1.2

“Has this child, Delia, shown any signs of being particularly bright while living here?”  

The words that came out of the middle-aged man’s mouth were entirely unexpected.  

Bright? Why would he ask that? 

Both Delia and the director wondered the same thing.  

“Bright, you say…?”  

“I’m asking if she’s exceptionally intelligent.”  

The man, sounding a bit impatient, pressed the director for an answer.  

The director looked down at Delia.  

Exceptionally intelligent?  

Delia was indeed much more capable than her peers.  

Thanks to her advanced vocabulary, arithmetic skills, and ability to apply knowledge—unusual for an eleven-year-old—the director often sought her out when there was work to be done.  

“Yes, that’s right. She’s far smarter than children her age.”  

“I see.”  

The man seemed quite satisfied with the director’s positive response.  

Before the director could ask why this was so important, the man interrupted with a muttered remark.  

“As expected of Acremen blood.”  

The director, as well as Delia, couldn’t grasp what the man was thinking, but they didn’t dare ask any further questions.  

“I am your father, Delia.”  

The man’s next words were utterly shocking.  

‘I… I have a father?’  

“My… my father?”  

Delia had never once heard her late mother speak of her father.  

Sensing there must have been a reason, she had never asked about him either.  

And yet, here was a man suddenly claiming to be her father.  

Now that she thought about it, she did resemble him.  

Her mother had black hair, but Delia’s hair was a soft, wheat-colored blonde.  

The man before her had the same hair color as Delia.  

Even their nose and jawline were similar.  

The features she had thought didn’t resemble her mother at all were, in fact, similar to this man.  

‘He really is my father.’  

It finally began to sink in for Delia.  

“Come. Let’s go home.”  

At the man’s words, a servant who had been waiting behind him approached the director and handed him a bundle of money.  

The director accepted the money and bowed so deeply that his head nearly touched the ground as he saw Delia and the man off.  

“Live happily, Delia. Please, take care on your way!”  

It was the first—and last—time the director had ever spoken so kindly to her.  

Quick-witted and perceptive, Delia immediately realized that the bundle of money was much larger than what was usually given when other children were adopted.  

Even without that, the luxurious carriage alone was enough to tell her that her supposed father was an extraordinarily wealthy man.  

‘Wow… Even if the orphanage were sold, it wouldn’t be enough to buy this carriage.’  

Her legs trembled at the thought of sitting in such an extravagant carriage.  

“Um, um…”  

“What is it?”  

The man’s gaze, filled with kindness, gave her the courage to ask her question.  

“Am I really… going to become your daughter?”  

Even as she asked, a part of her was afraid.  

‘What if he says he’s only taking me in because of our bloodline, but I can’t actually live as his daughter?’  

But the answer that followed lifted her spirits to the heavens.  

“Of course. I am your father, and you are my daughter.”  

A wealthy father who appeared during her time of hardship.  

Delia’s heart was filled with excitement and happiness.  

“Yes…! F-Father.”  

The father who had rescued her from her harsh life at the orphanage.  

Gratitude welled up from deep within her heart.  

When Delia arrived at the mansion, she couldn’t believe her eyes.  

“From now on, you’ll live here. This is your room.”  

The enormous mansion dwarfed even the carriage she had just ridden in.  

And the room she was shown was over ten times larger than the one she had shared at the orphanage.  

“This… this is really my room?”  

“Yes. From now on, you are Delia Acremen. Study hard and do your best as a member of the Acremen family.”  

At the orphanage, she had shared a room with three other children.  

Thinking about it, the room she had now was large enough to house forty children from the orphanage.  

But that wasn’t all.  

“So, you’re Delia. You look like Father.”  

“I’m glad to have a new younger sibling.”  

“Now we’re officially four siblings, right, Father?”  

“Your hair is the same color as mine! My older siblings take after Mother, so I was the only one like this, but now I’m not alone!”  

In addition to her father, there was a new stepmother and older siblings.  

The warm family she had always longed for was now hers.  

Delia was overjoyed. She had a family again.  

Delia “Acremen.”  

This beautiful name was nothing short of a miracle for her.  

***

Five years passed. At sixteen, Delia’s daily routine was simple:  

Study, eat, and sleep.  

Naturally, studying took up the majority of her day.  

Yet, Delia had no complaints.  

