Southern Sector | Port Blackwood
'Yes, yes. Shelter check, resources check, subordinates check. All I'm missing is power and lots of it. Ugh! I need to hurry and breakthrough to the Sire rank' thought Lucy as she observed the disbelief on Sera's face while wearing a scowl on her own.
"1495…1496…1497…1498…1499…" Sera continued counting
Earlier once Lucy was sure all of the bar patrons were gone, she went upstairs to her room and awoke Sera from Deep Sleep.
This was mostly to order her to count the gold coins she had received but also to tell her about the happenings of the day.
Lucy told her all about using Compulsion to rob several patrons blind but made sure to leave out the part about meeting Mars.
She figured a true regent should never let their right hand know what the left is doing.
Plus, Sera would definitely hound her for a taste of his blood, and Lucy had no plans of sharing any of that delicacy.
Right now, the duo was sitting together cross-legged on the floor of their dusky candlelit room, as Sera counted the last bit of the spoils.
As her hand picked up one gold coin after another the shock in her dead heart grew and grew, even though her face kept the same mask of concentration and the organ didn't move at all.
Growing up on Verak the most money she had ever seen was the 20 gold coins her stepfather had once received for an "exorcism".
At that time Sera felt rich but as she looked at the hundreds of gold coins before her, she knew that moment was actually now.
And according to her master this was just the beginning.
"More than 1500 gold coins!" echoed Sera's surprised voice as she finished counting.
"Shh keep it down we're not the only guests here" Lucy hushed the younger vampire, "But yes, it is indeed more than 1500 gold coins haha. I'm not sure but that must definitely be a lot in this world's currency. Correct?"
Sera stared wide eyed at the pile of glittering gold coins just in front of them before managing a small nod to her master's question.
"This is definitely a lot of money master, at the very least this has to be enough for a poor family in Port Blackwood to live lavishly for more than a year!"
Lucy nodded her head with a tight smile seemingly pleased by Sera's reply as she thought, 'Hmph if commoners can live lavishly for a year off this, royalty could only last a day at most. When I was crown princess of Morgana my allowance was equivalent to the yearly budgets of small kingdoms…But I suppose this much will have to do for now'
"Excellent, our plans are unfolding smoothly then" Lucy replied as her eyes flickered mysteriously in the lowly lit room.
As Lucy eyes glanced over the numerous empty knapsacks before them, one in particular caught her attention.
It was the particularly well-made black leather knapsack that she had gotten from Mars the mage.
Lucy couldn't help but smirk when she thought back to the uncouth mage from earlier, 'Hmm I wonder what he's doing right now… Probably thinking of me no doubt, I definitely made sure of that haha. He'll surely make an excellent blood slave once he submits...' she gloated deviously.
At that moment Sera's ruby orbs looked up from the glittering gold coins to catch her master smirking evilly at the dingy candle holders on the walls.
'Hmm I wonder what master is thinking about…' wondered Sera as she took note of the change in Lucy's demeanor
"I can't believe you got all these funds through compulsion" Sera continued in awe and praise, "I know purebloods are powerful but isn't this a bit excessive haha. You must have had a breakthrough in your cultivation. Congratulations, at this rate soon you'll be powerful enough to take over Port Blackwood master. I bet that's your next ste- "
Suddenly with a sigh Lucy rose to her feet before answering stiffly "No… not yet. And all that Compulsion had a cost I'm afraid"
The abruptly icy tone and interruption left Sera wondering had she said something wrong as well as plunged the room into an awkward silence.
Although she didn't do it on purpose Sera's words had struck a nerve within Lucy and abruptly pulled her from her earlier happy thoughts.
After getting up Lucy made her way to a window to stare out into the night with a dry chuckle.
She found the calm nightlife tonight ironic considering the busy and troubled thoughts she was having.
In truth what troubled Lucy most was the fact that her cultivation had stagnated since Verak island.
She'd never admit it aloud, but the matter greatly worried her. Obtaining sufficient strength had always been paramount to Lucy's future plans.
And as of now she felt she was severely lacking in that department.
"Are you hungry master? We could find some easy prey if you'd like" suggested Sera
"To be quite honest, I can feel The Thirst and a headache creeping up after all that Compulsion earlier. I could go for a bite of a sailor or two soon." Lucy replied with an eyeroll just as her stomach rumbled lowly "If only there were magic beasts in this port town. Their blood might not taste as great, but it is definitely more nourishing and filling"
An intense mulling look flashed across Sera's face before she rose on her feet to join her master at the window.
"Perhaps we could go to the town marketplace then, I'm sure they have many hunters and mercenaries who sell beast blood. This would also give us a chance to buy any wonders that could boost our cultivation."
Lucy's head suddenly perked up as she mulled over Sera's suggestion. The idea didn't sound bad to her at all.
Sera had once before told her how strange and mystical items of this world had granted human mages and ki practitioners boosts in strength.
And she had watched firsthand as jars of exotic magic beast blood and parts were traded to the Millenium Trading Company. Lucy wondered how much they resold it for.
With renewed enthusiasm and a rumble of her stomach Lucy replied, "That actually sounds like an excellent idea, we shall go tomorrow. Now, quickly, let's go hunt I can't hold my hunger anymore."
"Of course, master" replied Sera.
With a hop and twist of the latch on the window Lucy and Sera flew as bats out into the night to hunt.