3.5 

The Roxen Family was renowned throughout the empire as one of the leading merchant families.  

Naturally, it was expected that the family’s children would inherit the responsibilities of the merchant guild.  

But there could only be one guild leader.  

There was no room for two.  

The eldest, Repel Roxen, and Kartan Roxen.  

The difference in ability between the two was clear.  

Repel neither excelled in academics at the Imperial Academy nor possessed exceptional business acumen.  

Objectively, Kartan surpassed him in every aspect. In fact, by merit alone, Kartan was more than qualified to become the family’s heir.  

Yet, all the attention of the Roxen Family was focused not on Kartan but on his elder brother, Repel Roxen.  

The reason was simple.  

Because he was the eldest. Because he was the firstborn.  

• Kartan, you must support your brother, who will become the guild leader.  

Within the family, this was considered a given.  

The brother who would become the guild leader. Kartan, who would support him.  

Everything had already been decided.  

Whether Kartan graduated at the top of his class or the bottom, it made no difference.  

‘I used to think that if I excelled beyond my brother, they might finally notice me.’  

At first, Kartan believed that if he achieved outstanding results, his family would acknowledge him.  

If he could achieve the top rank his brother never could, perhaps they would pay him some attention.  

Perhaps they would offer him a word of praise. He had once harbored such hopes.  

But his parents only ever looked at Repel, no matter what Kartan did.  

He had heard the same words countless times: ‘Give way to your brother. Your brother comes first.’

Even when Kartan consistently ranked first, his parents had this to say:  

• If you keep ranking first, how do you think your brother will feel?  

• Sometimes, modesty is a virtue, Kartan.  

His parents, concerned that his success might make his brother feel inferior, scolded Kartan for his achievements.  

He couldn’t understand how any parents could favor the elder sibling so blatantly.  

At one point, Kartan even suspected he might have been adopted. But to his dismay, he was indeed their biological child.  

The insurmountable gap between him and his brother, created solely by the fact that his brother was born first.  

Through the years, Kartan painfully realized that no matter what he did, his parents would never look at him.  

After that, he defiantly cemented his position at the top of his class.  

It was his only way of rebelling.  

Whether that rebellion reached his parents was unclear.  

They might not have cared about his achievements at all.  

In truth, the person most interested in Kartan’s academic performance was likely not his family but Delia.  

It had been a mere coincidence.  

He had overheard his brother joking with a friend.  

“Don’t you think she’d be fun once you strip her down?”  

‘Who are they talking about?’  

Despite being the future leader of the merchant guild, his brother’s behavior was as improper as ever.  

Once again, he was spewing vulgar comments about someone.  

Kartan had been about to walk away when—  

“Delia Acremen? Isn’t she just a bookworm?”  

“Hey, don’t you know the real deal about girls like that? The ones who act all proper are no fun unless you’re the first to break them.”

“True. That pale skin of hers must be amazing once you strip her down.”

The name that stopped Kartan in his tracks.  

‘…Delia Acremen?’

Her face naturally came to Kartan’s mind.  

Apart from always studying, he had no other impression of her.  

Perhaps just the fact that her name was always listed below his on the grade sheet?  

“Fine. I’ll take care of her somehow, so don’t touch her.”  

‘Don’t touch her?’  

Those words provoked Kartan.  

For someone like him, who had never been allowed to have anything that belonged to his brother, it was an irresistible temptation.  

If he could have something his brother wanted first…  

‘It would piss him off.’

Yes, it was about time he took something his brother desired, just as his brother had always taken what was his.  

Even if it was just a toy to play with for a while and throw away.  

He had never even been allowed to take something as simple as a common toy from his brother.  

Even his rebellion of consistently ranking first in academics now felt meaningless.  

The thought of making Delia his own was already exciting for Kartan.  

He wondered how it would feel to take something his brother coveted first. He was curious.  

• I’ll make it possible for you to graduate as the first place student, Delia Acremen. How about that?  

Fortunately, Kartan was someone who could give her what she wanted.  

Executing his plan wasn’t difficult.  

Everything was already set. All he had to do was wait for her to step into the web he had spun.  

Kartan was confident.  

Delia would accept his offer in order to graduate as the top student.  

