Na Rin obediently nodded her head.

When feeling down, unwrapping gifts is the best remedy.

Moreover, increasing her presence as the Demon Priestess was a welcome development.

‘I need to diligently grow my influence to persuade those in high positions and prevent the Great Demon Church War from happening later on.’

As Gong Son Wu ordered the maids to bring in the gifts, they removed the bedroom door entirely and busily carried in the presents.

“This necklace is from the Sixth Elder Jeon Yu Seung. It’s made of fine pearls, so it would be good to wear on important days.”

“It’s pretty.”

But completely useless.

It seemed unlikely that she would get along well with the Sixth Elder.

Seeing Na Rin’s lack of enthusiasm, Gong Son Wu added,

“It’s expensive.”

“I like it.”

Cancel that. It was a very practical gift.

Gong Son Wu frowned as if displeased and scolded her.

“How can you like money so much?”

“It’s because I don’t have any. If I was as rich as you, I wouldn’t keep going on about money.”

“Don’t make me laugh. I wasn’t like that even when I was poor.”

Was there a time when Gong Son Wu was poor?

Na Rin wanted to hear more details, but Gong Son Wu immediately took out the next gift.

“The Fourth Elder Mo To Peng sent this. Tsk. A mirror stand and cosmetics, who would use such things?”

“Oh my! It’s made in Hangzhou!”

Na Rin swiftly checked the quality of the mirror stand and cosmetics.

She never expected to see such high-quality goods so far from the Central Plains!

Gong Son Wu looked at Na Rin, who was delighted while examining the rouge and powder, and spoke as if it was strange.

“I didn’t know you were interested in makeup.”

Oops.

The fact that she was once one of the most popular courtesans in Guangdong must not be discovered by her master.

Na Rin cleared her throat and pretended to be innocent.

“Well, I may be young, but I’m still a woman.”

“I see…”

Gong Son Wu fell into thought with an unusually serious expression, then carefully said,

“When you need such things in the future, tell Ilwol. I will pay for it, so don’t worry.”

“Oh? What’s the occasion?”

“Just know that it is so. Let’s look at the next gift.”

Na Rin burst into laughter at Gong Son Wu’s awkward attitude as he shyly changed the subject.

‘He must have been sincere about acting as my parent.’

He seemed worried that there might be areas he couldn’t take care of because he was a man.

“Hehe, alright.”

Na Rin felt a strange, ticklish, and awkward feeling.

“This is…? It’s from the Blood Demon Palace.”

“The Blood Demon?”

Na Rin tilted her head in puzzlement.

Although they had met quite a few times, Na Rin was not very close to the Blood Demon. Rather, they seemed to have a hostile relationship. At the very least, they weren’t on gift-giving terms.

“It’s quite heavy.”

Gong Son Wu opened a chest the size of a rice sack and pulled out the items inside one by one.

Out came clothes tailored to Na Rin’s size, followed by various dishes, spoons, tea sets, and silk bedding.

“What is all this!”

“I know, right? Anyone who sees this would think the Yang family is marrying you off.”

“Is it sent to the wrong person?”

Gong Son Wu shook his head and handed Na Rin a letter.

“To the Blood Priestess.”

‘Why so much formality?’

But it’s not like they’re on terms where he would start with ‘Na Rin, look here’ like the Sun Moon Priestess did. If he sends a letter like this, it seems like she has to reply.

Na Rin unfolded the letter with a somewhat doubtful feeling.

“Rejoicing in the new year you have illuminated, I write this letter. Seeing you grow up so splendidly and serving as the priestess for the New Year’s Ceremony is truly moving beyond words.”

“…Are you sure it’s from the Blood Demon?”

“I find it suspicious too.”

Despite being extremely tense, the letter didn’t contain much.

It congratulated her on being recognized as the Demon Priestess and expressed concern that she might lack household goods when moving to the Summons Palace soon, so he sent various items.

If there was anything particularly noteworthy, it would be that the Blood Demon was very pleased that Na Rin chose the character for blood (血) in her name.

“Is that something to be so happy about?”

“There seems to be no other reason.”

Although Gong Son Wu and Na Rin couldn’t even guess, there was a reason why the Blood Demon sent such grand gifts.

Didn’t she seal the Demon Queen, who nagged him to get married and have a daughter every New Year’s Ceremony, in the North Desolate Mountain for a whole 10 years?

She promised to bring good news the next time they met, but that ‘next time’ turned out to be 10 years later, so he couldn’t help but be grateful and happy.

Of course, Na Rin, who had no way of knowing such a fact, merely found the gift suspicious and doubtful.

“I’ll unwrap the rest of the gifts later.”

Just the Blood Demon’s gift alone filled the bedroom, making it cluttered beyond words.

“I don’t mind, but shouldn’t you at least check the gift from the Sect Leader?”

“Dad sent something too?”

Na Rin’s face lit up.

No matter what anyone says, Dokgo Cheon is the supreme power and the richest man in the Demon Sect.

He must have prepared an incredible gift!

To the grinning Na Rin, Gong Son Wu handed a palm-sized box.

“Huh? It’s so tiny.”

“Rude girl. At least open it first.”

Na Rin pouted her lips, then shook her head.

Right. Just because it’s small doesn’t mean it’s a worthless gift.

Inside this small box, there might be an amazing elixir… Oh, I don’t need elixirs anymore, right? Anyway, there must be something incredible inside.

Click.

“…A key?”

It was an old bronze key that seemed to be at least several hundred years old.

“What do you think this key is for?”

“Do you know?”

“Of course I do. But I won’t tell you.”

“Why?”

“The joyful face should belong to the gift giver, so how can a stern person cut in line?”

Then why did he open the other gifts together?

