Theres the treasure room of a progenitor vampire for you.

Its so literally buried in treasure that I am quivering with sheer emotion.

But when I sift through the piles, going ooh this is good, ooh this is also good, I realize that I am extremely limited in what I can bring back.

I basically have zero ability to fence off works of art, so those I will have to pass. Unfortunately, the majority of whats here falls under that category.

Next is jewels and precious metals. Small pieces are fine, but bigger ones are bulky. And I cant fence those either.

Thus, my target has been narrowed to a single option.

The one that is surest and most efficient at adding to my own funds, the one that I most need to grabis gold coins.

One piece the size of a 500 coin is worth 100k Zeny. Whats more, I can use it as is.

It is the option that boasts overwhelming efficiency and reliability in comparison to all others.

What a downer of a fact to be enlightened to while looking at all this treasure up close.

Well, thats reality for you, I suppose

I mutter under my breath as if to say farewell to the massive variety of treasure before me. Then I apply myself to the task of gathering gold coins.

Naturally, Ive already given thought to how I will carry it all.

Drawing reference from the forefront authority on slime bodysuits, Epsilon, I have decided to stuff the gold coins into my bodysuit.

Just as Epsilon stuffs hers with slimes, I shall stuff mine with gold coins.

Within my bodysuit, my longcoat, and even my hood, I line all available space with gold coins, leaving no patch uncovered.

Nah, thats a lie. I do still have the presence of mind to keep the joint areas unlined.

Even so, the final amount that I am able to stuff is slightly above 1,000 pieces.

A thousand pieces of gold coins, which calculates to 100 million Zeny. I dont think my math is mistaken.

I intend to live for 300 years, so its far from enough.

However, stuffing anymore would introduce unavoidable risk.

My magic is sufficient to offset the weight of a thousand gold coins, but its just hard to move comfortably. Any more than this, my movements would become all stiff

Also, a thousand gold coins is still not that conspicuous appearance-wise. But if I go for, say, 2,000, then that would be quite obvious indeed.

Itd be fine if Im simply carrying them, but

The boss battle with the Queen of Blood still lies ahead of me.

Apparently the Queen of Blood is a progenitor vampire.

Shell definitely be strong, no doubt about it.

A vampire who is aprogenitor, now thats got to be strong for sure.

Thus, this times battle plan has already been decided.

Up to now, Ive always gone with appearing last. But this time, the opponent is one with a title like progenitor vampire, so Ive decided to be the one who appears first.

Then in the middle of my fight with the progenitor vampire, the protagonist can appear and go What is with this terrifyingly high level battle?! I cant follow along at all!! in shock.

That is the best way for this time to play out.

And so, by necessity, I need to be the first to find the Queen of Blood. The more I dally, the higher the possibility someone else beats me to it.

For now, I place the gold coins by the door of the treasure room.

Lets come get it afterwards.

So that it would be quick and easy to retreive when the event ends, or in case anything unexpected occurs.

After uttering a short prayer that I would be able to safely retrieve it, I rush to the top of the tower with the full speed dash that I havent done for quite a while. Being early is always better than being late.

Finally this moment has arrived

So murmurs Crimson with a crazed smile on his face.

The sacrifice has been prepared, and the moon is stained deep crimson.

The moment to revive Elizabeth the Queen of Blood has arrived.

Crimson places a hand on the large coffin enshrined in the middle of the room, then slowly pushes its lid off.

With that, the inside of the coffin is revealed.

However, the only thing there is a black, dried-up mass. The figure of Elizabeth the Queen of Blood is nowhere to be seen.

Crimson carefully cups the black mass in his hands and lifts it up reverently.

It has been too long, oh my Queen of Blood The preparations to steep the world in blood are all in order

A closer look would reveal the black mass to be an organ.

It is a dried-up heart.

After the passage of a thousand years, all that is left is the heart of a progenitor.

However, as long as the heart is intact, revival is possible. That is just how progenitors are.

Crimson closes the lid of the coffin, then brings the heart towards the black-haired man lying on the floor who is to be the sacrifice.

The sacrifices heart has already been gouged out in advance by Crimson. It is into that gaping hole that Crimson inserts the heart of the Queen of Blood.

The flesh and blood are both fresh. With this, the most powerful progenitor vampire in all history, the Queen of Blood, will revive in all her glory to plunge the world into terror once more.

Kukukukuku

The revival process will need a bit more time.

In that time, Crimson must get away from this place. Immediately after reviving, the Queen of Blood will be starved for blood and thus will indiscriminately attack even vampires. Until she calms down, even Crimson would not be safe around her.

Walking quickly, Crimson opens the door and steps out.

But after a few steps, he stops abruptly.

Wh-, who are you

There was no presence in the hallway outside the room. At the very least, there was no one there when he opened the door.

However, all of a sudden, he notices a man in a jet-black longcoat.

On full guard against this unfamiliar man, Crimson extends his claws and readies himself for battle.

Begone from this place! Lest you dibuhyu?!

Crimsons body splits in two.

From the crown of his head to his crotch, in one stroke. It was so fast that Crimson could not see it at all.

However, Crimson is a high class vampire. Mere bisection is something that he can easily recover from.

Identify yourself, you fiend! How dare you use such a lowly blade tobihyah?!

Even as he is speaking, his head is lopped off.

H-, how dare you!! Do you actually think you stand a chpugero?!

Both his arms are sent flying.

You fool! Under the Red Moon, we vampires are thpigyah?!

Both his legs are lopped off, then diced up for good measure. Then his torso is carved up into slices.

Wh-, what?! My regeneration cant keebufuoh?!

The part that regenerated just now is summarily cut off and diced.

W-, wait! Wait a second!! W-, we can talk about thguhyah?!

Then he is decapitated once more, this time with the head properly diced up.

And lastly, one final stab into the only part lefthis heart.

Crimson turns to ash.

The man in a jet-black longcoat indifferently proceeds into the room, stopping before the large coffin.

Mine name is Shadow. He who lurks in shadows, he who hunts shadows

Then he waits a while.

He waits.

He waits

Oh Queen of Blood, I know you are there

Then he waits.

He waits!!

Youarethere, right? I dont feel a presence, but thats just because youre concealing it, right?

Then Shadow finally opens the coffin and peeks inside.

It is empty.

Eh? Seriously? This plot development?

He looks around the room, and notices the corpse of a black-haired young man lying at the side with a hole in his chest.

Dont tell me youre the Queen? Wait, no, that cant be. Youre a guy, and youre dead too

Then he tilts his head and looks toward the pile of ash at the door.

Wasthatone the Queen? I do remember red hair but come on, he was a guy, that cant be right. But he did have the air of a boss eh, but he was a bit too weak to be one

He mulls for a while.

To think that I would get the rare case of the Queen being absent so she either never existed in the first place, she has already been killed, or she has stepped out for a bit Guess Ill just go retrieve the gold coins first and search around afterwards

Then he turns his heels and leaves the room.

Haa could it be that I was too late I did rush like heck though seriously, man

So murmuring, his figure disappears.

The Red Moon illuminates the empty room with a fantastical light.

Abruptly, the sacrifices body jerks.

Thendokun,dokun.

The heart planted inside the sacrifice begins beating.