2.1

Thump, thump. Delia’s heart refused to calm as she walked toward the central hall.

It had been a week since that incident with Kartan in the empty classroom.  

Deciding to trust Kartan, at least for now, Delia gave her all in the exam, determined not to miss this opportunity.  

And today, the results were being announced.  

Just a few more steps, and she could finally confirm her scores.  

Tap-tap.  

Delia stood before the announcement board, her heart trembling, and lifted her gaze.  

At the same time, she squeezed her eyes shut, unable to open them immediately.  

“Phew…”  

But she had to face it. Whether or not Kartan kept his promise.  

Slowly, Delia opened her eyes and raised her gaze to the top of the board.  

1st Place – Delia Acremen 

2nd Place – Kartan Roxen 

Delia’s pupils shook violently as she confirmed the results. Emotions surged deep within her.  

‘I’m… first place?’  

First place. Her name was at the top, a position she had never held before.  

Above her name, there was no one else. The highest place.  

How long had she dreamed of this moment?  

Ecstasy, pride, an overwhelming rush of emotion? No, she couldn’t describe it.  

No word in existence could capture what she felt at that moment.  

Her eyes reddened with tears.  

“Delia, congratulations!”  

“Kartan is second? That’s surprising!”  

“Congratulations, Delia. First place in the first exam of the second year!”  

“So, does this mean the top spot changes as the years go on?”  

Words of congratulations and astonishment poured in from those around her.  

It was natural since it was the first time Delia, not Kartan, had taken the top spot in the grade.  

But Delia was too overwhelmed to respond to her peers’ chatter.  

Even though their voices sounded close, they felt distant, as if echoing from far away.  

The joy of truly being first place.  

‘But… is this really right?’  

At the same time, confusion arose over a result that wasn’t entirely her own doing.  

At first, she was simply overwhelmed, but now, the two emotions tangled, inseparable from one another.  

She had thought that tasting first place would bring her only joy.  

But reality wasn’t so simple.  

‘Does first place achieved like this really have any meaning?’  

The unanswered question floated aimlessly in Delia’s mind.  

“Delia?”  

Her peers looked at her curiously. It was a moment she should have been celebrating, yet she stood frozen, staring blankly ahead.  

“Is she too happy?”  

“Yeah, yeah. They say people can go blank when they’re overwhelmed with joy.”  

“Well, she’s always been second place, so it makes sense. Though I’d love to even get second place myself~!”  

It was only after a long pause that Delia returned to reality and responded to them.  

“Ah, uh-huh. Thanks.”  

“See? You were just too shocked, right? It’s your first time being first place. Anyway, congratulations!”  

“Looks like all your hard work is finally paying off.”  

“T-Thank you.”  

While everyone congratulated Delia, they also turned to Kartan with sympathetic remarks.  

“Kartan, what happened to you? Losing the top spot?”  

“Can’t always be first, you know.”  

But Kartan’s reaction was no different from when he had been first place.  

He remained as composed as ever.  

He didn’t seem affected by the results at all.  

Perhaps everyone thought the same, as one of the classmates gave Kartan a playful slap on the back and teased him.  

“Isn’t that something only someone who’s always been first can say?”  

“Is it? Haha. Delia just did better this time, that’s all.”  

Delia couldn’t read what was going on in Kartan’s mind.  

‘How can he be so relaxed?’  

Could he even fathom the emotions she was going through?  

Standing at the crossroads, unable to decide whether achieving first place this way had any meaning, her complicated feelings swirled within her.  

‘Someone like him couldn’t possibly understand.’  

Delia concluded as much.  

‘He’s so infuriating.’  

On the other hand, a deep sense of unease also bubbled up.  

‘He’s pretending to be calm, but what if he regrets it now?’  

Having experienced second place, perhaps his pride was wounded.  

What if that carefree smile was just a mask to hide his true feelings?  

‘He could still take it all back.’  

If Kartan suddenly decided to cancel their deal, Delia would have no choice left.  

The thought made her nervous.  

After all, whether she could maintain first place or not was entirely up to Kartan.  

‘No, surely not. He wouldn’t.’  

Unconsciously, Delia bit her lower lip.  

Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, just as chaotic as the bustling atmosphere around her.  

