The payout was a whopping hundred times.

“Bwahahaha! Bwahahaha!”

Na Rin kissed the ticket with “ten thousand” written on it. Oh my, how pretty!

“I can live without worrying about money for the rest of my life!”

Preparing for retirement at the age of six!

As Na Rin was happily imagining entrusting her money to a reliable warfront and living off the interest, a familiar figure loomed behind her.

“Didn’t you say it was a small sum?”

“Ah? Oh! Elder sister!”

Na Rin ran to Hwa Ryeon with a delighted face.

“Congratulations on your victory!”

“Thank you.”

Hwa Ryeon smiled and expressed her gratitude at Na Rin’s congratulatory greeting, not feeling too bad. Honestly, she herself didn’t expect to achieve such outstanding results.

“Everyone was extremely surprised, right?”

With an expression half-filled with embarrassment and the other half with pride, Hwa Ryeon gave a small nod.

It seemed she would never forget the memory of the shocked Blue Dragon members rushing over in a flurry and bombarding her with questions.

“Thank you. Lady Hyeolgong.”

“Oh, I’m more grateful.”

Na Rin fluttered the ticket as if showing off and laughed, “Hehehe,” covering her mouth with one hand.

“No, Lady Hyeolgong.”

There were too many words omitted at the end of Hwa Ryeon’s sentence.

From the Bongma-dong test, which now felt like an old memory, to this very moment. Too much to point out one by one…

“I have received such a great favor that I don’t know how to repay it.”

Hwa Ryeon lowered her head as if apologetic.

On the other hand, Na Rin was making an expression that was hard to understand while alternating her gaze between the ticket in her hand and Hwa Ryeon’s face.

‘Isn’t ten thousand nyang more than enough to repay any favor?’

And in fact, Na Rin didn’t particularly show favor to Hwa Ryeon.

Even in Bongma-dong, well, they just lived together as life flowed by. And it seemed like Hwa Ryeon’s own wits led to her successful employment as a Blue Dragon member.

“Hmm.”

Na Rin scratched her head as if troubled.

Why was she receiving so much gratitude in this life when she didn’t even work hard to help others?

‘To be honest, it’s awkwardly killing me, but…’

In a way, it was also a suitable situation to bring it up.

Na Rin subtly brought it up.

“Do you want to repay the favor that much?”

“Yes. Lady Hyeolgong.”

“That much?”

Hwa Ryeon eagerly nodded her head.

It seemed she really wanted to repay the favor. Na Rin cleared her throat with an “Ahem!” and said with a puffed-up chest.

“If that’s the case, there is one way!”

“Really? I’ll do anything!”

As Hwa Ryeon’s eyes burned as if she had been waiting, Na Rin instead faltered.

“Well, you should at least hear what it is.”

“It’s alright. I’ll do anything anyway.”

‘Scary!’

What was she believing in to be so blindly devoted?

Na Rin made an “Ah, ahem…” sound, slightly less imposing than before, and opened her mouth.

“Well, in about half a year, I’ll be entering Somyeong Palace, you see?”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks. Anyway, a new pavilion will be built then…”

Gulp.

It’s a bit nerve-wracking.

Na Rin glanced at Hwa Ryeon, who was quietly waiting for her words, counted “one, two” in her heart, and shouted with emphasis.

“At that time, become my family member!”

Hwa Ryeon’s eyes widened at the word “family member.”

“Pardon? Family member…”

“Ye-yes, I’m telling you to become a li-lifelong me-member of my household!”

Na Rin’s voice trembled here and there.

‘I didn’t know I’d be this nervous!’

On the other hand, Hwa Ryeon was too moved to take her eyes off Na Rin, covering her mouth with both hands.

“Family member? Me… Lady Hyeolgong’s…?”

‘She must not like it!’

Na Rin’s heart grew anxious as she completely misinterpreted Hwa Ryeon’s reaction.

“I’ll really treat you well! I’ll give you a high salary and lots of days off! I’ll give you lots and lots of special allowances too! When you get married, I’ll cover all the wedding expenses! I have a lot of money! Come to me!”

To emphasize that she really had a lot of money, Na Rin thrust the ticket in front of Hwa Ryeon’s eyes.

“Oh, I know. That you have a lot of money!”

“Then answer quickly! Quickly!”

Hwa Ryeon grabbed Na Rin’s shoulders to calm her down as she was very anxious and said,

“My answer is only one. It’s an undeserved honor.”

“Elder sister…”

Hwa Ryeon made eye contact and nodded.

Na Rin, who was finally relieved, also smiled and said, “Hehe.”

“I’ll be in your care from now on. Lady Hyeolgong.”

“Yes, elder sister!”

“No, that’s not right.”

Hwa Ryeon shook her head.

It was a title she had forcibly accepted at the dedication ceremony under the pretext of having many people watching, but now she could confidently demand it.

“From now on, you should call me Hwa Ryeon. And speak comfortably. Because I am Lady Hyeolgong’s family member.”

Ugh. Na Rin made a disgusted expression.

“It’ll feel awkward…”

“The people of Somyeong Palace will find it strange, right?”

That was undeniable.

Na Rin had no choice but to nod her head.

If she showed herself following Hwa Ryeon while calling her “elder sister, elder sister,” Hwa Ryeon would also be embarrassed for no reason.

