Demonic Witches Harem: Having Descendants Make Me Overpowered!-Chapter 70: Blood And Mercy

Eldrich knew the moment his son hit the ground—his fate was already sealed. In the Game of Honor, the winner usually claimed the loser's life.

If not, then the loser was stripped of their honor, and left to live in disgrace.

That was what Eldrich had always believed.

He had mocked those who survived this bloodbath, branding them as cowards unworthy of their titles.

But now, as a father, none of that mattered. His instincts, his love for his son—those overpowered any notion of honor.

Without thinking, he leaped onto the stage, ready to do whatever it took—even if it meant bowing to the man who had just defeated his son.

But before he could act, someone else had already stopped the execution.

A firm hand caught Ezra's sword just before it could meet Wren's throat. The metal vibrated under the sudden force, and when Eldrich looked up to see who had intervened, his breath caught in his chest.

"Y-Your Majesty?!"

It was Claude.

The arena fell into stunned silence as the king stood between Ezra and Wren, having left his VVIP seat without hesitation.

Even the spectators, who had been roaring moments ago, now whispered in hushed tones.

Ezra's expression twisted with frustration. His eyes burned as he gritted his teeth. "Your Majesty! What is the meaning of this?!"

Claude didn't flinch. His grip remained firm on Ezra's blade, his voice calm yet unwavering.

"Ezra, haven't you already reclaimed your dignity? Do you really need to spill more Olvon blood just to prove it again?"

His eyes locked onto Ezra's, waiting for an answer.

Ezra opened his mouth, but no words came out.

The next protest came from Wren himself. "Your Majesty! Let me die with honor!"

Claude didn't even spare him a glance. His voice turned cold. "Shut up. Losers don't get to choose their deaths."

Eldrich immediately knelt beside his son, gripping his shoulders. "Wren, don't say such foolish things! Just listen to His Majesty!"

"But Father!" Wren clenched his fists, his entire body trembling with shame.

"I—I don't want to live in disgrace! Just let me die while I still have my pride!"

He couldn't even look his father in the eyes. The weight of his defeat crushed him.

"Please, Your Majesty. Let me die." His voice was hollow, lifeless.

Claude exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. 'Honor, pride, dignity—what a pain in the ass.'

Maybe it was because he came from another world, but he had no patience for this kind of nonsense.

"Wren," Claude said flatly, "you are a loser. That's a fact. But begging for death instead of rebuilding your honor? That makes you worse than a loser—it makes you pathetic."

Wren flinched.

Claude continued, "If you still have even a shred of dignity left, then stand up and face life. Dumbass."

Then his gaze shifted back to Ezra. His expression darkened. "And you."

Ezra stiffened.

Claude's voice lowered, sharp as a blade. "I expected great things from you, Ezra. You did well taking down the three families who destroyed your House."

"But tell me—was that not enough? Was killing the heads of those families not enough for you?"

Ezra's grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles white. "Your Majesty… they may have been the ones who framed my House, but the Olvon family is responsible for it! They had to be the ones who ordered it!"

"That's not true!" Eldrich suddenly spoke, his voice desperate.

"Your Majesty, I swear—I had no knowledge of this! But… I know it was my negligence that allowed it to happen."

He lowered his head, his voice steady. "Ezra, from the bottom of my heart, I apologize."

Claude raised an eyebrow, surprised. 'That hard-headed old man actually apologized?' He hadn't expected that.

But then, he turned back to Ezra, studying him carefully. 'Not that an apology would be enough.'

Ezra stood there, trembling with emotion.

"No," Ezra growled. His voice cracked with the weight of years of resentment.

"Your apology won't bring my House back from ruin." His fury burned hotter.

The man who had always been composed, who rarely let his emotions slip—he had finally snapped.

And that was dangerous.

Claude stepped closer, his eyes piercing. "And what will killing Wren accomplish?"

Ezra froze.

Claude didn't stop. His voice was sharp, cutting straight through the tension. "Your House fell because of your incompetence, Ezra."

"You had all this time to rebuild it, but instead, you hid in the shadows, wallowing in your own tragedy."

"And now, you want revenge?"

