ll just apologize.”

“Hmph.”

Wilson made an uncomfortable snort.

But contrary to his scowling face, his heart was quite at ease. As he talked with Wiggins, his fear of Kang Jin-ho had somewhat dissipated, and the resentment he had towards Wiggins had also been resolved to some extent.

“If it has come to this, I have no choice but to wish you success.”

“We’re in the same boat.”

“…Don’t smile like that.”

“It’s quite an enjoyable situation, you see.”

“Your personality has gotten much worse since I last saw you.”

“I can definitely admit that. I’ve been hanging out with some pretty rough people… Ahem.”

Wilson sighed as he watched Wiggins shake his head.

Wiggins had definitely changed a bit. He had always had a humorous side, but he wasn’t as playful as he was now.

‘What did he do in that short amount of time?’

It was incomprehensible.

Anyway, what was certain was that Wilson had no choice but to help Wiggins with all his might now.

The Round Table did not tolerate traitors. For whatever reason, since he had sided with Wiggins and helped Kang Jin-ho, if they lost, the Round Table would eliminate them.

Moreover…

‘It will give Knight Levo a clear justification.’

They could somehow manage the betrayal of Knight Wiggins. It was not the Round Table’s way to expand an individual’s deviation into a problem for the whole. And he himself was not free from the betrayal of the Chevaliers [Knights].

But if the Master was impeached and the Garter Knights also rebelled against the Round Table, Knight Levo would gain the justification to reduce Britain’s influence in the Round Table and purify the British martial world.

If Knight Levo were to take the Master’s position and successfully stop their attack, the British martial world would enter an unprecedented dark age.

‘I have to stop that.’

Wilson gritted his teeth.

He knew it was a typical pattern of a traitor turning into a rebel, but there was no other way now.

He had two choices.

One was to change his mind right now and command the Garter Knights to fight them, and the other was to somehow help them restore the Master.

Choose the former?

‘That’s suicide.’

And it was impossible.

His knights had already prepared for death once. Then they had seized the opportunity to live. To order them to die again?

It would be a miracle if a rebellion didn’t break out.

Unless they had no one to rely on, as long as Wiggins was by their side, there would definitely be those who would refuse Wilson’s orders and follow Wiggins. If even one person sided with Wiggins, a mass desertion would occur.

Then it would be over.

Therefore, in the end, there was only one choice Wilson could make.

“Sir Wiggins, please promise me.”

“What is it?”

“I will take responsibility for this situation.”

“But if your goal is achieved,”

“Please take care of my subordinates. They are innocent.”

“The Master…”

“The Master can’t. No matter how much we help him, he has to be mindful of the other Knights. He won’t be able to accept traitors as they are. So please, Sir Wiggins, promise me. Promise me that they won’t be harmed.”

Wiggins turned his head.

Kang Jin-ho nodded.

“I promise. I will definitely do so.”

“Then.”

Clang!

Wilson drew his sword.

“From now on, we will be your swords.”

Wiggins gave a gentle smile.

“Welcome, Wilson. Now, let’s go. We have to turn everything back.”

“The target?”

“Of course, it’s Knight Levo’s head.”

“I’ll lead the way.”