Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1122. Delivered (2)

Before the Master could speak, though, someone knocked on the door. The secretary silently opened the door to bring in the refreshments.

That was actually great timing from her. This opening allowed the Master to organize his thoughts even more.

Once the secretary left, the Master sat forward and stared intently at Besley. “Now, then. Your question was meant to find out if I wish to become a dictator, wasn’t it?”

“Although I wasn’t trying to be that direct, yes, you’re correct.”

The Master slowly shook his head. “I do not wish to be a dictator, Sir Besley.”

“...”

“My aim has always been to change the Round Table's system, that is all. It has become too decrepit and fallen behind the times to the point of becoming a hindrance. I wish to transform this lumbering giant and push it to the next level. So that the Round Table can continue for the next thousand years or more, as it has been doing for the past thousand years.”

“Yes, I get what you’re trying to say, Master. However...” Besley didn’t shy away and stared pointedly back at the Master. However, no emotions could be sensed from his stony face.

No mistrust, no anger, not even any attempts at coercion or threats... He was simply emotionless.

“If modernizing and evolving the Round Table requires you to rule this organization with an iron fist, what makes you any different from an actual dictator?”

“It is different,” said the Master. His entire demeanor was filled with conviction, which was in stark contrast to Besley’s emotionless face. “Do you know why a dictator is a dictator?”

“...? It's because they are unwilling to lose their grip on power.”

“No, Sir Besley. It’s because they pursue personal benefits through the power they wield.”

“...”

The Master chuckled airily. “Look, Sir Besley. Don't you know how old I am? I don't have any family, and my wealth is pitiful at best. At my age, the only thing I should worry about is protecting my honor.

“You think I care about increasing my wealth? I can do that quite easily outside the Round Table's confines. Then, what about my grip on power, you ask? What would acquiring more power mean to someone who is fast approaching his last days on Earth? Doing so will only tarnish what remains of my honor, after all.”

“Mm...”

“You already know how I’m evaluated, don’t you? And I’m sure you can imagine how people will perceive me in the future, too.”

“...Master, sir.”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to say it. I’ve already resolved myself.”

The Master slowly reclined against the couch's back. He wasn't trying to present a relaxed, aloof facade to Besley. Instead, it looked more like the result of his fatigued mind acting subconsciously.

“I don't have all that long to live, Besley. Had I continued to lead this organization as business as usual and retired one day, people might have remembered me as an honorable Master. And a part of me does wish for that outcome. However...

“I simply could not look away from the truth anymore. I cannot. The Round Table is slowly but surely crumbling, and I cannot look away and pretend everything is fine.”

Besley couldn’t think of anything appropriate to say. His jaw was forced shut by the weight of the words the Master had spoken.

He had no way of knowing if the Master had chosen the right path. However, at least he now understood that the Master did not start this mess out of thoughtlessness or personal greed.

“We’ve lost our Elder Knights, plus many other Knights. Our strength has fallen yet our rival factions are growing stronger every day. For now, the status quo will remain as-is. However, what about in a decade? Two decades? Do you think we’ll still be able to maintain the same level of prestige and influence by then?”

“You might be right, Master. However, this is how the Round Table has been operating all these years.”

“Yes, I know that as well as you. And that's exactly why I'm trying to destroy our system."

“What if you fail?”

“If that's how the cookie crumbles, so be it,” the Master casually shrugged. “Failure would lead to even greater fractures within the Round Table. But that is nothing more than hastening the inevitable, Besley. The future generations might criticize me, but that’s my cross to bear.”

Besley chuckled helplessly. “So, to summarize, you want me to share that criticism with you.”

“Not at all. You don’t have to stand in the limelight, you see? No, all I can ask you is to...”

“Hold on, Master,” Besley resolutely cut the Master off. “I have no desire to do things in half-measures.”

Although gruff, his voice still ably conveyed his determination.

“Since it must be done, I’ll give it my all. So, Master? Give me your orders.”

Besley slowly looked up at the Master's face.

