Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1095. Dispatched (5)

Han Eun-Sol urgently scanned the surroundings and discovered the coordinator and stylist in the vicinity. He hurriedly gestured at them to leave. Once the two reached somewhere well out of earshot, he tried his best to pacify Choi Yeon-Ha.

“Please be mindful of who’s around you! Before saying stuff like that! Please!”

Choi Yeon-Ha shot back. “Why! What’s the problem!”

“Imagine what will happen if people start gossiping about the fully dolled-up Choi Yeon-Ha trying to crush her boyfriend’s ex! Don’t you think that’s gonna be so humiliating?!”

“Humiliating?” Choi Yeon-Ha smirked nonchalantly. “Listen, Eun-Sol!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

“Maybe you don’t know because you’re a guy, but...!”

“...”

Choi Yeon-Ha snorted like a raging bull. “To women, some things are worth the humiliation, okay!”

‘...Stop spewing lines like that with the attitude of a self-righteous superhero, okay! You’re embarrassing me!’

Han Eun-Sol spat out a loud groan.

‘How did noona end up as a nutcase like this?’

Choi Yeon-Ha wasn’t like this in the past. That didn’t mean the current version was inferior to the old model, though. Definitely not!

Calling the old version of Choi Yeon-Ha a bomb was not quite correct. A bomb crisis would end once it went off, but Choi Yeon-Ha wasn't like that. That was because, if she did blow up, the ensuing explosion would last for at least three days straight!

Not even a bomb storage would explode for that long and with the same intensity as her!

Since the current Choi Yeon-Ha didn’t readily explode like her old self, Han Eun-Sol could emphatically say this version was way, way better. It was just that...

‘She's gotten weirder instead!’

The old Choi Yeon-Ha was a woman embodying modern chic. But this one? She still had her chic side, but the whole package was more like a brain-dead idiot now!

‘It's like... Her screws came loose after she got involved with Mister Jin-Ho!’

Han Eun-Sol scanned the surroundings again.

He knew no one would dare approach this place, but that knowledge wasn't enough to calm him down. If he could help it, he didn't want any witnesses to this unsightly spectacle. He'd rather prefer Choi Yeon-Ha's reputation stay as the Witch, not some brain-dead idiot!

“What are you planning to do after showing up there? Wherever that is?”

Choi Yeon-Ha coolly replied, “I’m not going to do anything.”

Choi Yeon-Ha and Han Eun-Sol wordlessly stared at each other.

Unsurprisingly, though, the first one to break was Han Eun-Sol.

“Then why are you going there in the first place?!”

“What the?! How dare you raise your voice at me! Imma rip out all your hair, Eun-Sol!”

“...?! Aaaachk?! No, not my hair! Don’t touch my hair! I, I will curse you till I die if I start losing my hair, okay?!”

Choi Yeon-Ha was about to grab a handful of her manager’s hair, only to abruptly stop. She then sneakily backed away. “...Oh.”

“...?!” Han Eun-Sol flinched at her reaction. “W-what’s wrong? What is it?”

“Eun-Sol...?”

“Yeah?”

“It's your hair. It's a bit...” Choi Yeon-Ha stared at Han Eun-Sol with a gaze of pity. For the first time since he started working as her manager, she stared at him with such gentleness and concern!

“Don't look at me like that, noona! T-this is... Yes, it's caused by stress! It's all your fault for giving me so much stress, noona!”

“Really? But isn't your scalp a bit too 'sparse' for that?”

“Aaaah! I told you to stop!”

Although Han Eun-Sol continued to fiercely resist, Choi Yeon-Ha's expression remained that of pity and concern. Then again, how could she not be concerned? When the hair of a man who wasn’t even thirty seemed a bit too thin to be normal!

“Whose fault do you think this is!” Han Eun-Sol desperately yelled.

Choi Yeon-Ha innocently replied, “Your genes?”

“No! It’s not my genes, okay!”

“Calm down, Eun-Sol. Take a deep breath, okay? Don’t worry, hair loss is not a crime. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“It’s not hair loss!” Han Eun-Sol cried out as tears threatened to trickle down his cheeks.

This was all Choi Yeon-Ha’s fault, though!

Back when Han Eun-Sol started working as Choi Yeon-Ha’s manager, he was one of those men who worried about how thick and unruly their hair was. Going to a barber’s to get a haircut took almost the whole day for him, didn’t it!

However, after spending some time as Choi Yeon-Ha’s manager...

‘No! Let’s not think about it anymore!’

The biggest enemy of a man trying to preserve their hair was stress. Merely recalling his past experiences was enough to worsen his stress to an extreme level.

Since that was the case, he must only think of good things. Only good things!

“In any case, noona! I beg you, please don’t create a scene.”

“What? You think I’m a child? You think I cause scenes wherever I go?”

“If you’re not a child, why did you chase away the production crew coming here to fetch you?”

