Chapter 561 - The Toro Family
Chapter 561: The Toro Family
The stronger the power of the powerhouses of the Demon Realm, the more difficult it was to give birth. Although Obsidian had countless concubines, he had only a son and a daughter for hundreds of years, and their talents were mediocre. His son was Tron. After Chen Rui got the Sword of Fallen Angel from the secret vault, Tron was controlled by Oliver who guarded the palace. When Tron learned the news of Obsidian’s death in battle, he was fearful and committed suicide.
Obsidian’s daughter, Loray, was married to Redotan, the son of Toro Family patriarch Cowen. Later, when Redotan took over as the patriarch, Toro Family had a closer relationship with Obsidian. Therefore, Obsidian could safely entrust Old Cowen, who was his in-law, to guard the vault, but it also intends to let Oliver and Old Cowen monitor each other.
Now that Shea was in control of the empire, it was natural to clean up the remaining “trace” of Obsidian with Tron and Loray being the first to bear the brunt. Tron was dead and had no heirs, but Loray was still alive and had 2 children. As it was related to the fate of the Toro Family, Old Cowen took the initiative to plead guilty in hope of getting a lenient punishment.
Shea did not meet Cowen immediately, but she came to the hall with Chen Rui after making preparations. Then only she ordered Old Cowen to meet her.
Soon, Old Cowen and a couple walked in. The man was square-faced and the woman was extraordinary. They also brought 2 children. A baby was held in the arms of the woman, and an approximately 3-year-old girl was held by the man.
Old Cowen bowed and saluted Shea on the throne while the man and woman knelt down on both their knees with the children. They bent down with their heads touching the floor which was the most humble posture.
The man was Redotan, the patriarch of the Toro Family, “Your Majesty, I, Redotan brought my wife, Loray. Lucifer, daughter Ling. Lucifer, and son Shek. Toro came to beg Your Majesty to punish us.”
The power of the Toro Family was top-notch among the elder families, and Old Cowen himself and Stiller were called the 2 most powerful elders. The elder families showed no concessions to the empress at the meeting today, but this was related to Obsidian, who had been identified as the defeated “empire usurper”. This matter had the most acute “level contradiction”. Unless Toro Family and Old Cowen wanted to stand on the opposite side of the entire empire, that was to become a traitor, otherwise they couldn’t protect Loray, and they did not even dare to hide Loray’s children.
Shea glanced at the baby, then at the little girl. Chen Rui stepped forward and whispered, “The boy is of mutated Great Demon bloodline, and the girl is of the Lucifer Royal Family without mutated bloodline.”
Although the voice was low, it couldn’t hide from Old Cowen and the couple. Their bodies trembled in unison. Putting aside the girl, the baby was less than 1 year old. “Aguile” was able to detect the mutated bloodline by just glancing at them. His eyesight alone was too terrifying.
Old Cowen had fought against Chen Rui and knew that his true combat power was definitely not the peak stage of the Demon Emperor. The entire empire knew that “Aguile” had fought alongside Shea in the wilderness against Obsidian. So Old Cowen believed the strength of the mysterious masked man was comparable to his own. He was secretly shocked by his abilities.
Shea nodded, “This pair of children should be the only grandchildren left by Obsidian.”
This statement had ignored the concept of royal and non-royal, and she directly pointed out the most fatal identity. Redotan could perhaps be spared, but Loray and his children were Obsidian’s “remnants.” Shea’s desire to eradicate the roots was justified.
Loray’s body was already trembling. Old Cowen’s face changed slightly, and he bowed deeply, “Your Majesty…”
“Answer me.”
“Yes!” Old Cowen bowed and he did not dare to look up. They were his only grandson and granddaughter, the only blood inheritance. For Redotan, who had reached the realm of the Demon Emperor, his children were extremely precious. He was ecstatic during their birth. Besides, Shek was still the great demon of a mutated bloodline. He would be raised as the future heir of the Toro Family. Once he was executed…
It was not that Old Cowen didn’t think about taking risks, but he would face the encirclement and suppression of the entire empire. At that time, it was difficult to say whether the children could be protected, and the Toro Family would be deprived of the surname or even annihilated. What Old Cowen wanted most was to take the risk, sacrifice the less important person for the most important one, and try to keep his grandson with the great demon bloodline.
However, Shea’s resolute attitude made Old Cowen feel hopeless. This was not surprising. The kindness to the enemy was the cruelty to herself. Shea understood this when she first became the lord. If her heart softened, the Dark Moon would have long been collapsed.
Obsidian had also murdered Crown Prince Grimm at the beginning. If it weren’t for Sarandi, George and others desperately protected and even threatened with mutiny, the Midnight Sun’s bloodline would have been cut off completely.
“So…” Shea’s eyes suddenly released a killing intent. Old Cowen, who was the peak stage of the Demon Overlord, suddenly sensed it. His heart beat violently. However, a horrifying wave of magic power had already shrouded him at this time, and Old Cowen felt like a frog being watched by a viper. If he moved rashly, he would suffer from a destructive blow.
This is definitely not the power of “Aguile”!
This level has almost exceeded the Demon Overlord realm!
Old Cowen was the veteran peak stage of the Demon Overlord who had lived for thousands of years and experienced many battles, but now he felt the rare fear. He suddenly remembered that his old friend Stiller had said that in the decisive battle of Leith Wilderness, there was an extremely powerful magician who beat the 2 giant dragons of the peak stage of the Demon Overlord to nothing with a breeze. Furthermore, one of them was actually a black dragon known as the “magic nemesis”!