“What do you want me to do?”

***

Clack...

Besley stepped outside the office, then closed the door behind him.

The people remaining in the office silently stared at the closed door for a long time before glancing at each other.

Wiggins spoke first. “With that, we now have one less thing to worry about.”

“Mm...!” Kang Jin-Ho coolly nodded.

Everything seemed more or less wrapped up now. No Knight would dare challenge the Master's authority, or for that matter, Kang Jin-Ho's, from today onward.

Of course, that didn't mean they could kick back and relax now.

Since the organization was destroyed, it needed to be rebuilt and reorganized. That would still take a lot of work. But Besley's cooperation should make that process slightly less arduous.

“That was easier than I thought,” said Lee Hyeon-Su.

That observation brought out a wry smile on Wiggins’ face, however.

‘It only seems that way because everything was more or less settled while you were on your way here, my dear disciple...’

Lee Hyeon-Su could only make educated guesses on what transpired here. It was no wonder, then, that he was slightly taken aback by Besley's response.

However, those who had witnessed how Kang Jin-Ho pressured and oppressed the Knights weren't surprised by this development.

Such was the ruthless nature of Kang Jin-Ho's assault that even if Wiggins had been present, he still would have been as powerless to do anything as the Knights.

Then again, that was how Kang Jin-Ho used his absolute strength to coerce, intimidate, and overpower others!

Wiggins addressed the Master. “With Sir Besley's help, getting the other Knights to cooperate will become much easier. Yes, they are still unable to rebel or oppose us now. Even so, there is an appreciable difference between helplessly watching and positively accepting the upcoming changes.”

“Yes, I agree,” the Master replied, but his voice still lacked energy.

Wiggins sighed ruefully.

‘Yes, I get that your mind is a complicated mess right about now.’

This burden was indeed the Master’s to bear. And Wiggins had no thoughts of offering the older man his pity. Although, he did feel a bit apologetic for dragging the Master into yet another meeting after what he had to sit through.

“The problem, though, is the Knights who are potentially crippled for life,” Wiggins helplessly shrugged. “It seems we don’t have a choice but to replace them.”

The work the Knights dealt with could never be called trivial in quantity or in importance. So much so that it'd be impossible to deal with such a workload without a sane mind.

Since that was the case, the badly affected Knights would have to be replaced as soon as possible.

“No, wait, master. It doesn’t have to be that way,” said Lee Hyeon-Su. It seemed he had other ideas. “We managed to seize upon a great opportunity to tame all the Knights into obedient pets, you know? So, isn’t replacing them the same as going back to square one? We must never do that. Hell, even if the Knights say they want to quit, we gotta chain them up as much as possible and make it impossible for them to leave.”

Wiggins could only chuckle wryly as he listened.

Regardless of what anyone said, the one facing the most serious danger this time was undoubtedly Lee Hyeon-Su. He would not be here had things gone slightly wrong somewhere, somehow!

Yet he still nonchalantly labeled this event as a great opportunity. Wiggins had no choice but to be astonished by how easy-going his disciple could be sometimes!

“Mister Lee, of course I know that. But it’s also realistically not possible.”

“Actually, we can make it work, master. Let’s select the Knight candidates first.”

“...Candidates, you say?”

Lee Hyeon-Su smiled cheerily. Unfortunately, he only made that face whenever an evil idea had popped up in his mind!

“Let’s use the excuse of the Knights’ declining health conditions to select potential successors. And then, let them handle the workload instead. Of course, we must prevent the Knights from completely retiring. We can do that by giving them the power to make decisions. Only then will we fully exploit their terror toward our Assembly Master.”

“Mm...!” Wiggins groaned while feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Lee Hyeon-Su sure wanted to squeeze everything out of this place, didn't he! Wiggins had been thinking about this often lately, and that was how glad he was to have Lee Hyeon-Su as his disciple, not as an enemy!

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Kang Jin-Ho. He effectively served as a referee to declare Lee Hyeon-Su as the winner of this match.