After overhearing his brother’s conversation, Kartan began to investigate Delia.  

He learned that she was an illegitimate child and discovered the nature of the Acremen Family.  

While only they would know the full details, the circumstances were obvious enough.  

It wasn’t hard to understand why Delia seemed to be studying as if her life depended on it.  

‘First place… What’s so important about it?’  

Still, Kartan felt a strange sense of irony.  

The means by which he could take what his brother wanted—Delia—was the first-place ranking, which held no real value to him.

Delia needed to be at the top, no matter what, to meet her family’s expectations.  

Kartan, despite consistently achieving the top rank, could never gain his family’s recognition.  

The relationship between the two was truly ironic.  

***

A few days later, Professor Ines naturally chose the project submitted by Kartan and Delia as the best result.  

Aisha and the rest of the group members were thrilled.  

However, Delia couldn’t fully share in the joy as the events of that day replayed in her mind.  

‘Again, so much…’  

The thought of being toyed with by his hands lingered.  

Ever since that first day, both he and she had been taking contraceptives regularly, so there was no worry about pregnancy. But the real problem lay with herself.  

The fact that she didn’t entirely hate the pleasure she felt every time she was with the loathsome Kartan Roxen.  

Once again, she had succumbed.  

‘How could it have happened three times?’  

That day, Kartan had released inside her three times.  

During that process, Delia couldn’t even count how many times she had cl*maxed.  

‘No, this is something I had to do to secure first place.’  

This relationship with him wasn’t something Delia wanted. She had no choice if she wanted to stay at the top.  

She had never once initiated it herself.  

Delia tried to rationalize her actions, convincing herself that it was all for the sake of securing first place.  

“Delia.”  

“Huh?”  

Her thoughts were interrupted by Aisha, who called to her from the side. Aisha looked genuinely happy.  

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to enjoy the upcoming festival without any worries.”  

Aisha chattered away, saying it was her first time receiving extra credit in Professor Ines’ class.  

“Right. The festival is already here.”  

Delia realized how quickly time had passed.  

It had already been over a year since she entered the Imperial Lapolis Academy.  

It also meant it had been that long since her family turned their backs on her.  

The spring festival held at the academy wasn’t just for students; families were also invited to participate.  

It was one of the rare times when the otherwise closed-off academy opened its doors, allowing families to visit and celebrate together.  

‘Would anyone even come? No, but I did get first place on the last exam.’  

Her feelings were a mix of hope and worry.  

Normally, she wouldn’t expect anyone to come and see her.  

‘Maybe, just maybe, they’ll come.’  

After all, she had achieved first place in the last exam.  

Wasn’t it reasonable to hope for some recognition as a member of the Acremen Family?  

Kartan Roxen would keep his promise, and Delia would secure first place in the second-year exams as well. She would continue to hold that position.  

If so—  

‘Should I reach out to them first?’  

She hadn’t yet responded to the letter she received back then.  

Perhaps she could use her reply to ask if they would visit the academy during the festival.  

***

That evening.  

After finishing her review of the day’s lessons in the library, Delia returned to her room late at night, as usual.  

“Delia, you’re back?”  

Her roommate, Aisha, greeted her warmly.  

“There was some mail for you again.”  

“Mail?”  

Mail. The word made Delia’s heart sink.  

Another letter had arrived. It was surely from the Acremen Family.  

‘Could it be? Could it be news that they’ll come for the festival?’  

With trembling hands, Delia opened the package.  

Inside the box were an envelope and various supplies for daily use.  

There were also items like supplements said to improve concentration.  

Delia immediately opened the envelope and read the letter.  

[Delia, I hear the academy’s festival is coming up. I’ll come by to see you then.]

It was a message saying they would come to visit her.  

A smile naturally spread across her face. Her heart fluttered with excitement. Her chest felt tight, and her heart raced.  

‘They’ve acknowledged me.’  

It felt like when she first met her father at the orphanage and was adopted into the Acremen Family.  

So much had changed with just one instance of being first place.  

It was sweet. She didn’t want to let it go.  

‘Yes. From now on, I’ll only think about being first.’  

No matter what kind of deal it took.  

To Be Continued in Volume 2