The room was silent as the doctor pulled off his mask, his expression dull. He glanced at Ephyra's lifeless form on the operating table, her pale skin almost translucent under the harsh hospital lights. The nurses began disconnecting the machines, their movements slow.
One of the nurses gently pulled a white sheet over Ephyra's body, covering her face. "Poor girl," she whispered to herself. "So young… and to go like this."
The doctor nodded but said nothing. He had seen countless deaths in his career, but something about this one—perhaps her youth, her innocence—struck a chord deep within him. He lingered for a moment longer before stepping out of the operating room. At the same time, the nurse went to the heart monitor, and just as she was about to disconnect it, a single blip appeared on the screen.
A heartbeat.
Another blip followed, and then another. The slow, steady rhythm of Ephyra's heart returned, weak but unmistakably alive. A collective breath of disbelief swept through the room.
"Doctor Liam! She's alive!" the nurse exclaimed, while the one who had covered Ephyra hurriedly pulled back the white cloth.
"Oh my God! She came back to life!" the third nurse covered her mouth in disbelief.
Liam was already beside Ephyra in a heartbeat, his hands moving swiftly to reconnect the machines and check her vitals.
"Prepare a new round of IV fluids and monitor her oxygen levels closely," Doctor Liam commanded, his voice laced with urgency but also amazement. This wasn't supposed to happen. She had died, and yet, here she was, alive by some miracle.
The heart monitor continued its steady rhythm, still weak but growing stronger with each passing second. Ephyra's pale complexion remained, but the faintest blush of life returned to her cheeks.
The nurse who had covered Ephyra with the white sheet just moments before stood frozen as she whispered, "I thought she was gone… How can this be?"
"She's stable for now," Liam said, though the uncertainty in his voice was clear. "But we're not out of the woods yet. Let's conclude this and get her to the ICU for round-the-clock care."
Fifteen minutes later, as the nurses wheeled Ephyra out of the operating room, Liam wiped his brow, his lips set in a thin line. "Let's hope she's a fighter."
Allen Family Mansion.
Knock. Knock.
"Who the hell is that?" Mira yelled at the person persistently knocking on her door and disturbing her.
"It's me, Young Miss."
Hearing the voice of the old nanny, Mira rolled her eyes and continued scrolling through her phone, the acrylic nails on her fingers hitting the screen
"Come in."
The door creaked open, and the old nanny stepped inside, her face lined with age and a hint of worry. She carried a tray with tea and a few light snacks; this gesture was usually for Ephyra, but she wasn't home, and Mira had also locked herself in her room.
Mira barely glanced up from her phone. "What do you want?" she muttered, her voice dripping with annoyance.
The nanny hesitated, her eyes lingering on Mira's distracted form. She had served the Allen family for decades and had seen a lot of things in this house. But she didn't want to imagine what Mira would become once hatred and jealousy totally consumed her.
"Miss Mira," the nanny said softly, placing the tray on the small table near the window. "I thought you might need something to eat. You haven't left your room since you came home."
Mira scoffed and tossed her phone aside, stretching out on the bed, her blonde locks sprawling on it. "I'm fine. And don't bring me this boring stuff next time. Get me something more… exciting. Maybe sushi or something."
The nanny offered a small, forced smile. "Of course, Miss Mira. I'll make sure to have your favorite delivered next time."
As the nanny turned to leave, she hesitated again, making Mira look up at her. "Anything else?"
"Uhm, Miss Mira… do you… by any chance know where Miss Ephyra could be? She hasn't come home, and it's getting late. She never misses her evening check-in with me, and… I'm worried."
Mira's expression hardened, her hazel eyes narrowing at the mention of Ephyra's name. "Why are you always so concerned about her? If you are so worried, why don't you look for her instead of coming to meet me? How the hell would I know where she is?"
"But Miss Mira—" Her words were cut off by her phone ringing. Frowning, she pulled it out of her apron pocket and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, this is City Hospital, Manhattan. Are you Ephyra Allen's family member or guardian?"
The nanny's breath caught in her throat as she gripped the phone tightly. "Yes," she replied, her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm her guardian. What... what happened?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line, long enough to send a wave of dread through the nanny. Mira noticed the shift in the nanny's behavior and narrowed her eyes. She straightened up and leaned forward.
"I'm afraid Miss Ephyra was involved in a serious accident," the voice on the phone said carefully. "She was struck by a car and was brought into emergency surgery. It was... touch and go for a while, but she's stable now. She's been transferred to the ICU for monitoring."
The nanny gasped, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth. "Oh dear Lord," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "Is she... is she going to be alright?"
The doctor's voice softened. "It's still too early to say for certain, but the fact that she's alive is a miracle in itself. We'll know more over the next 24 hours. It would be best if her family could come to the hospital as soon as possible."
"I—I'll be there right away," the nanny said, her voice shaking. "Thank you for letting me know."
"What's going on?" Mira's sharp voice cut through the nanny's daze. "What happened to Ephyra?"
The nanny looked up at Mira. "Miss Ephyra... she's been in an accident," she choked out. "They thought she... they thought she was gone, but she's alive, thank God. I have to go to the hospital right away."
Mira's heart skipped a beat, but upon remembering the letter, she couldn't help but wish that her stupid stepsister had died.
"Tsk, she should have just died," Mira muttered under her breath. "That would have been great for everyone."
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The nanny flinched at Mira's cruel words, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned on her heel and hurried out of the room, her mind set on getting to the hospital as fast as possible.
