Demonic Witches Harem: Having Descendants Make Me Overpowered!

The town square buzzed with excitement as a crowd of all ages gathered to welcome the Holy Knights from the Promised Land, Euthymia. 

Their gleaming ivory armor and flowing white robes symbolize purity, and even their horses seemed ethereal.

There were only five of them—a modest number, given the small border town's insignificance. 

Among them, a female knight stood out, her golden hair glinting in the sunlight. 

Claude's gaze lingered on her briefly before shifting to the others. 

Standing amidst the crowd, Claude watched his potential enemies with a calm exterior, though his mind raced. 

'I wish I had the power to scan their strength, or at least gauge how dangerous they are.' 

Beside him, Dalia rested a gentle hand on his shoulder. He noticed how her hand trembled slightly but chose not to comment. 

"Claude," she said, her voice soft yet hopeful, "we don't have to worry anymore. Your father will be healed." 

"Yes, Mother. He will no longer… burden us," Claude replied with a bright smile that didn't reach his eyes. 

Inwardly, he seethed. 'Tch, that bastard isn't punished enough. He poisoned me on my birthday and almost got my body shredded apart by cacodemons!' 

After the procession, Dalia and Claude made their way to the Everbright Church, a place they rarely visited. 

Claude never fully understood why until recently, but the disdainful glances from priests and worshippers alike made it abundantly clear. 

Dalia wasn't welcome here. 

He glanced at his mother, taking note of how her back stiffened and her hands fidgeted with her dress. 

Claude reached out and grabbed her hand tightly, silently reassuring her. He would protect her, no matter what. 

The grand interior of the church loomed before them, dominated by a towering statue of Eunomia, the winged goddess of light and justice. 

Sunlight poured through vibrant stained-glass windows depicting kneeling knights and bowing priests, all directed toward the divine figure. 

As Claude gazed at the statue, an intense, searing pain erupted in his eyes, as though he were staring directly at the sun. His skin prickled, and his chest felt heavy. 

'What the hell?! Is this because of my dark affinity? Why does it feel like I'm burning alive?!' 

He blinked rapidly and shielded his eyes, forcing himself to maintain composure. 

'So this is what vampires feel all the time. Great.' 

A sharp voice echoed through the sacred hall, breaking his thoughts. 

"What is that woman doing in our holy place?" 

Claude turned to see the female knight from earlier, her voice filled with venom. Her disdainful gaze locked onto Dalia, who froze in place. 

"Honored Holy Knight," Dalia began, her tone polite despite the tremor in her voice. She bowed deeply. 

"I've come to ask for your help. My husband, who serves this church, was attacked by a cacodemon." 

The knight sneered, her eyes narrowing. "Ah, so you're that loser's wife?" She crossed her arms, looking Dalia up and down with contempt. 

Then, with a mocking laugh, she added, "Get out of here. This is the house of the Goddess, not a den for witches like you." 

The words struck like a whip. Dalia's hand trembled in Claude's grip. 

Claude's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding together as rage bubbled within him. His instincts screamed to retaliate, to unleash his Chaos Hounds on this arrogant woman, but he forced himself to stay calm. 

He turned to his mother, his voice steady yet cold. "Mom, let's leave. We don't need their help." 

His dark eyes flicked back to the knight, burning with unspoken defiance. "Knights Kai and Julo know where we live. If you are competent, find us." 

He tugged his mother's hand, guiding her out of the church. As they exited, the humiliation in his mother's downcast gaze and the hateful sneers from the priests and knights only fueled the fire in Claude's chest. 

Out in the fresh air, his lips twisted into a grin, his earlier rage shifting to dark amusement. 

'At least I've found the perfect candidate for my Hounds' plaything,' he thought, his mind already crafting a plan. 

***

High above the forest, Theo and Claude hovered in the sky, shrouded by Theo's magic. 

Their existence was veiled so perfectly that even the sharp senses of the holy knights and clerics below could not detect them.

For three days, the search party scoured the woods, their frustration growing as they found no trace of the elusive cacodemon. 

Yet, not one of them had thought to visit Claude's house to check on Enzo, their so-called "victim." 

"They're fools, aren't they?" 

Claude said coldly, his gaze locked on the holy knights below. 

The bitterness in his voice was sharp, still fueled by the sting of the woman knight named Claris's insult inside the church. 

Theo smirked faintly. "What do you expect? This is a backwater town near the border. They likely see this as a trivial hunt—nothing more than a weak cacodemon causing a bit of chaos." 

"Hm…" 

Claude's sharp eyes shifted, following Claris as she barked orders to the others. Her golden hair gleamed even in the dim light of the forest. 

After a moment of silence, Claude asked, "What happens when holy power meets darkness?" 