Wiggins sighed deeply. “My lord, excessive oppression can lead to a fightback from the oppressed.”

“Sure. But that’s not my business to worry about.”

“...”

“You’re mistaken about something, Wiggins.”

Wiggins stared at Kang Jin-Ho in slight confusion.

“I’m not the Round Table's ruler. The Master is. I’m only here to play the role of an oppressor since that was the request I received. That’s all.”

“...I see. Yes, you’re correct, my lord.”

It didn't matter how overbearing and cruel Kang Jin-Ho was, his reign of terror would come to an end once he went back to South Korea. With him gone, the Master wouldn't be able to keep suppressing the Knights as intensely as before. So, Wiggins should stop worrying about a potential blowback—at least, that was what Kang Jin-Ho was trying to say.

Wiggins nodded after figuring that out, then stopped raising objections. He might know the most about the Round Table out of everyone in the Assembly, but that was because he used to be a core member of this organization.

Maybe, a part of him subconsciously still held some loyalty toward the Round Table.

Since that could be the case, following Kang Jin-Ho's opinion was the right call.

Kang Jin-Ho stared straight at the Master. “Master.”

“Yes, Assembly Master?”

“You don't need to keep making that face. After all, only four people died.”

“...”

Superficially, at least, that observation was correct. However, the true harm done to the Round Table wasn't the death of those four Knights. No, it was the loss of confidence by all the Knights and their crippling mental trauma.

“Their recovery depends on you now,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

The Master weightily nodded away before replying in a determined voice. “Understood. To make that happen...”

“Mm?”

“Please, do not involve yourself with the Round Table's matters anymore.”

“...” Kang Jin-Ho didn’t immediately respond and stared back at the Master with withdrawn eyes.

“Knights are precious combat forces of the Round Table. Even though their lack of awakening might seem frustrating to behold, their growth is essential to facilitate the growth and development of this organization. However, the Knights will undoubtedly crumble beyond salvage if you oppress them any more than this. That is why...” 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

“That...” Kang Jin-Ho abruptly raised his hand and cut the Master off. “...Depends on you.”

“...”

“Don't blame the others. This situation only came about because you have failed to seize full control of the Round Table. I wouldn’t have come here in the first place and none of today’s events would have happened if you enjoyed complete and utter control of the Knights.”

The Master subtly bit his lip.

“You requested me to come here and intervene. Did you not?”

“Yes, I have,” The Master sighed deeply. “My apologies, sir. It seems I spoke out of turn after letting my emotions get the better of me.”

“As long as you understand,” said Kang Jin-Ho, then leisurely got up. “The Assembly is an ally of the Round Table. We don’t exist to harm your organization, in other words. As long as you don’t want it, I won’t interfere in your business for the foreseeable future.”

“Assembly Master, I was...”

“Let’s end this topic here, shall we?” Kang Jin-Ho briefly smirked before casually walking out of the office. Lee Hyeon-Su bowed at the Master before following his boss outside, too.

“Hah-ah...” The Master groaned deeply at the empty doorway. “Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything...”

“Oh. No, it’s not what you think, Master,” Wiggins urgently and firmly waved his hand. “My lord isn’t unhappy at what you said. He left because he genuinely has said everything he wanted to say.”

“...?”

“Those who don't know my lord all that well will not understand. However, wouldn’t you say it’s more efficient this way? I assure you, there's nothing to worry about.”

“I see. I’m relieved to hear that, then.”

“It’s just that...” Wiggins suddenly smiled affably. “I must unfortunately perform some follow-up operations as my lord didn’t clearly state his intentions to you.”

“Mm?”

Wiggins’ smile deepened.

“My lord will honor his word and not interfere with the Round Table. However, that's only if this organization acts like a good ally and does us a favor. Allow me to convey what that favor will be.”

The Master suddenly thought that Wiggins’ smile was remarkably similar to that of a cartoon venomous snake.

A venomous snake that had bared its poison-tipped fangs, that was!