Anyway, judging by how annoyingly excited Gong Son Wu was, it seemed certain that Dokgo Cheon had given a precious gift. Well, he’s not the type to give something shoddy.

‘What could it be?’

And a few days passed.

As soon as the flu-like symptoms disappeared, Na Rin headed straight to the Imperial Palace.

She couldn’t stand the curiosity about the purpose of the key Dokgo Cheon had gifted.

“Dad!”

“You’re here, Na Rin.”

Na Rin ran over and naturally sat on Dokgo Cheon’s lap, snuggling into his arms.

‘So warm!’

Indeed, there’s no place warmer than Dokgo Cheon’s embrace in the winter.

“Have you been well?”

“I haven’t been well.”

“Hehe, it’s because Na Rin wasn’t here, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Although Na Rin joked with an exaggerated attitude, Dokgo Cheon was simply affectionate. If it were Gong Son Wu, he would have scolded her for being cheeky and flicked her forehead.

‘A biological father is indeed different.’

Na Rin, who became embarrassed instead, rolled her round eyes back and forth.

Dokgo Cheon stroked Na Rin’s hair with an affectionate hand and said,

“Did you receive the gift?”

“Of course.”

Na Rin reached into her collar and pulled out the key to show him. She had made it into a necklace by attaching it to a leather string.

“I did this in case I lose it. It’s precious, right?”

“How did you know?”

“Whenever Gong Son Wu looks at this key, he gets an itchy expression on his face.”

Imagining Gong Son Wu’s appearance, suffering from wanting to tell Na Rin what the key was for, Dokgo Cheon showed a slightly puzzled expression.

“I didn’t particularly tell him to keep it a secret, though.”

“He said the joyful face should belong to the gift giver.”

At the unexpected answer, Dokgo Cheon’s eyes widened slightly, then he smiled softly.

It was because he had heard those words somewhere before.

‘He still hasn’t forgotten.’

Dokgo Cheon felt a reliable and reassuring feeling.

“It seems like Jiguk Cheon is taking good care of you.”

“He tries, but he’s very lacking. Sigh, I guess I have to live with it since it’s my fate.”

Na Rin was brazenly saying such things despite being the one being taken care of.

Na Rin wriggled to find a comfortable position on Dokgo Cheon’s lap, met his wide-open eyes, and asked,

“So, what do I need to open with this precious key? A treasure vault?”

“I can’t say it’s not. The Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury is also a type of treasure vault.”

The expression on Na Rin’s face, who had been excitedly wiggling, completely disappeared.

What did I just hear?

“Heavenly Demon…?”

“Secret Treasury.”

Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury.

“The Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury?!!”

Thud!

Na Rin jumped as if the key had become hot and tumbled off Dokgo Cheon’s lap.

“The Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury, where all the world’s precious things are gathered? The one that’s even more incredible than the imperial treasury? The one that even the celestial realm covets? You’re talking about that place, right? Right?”

Dokgo Cheon simply nodded, overwhelmed by her intensity.

“Wow… Wow, this is insane.”

Her heart was pounding, her breath was short, and her throat felt stiff.

Just the thought of wearing the key to the Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury made it feel suddenly very heavy.

“Do you like it?”

“Like it? I love it!”

Na Rin tightly grasped the key with both hands and trembled.

‘My dad is the best!’

Sorry to other kids, but starting today, my dad is officially the best dad. If anyone has a problem with that, come out and face me!

“I’m sorry to pour cold water on your excitement, but…”

“Please speak!”

“I’m not giving it to you.”

“…What?”

If she thought about it calmly, it wasn’t something to be disappointed about.

The Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury was literally the secret treasury of the Heavenly Demon.

Judging by the fact that the name Heavenly Demon was passed down, it was impossible for the Heavenly Demon’s belongings to be permanently transferred to an individual.

‘But somehow, it feels like a letdown.’

Still, it wasn’t enough to make him step down from being the best dad.

“And you can only take out one item.”

“…”

The position of the best dad has just become vacant.

“Then why did you give me the key in the first place? You should have just let me go in and choose.”

When Na Rin openly grumbled, Dokgo Cheon stroked her furrowed brow with his fingertips and answered,

“There are many items in the Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury, so take your time choosing.”

And meeting her eyes, he added,

“No matter how many years it takes, take your time.”

How many years?

No matter how vast the Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury is, it shouldn’t take that long to choose a gift. As Na Rin kept tilting her head, Dokgo Cheon explained with a smile.

“I heard your dream was to become a librarian. Now that you’re the Demon Priestess, you can’t fulfill that dream, but the Heavenly Demon Secret Treasury has the best collection of books in the world, so I thought it could be an alternative.”

“An alternative…?”

“It means read to your heart’s content. There are also many good secret manuals, so feel free to choose and study them as you wish.”

Only then did Na Rin’s mouth fall open and her eyes widen.

Dokgo Cheon’s words just now were equivalent to saying, ‘I will give you all the secret manuals in this world.’

‘I was going to lie and say I secretly read and learned the Plum Blossom Sword Technique!’

The moved Na Rin bowed deeply on the spot and shouted,

“Thank you! Father! I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life, no, for 10 lifetimes!”

At least for Na Rin, these words were not mere exaggeration.

Assuming there is a next life, she was saying she wouldn’t forget his kindness for 20 incarnations, so it was understandable how happy she was.

“I’m glad you like it again.”

“Hehe, I loved it from the beginning!”

Dokgo Cheon looked at the brightly smiling Na Rin with a pleased face and said,

“Since we’re on the topic, shall we go and see it?”

“Where?”

Dokgo Cheon stared intently at the area near Na Rin’s neck.

Realizing with a gasp, Na Rin grasped the key and jumped to her feet.

“Yes! Let’s go!”