CHAPTER 58: BID GOODBYE

Ahce stared at the acceptance confirmation for a long moment. It projected a glowing green sigil of a leaf intertwined with an energy circuit.

"I don’t even know how to keep a cactus alive," she murmured.

Amiel winced. "Sis, in this era, even cactuses are luxury goods."

Alexander cleared his throat. "Look on the bright side. It’s a department with almost no social interaction. You’ll have time to study peace..."

"Brother," Ahce said flatly, "you enrolled me in a department for plant whisperers."

He coughed again, louder, as if the sound could cover his embarrassment.

"W-well. You like learning new things, right?"

Ahce didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

But she still accepted the enrollment.

Because even if plants were her natural enemy and wood affinity was something she did not possess in the slightest, the academy was still a door. A way to grow. A way to belong. A way to shape her own future in this era instead of waiting for imperial arrangements to define it. And if the universe wanted to test her by throwing her into the least expected department...

Fine.

Ahce would face it head-on.

Combat ability or no combat ability.

Plant whisperer or plant murderer.

She squared her shoulders, stared at her optical brain’s glowing confirmation, and took a long, steady breath.

The First Military Academy awaited.

Whether it was ready for her was another question entirely.

Two days before her departure, Ahce finally gathered enough courage to step outside the estate and explore the capital star. Alexander and Amiel didn’t just encourage it. They practically shoved her out the door, each pressing a digital shopping list into her hand like anxious parents sending a teenager out for their first errand.

"We already packed most of your essentials," Alexander said, adjusting her collar for the fifth time.

"But buy things you personally like. Make memories," Amiel added, pushing a credit chip into her palm. "And don’t spend too cheaply. You’re a Qin."

Their eyes were too bright. Too hopeful.

Ahce knew what they were doing.

The First Military Academy had strict regulations.

Once she arrived on Planet Camero, she wouldn’t be able to return home until the semester ended. No weekend visits. No family dinners. No quick escapes.

Planet Camero wasn’t just any planet.

It was owned by the imperial family, positioned on the galaxy’s strategic frontier. The closest territory to the Zerg border, where skirmishes and territorial clashes broke out so frequently that the air tasted metallic from residual energy fields. Every student there lived under constant alerts, drills, and readiness protocols.

A war-training world disguised as an academy campus.

Ahce’s chest tightened with the weight of it, but she didn’t let her brothers see.

Instead, she smiled. "I’ll be fine."

She left the estate, stepping into the city’s heart.

The capital star, Agartha, was overwhelming in every way. Towering spires of silver-white metal pierced the skies, their surfaces shifting with holographic advertisements and light displays.

Floating platforms acted as public walkways, drifting from district to district like gentle clouds. Vehicles zipped overhead in organized lanes of hovering traffic, their engines emitting soft pulses instead of noise.

Artificial greenery lined the streets like a gallery rather than nature. Sculpted vines that never wilted. Trees engineered with fiber cores so they glowed faintly at night. Flowers whose colors could be programmed according to seasonal aesthetics.

Beautiful.

But still lifeless.

Ahce reached out and touched one of the flowers. The petals felt... smooth. Too smooth. Like polished glass pretending to be alive. She withdrew her hand.

The shopping district was massive, bustling with noise and bright projections. Vendors called out in various dialects, their stalls selling everything from combat gear to beauty enhancers to rare cosmic snacks.

Ahce checked her list.

"Energy battery packs, additional uniforms, personal medic patches, a folding data screen, nutrient supplements..."

Her brows twitched.

"...a multi-function emergency kit with anti-zerg toxin tabs?"

Her brothers took safety seriously. She moved through the crowds, buying what she needed one by one. Her movements were stiff at first, cautious, unfamiliar.

But slowly, her steps relaxed. She tried on different uniform cuts, compared weapon-cleaning kits, tested wrist terminals, sampled different nutrient drinks, and grimaced at all of them. And even picked up a sleek black coat just because she liked how it made her feel human again.

She tried a small snack from a street vendor, too. A bright blue cube that looked delicious in its glowing wrapper.

Wow...

It tasted like sadness compressed into gelatin.

She coughed until tears formed. The vendor apologized while another customer patted her back sympathetically.

Food culture in this era was truly an adventure.

Nothing tastes like Earth.

But despite these oddities, Ahce felt something ease in her chest as she walked.

For the first time since waking up in this world, she wasn’t surrounded by sterile walls or heavy expectations. She was just... exploring. Wandering. Observing a future she was never meant to see, yet somehow had become part of.

When she finished everything on the list, she found herself lingering on a floating bridge overlooking the city. The sky shimmered with three moons, their light casting gentle ripples over the hovering platforms.

She leaned against the transparent railing, watching the people below laugh, argue, rush, and live. She wondered if she would ever fit in. If she would ever stop comparing this world to the one she lost. If she would ever stop thinking about Reichardt when the nights grew too quiet.

Her optical brain buzzed gently with a message.

It was from Amiel.

A single line...

[Did you have fun? Take your time coming home.]

Ahce stared at the glowing words.

Did she have fun?

Not exactly.

But she didn’t feel lost either.

The day Ahce finally left the capital star dawned bright, the twin suns casting golden reflections off the metallic spires of the city. Her heart beat unevenly, caught between excitement, anxiety, and the bitter sting of leaving her brothers behind.

She had spent three months absorbing everything she could, history, etiquette, combat theory, and the subtle social rules of interstellar society, but nothing could fully prepare her for the loneliness of being separated from Alexander and Amiel.

Alexander was the first to approach her, his expression a careful balance of pride and worry. He adjusted the strap of her travel pack, his hands lingering just a moment longer than necessary.

"Ahce," he said softly, "remember... You are capable of far more than you know. But always, always trust your instincts. They won’t fail you, even here."

Ahce nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I’ll be careful, Brother."

Amiel came up from behind, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. His usual calm demeanor betrayed a flicker of unease.

"You’ve adapted well, Ahce. But the city streets, the crowds, the culture... It’s a different battlefield. Don’t forget to observe, learn, and move carefully. The Academy will test more than your strength. It will test your mind, your patience, and your resolve."

She smiled faintly, trying to ease their worry, though the tight knot in her chest remained. "I understand. I’ll do my best."