(Caption) The Returning Female Officer (Patreon)

Night had not yet fully fallen when he stood before the door of his home, the hem of his cloak lifting gently in the wind. At first glance, almost no one would connect "him" with the boy remembered from years past. A black military cap sat squarely atop his head, its brim pressed low, yet unable to conceal those clear, composed violet eyes. The cap was inlaid with gold patterns and insignia, meticulous and dignified, with a red tassel hanging from one side, swaying faintly beside his temple. His hair was no longer the neat short cut of earlier days, but flowed down along his shoulders and back. The deep purple strands had been carefully groomed, smooth and lustrous, drawn by the wind into an elegant arc behind him.

His makeup was not heavy, yet so precise it almost took one's breath away. The brows were shaped cleanly and sharply, carrying the austere edge unique to a soldier. Subtle shading around the eyes gave his gaze depth and resolve. His lip color was pale, making his complexion appear even fairer. It was a beauty that did not flaunt itself, yet carried undeniable presence, as if merely standing there was enough to inspire quiet respect.

The black female officer's uniform followed the lines of his body, its tailoring strict yet ornate. The cape-like upper garment was edged with gold thread, and several medals and decorations hung across his chest, each marking a hard-won achievement. White inner sleeves appeared with his movements, clean and sharply contrasted. A finely crafted belt cinched his waist, while layered skirts spread over his knees, dark fabric accented with metal fittings and crests. It carried both the cold discipline of the military and the elegance unique to a woman's uniform. A red cloak fell from his shoulders, its inner lining patterned with fine checks, flaring like flame when he turned.

Tall boots encased his legs, crisscrossed laces running downward in firm, decisive lines. In his hand, he held a classically styled pistol, casually yet precisely, its metal body reflecting a cold sheen in the dim light, as though it were merely another part of the uniform rather than a true weapon. At this moment, from makeup to hair, from attire to bearing, he was already a flawless beauty of a female officer.

When the door opened, his family froze almost at the same time. His mother's hand halted midair, his father forgot how to speak, and even the gazes most familiar with him faltered. They looked at the officer standing in the doorway, strange yet familiar, until those eyes softened slightly. Only then did they realize, in a daze, that this person was the child who had been gone for so many years.

Several years earlier, an imperial conscription order had come to this family. The one meant to enlist was his older sister. Yet before the medical examination, she was injured in an accident and deemed unfit for service. Everyone knew the consequences of defying the order. To protect his family, he made his decision: to take his sister's place, disguise himself as her, and enter a corps that accepted only women. It was a road with no retreat.

The early days were harsh and tense. He learned his sister's speech, tone, posture, even controlling his breathing so as not to err. On the training grounds, he endured through clenched teeth. On the battlefield, he was calmer than anyone. Mission after mission, choice after choice at the edge of life and death, he silenced all doubts with sheer ability. As merits accumulated and ranks rose, the disguise gradually became the identity itself.

When the Empire, in recognition of her achievements, bestowed a high rank and granted this female officer's uniform as a symbol of honor, he stood before the mirror. Looking at the officer draped in a red cloak and adorned with medals, he no longer tried to distinguish between "him" and "her" for the first time. From that moment on, she was the celebrated beauty officer spoken of throughout the Empire.

Now, she had returned home. Her family finally recognized her after the shock faded, yet realized they could no longer align the person before them with the boy from the past. She stood straight, smiled faintly, her voice calm and gentle. The boy she once was had vanished, replaced by a beautiful female officer.