Everyone’s attention was focused on this unexpected change in rankings since it was the first time the top spot had shifted since they became second-years.  

But no one could talk about the same topic forever.  

Eventually, the noisy atmosphere began to calm down.  

“Delia, I’m heading out first. The next class is with Professor Serian, so I need to get there early.”  

“Oh, uh-huh. Got it.”  

Hearing Viola’s words, Delia thought it was time to prepare for the next class as well.  

Break time wasn’t long enough to keep standing here.  

Just as Delia was about to move, Kartan approached her, taking advantage of the dispersing crowd.  

“Delia.”  

Startled, her body flinched at the sound of Kartan calling her name.  

She hadn’t expected him to address her so openly in such a public place.  

“…Yes?”  

As she slowly turned her head toward him, Delia couldn’t hide the wary look in her eyes.  

Her throat tightened, and she swallowed nervously. She couldn’t predict what he might say here.  

‘Surely, he wouldn’t bring that up here…’  

“Congratulations on first place.”  

“Huh, what?”  

She was dumbfounded.  

Congratulations? He was congratulating me?  

Kartan Roxen truly seemed like he had a loose screw.  

Wasn’t there a saying that geniuses were a bit odd? He fit the description perfectly.  

What on earth was going through his mind to make him act so unpredictably?  

As Delia stood there, flabbergasted, Kartan slowly walked past her and whispered.  

“Tomorrow. Same classroom, 6:30 PM.”  

That same low, seductive voice echoed in her ears.  

“I’ll hear your decision then.”  

His breath tickled her sensitive skin. Strangely enough, Delia felt relieved in that moment.  

Relieved that she still had the opportunity to make a choice.  

She couldn’t deny the small sense of gratitude she felt toward him, even though it made her feel utterly pathetic.  

***

After all the scheduled lectures of the day were over, Delia returned to her dormitory room, still unable to escape her conflicted thoughts.  

‘Is this really okay?’  

It felt as though she was surrounded by thorns, unable to take a single step forward.  

Wherever she tried to move, sharp thorns seemed ready to pierce her.  

She couldn’t deny that, just a while ago, she had unconsciously felt relieved. But how could she feel only relief?  

An illicit deal based on academic performance.  

The price was Delia’s own body.  

Delia was fully aware that this relationship wasn’t normal.  

But…  

If I could endure it just ten times. If I could grasp the value I had so desperately longed for in exchange for bearing the pain.  

Wouldn’t the suffering of walking through a thorny path soon fade away?  

The despair I’d feel if I rejected this deal and returned to second place…  

Could I endure it again?  

An endless weighing of options continued in Delia’s heart.  

In the end, she couldn’t fall asleep easily as the night passed by.  

***

The next day, Delia still couldn’t make up her mind.  

Her remaining morality, guilt, and conscience weighed heavily on her, preventing her desires from overflowing.  

It was now 6 p.m.  

Only thirty minutes remained until the time to decide, but Delia’s guilt remained steadfast.  

‘No matter how I think about it, this doesn’t seem right. Should I just not go?’  

Even if she accepted this deal, she would surely remain anxious and uncomfortable, just as she was now.  

Rather than carrying this unease, perhaps rejecting it was the right answer.  

At that moment, a voice broke Delia’s train of thought. It was her roommate, Aisha.  

“Delia, you’ve got mail.”  

“Mail?”  

Delia’s face showed surprise at Aisha’s words.  

Since entering the academy, she had never once received mail.  

The Imperial Academy had a strict boarding system for all students, and incoming mail or packages from outside were meticulously managed.  

Most mail that wasn’t from family members was often returned.  

For mail to have arrived safely, it essentially meant it was from her family.  

“Yeah, really. It says Acremen. Looks like it’s from your family.”  

The package Aisha handed over indeed bore the seal of the Acremen family.  

It was the first mail she had received since enrolling in the academy.  

This wasn’t just any ordinary delivery.  

In her time at the academy, the only significant change that had occurred was…  

‘Could it be news that I ranked first?’  

Academic rankings were shared with families.  

However, news traveling this quickly was unprecedented.  

Perhaps, since she had always been second but now ranked first, the academy had promptly informed her family.  

Still, something about it didn’t sit quite right. Yet, her excitement outweighed her doubts.