Theo turned to his son, studying him carefully. "What exactly are you asking? They're opposites. They repel each other." 

Claude shook his head. "No, not that. I mean… what happens when someone with a dark affinity has a child with someone with a light affinity?" His gaze remained fixed on Claris, his expression unreadable. 

Theo narrowed his eyes, his voice growing stern. "Don't even think about it, Claude. Whatever you're plotting, it's not worth the trouble." 

"I'm just asking a question," Claude replied, scoffing. "I'm not plotting anything." 

Theo sighed but answered. "Four possibilities: death, defect, having dark or light affinity and in rare cases, the child will have both affinities at the same time." 

Claude's lips curled into a faint, thoughtful smile. "I see. That's interesting." 

"Enough of this," Theo warned, his tone laced with suspicion. "You don't need to waste your time with foolish ideas." 

Claude shrugged, his expression neutral. "I've had enough for today. I'm heading home." 

Theo gave him a sharp look but said nothing more as he descended, holding Claude's hand as they touched down in the forest. 

Once on the ground, Claude turned toward the direction of his house, his steps slow and deliberate. 

"See you later, Theo," he said casually over his shoulder. 

Theo hesitated for a moment, watching him go, before vanishing into the shadows. 

But Claude had no intention of going home. He slipped deeper into the forest, his footsteps light as he waited in the darkness. 

His gaze flickered toward the clearing where the knights had gathered, his focus narrowing on Claris. 

'Sooner or later, you'll wander into the dark… and when you do, I'll be waiting.' 

***

"Ck! You're all useless! How can not one of you track darkness?!" Claris barked, her hands planted firmly on her hips.

Her team stood around her in uneasy silence, exchanging helpless glances. 

Claris was infamous for being a strict yet unbearable leader—always barking orders, throwing insults, and boasting about her own abilities, despite rarely doing anything herself.

The cleric, a young woman with short brown hair and glasses named Nadia, hesitantly raised her hand. 

"I'm sorry, Leader Claris, but… the cacodemon's trail is impossible to track. It's been over a week since its last sighting. The traces have likely faded."

"Huh?! Are you stupid?!" Claris snapped, turning her glare toward the cleric. 

"Don't you know the Great Saint can smell darkness from miles away?! And you're telling me you can't even track one measly, weak cacodemon?"

Nadia flinched but said nothing, bowing her head.

From the back of the group, a young knight named Zero muttered under his breath, "Then why don't you do it yourself…"

Claris's ears perked up, her head snapping toward him. "What did you just say?" She stalked toward the young knight, her eyes blazing. 

"Say that again—louder this time!"

"I… I didn't say anything, Leader!" Zero stammered, visibly shaken.

"Coward," Claris spat, glaring at him. She then turned to the rest of the group. 

"You're all useless. Disperse! Go deeper into the forest and search every inch! I don't care how long it takes—we will find that damned cacodemon tonight!"

The knights and cleric exchanged nervous glances but ultimately obeyed, scattering into the darkness of the forest. 

Meanwhile, Claris remained by the camp on the outskirts, nonchalantly tending to the fire. 

She leaned back against a log, crossing her arms, clearly intending to let the others do all the work.

The silence of the forest soon closed in around her. 

The crackling of the fire was the only sound, yet Claris couldn't shake the uneasy feeling creeping over her.

Then, she felt it.

A sharp, chilling presence, like icy claws dragging down her spine. The oppressive weight of something malevolent.

Her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her sword. "A cacodemon…" she whispered, standing up and scanning the dark woods beyond the firelight.

The moonlight revealed the shadows shifting unnaturally. From the darkness emerged three Chaos Hounds, their glowing red eyes locked onto her. 

Their low growls reverberated through the still night air, vibrating with menace.

"Damn it!" Claris cursed, unsheathing her sword in one fluid motion. 

Her free hand reached for the glowing white crystal around her neck—a communication device meant to summon reinforcements.

But before the crystal could fully activate, a small knife, cloaked in dark energy, sailed through the air and struck it.

A sharp crackle erupted as the crystal fizzled, its glow fading before it crumbled into ash.

"What the—?!" Claris gasped, stepping back in disbelief. Her wide eyes turned toward the direction of the attack.

Claude stepped out from the shadows, his figure illuminated by the faint moonlight. His grin was sharp and menacing, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"Finally," he drawled, his voice low and taunting. "You get your present, Claris. Sun, Moon, Star—she's all yours."

The Chaos Hounds growled louder, their claws scraping against the ground as they prepared to pounce.

Claude's grin widened. He knew Theo had forbidden him from using his dark magic near the village, but what harm could a small amount do? 

Covering a simple knife with darkness didn't count as breaking the rules… right?

And besides, Claris had earned this.