Descent of the Demon Master

The Master of the Round Table couldn’t hide his flabbergast no matter how hard he tried.

‘They must be joking, right? Right?’

It had to be a joke. A big fish on the level of Kang Jin-Ho or Wiggins wouldn’t take action for such an… absurd reason.

However, what flustered the Master was that they didn't seem to be joking at all!

‘Besides, why… Why are they making that kind of face?!’

The Master couldn't help but notice Wiggins making a weird expression of a man who just realized he shouldn't have said anything. Even Kang Jin-Ho was making an unreadable face.

‘At least I learned something from this exchange!'

It was possible that the Martial Assembly's expedition this time was not performed under strategic planning or any forethought.

Of course, the Master wasn't naive enough to think “beating the living daylights out of Leveaux” was the real reason for this mess. But he had to wonder if Kang Jin-Ho and Wiggins were a lot more impulsive than he bargained for.

But that didn't sound logical at all. That couldn't be possible!

The Master didn’t know Kang Jin-Ho well enough, but he certainly did know Wiggins. And the man named Allen Wiggins was calculative, deeply rational, and cold-blooded to a fault, so he…

‘...Stop making that kind of face, you damn brat!’

The Master saw the dazed look on Wiggins’ face and almost shot up to his feet to admonish his junior.

Wiggins noticed the Master's burning gaze and sheepishly looked away. “Master, humans can't always act rationally or make plans for everything.”

“Huh. Huhuh…” The Master had no choice but to chuckle hollowly.

Even if humans were supposedly influenced by their environment, he never expected to see Wiggins say something like that!

‘Well, I’ll be…’

When nicely put, it seemed like Wiggins had become a little more relaxed than before. More laidback. However, when explained a little more critically… Maybe he had lost a few screws in his head!

The Master forced himself to think of this change as a good thing.

“S-so… Are you saying that…” The Master tried to continue the conversation. “You didn’t think about the possibility of me or the Round Table potentially going against you?”

Kang Jin-Ho coolly nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t.”

“But what irresponsible madness is…” The Master hurriedly covered his mouth. Was it because this discussion strayed to an unexpected path, leading to his unprecedented fluster? The Master realized he kept mouthing things he should not have.

Thankfully, Kang Jin-Ho didn’t care about stuff like that and dismissively replied to the Master. “Your side has no reason to refuse, after all.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Neither side will lose something from this arrangement. You get to run the Round Table again, while we get the Round Table’s cooperation.”

“That… isn't what people usually refer to as cooperation. If anything, it's closer to intimidation, sir.”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled dismissively. “Looks like you still don’t get it.”

“...I beg your pardon?”

“I guess you’re mistaken about something here. Let me help you figure it out. Remember your current position and circumstances first.”

“…!” The Master subtly chewed on his lips. He took those words as genuine threats.

However, Kang Jin-Ho wasn’t trying to threaten the Master. At least, not in the manner the Master thought of!

“It looks like your idea of resistance is not cooperating with our side and bravely throwing your life away. Unfortunately for you, though, you have it all wrong. Take a second to think about it, and you'll see what I mean.”

“I don’t quite follow?”

Kang Jin-Ho tutted. “Imagine what will happen if you’re not in the picture anymore, and another Knight acquires the authority to rule the Round Table. You think that person will resist us?”

That was when the Master’s eyes powerfully quaked. He realized he hadn’t considered that possibility.

He had been under the impression that Kang Jin-Ho and the Martial Assembly had only two choices. One was to use the Master as their puppet to control the Round Table. And the other option was to use Wiggins to directly rule over this place.

After learning that Kang Jin-Ho or Wiggins wouldn’t be loitering around the Round Table’s halls, the Master decided it was his duty to resist this takeover attempt. However, what would happen if another figure, maybe one of the surviving Knights, was installed as the new Master?

Would that individual be mentally strong enough to withstand the intimidation from Kang Jin-Ho and Wiggins?

‘No, that’s not going to happen!’

One didn’t have to be a genius to guess who the Martial Assembly would install as the new Master. Obviously, it’d be one of the survivors from the previous battle, someone who had personally experienced Kang Jin-Ho’s incredible strength and witnessed the Elder Knights getting wiped out.

