Space Era, Years 91.
When Aelyzabeth von Thors entered her fourteenth year, she became the object of countless gazes—drawn by her striking appearance, affluent lineage, and the renown she had already gathered through her prodigious talents. Yet rather than feeling pride, she was overcome with weariness at being judged solely by her outward form, especially by the wealthy elite who regarded her merely as "a jewel to be possessed."
This sense of suffocation compelled her toward a complete transformation—not as an escape, but as a proclamation of her true self.
The Outer Metamorphosis.
She cut away her long hair, leaving only a cropped, boyish style—casting off the prison of the "demure maiden" image.
She abandoned skirts entirely, donning instead a black tailored suit, a crimson necktie, long trousers, and polished black leather shoes—an unmistakable declaration that she would not be bound by gendered expectation.
On her right foot, a high-heeled shoe; on her left, a soldier's boot with raised heel. This deliberate asymmetry became her new signature, embodying the harmony of elegance and strength.
Over it all, she wore a long black coat with golden buttons, a reimagined Germanic classic that left the crimson tie boldly displayed—strict yet stately.
No ornaments adorned her body, yet any who beheld her knew at once: this was no ordinary being.
To perfect this metamorphosis, Aelyzabeth summoned a sixteen-year-old designer named Luminous Rommel, who had fled her household in pursuit of her dream to create fashion. Though gifted, she had found no work amid the economic decline.
A few words of conversation sufficed for Luminous to grasp Aelyzabeth's essence; soon she began designing attire that did not merely adorn, but mirrored the very identity of its wearer.
The Attire of Identity.
Primary Fabric: Pure silk—luxurious, yet not ostentatious; the quiet confidence of refinement.
Navy Suit + White Shirt + Red Tie: Navy for authority and trust; crimson for power, courage, and ambition.
Black Trousers: A severance from the decree that women must wear skirts, replaced with sleek precision.
Long Black Coat with Golden Buttons: A whisper of military austerity, transfigured into stately grace.
Asymmetric Shoes: The high heel—feminine allure. The soldier's boot—strength and readiness for battle.
A Specially Crafted Cane: Wielded for balance, yet in truth a symbol of sovereignty and chosen destiny.
Unshaped by Corsetry: Confidence in her natural form, and the freedom of unshackled will.
Poise and Elegance.
When Aelyzabeth donned this attire, she was not merely dressed anew—she forged an entirely new image of herself.
She became Elegance Rebellious—not destroying convention, but raising the standard beyond it.She was luxurious, yet never gaudy—each detail chosen with precision, never with vanity.She was beyond gender's confines—not solely maiden fair, nor youth resplendent, but something greater.She emanated the aura of a leader—simply standing, she seemed destined to command.
A New Epithet.
When she appeared at the grand soirée in her attire of identity, the guests were struck dumb by her elegance and daring. News agencies seized upon her image at once, and before long, across colonies and Earth alike, she was heralded as—
"The Most Handsome Woman in History."
Meanwhile, Luminous rose overnight into a star designer. More importantly, she became a true confidante—one of the few who could grasp Aelyzabeth's heart.
The Banquet of Earthly Vanity.
Soon after word of Aelyzabeth's transformation spread through New Hope and Earth, a cabal of Earth's magnates arranged an opulent banquet at their glass manor in the heart of New Hope. Its purpose was not fellowship, but ostentation—parading wealth and dominion before those with less.
Among the invited stood Aelyzabeth. Though reluctant, social custom and family pressure left her no choice but to attend.
The Entrance
When she stepped into the great hall, the colonists of New Hope, permitted attendance, erupted in thunderous applause. They felt pride in beholding their "Daughter of New Hope" adorned in her attire of identity. At her side stood Luminous, the designer who had given this vision form. To many, they were the colony's new heralds of hope.
The wealthy of Earth, by contrast, frowned with disapproval. To them, Aelyzabeth ought to have been garbed in jeweled gowns, costly ornaments, and obedient smiles. Instead stood a fourteen-year-old girl in a dark suit and crimson tie, clad in mismatched shoes, her bearing unbowed.
The Clash with the Press.
Reporters from Earth sought to pierce her with barbed questions:"Miss Thors, do you not fear that such attire will tarnish the image of a lady of high station?"
Aelyzabeth only offered a faint smile, replying with razor-edged eloquence, veined with psychology:
"If the image of a lady of high station rests upon wearing only what pleases others, rather than what she herself chooses… then the word 'high' is nothing but an empty shell."
For a moment, silence fell. Then, the people of New Hope burst into applause.
The Wine Gambit.
During the banquet, an Earthling detractor approached, pressing a glass of red wine into her hand with a sly smile:"Try this—it will help you blend into the company of adults."
Aelyzabeth knew well: to drain it would tarnish the image of a fourteen-year-old irreparably. She merely sipped, savored—and in that instant, dashed the glass to the floor.
With a calm voice, she said:"Unpalatable."
Then she turned and strode away, never looking back.
The hall erupted. The Earthlings seethed with rage, but the people of New Hope cheered, seeing in her not merely a scion of nobility but a symbol of defiance against oppression.
Shadows of Unease.
Elsewhere, Margaret, her elder sister, remained—ever the obedient daughter, her image a stark foil to Aelyzabeth's.
Colonel Rudolf von Escheinsein, their thirty-four-year-old cousin, famed for crushing space pirates, looked on with furrowed brow. For all his victories, he sensed his renown eclipsed; for Aelyzabeth, with but a few words, could inspire more than armies and open new horizons.
The Path Forward
Leaving the banquet, Aelyzabeth and Aelaera wasted no time. Together they returned to their shared scientific laboratory, devoting themselves wholly to research and creation—abandoning the gaudy revelry as though it meant nothing to the world.
Thus ends Chapter B-V.