She had to see Ephyra and make sure she was truly alright.
Mira rolled her eyes as she watched the nanny hurry out of her room. She picked up her phone and took a bite of the snack.
"Hmm, delicious," she said, lying down and taking another bite, acting as if someone's life wasn't in danger because of her.
---
Eira woke up to see her translucent body floating in a space with darkness and glittering stars. The darkness was comforting but she felt disoriented.
Wasn't she dead? No, she was dead.
Then… this was something like her spirit or was it her soul?
[Master is correct, this is your soul and you're in your soul space.] A soft mechanic voice rang in her mind.
What? What was that?
'Who was that? And what the hell are you saying?'
Was she having a post-death hallucination?
[Master, I am your Sole Assistant. A futuristic technology developed by the Administrator to insert your soul into your original body and assist you in every way.]
Eira frowned in confusion, trying to process the robotic voice speaking to her. 'Sole Assistant? Administrator? What the hell are you talking about? And... original body?'
[Correct, Master. You are currently occupying your original body, the one you were born into. Your soul was meant to return to this body on your 18th birthday, as per the Administrator's design. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the process was triggered earlier.]
Eira frowned, trying to make sense of what was happening. 'Are you saying I transmigrated into another person's body and you're like my system, like in web novels?'
[Master, it seems you are misunderstanding. While you did transmigrate, it was not into another person's body. It was into your original body, the one you were born with. I am not a system as you might be familiar with from web novels; I am a highly advanced AI assistant designed solely to help you.]
'Now, that's just stupid. How can someone transmigrate into their own body? You're confusing me.'
[But that is the–]
'Keep quiet for a minute, let me think.'
Was it the wish? Was she given a second chance at life in another person's body because she wished to find her killer? But wait–
'How long have I died? And are we still in my world? I didn't transmigrate into some dumb world or story, did I?'
[Your body and this body's previous soul died a few hours ago and no, Master, you did not transmigrate into a fictional world or story.]
'Thank God for that.' Eira sighed in relief. 'But… who was this previous soul? And what happens to her soul?'
[The previous soul is dead, Master. It's gone and can't come back. She was Ephyra Allen, a 17-year-old girl and the legitimate daughter of the Allen family. Her mother passed away when she was an infant, and her father remarried. Although Ephyra was the legitimate daughter, she was treated poorly both at home and at school. But rest assured, once you regain consciousness, you will have access to all of Ephyra's memories.]
'Ugh, seriously?! Why didn't I transmigrate into a rich and handsome man's wife or a powerful business woman instead of someone with a tragic backstory like this?' Eira groaned in frustration. 'This sounds like the fucking setup for a depressing revenge novel.'
[Master, this is not a story. You have been returned to your body due to unforeseen circumstances. This is your reality.]
'Shut up.'
Eira sighed, floating silently for a moment, staring out at the glittering stars in the darkness around her. Her mind was racing with all the information she had just been hit with. It didn't make sense—not yet, anyway—but she had to accept it. Somehow, this was real.
'So... what happens now?' she asked after a moment. 'I'm in this body. Ephyra is... gone, I guess. What's next?'
[The primary objective, Master, is to help you stabilize your connection with your body and regain full control. After that, it is up to you. The Administrator had certain plans, but with the early activation of the process, those plans will be delayed.]
'Great,' Eira muttered. 'Whatever the hell it is you're saying.'
She closed her eyes, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on her. It was overwhelming—the sudden shift from one life to another, the knowledge that her soul hadn't died and instead entered someone else's body, and now she was going to live another person's life.
But she wasn't the kind of person to wallow. She had always been resilient, adaptable. Even if this situation was bizarre beyond belief, she'd figure it out.
Besides, this was a blessing wasn't it?!
'Okay,' she finally said, her voice firm. 'So what are we still doing here?'
[Stabilization is nearly complete, Master. This will be followed by repairing and returning the body to its original state, which will take up to ten days. Once the process finishes, you will regain consciousness in your physical body. I will be here to guide you every step of the way.]
Eira nodded, feeling a strange sense of calm settle over her. Whatever this was—this new reality, this transmigration, and not-so-system system —she would handle it. She had no other choice.
'Alright then,' she said softly. 'Ready whenever you are.'
~
'Incredible, all her vital signs, stability, and overall conditions have improved greatly, almost magically. Just like how she came back from the dead.'
'Doctor Liam, does this mean she's permanently out of danger?'
'Yes, she should be moved from the ICU to a step-down unit tomorrow.'
'Oh, young miss, please wake up.'
'I know I failed your mother but I don't want to fail you.'
'Oh my dear, even after hearing the news of your accident, that witch Marianne couldn't even come check up on you; even if she was your stepmother. And your father, that spineless bastard also don't care about you, his only daughter! But would always rant about his mother betraying him as if she didn't suffer herself.'
Eira heard the voices, but they were distant, muffled. Her consciousness was still anchored in the starry void, and the outside world felt like a distant echo.
But then, with a sudden jolt, she felt herself being pulled out of the void.
With a gasp, Eira's eyes flew open. She sucked in a deep breath and found herself staring up at the sterile, white ceiling of the hospital room.
Slowly, she lifted her hand and brought it forward. Her fingers were long, thin, and fair.
Eira curled it, feeling the stiffness which were not only in her fingers.
Then, she placed her hand on her chest, feeling the steady thump of her heartbeat. It was real—she was alive, in this body.
And she was Ephyra Allen now.
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