Would someone like that be willing to oppose Kang Jin-Ho? When doing so ran the risk of that person ending up in the same fate as Leveaux?

‘No, that’s asking for a miracle!’

That outcome would be for the best in the Martial Assembly's view. After all, a puppet with not even a hint of independent thought or will to resist, unlike the Master, would be taking over the Round Table, allowing the Koreans to use this organization to fulfill whatever nefarious schemes they had in mind.

Even the Master wouldn’t have hesitated to do this had he been in Kang Jin-Ho’s shoes!

The Master’s expression grew grim. “Then… Why aren’t you doing that?”

“We’re going around in circles here,” said Kang Jin-Ho while puffing away at the cigar. “I don’t feel like doing this dance again. So, listen closely, Master of the Round Table.”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

“I want you on the job.”

“…”

Kang Jin-Ho's uncluttered eyes locked on the Master. “I'm not telling you to mindlessly submit to me. I want you on the job because I think you're the perfect man to reform the Round Table. Sure, it's not like I know all the ins and outs of this place to be certain about anything. But Wiggins vouched for you. That is enough for me.”

The Master faltered a little. “Well, I should offer you my thanks for evaluating me so highly.”

“So, then. The story is simple. For the Round Table to offer us help, it needs to become stronger. It's kinda ironic, but weakening the Round Table so we could control it means you can't help us in Korea. And if we try to pick some warriors from your side and take them with us, it'd be more like taking hostages. And it'd be impossible to expect proper cooperation from them.”

Wiggins nodded and took over the explanation from Kang Jin-Ho. “Although it might sound contradictory, we need the Round Table to be stronger if we are to exploit all the advantages this organization offers.”

“And you’re the right man for the job,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“…” The Master sighed under his breath. First, these people evaluated him far too highly. And then, they evaluated the Round Table poorly. On top of them all… “May I ask you one last question?”

“Sure,” Kang Jin-Ho nodded.

“This… plan hinges entirely on me cooperating with you even after you’ve returned to Korea. In that case… Do you trust me?”

“Of course not,” Kang Jin-Ho waved his hand in dismay. “I don’t trust anyone who’s not my family. And last time I checked, you are not one.”

“I see. Then, why?”

“Because… I’ll be giving you what you want.”

“…?”

Kang Jin-Ho smirked. “I’m sure you've seen the Round Table's issues. And learned that… Unless this place goes through an extensive reform, it'll continue to rot from the inside.”

The Master couldn’t refute this observation. The truth was that he had already realized the situation was more urgent than he thought.

Unfortunately, this problem was not that easy to resolve. For one, the Master's influence, his authority, had been greatly weakened within the organization.

A big portion of the blame lay with Leveaux subjugating the Master and taking away his position. But in reality? The Elder Knights getting wiped out played an even bigger role.

Ordinary rank-and-file Round Table members might be more affected by the former, but for the ones the Master must exert the most influence with, the Knights? The latter should prove much more impactful.

Why? That was because the Master had lost the card he could play to physically intimidate the Knights from various nations.

Even if the Master's martial prowess was highly regarded within the Round Table, two Knights were enough to rival him. And three of them? The Master would have fatally low odds of winning. Simply put, the Master wouldn't be able to restrict or control the Knights.

A reform required requisite strength to pull off. But the Master's situation was that he lacked the necessary strength to pull off the reform he strongly felt was needed.

Kang Jin-Ho maintained his smirk. “I’ll back you.”

“You… will back me? As in, you?”

“Mm.”

The Master was about to explain how difficult that would be in reality, but Wiggins beat him to the punch. “We’re thinking of installing a teleportation portal.”

“A portal, you say?”

“Yes. We can install a portal connecting your office to my lord's. If not, somewhere else just as suitable. Once we get that portal working, allowing my lord to come to Europe whenever he wants… You won't have to worry about lacking enough strength to rule the Round Table.”

The Master’s brain kicked into a higher gear as he listened.