“Well, that’s because I didn’t like the way he walked toward me.”

“Are you even listening to yourself, noona? Seriously?”

Choi Yeon-Ha narrowed her eyes. “You... Aren’t you getting a bit too big-headed lately? Is your head a balloon?”

“...Kuh-hum.” Han Eun-Sol sneakily backed away. Maybe he did go a bit too far just now.

Choi Yeon-Ha tutted. “In any case. That’s our new schedule. Make sure everything is ready by tomorrow.”

“...Got it, noona. What about today’s shoot, though?”

“Let’s get it over with. I’ve got a lot to prepare, after all!”

‘Weren’t you the one who wanted to postpone the filming earlier?!’

Han Eun-Sol had so, so many things he wanted to get off his chest. But he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He briefly shook his head, then turned around to rush toward the director’s location. However...!

“Oh, and you should go see a doctor tomorrow, Eun-Sol. For your hair.”

“...”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“...Thank you so, soooo much, noona.”

Han Eun-Sol was so thankful that he wanted to break down and cry right there and then.

***

“This is it, Mister Lee,” said Wiggins.

Lee Hyeon-Su tensely stared at the gleaming magic portal right before his eyes. “If I step through there... I’ll reach England? Just like that?”

“Do I have to explain the theory of the gate magic to you again?”

“...No, it's fine, master. I still won’t get it even if you repeat yourself ad nauseam.”

“Really? But you should be able to understand this much.”

This much, he said... Lee Hyeon-Su smiled bitterly.

The school of magic was abnormally vast in scope. Back when Lee Hyeon-Su first decided to learn about magic theory, he figured it'd be like attending a new university lecture. But the truth turned out to be quite different.

It seemed a new branch called 'magic studies' had been created recently. This field of study contained things like magic tool engineering, magic science, and even magic chemistry...

‘Dang it. Not a single one makes a lick of sense.’

The pool of knowledge accumulated over several millennia by various mages was so deep and vast that Lee Hyeon-Su could only gawk in sheer wonder.

He could proudly say he had a knack for quickly learning new things, but his proficiency in magic was still no better than that of a toddler. Even though an excellent tutor called Wiggins had been showing him the ropes!

Lee Hyeon-Su smugly replied, “But, master. You struggled your entire lifetime to reach this realm. If a newbie like me can figure out the fundamentals of this spell so quickly, what will that make you?”

Wiggins also smugly replied, “No need to worry, my dear disciple. Knowing something and actually performing it are two different things, after all. Magic is all about practical application. It doesn’t matter how well-versed you are in the knowledge of magic, you’ll still be deemed a moron and a failure if you can’t apply that knowledge.”

This particular conversation between a master and his disciple seemed to be hiding several barely disguised instances of verbal takedowns.

“You must be proud of having a moron as your disciple, master.”

“Unfortunately, you’re not a moron. What I mean by that is you don’t even have the qualifications to call yourself one when it comes to magic.” Wiggins loudly tutted. “Tsk, tsk... If someone in the Round Table asks you about me, never bring up the fact that you’re my disciple, okay?”

“Why? Would that be too embarrassing for you?”

“You know I’ll be fine. It’s just that I’m worried about people assuming you are a pathological liar.”

“...I’m touched by your kindness, master.”

So touched, in fact, that Lee Hyeon-Su was almost brought to tears!

“Okay, let’s get going,” said Wiggins.

“...Of course.”

While Wiggins sounded refreshed and ready, Lee Hyeon-Su was the exact opposite. He sounded lifeless.

‘Yup, I’m about to work like a slave, no?’

Lee Hyeon-Su was no fool and could guess what the... “terms” of the negotiation between Wiggins and the Master of the Round Table must've entailed. Without a doubt, Wiggins must've presented Lee Hyeon-Su on a platter as a worker par excellence.

Still, Lee Hyeon-Su took a step forward while steeling his resolve. When he thought about it, nothing would change for him even if he stayed here since he'd still be buried in office work anyway!

The workload waiting for him in the Round Table could very well be soul-crushingly extreme, but wasn't that already the case in the Assembly, too? Indeed, nothing would change for him either way!

Lee Hyeon-Su entered the brilliant rays of light while shielding his eyes.

‘Mm...!’

It felt like he was levitating. He thought this sensation was vaguely unpleasant.

‘Are we going to teleport like this?’

Since this was his first time, he couldn’t help but worry. Maybe...

“Step outside,” said Wiggins.

Lee Hyeon-Su hurriedly opened his eyes and looked around. “...Eh?”

“We’ve arrived. Let’s go.”

“...”

Lee Hyeon-Su dazedly stepped forward into an unfamiliar open space.

‘What the hell? Is that all?’

Even though that magic was creating a portal and whatnot, wasn’t this a bit too... anti-climatic?

What Lee Hyeon-Su meant by that was the stuff seen in movies. Characters in superhero movies spectacularly flew out of warp portals, or in Sci-Fi films, you'd often see the distant stars stretching like noodles whenever ships entered hyperspace...

