Acceptance

2133 December, Imperial's military entrance academy.

A colossal dome, spanning four miles in length and width, loomed above like a giant celestial orb. At the north side of the dome, Ian slowly opened his eyes with his eyebrows quivering.

Ian's vision was shrouded in a hazy veil as if he were peering through a dense fog on a misty morning. Initially, he attributed it to his usual morning blur, that groggy period of transition from slumber to wakefulness. But as his eyes struggled to focus for a few fleeting moments, he knew that this was something different.

As the icy water crashed against his face, he felt a sharp sting that seared through his skin from neck to forehead. But, to his surprise, a faint warmth enveloped his neck. In the midst of all this, his breath was scarce, as if he were gasping for air in a suffocating vacuum. He was sure he was getting strangled to death right now!

In a split second, Ian's reflexes kicked in, and he acted on instinct without a moment's hesitation. Without warning, he lunged forward and seized the hand that had clutched onto his neck like a vise grip. With a swift and fluid motion, he twisted the arm at an awkward angle, causing it to contort unnaturally and forcing the hand to release its grip.

The sound of the person's agonizing scream reached Ian's ears, muffled and distorted by the rushing water that surrounded him.

With a sense of urgency, Ian dragged himself out of the river, his body dripping with cold, murky water. As he stood on the riverbank, shivering with adrenaline and soaking wet, he flexed his two fingers, honing his focus and preparing for what was to come.

With lightning-fast precision, he lunged forward, striking.

His fingers found their mark, piercing the opposer's neck artery like a hot knife through butter. The sound of the struggle was drowned out by the rush of the river, leaving only the gurgling of blood as the victim's life slowly ebbed away.

Ian wheezed for air as surrounding warm steam stepped out of his mouth. He looked at the dead man before him with confusion.

He had only killed the man in self-defense, but he didn't expect the person to be such a young person—about eighteen years of age.

But what confused him the most was that the opposer was dressed in the Imperial's winter assault uniform. The uniform wasn't quite as he remembered it, but the color pattern was the same.

'Wait, but did I not just die in battle just now?' Ian said to himself like he remembered something important. 'Did I perhaps not die...? But I clearly remember getting shot in the back of the head, then blacking out. Am I missing something? And why is my fellow brother-in-arms attacking me?'

Before Ian could go down the endless train of thoughts, he stopped himself.

'Okay... calm yourself, Ian. You're an experienced veteran soldier, so calm down and think.' Ian thought to himself as he turned to the river and attempted to clear his thoughts in the cold water. But doing so sent him into deeper disarray.

"W-who is this?" Ian sutured to himself as he looked at his reflection in the river. A young girl with a shocked expression looked back at Ian.

Her face blanched, drained of all color, leaving her skin as pale as freshly fallen snow. Her lips, once full and rosy, now took on the soft hue of a peach-colored sunset, a delicate contrast to the stark whiteness of her complexion. Her long, wet hair hung like a curtain of lightly-tinted brunette strands that cascaded down her back, heavy with the weight of the water that clung to them. In the midst of it all, her eyes blazed like fiery rubies, a fierce crimson hue that shimmered across the water like a beacon of danger.

"What's happening? Did I really turn into a woman? And a young one at that?!" Ian let out a guttural cry that echoed through the air as he frantically skimmed his hands across his face, feeling for any sign of familiarity. It was then that the reality of his transformation began to sink in like a lead weight in the pit of his stomach.

With a sudden jolt, he realized that he had indeed become a young lady, a truth that was both unnerving and surreal. As he caressed his face with trembling hands, he felt a softness that was foreign to him.

Ian slumped onto the floor and sobbed. "How am I supposed to go to my wife and daughter like this?! How the hell is this even possible?!"

Ian then got back up and stared down at his new body. He then sighed with a grimaced expression. "Oh god, if you were going to give me a second chance, why did it have to be a woman?! Why could you not have kept my gender the same?!" Ian shouted as he looked up into the heavens.

He sighed with regret and contempt and finally focused back on reality.

'Well, it looks like I'm going to have to live as a woman from now on. It won't be as difficult as living as a man.' Ian thought as he rubbed his chin.

The nation Ian was born into was ruled by militarism and monarchism, and fortunately enough, until recently, a new sense of gender equality was adopted within the military.

Whether male or female, both genders all fell into one category of imperial soldiers that fought for the motherland and Emperor, that was all there was to it.

Ian then searched for a dog tag around his neck but found nothing. He wanted to see who's the poor soul he had taken control of, but he was met with disappointment.

It was then a message blared from the watch on Ian's left wrist. Ian examined the wristwatch in confusion. Then soon, confusion turned into surprise.

A holographic display shot out of the watch.

"The entrance exam is coming to an end. To those receiving this message, we are happy to announce your acceptance to Everwhite. After reading your results, please report to the main gate." A feminine voice spoke as a data chart was displayed. "You all are to report to the Academy of Everwhite tomorrow morning.

Ian was taken aback by such technology but soon pulled himself together. After confirming that the holographic display was indeed touchable, Ian looked for the body's personal info.

"Second Lieutenant Ellia Arison. Born as an Imperial noble in July 2114, she decided to join the army in 2132." Ian continued to read through the rest of the description.

There was nothing noteworthy as he continued to read. The only thing that caught Ellia's attention was the young lady's last name.

'Is it just a coincidence that she has the same surname as me?' Ellia thought to herself.

Just as she could think any further, Ellia caught a glimpse of the data chart of the entrance exam.

One enemy killed +5 points.