Installing a teleportation portal would mean Kang Jin-Ho could travel to and from Europe with ease. And one of the big pros of this idea was that the magic circuit powering the portal could be disabled by either side at will. In other words… The Master could summon Kang Jin-Ho whenever he needed the latter's powers!

This idea didn’t seem so bad, after all.

‘No, wait. It might be the most realistic and best option on the table.’

“No need to overthink this,” said Kang Jin-Ho. “I'll help you. Not only with my strength but in other areas, too. And you will use that strength to take over the Round Table again. Reform it. And after regaining your former strength through this reform, you'll come and help us out in the future.”

“B-but…”

“And one more promise to sweeten the deal,” Kang Jin-Ho muttered in a disinterested tone of voice. “As long as we're in alliance, the Martial Assembly will never drool over the Round Table. We will never come to Europe.”

The Master's eyes powerfully quaked again. He finally heard what he desperately wanted to hear but could not bring himself to ask first.

Kang Jin-Ho was handing out everything he could in this deal. And so, it was now the Master's turn to mull the offers and make his decision.

The Martial Assembly and Kang Jin-Ho were offering everything they could. And the Master had to agree that they were rather appealing. No, not just appealing, but the best possible under the circumstances!

After all, the Master didn’t expect any favorable conditions from the other side, to begin with. In that case… He only had to think about this one thing.

Could he trust Kang Jin-Ho and his promise?

However, the Master realized he had already decided on that.

“Assembly Master Kang…”

“Mm…?”

“Although it is embarrassing to say this while I haven't regained my former position, I will accept your offer as the Master of the Round Table. As long as the Round Table and the Martial Assembly can maintain a relationship where we help each other improve and not just greedily pursue self-interests, we will remain as an ally, a friend, to you for all eternity.”

“Welcome to the team, then.” Kang Jin-Ho coolly nodded, then got up. He extended his hand toward the Master for a handshake.

The Master also got up, and the two men shook hands while smiling at each other.

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled. “Even though we could’ve concluded this talk much sooner, we ended up taking a long way around, didn’t we?”

The Master slowly nodded. “Indeed, sir. Indeed…”

“Discuss the finer details with Wiggins here.”

“I’ll do that.”

Kang Jin-Ho left the office right away. The Master wordlessly watched him leave. Even after the door had closed behind Kang Jin-Ho, the Master was unable to tear his gaze away from the exit.

Wiggins quietly called out. “Master…”

“Let me say this one thing, Wiggins…” The Master shook his head again. “In many ways, your lord is a rather difficult person to deal with, isn't he?”

“Not at all, actually. It’s as my lord said. You’re overthinking things. My lord is a lot more… straightforward and simpler than you think.”

“Oh, really? Is that what you see?”

“Yes. On the surface, at least,” Wiggins smirked deeply. “Even I find it challenging to define what or who my lord is. Even though his actions seem impulsive, he's actually more calculating than he lets on. He seems rational and logical but can be surprisingly impulsive, too.”

“I see… So, he’s a complicated individual, then?”

“I won’t deny that,” Wiggins nodded. “Even so, he still sticks to one principle rather religiously.”

“One principle? What is it?”

“As long as he views you as one of his people, he will go to great lengths to care for you,” Wiggins grinned. “And I hope you can become one of my lord’s people soon.”

“Now there's a scary thought. To think I'd have to go under someone else's wings at my age!”

“There shouldn't be an issue, Master. My lord is probably older than you.”

“...Oh, that’s right.” The Master slowly shook his head in defeat.

He had a hunch that a massive transformation was about to begin.

The die was cast already. Although the Master couldn’t tell if he had made a correct choice or not, there was no turning back now.

From this moment on, he'd have to perform a delicate balancing act on this tightrope. The Master's new job would be getting everything out of the Martial Assembly without rubbing Kang Jin-Ho the wrong way. And to do that…

The Master glanced at Wiggins. When he noticed the latter’s slimy, know-it-all smirk, an instinctive groan leaked out of the Master’s mouth.

“Wiggins, you… I don't remember you being such a hateful little character, so why…”

“No one stays the same forever, Master.”

“...As I said, hateful.” The Master groaned again while taking a seat.

It was time for the two men to start the long and arduous negotiation.