As the fourth child of the Acremen family, she was determined to become like her older siblings.  

Without anyone telling her to, she cut down on her sleep to absorb as much knowledge as she could.  

Her father, Rexukan Acremen, was pleased with her efforts.  

“Delia, there are four years left until the Academy exams. Your older siblings all entered at twenty, so I hope you’ll do the same.”  

“Father, don’t worry. Getting in is a given. I’ll make sure to enter as valedictorian.”  

Although Rexukan hadn’t specifically mentioned being valedictorian, Delia’s confident response made him nod in satisfaction, a smile spreading across his face.  

“Alright, I trust you, Delia. Prove for yourself that you are an Acremen.”  

“Yes, Father. I will make it happen.”  

Delia knew exactly what her father expected of her.  

And she also knew why he had brought her into the family.  

The genius of the Acremen family’s children was widely renowned.  

The first, second, and third children had all entered the Academy as valedictorians, a feat that garnered envy from all corners.  

The Imperial Academy allowed citizens between the ages of 20 and 23 to take the entrance exam.  

However, all of Delia’s older siblings had taken the exam as soon as they turned 20.  

The first and second siblings had never once lost their first-place rankings during their time at the Academy.  

Graduating as valedictorians was a foregone conclusion.  

Both were now serving in pivotal roles within the Empire.  

Her third brother, who was still attending the Academy, also showed no signs of relinquishing his first-place position.  

At this rate, he too was guaranteed to graduate as valedictorian.  

‘I will be first place too.’  

Naturally, Delia also set this as her goal.  

The Imperial Lapolis Academy.  

It was a highly prestigious institution within the Empire.  

The fact that it bore the name “Lapolis,” the Empire’s name, spoke volumes about its significance.  

It was also a place where every talented individual in the Empire gathered.  

Any citizen who met the qualifications could take the entrance exam.  

The requirements were simple: one had to be an adult and under the age of 23.  

Beyond that, there were no restrictions.  

After three years of study, graduates with excellent grades could secure a bright future within the Empire.  

Of course, the entrance exam was notoriously difficult.  

The Imperial Academy was regarded as the cradle of talent and a gateway to success.  

In an Empire where social status was becoming increasingly ambiguous—except for the Imperial Family—the Academy served as another opportunity for social mobility.  

Graduating as valedictorian meant being recognized as one of the Empire’s most exceptional talents.  

It was synonymous with gaining both wealth and honor.  

• Another Acremen, huh?  

• That’s right. The third one also entered as valedictorian.  

• How can one family produce so many geniuses? 

The Acremen family took immense pride in this.  

With two of their four children already holding key positions in the Empire and widely regarded as future leaders, their reputation was well-established.  

It was only a matter of time before the third child followed suit.  

In the Lapolis Empire, the name “Acremen” was synonymous with “genius,” “talent,” and “first place.”  

Some even said that the Acremen family was the Empire’s pillar, second only to the Imperial Family.  

Despite having such outstanding children, Rexukan Acremen had gone out of his way to visit an orphanage and bring Delia into the family for one simple reason: ambition.  

Human greed knows no bounds, as the saying goes.  

Rexukan currently held a key position in the central government.  

His eldest daughter, Ruby Acremen, held an important post in the eastern province, while his second son, Dale Acremen, served in the northern province.  

It was almost certain that his third son, Pierre Acremen, would take up a significant position in the western or southern provinces after graduating from the Academy.  

In other words, Rexukan’s goal was to extend the Acremen family’s influence across the Empire’s central government and its eastern, western, northern, and southern territories.  

To achieve this, he needed one final piece: Delia.  

Delia was fully aware of this, yet she harbored no resentment.  

‘This is my chance to prove my worth.’  

On the contrary, she was grateful that her father’s ambition had allowed her to become a part of the Acremen family.  

‘I must become like my siblings.’  

She had no doubts about her academic abilities.  

The family provided ample support for her education, and every tutor praised her quick learning and aptitude.  

Even her siblings, who shared only half their blood with her, accepted Delia as a member of the family.  

They believed she would inherit the Acremen genius and secure the valedictorian title, just like them.  

Finally, at the age of 20, Delia became eligible to take the Lapolis Academy entrance exam.  

Second Place – Delia Acremen. 

However, the result was second place.