Demonic Witches Harem: Having Descendants Make Me Overpowered!

"I don't understand why you want to die so badly, Cardinal Finn."

Claude's voice was low and cold, whispering directly into Finn's ear. The chill of iron touching the old man's neck, the edge of Claude's sword having appeared there in an instant.

"But if you want to fight that badly," Claude murmured, "then let me entertain you for a while."

He withdrew the blade just as Finn spun around, his sword raised, golden light dancing across its surface.

"You underestimate me," Finn growled. "Not even your dark mages could penetrate my holy barrier."

Claude smiled. "But I'm not one of them."

Raising his hand, a sphere of pitch-black mana formed in his palm, swirling with violent force. Without chanting anything, he hurled it toward the barrier.

The village dome, once a beacon of divine protection, shattered like brittle glass. Shards of sacred light scattered in the wind like dying stars.

Finn's eyes widened.

"See?" Claude said, stepping forward, resting his massive sword on his shoulder.

"You're not in my league, Cardinal. But since you insist, let me show you what death looks like when it wears my face."

Without waiting for a response, he lunged.

To Finn, Claude vanished like a shadow, he couldn't see his form at all.

The holy knight barely raised his blade in time to block the slash aimed for his chest. Sparks erupted. Finn staggered backward, the sheer force rattling his arms.

"Damn it, he is too fast." he murmured under his breath, his chest that wasn't covered with any armor almost being slashed.

"Goddess of Eunomia, please grant me your blessing to get rid of the darkness around me." He quickly chanted under his breath, more like a prayer, holy magic circle glowing around his body.

His muscles surged with divine energy. Light encased his limbs, he could felt his speed doubling, his movements sharper.

With a roar, he countered, slashing diagonally. Claude leaned just slightly, letting the blade pass harmlessly beside his neck before delivering a palm strike to Finn's chest, sending the old knight tumbling back into the stone fountain.

"AAARRRGGHHH!!!"

Finn coughed, blood staining his lips, but he stood. With a burst of magic, he closed the distance and began a flurry of precise, blinding swordplay.

Claude deflected each strike with ease, like he was playing with his children.

"You arent as good as I expected," he commented.

Holy sparks clashed with dark steel as their blades met again and again.

Finn leapt back, chanting another spell. Wings of light burst from his back, and he soared into the air. He raised his hand.

"Goddess Eunomia let me judge this evil existence with your holy power, Holy Ludicium!"

A massive beam of holy energy shot down from the sky, engulfing Claude in divine fury.

Dust and debris exploded across the square.

Finn hovered, panting, eyes fixed on the glowing crater.

But then—

A silhouette emerged from the light.

Claude stepped forward, armor cracked slightly, his smile unfazed.

"That tickled."

Finn's heart dropped. "As expected, something like that won't hurt you..."

"If you know that, why don't you just give up?"

"I'd rather die!"

Claude laughed, he raised his sword and charged again. This time, his strikes came with the force of an earthquake. Every swing forced Finn further back.

Walls crumbled. Statues shattered. The entire square turned into a battlefield of broken stone and light.

Finn tried to parry, but Claude broke through his guard, delivering a spinning slash that sent the knight flying. He crashed into a chapel wall, coughing blood.

Still, Finn rose.

He muttered a final prayer, a last enchantment. A golden aura engulfed him entirely.

With a war cry, he dashed forward in a desperate final charge.

Claude grinned, now slightly breathing harder. He met the charge with his own, sword clashing with blade.

The shockwave shook the entire village.

But Claude was faster and stronger.

He sidestepped the final blow and drove the hilt of his sword into Finn's stomach, winding him. Before the man could recover, Claude swept his legs, pinning him to the ground.

With a single fluid motion, Claude straddled him and pressed the cold edge of his sword against Finn's throat.

"You fought well," Claude said calmly. "But this was never your battle to win."

Finn's breathing was ragged, blood staining his robes, eyes still fierce but losing their light.

"Go on, then," he rasped. "End it."

However, before Claude could move, the sound of children crying cut through the tension like a blade. He turned his head, his grip on Finn's collar loosening slightly.

