Chapter 253 : The Chosen Song

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Chosen Song

"So troublesome!"

Serea threw herself face-first onto the bed. Celia brewed tea for her, while Lilith asked with concern.

"Are you worried about the naga?"

"Yeah, that group is just the most trouble..."

After rubbing her head forcefully against the bed a few times, Serea sat up and returned to her desk. Celia placed the tea on her table.

"Forget it. I'll just use work to take my mind off these troublesome things."

"..."

Lilith didn't know what to say, so she simply sat silently by, watching.

Serea lay down on the desk and called out.

"Dogsius!"

"At your service."

"It's time to work."

"Do you mean with composing? What style do you need?"

"I've already decided on that, but I have a question. Can you restore a song from my memory?"

"If the memory's blurry, I might have to patch together some song fragments. But does Her Majesty Serea already have a suitable song?"

"Yes, it's a song composed by a 'master'. Although it feels a bit embarrassing to use it, I think it's the most suitable."

"Then, master, try recalling it. I'll record the melody."

"Okay."

Once she was ready, Serea recalled her favorite song from her previous life. Well... strictly speaking, it was an instrumental piece. Lyrics were added later, but for her own 'diva's song,' it was absolutely perfect.

Being a copycat writer... well, she couldn't help it. This song was her faith!

"Start!"

In the mind realm, a piece of music began to play. As soon as Dogsius heard the prelude, he immediately focused.

Ding~ Ding~ Ding ding ding~ Ding ding ding~ Ding~ Ding ding ding ding~

"The sound of a zither..."

Dogsius started silently jotting down the melody.

After the brief prelude, a female voice entered, accompanied by the chime of wind bells. At the first climax, a jazz drum played, but there was also another strange instrument within...

"There's an instrument I've never heard before."

While he listened to these fragmented memories, Dogsius noted down the music and composed the score. The whole song felt grand and magnificent, but also hid an unexplainable sadness.

Even with just these broken memory fragments, Dogsius was completely immersed in the music of the 'memory tape.'

An absolute masterpiece!

If these fragments alone could absorb a master-level composer like Dogsius, one could imagine how shocking it would be if the complete song appeared.

But for now, it couldn't yet be brought into the world. The unfamiliar instruments, the missing melody sections, all blocked its debut—but thankfully, there was Dogsius.

"Master, I've mostly got it."

"So? Is it possible?"

"It's possible. In fact, it could be a rare epic, but unfortunately, important segments are missing."

"I can't help it, I really can't remember that part. Dogsius, can you fill it in?"

"It can be repaired, but I'll need to find that 'strange instrument' or a substitute. That may take some time."

"No problem, I can wait."

No matter what, as long as the song could be revived in the world, that was enough.

Returning to reality from the mind realm, Serea left the composition work to Dogsius. She prepared to use Celia's body to visit the 'Trading Post' to see if she could find a substitute instrument.

But Serea was still worried. Electric guitars and so on... could anything like that be found in this world?

As she was imagining things, Lola walked in.

"Reporting to the Queen: Aruka has brought back the 'enchantment platform.' Installation is complete, and the enchantment workshop is finished and awaiting your inspection."

"So quick? Let's have a look, then."

With that, Serea led the way out.

Both the enchantment platform and mana crystal had been purchased by Serea from the Xiyun Merchant Guild with her last remaining funds, all to unlock the 'Blood Stone Carving Workshop' and start producing the 'Gargoyle' troop type.

After all, the mass production of behemoth units, even if they were just small-scale ones, would still be terrifying.

While talking, Serea arrived in front of the completed 'enchantment workshop.' Inside, the elves and blood slaves were already waiting for her.

"Queen!" xN

"Mm."

Serea nodded to her bowing tribespeople, then looked toward the 'enchantment workshop.'

"Unlock 'Blood Stone Carving Workshop.'"

System: The blueprint for 'Blood Stone Carving Workshop' has a ninety-four percent architectural fit. Consume 500 blood crystals to unlock construction?

"I've waited so long for this. Unlock it!"

System: Unlocking, please wait...

Crimson patterns spread across the enchantment workshop, then...

Building: Blood Stone Carving Workshop (Purple)

Level: 25

Structure: C

Durability: C

Magic: S

Description: Blood Altar level 2 building. Can produce various enchanted items, and grants enchanters within range the 'Mental Focus' effect. Can be extended to build the 'Vampire Engineering Platform.'

Mental Focus: Enchantment success rate increased by 20%. Quality of enchanted items increased by 20%.

"It's ready."

Serea's face was full of joy, but what caught her attention was not the Blood Stone Carving Workshop itself, but...

The Vampire Engineering Platform!

Capable of producing all sorts of engineering devices and artificial behemoth units—plus, after unlocking the Vampire Engineering Platform, another level-three building for the Blood Altar could be unlocked, though currently, the level-three building was still a '???'.

Handing the blueprint of the Vampire Engineering Platform to Lola, all Serea needed to do now was wait a few days. For now, she decided to check out the Blood Stone Carving Workshop.

"Oh, my master, I am Velen, the manager here. It is my honor to serve you."

The voice came from a red magic tome. Looking at Velen, Serea couldn't help but complain.

"When did you all start coming with preset names..."

"Just for convenience, Your Majesty. If you dislike it, you can give me a new name."

"Forget it, you'll be called Velen."

Going further inside, the layout was similar to the Blood Alchemy Room. Serea then opened the construction management panel.

Currently, craftable items included: blood stone, enchantment orb, enchantment crystal, magic scroll, ...

All powerful magic items, and of course, the price and cost matched their strength.

But the most interesting was—

Blood Stone: Can be used as the power core for vampire technology or as a magic storage device.

Serea understood the power core part—it was the core inside the Gargoyle. As for the magic storage device...

She decided to try it out!

With that, Serea told Celia to use mana crystals and the enchantment carving knife to make a blood stone. At this moment, the blood stone was still empty of magic; then—

A hundred blood crystals appeared, and Serea activated an ability toward the blood stone.

"Unlock construction: Blood Forge Platform!"

(To be continued...)