Claude placed a fist against Ezra's chest, his gaze unyielding. "Think again. Is this really about justice… or have you just grown addicted to the bloodshed?"

Ezra's breath hitched.

His fingers loosened. His sword—once held so tightly—clattered to the ground.

"Why did you do this, Your Majesty?" Ezra asked, his voice tense. "Isn't the Olvon House your enemy?"

Claude chuckled. "Enemy?" He tilted his head slightly.

"Their House has always opposed my policies, yes, but that doesn't make them my enemy, Ezra."

Ezra frowned in confusion, and Eldrich, still kneeling, couldn't hold back his own question.

"Why, Your Majesty? Wouldn't it be better to eliminate the opposition?"

Claude smirked, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Opposition is necessary for a kingdom to grow. They provide perspectives that my allies cannot see, and they challenge policies, forcing me to refine them into something better."

He glanced at Eldrich, his smirk widening. "In a way, you've done your job well. Though, sometimes your opinions were dumb, but it is another matter."

Eldrich was stunned. He had always seen himself as a thorn in Claude's side, yet here the king was, acknowledging his role.

"Of course," Claude continued, his smirk turning sharper, "that doesn't mean I wasn't annoyed by you, Eldrich. There were plenty of times I wanted to strangle you and burn your House to the ground."

He let out a casual laugh. "But the truth stand, you did your duty properly before I came to Elysium. And I expect you to keep doing it."

Eldrich's throat tightened. "Y-Your Majesty…!"

He had never imagined that the man he once despised the most would acknowledge him in such a way—twisted as it was.

"I owe you my life," Eldrich said at last, lowering his head in a deep bow.

Claude smirked inwardly. 'And another enemy falls.'

Of course, this wasn't entirely about honor or ideals. The Game of Honor had been an amusing distraction, but more importantly, he had known that stepping in at the last moment would put Eldrich in debt.

And now? He had not only saved the man but also his beloved son.

Two birds. One stone.

Claude turned his attention back to Ezra. "Ezra, you're ready to return to court," he said, his tone measured, "but that doesn't mean you're ready to be Minister of Welfare, you know what I meant, don't you?"

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Ezra's expression didn't change. "Because the common folk are not on my side yet."

"Exactly." Claude's eyes gleamed with approval.

"Until they are, you won't reclaim your position. But…" He smirked. "You can still send your policy proposals to me."

With that, Claude turned on his heel, striding out of the arena, leaving them all behind.

Eldrich exhaled and turned to Ezra. "Ezra… I truly apologize. And… thank you for sparing my son."

Ezra didn't even glance at him. "This was for His Majesty, not for you."

Eldrich's brows furrowed.

Ezra finally looked his way, glaring at him. "The fact that he didn't order me to stop proves how much he values our Houses."

His gaze darkened. "So I hope you understand what I'm saying, Eldrich. I know about you. I know about the rats you've been gathering in the sewers, whispering about rebellion."

Eldrich's breath hitched. His eyes widened. "I—I won't be involved anymore."

Ezra studied him for a moment, then gave a curt nod. "Good."

With that, he walked away, his heart feeling just a fraction lighter.

—

Up in the VVIP section, Lloyd watched the exchange with silent surprise.

"Did His Majesty plan all of this?" he wondered.

Beside him, William exhaled. "He's more capable than I thought."

"Yeah…" Lloyd muttered, still processing everything. 'I thought he would just sit back and laugh while Wren's head rolled on the floor.'

"Of course! He is our king! The one chosen by the Lord of Calamity! And more than that—he's full of surprises!"

Lilac's voice brimmed with excitement, her admiration for Claude deepening with every passing moment.

Lloyd, however, remained silent for a moment, still processing what he had just witnessed. His expression was unreadable as he exhaled slowly.

"Right… He exceeded my expectations."

The man he had served for only a short time—the one whose moods swung between bloodlust and women, the ruthless tyrant—had just shown a level of restraint and strategy that Lloyd thought Claude would never been able to do.

Was this truly the same Claude?

"Unbelievable," he murmured under his breath, his gaze locked onto his king.

"Maybe we were wrong about him," William murmured, his gaze locked onto Claude, who had just teleported back to his seat as if nothing had happened.