“I can tell you’re thinking of useless stuff, so stop it already,” Wiggins tutted. “Look ahead. The Master is already here.”

“Hiiieeek!”

To Wiggins, the Master of the Round Table was probably a familiar figure. Or an easy presence to deal with in Kang Jin-Ho's case. But not to Lee Hyeon-Su.

To him, the leader of the Round Table was an unimaginably lofty existence. Which also made him an uncomfortable presence to be around with, too!

“Good day to you, sir!” Lee Hyeon-Su stiffly bowed ninety degrees as his greeting.

The Master of the Round Table chuckled affably at this sight. “I still can’t get used to the Eastern way of greeting. It puts a sizable burden of expectation on my shoulders.”

Lee Hyeon-Su faltered. “Oh, uh...”

“No need to make that face, fella. I wasn’t trying to criticize you. Besides, haven’t we met a few times already?”

“Yes, sir. We met during the conference. I was with my Assembly Master at that time."

“Hmm... Yes, I remember now,” The Master calmly muttered, his brows subtly twitching.

‘This man didn’t give off much of an impression back then.’

Attending such an occasion indicated Lee Hyeon-Su was no random person off the street. It meant someone as young as him was qualified enough to represent the Martial Assembly, which was unthinkable in the Round Table.

It could have been because of Kang Jin-Ho's unconventional mindset. Even if that was true, Lee Hyeon-Su must be capable enough first for this to happen.

However, the Master couldn't really remember much about this young man. Which was understandable, considering his attention was focused solely on Wiggins and Kang Jin-Ho during those meetings!

‘Then again...’

Even if Lee Hyeon-Su had boasted an impressive presence, it would have been wiped out of the Master's memories, anyway. He was too occupied with dealing with Kang Jin-Ho's presence, after all! And didn't they even exchange a few moves, too?

“You’re the top talent who will assist me, then?” The Master curiously asked.

Lee Hyeon-Su sheepishly scratched his head. “I’m not good enough to be a top talent, but...”

“I'm relieved that you're rather fluent in English. I honestly was worried about the potential communication issues, you see?”

“I'm quite proficient in things that could help my job, sir.”

“Hoh-oh?” The Master grinned while rubbing his chin.

Although not arrogant, Lee Hyeon-Su clearly carried himself with confidence. Such an attitude wouldn’t be possible without a firm belief in his skill set.

‘And while in my presence, no less.’

Not only was the Master of the Round Table present, but so was Wiggins.

Even the top echelons of the Round Table's younger generation wouldn't dare act this confidently in front of this duo.

Since he had been working with Wiggins for some time now, Lee Hyeon-Su should have a good grasp of the former British representative Knight's capabilities. Yet he still remained unfazed. It could only mean he was deeply confident of his own capabilities.

‘I hope your abilities match your confidence, young man.’

The Master grinned deeply in slight amusement.

“Alright, shall we head out, then? Making my valuable guest stand around here is against manners, after all. Allow me to treat you to a cup of tea, at least.”

“Thank you, sir,” said Lee Hyeon-Su with another deep bow.

The Master grinned while turning around to lead the way.

Wiggins smartly joined him, then cast a barrier behind them without Lee Hyeon-Su noticing he did to keep his voice from reaching his disciple’s ears.

“So, what do you think, Master? What is your impression?”

“You shouldn't ask me about an Asian's facial features, Wiggins. It's a tricky subject to broach, after all. If I'm being honest, most Asian faces look rather similar to me. So it's difficult to articulate my impression based on a person's face alone. But saying this out loud can paint me as a racist, so...”[1]

“...My apologies. I overlooked how sensitive this topic could be.”

“Well, if I were to voice my impression, then... I like his confidence. I sincerely hope his skills match his confidence, though.”

“You will see it for yourself today, Master.”

“...Today? Shouldn't he receive orientation training first? Then go through a proper handover of duties?”

“That brat doesn't need them,” Wiggins smirked deeply.

The Master stared in confusion at that mysterious smirk.

“Don’t worry about anything, and let Mister Lee handle it, sir. You can double-check the work he’s done later, anyway. Leave him to his devices, and in the meantime, let us delve straight into my training. I’m also a rather busy man, you see?”

The Master narrowed his eyes, unimpressed. “Fella... Has anyone told you recently that your personality has become a bit questionable?”

“Mm? My daughter often mentions that, yes. But she also says things are now better than how they used to be. Don’t you agree?”

“...I’ll earnestly pray that your daughter doesn’t show up with a weirdo as her boyfriend one day.”

“...!”

Wiggins staggered at that unexpected gut punch, then hurriedly walked ahead as his expression cramped up like a man chewing on excrement.

1. There was a Korean pun at work here, but it got lost in translation. The Korean term for impression is “in-sang,” but it can also mean facial features. ☜