Total points: 5

Ranking: 2938/3000

A shocked expression soon overtook Ellia as she saw the data table. Ellia knew how strict the Imperial military system was, but to think they would hold a free-for-all just to determine the rankings.

"Just how much has the world changed...?" Ellia mumbled to herself.

After fiddling with the watch, Ellia soon found a map within.

'Heh! To think they would build such a giant dome for an entrance exam. It seems like the pockets of the Imperial military had grown bigger.' Ellia laughed.

Ellia soon noticed that the main gate was located on the eastern side of the dome. So, Ellia started to walk toward the east without wasting any more time. While doing so, she noticed how light her body was.

Maybe it was because of a woman's morals to be slim. The body was pretty thin, especially in the limbs.

Compared to Ellia's previous body, this body was destitute of nourishment. But after some testing with her own body for a bit, she noticed that her current body was much stronger than her previous one.

For the rest of the three miles, Ellia decided to make a run for it. The more she ran, the more bewildered she became.

'To run at such a fast pace and not lose stamina... did she take steroids or something?' Ellia thought as she continued to run across the cold ground.

It took her seven minutes to reach the eastern gate. Finally, she stopped and tried to find any signs of fatigue in her body. Concluding that she was not exhausted, she started to worry; she was worried that she had taken some weird drugs beforehand.

"Are you hurt, Second Lieutenant?" A soldier, noticing Ellia touching herself all over, asked as he walked toward her.

"Er... no, I'm fine," Ellia replied as she walked toward the soldier.

"Well, congratulations on passing the entrance exam." The soldier congratulated her as he guided Ellia out of the dome.

Walking outside, Ellia stared at the scenery before her. "How extravagant..." Ellia mumbled to herself. "To think the Empire would advance this much in such a short time."

The streets of the Empire were a symphony of chaos, an orchestra of sights and sounds that assaulted the senses with dizzying intensity.

People surged past on the pavements like a tidal wave of humanity, their footsteps echoing off the pavements. In the crowded little alleyways, the air was thick with the heady aroma of exotic spices and perfumes.

Everywhere one looked, there were colors and textures, a feast for the eyes that left one gasping in wonder. It was a world of sensory overload, where every step brought with it a new experience, a new adventure to be savored and remembered.

Delicate flakes of snow descended from the sky, floating gently down from the towering skyscraper that loomed above.

They drifted lazily through the air, creating a hazy veil that obscured the view of the world above.

And then, as if by magic, a sight appeared before her that left her utterly bewildered. It was a vision of machines, not cars, but flying vessels soaring high up in the sky like graceful birds.

To think that aircraft were now a common mode of transportation, a symbol of progress and innovation that had reshaped the very fabric of society.

"Mistress, I have been waiting." The sudden voice snapped Ellia out of her trance.

Ellia looked toward the voice with puzzlement. 'A butler?' Ellia thought to herself.

Before Ellia stood a man of middle age, his form garbed in the attire of a butler. His hair was a rich shade of ebony, with a few strands of snowy white that lent him an air of dignified wisdom. A single monocle glinted in the light, perched delicately upon his right eye, giving him the appearance of a refined scholar.

'Right, I forgot that this girl was a noble...' Ellia thought as she followed the butler to a black armored aircraft.

As Ellia approached the sleek and imposing aircraft, its metallic exterior gleaming in the sunlight, the door to the craft, which had seemed firmly shut only moments before, suddenly began to swing open of its own accord as if welcoming her with open arms.

Ellia could not help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the spectacle before her.

As Ellia entered the vehicle, she wondered how such a heavy vehicle could lift off the ground. But noticing how she couldn't even start to comprehend it, she quickly gave up.

Ellia pressed her body against the smooth, cool glass of the window and gazed out at the world beyond as the aircraft rose steadily into the sky, ascending higher and higher.

She watched in wonder as the aircraft deftly navigated through a sea of traffic, soaring above the bustling city below, its sleek and streamlined form cutting through the air with effortless grace. Everywhere she looked, Ellia saw the signs of a new civilization, a world of wonder and possibility, where technology and progress had ushered in a new era of innovation and discovery.

"How was it, mistress." The butler asked.

"...It was inhumane," Ellia answered after a few seconds while recalling her killing her own comrade.

"Indeed, the Empire is always ruthless."

"Yea... it's grievous."

Hearing her words, the butler stayed silent thought the rest of the ride.

As the aircraft descended from the sky, it gradually slowed its pace until it came to a stop in front of a stately white manor. The snow-covered front yard stretched out before it like a vast expanse of white as the aircraft touched down on the snow-covered ground, its engines quieting to a low hum.

As Ellia got out of the aircraft, the manor, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at its old-fashioned beauty. Unlike the modern buildings she had seen on her journey, the manor looked as though it had been lifted straight from the pages of a fairy tale.

As the metal gates swung open, Ellia's eyes were drawn to a figure standing just beyond them. It was an old lady with wispy white hair and a face lined with wrinkles, but her eyes were bright and welcoming.

Ellia observed the lady with widened eyes. Shock filled her eyes as she slowly walked towards her.

"Avery, dear..." Ellia quietly mumbled to herself with trembling eyes. "When did you get so old..."

"Oh, my dear, are you crying?" Before Ellia could notice, she was already before her eyes. "Just what happened there?"

"I-I'm sorry," Ellia muttered to her with tears dribbling down her cheeks. Avery had aged significantly during the years, but Ellia was sure the person she was looking at was, indeed, Avery. Ian Arison's wife.

"Eh? What are you talking about, Eli dear?" Avery asked with a worried expression. "You were the one who wanted to do this..."

Avery couldn't do anything but hug the young child in front of her. Then, patting her back to calm her down.