‘She’s my family member, so I have to protect her.’

Calling her by a title she didn’t like was something she could endure.

“Alright. Hwa Ryeon.”

“Yes, Lady Hyeolgong.”

Hwa Ryeon rarely showed a bright smile.

Before long, it was evening.

Na Rin, who had successfully recruited Hwa Ryeon, headed to Cheonma Bigo with excited steps. She packed twice as many snacks and tea in her bundle than usual.

‘Because the story will be long today.’

So many things had happened in just one day that there was a lot of news to deliver to Ja Ha.

“Dan Gaga! I’m here!”

Na Rin, who ran into the Bimang Office, felt strange at the still air.

“Dan Gaga?”

She raised her voice while walking between the bookshelves, but there was still no sign of him. It was strange.

‘He always appeared immediately whenever I called.’

Did something happen?

As she was walking with doubt, something caught on the tip of her foot.

Clatter.

What was pushed and scraped the floor was the small table she had left behind last time while running away. On that table was a neatly folded note.

“A letter?”

Naturally unfolding the note, as expected, Ja Ha’s message was written inside.

「To Na Rin.

I’m sorry to leave you this kind of letter.

Suddenly, circumstances have arisen where I can no longer visit the Bimang Office as often as before. The thought of losing the time we spent sharing offerings makes me miss you already and feel empty inside.

If it’s alright, could you leave me letters? It would be really nice if I could at least hear from you that way. I’ll reply too whenever I can.

Dan Ja Ha.」

“So you can’t come anymore.”

Na Rin’s shoulders drooped.

Suddenly, circumstances have arisen. Did something big happen in the fairy realm?

‘But at least I can still see you.’

Being able to come to read letters and write replies meant they could meet again someday.

Na Rin searched around and found paper, ink, inkstone, and a brush, and sat in front of the small table.

「To Dan Gaga.

I was surprised to read your letter. I thought, “How can our Gaga be so unlucky?”

You had to be absent on the day I prepared the most delicious honey-dripped bananas from Mount Shimantai as an offering. I’ll have no choice but to eat them all myself.

If I gain weight, it’ll be all Gaga’s fault.」

Na Rin, who had written this far, smiled slightly.

Imagining Ja Ha’s expression while reading this letter was quite amusing.

‘I’ve joked enough, so shall I deliver the news now?’

Na Rin, who dipped the brush in ink once more, wrote down the events of yesterday and today in the letter.

“Done.”

Na Rin, who finished the letter by writing her name at the end, folded the paper well and placed it back on the small table.

‘Hmm, I should put something on top to hold it down.’

The story that would have been a fairly long chat if spoken had quickly filled several pages when written. Na Rin headed to the Artifact Office to find a heavy object to use as a paperweight.

“There’s nothing quite suitable.”

Was it because the Artifact Office mainly consisted of weapons? It was difficult to find miscellaneous items of the right size and weight that Na Rin currently needed.

‘Should I go to the Treasure Pagoda and look there?’

As she was thinking that and getting up, something bumped into Na Rin’s bottom.

“Huh?”

Clang clang clang!

The sound of metal blades collapsing filled Cheonma Bigo.

The cylindrical container where nameless swords and spears were stuck together had tipped over.

“Oh no, I hope they’re not broken. Ah, it’s cold!”

A cold sensation like ice was felt on the fingertips of Na Rin, who was picking up and putting away the weapons.

‘Cold?’

Feeling something unusual, Na Rin cleared the fallen weapons around her and found the object that had touched her fingertips.

“…A stone tablet?”

Strictly speaking, it should be called an iron plate.

The black metal plate the size of a palm, densely inscribed with unfamiliar characters, was emitting a distinct chill that made it difficult to even touch.

“The size is just right!”

Na Rin happily returned to the Bimang Office and placed the iron plate on top of the letter. Now she wouldn’t have to worry about the letter fluttering away or the pages getting mixed up.

‘Shall I come back tomorrow?’

No.

If he could reply in just a day, he wouldn’t have left this kind of letter in the first place.

“Dan Gaga. When will you come?”

After contemplating for a moment, Na Rin added one more line to the end of the letter.

「P.S. Please write in your reply how long it took you to come.」

As dusk was falling.

Against the backdrop of the reddened sky, Na Rin’s footsteps were busy as she returned to the palace.

It was because she had lost track of time while writing a letter to Ja Ha.

‘The evening drum hasn’t sounded yet, right?’

If she was late for mealtime, Dokgo Cheon would become as cold as ice.

When eating rice in front of those icy eyes, the warm soup would instantly turn into cold water, and even freshly cooked rice would feel like a lump of stone.

Dong! Dong!

“Eek! It’s the evening drum sound!”

Na Rin jumped. At this rate, she would get indigestion from the rice that felt cold. Was there no way out?

After contemplating for a moment, Na Rin clapped her hands, thinking she had figured it out.

“I’ll go in through the back door and pretend I had returned early!”

And if Dokgo Cheon looked for her, she would say she had fallen asleep by mistake.

“Hah! Clever!”

Na Rin immediately headed cautiously towards the back gate of the palace garden through the alleys with few people. If she was going to sneak in, she had to avoid catching people’s eyes as much as possible.

However, this turned out to be not a very good decision.

“Kuku. What a fearless little one.”

She ended up encountering a robber in her own backyard.