This time Shea rushed to the capital to ascend the throne using a magician’s method. It only took less than an hour to get from the Dark Moon Estate to the capital. This is the legendary space magic? Even space magic does not have such a terrifying effect!
Too strong! I’m afraid this level of power is enough to compete with Catherine the Great or Raizen the Great!
There is actually such a powerhouse beside Her Majesty Empress!
The last struggle in Old Cowen’s heart was lost. He looked twice as old in an instant. His eyes were filled with despair.
Shea slowly stood up from the throne. The murderous aura exuding on her body became stronger, and the knuckles of her fists were a little white as if she was restraining some emotions.
Even the little girl felt the chill. She only dared to tremble on the ground and did not dare to move. As Shea was about to give an order, Aguile stepped forward at this time, “Your Majesty.”
Shea stopped, and Aguile whispered a few words. This time, Old Cowen and others couldn’t hear what they were saying as they were isolated by the magic.
Shea’s murderous aura gradually faded. She revealed a contemplative expression. After a long while, she nodded and spoke up, “Redotan.”
“Yes.”
“Loray’s identity is too sensitive, it is no longer suitable for her to be the legitimate wife, understand?”
Not suitable to be the legitimate wife? Is it to let her be concubine? Then my son and daughter… Redotan actually didn’t know how to answer for a moment. Old Cowen on the side felt that the terrifying magic fluctuation suddenly disappeared, and he replied eagerly, “Understood! “
Even Obsidian’s daughter Loray can be pardoned, then the children can naturally be saved. I originally thought that I can only save the baby at most. I didn’t expect to actually get such a surprising result!
Loray had already reacted. She wept with joy as she hastily pulled Redotan and her daughter together and kept kowtowing, “Your Majesty is kind!”
Shea glanced over the little girl with a somewhat complicated look, and she spoke up, “Cowen and Redotan stay. The rest should retreat first.”
Loray immediately took her children back while Old Cowen and Redotan bowed deeply, “Thank you, Your Majesty! Toro Family will always remember Your Majesty’s kindness!”
“Benevolence and weakness are often equated, which is especially not suitable for a ruler. You should know that my style in the Dark Moon is definitely not the kind of soft-hearted person” Shea said lightly, “The Demon Realm has an old saying that goes, there has never been reaping without sowing.”
“Your Majesty, my son and I are willing to serve Your Majesty!”
Hearing Old Cowen’s words, Shea was still cold and noncommittal. Chen Rui said, “Sir Cowen, we are old acquaintances. 1 thing can be revealed to you. Now Her Majesty Shea has several special things in her hands that require a truly trustworthy family to implement them throughout the empire. At that time, not only will the financial and empire power of the empire be greatly enhanced, but the family in charge will also get huge benefits.”
Redotan and Old Cowen’s hearts moved at the same time. These words were probably not a bluff. The Dark Moon developed in this way back then. Night markets, battle balls, hotpot restaurants and Princess Retail Store were all famous in the Demon Realm which brought in massive financial income. Meanwhile, the capital family and various estates had been struggling financially after suffering from Obsidian’s “fundraising scandal” incident. Chen Rui’s remarks were tantamount to a table of sumptuous banquets in front of a beggar who had been hungry for a few days.
Old Cowen turned the questioning eyes to Shea. Shea nodded gently, “Aguile is right, My request is very simple. Ability is second, loyalty first.”
Old Cowen glanced at Redotan. Redotan understood, and he did not hesitate to swear by Toro’s surname that the whole family would be loyal to Shea.
Shea’s gaze finally eased, “As long as the Toro Family remains loyal, I will always regard it as an arm. I know that the power of the elder families is deep-rooted, but many people are so selfish that it is uncontrollable. The current situation of the empire is not optimistic. If the internal troubles are not cleared as soon as possible, then it is bound to be a danger of the empire. Once the empire really collapses, the power and interests that they are fighting for, as well as the elder families themselves will disappear.”
Old Cowen smiled bitterly, “Many people understand this truth, but when it comes to those tangled interests, self is the first choice. Toro Family has been alienated by many elder families because of Loray. Now that we take the lead to pledge loyalty to Your Majesty, we will definitely be excluded. If Your Majesty wants to reintegrate the elder families and the capital forces, you can refer to the practice of Catherine the Great in the past by starting from the inside. Keep friendly relations with distant states and attack those nearby, employ both kindness and majesty to implement the Blood and Iron Policy.”
Shea said calmly, “I’m already doing this.”
Old Cowen’s eyes moved, “Her Majesty’s assignment to Roco and Faravit today?”
“On the surface, now that foreign enemies are eagerly eyeing us. If there is another internal strife, the empire will be at the verge of collapse, but I can be sure that as long as we show a decisive attitude that we will not hesitate to use the power of the empire to prolong a battle, Catherine will definitely not dare to go into full-scale war with me so that the Bloody Empire will not benefit from it. If I guessed it right, after Catherine got the news of my ascension, the newly sent envoy should be on the way. So, the more it seems like it’s impossible to clean up the interior, the more I have to use the Blood and Iron Policy. This is the best timing. Once I miss it, I will have to put more effort in it.”
Old Cowen took a deep breath. He finally knew the purpose of Stebil and Faravit’s dispatch. As if he knew this new empress for the first time, he bowed deeply again, “Toro Family is willing to serve Your Majesty.”
TL: With the Toro Family serving her, Shea can consolidate her strength in the capital more…