From the crumbling ruins of a nearby building, a group of children—no more than ten—rushed out, their small feet pounding the dirt. Their faces were tear-streaked, their bodies thin and ragged.

Three of them threw themselves over Finn's broken form, clutching his bloodied robes as if to shield him. The others ran up to Claude, tiny hands grasping at his cloak, their cries growing louder.

"Please, don't kill Priest!" one sobbed, his voice cracking with desperation.

Finn's face turned pale. Panic overtook his pain. "No! Children, get back! I told you to hide—never come out no matter what!"

"But... but you're going to die!" cried the eldest, a ten-year-old girl with dirt on her cheeks and fire in her eyes. "We couldn't just stand by and do nothing!"

"Please, my lord—please don't kill him! Priest is a good man!" another pleaded, clinging to Claude's robes, trembling. "He gave us food… a place to stay… he saved us…"

Claude stood still, his gaze scanning the scene. His expression unreadable.

And Finn? Finn wasn't relieved—he was horrified. Terrified. His worst fear had come to life. Claude, the infamous Lord of Calamity, stood before innocent children… and they were defying him.

"No! Get away from me! Run!" Finn cried, his voice breaking. "Didn't you hear what I told you?! He's going to kill you all!"

But the children only cried harder, their grip tightening, their tiny frames shielding their priest.

Finn's voice faltered. His pride shattered. His desperation overtook him. "Please… don't hurt them," he said to Claude, his voice trembling. "I beg you."

Claude tilted his head, then gave a small, amused smile. "Then live for me, Cardinal Finn. That's all I ask." His tone was calm—almost playful—but there was a weight in his words that silenced everything.

Finn stared at him in disbelief. "Why?" he rasped. "Why are you punishing me like this? I protected you… protected your mother… someone like me doesn't deserve to live, not after all of this…"

"Punishment?" Claude raised a brow.

"If I were punishing you, I'd drag you back to the Church as my pet spy and squeeze every secret from your head."

"But I'm not doing that. No, Finn." He turned slightly, shadows flickering in his crimson eyes. "I'm giving you a gift. Life."

Finn sit up slowly, the weight of his sins pressing down on his shoulders. He calmed the children, whispering promises that he was fine, that they should go. They hesitated, but eventually obeyed, leaving only the silence behind.

He watched the King of Elysium—this dark monarch with hair like midnight and eyes like burning coals—begin to walk away.

"How can I live in ignorance?" Finn asked, voice raw, bitter. "How can I live when you're destroying the world?"

Claude paused but didn't look back. "The same way you did when you ignored that woman from the Promised Land," he said quietly. "It's not that hard, is it?"

And with that, he walked away.

Finn stayed where he was, surrounded by the wind and silence. His hands dug into the dirt, nails scraping the ground.

Perhaps this was divine punishment after all—not death, but the curse of living.

***

"Your Majesty? How is it?" was Heinrich's first question the moment Claude stepped out from the village's gate.

Claude didn't stop walking. "Pull our forces out of the area. Leave the village untouched—and I want a small unit of our men to remain behind, disguised as villagers."

Heinrich fell into step beside him, frowning. "To spy on them?"

Claude nodded. "That, and to protect them if anything happens. Keep a close eye on the priest, Finn. Don't let him die."

Heinrich blinked. Of all the things he expected, this wasn't it. "Why him, Your Majesty?"

Claude halted for a moment "That man… is the reason I ever reached Elysium. The reason I became a king. He saved me and my mother, Heinrich."

"That alone earns him a degree of respect—from you too. Though don't go worshipping the man, he's got a serious problem with suicide."

"I see…" Heinrich scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"How about we improve the village in subtle ways? Our men could pose as merchants, offer food and goods at lower prices. Maybe even send farmers who can pass off knowledge casually."

Claude resumed walking, nodding slightly. "A good idea. But don't rush it. That priest will smell the charity a mile away, and I doubt he'll appreciate it. Just make sure the village remains untouched by the war."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Heinrich allowed a rare smile as he matched Claude's pace. "I'll oversee it myself."

They were nearing the camp now, the black banners of Elysium fluttering ahead.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you—" Heinrich began, but a familiar voice suddenly rang out from the camp.

"Claude! Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?!"

It was Layla.