Norah opened her eyes to find herself strapped to a cold, metallic bed. And standing beside her was a man in a white lab coat. The moment Norah saw him, her eyes widened involuntarily.
"Surprised to see me, huh?" the man asked with a smug grin, his eyes glinting with a hint of madness. He leaned closer, his voice a low, frenzied growl. "Why did you have to disrupt the balance? Isn’t this world something to be proud of?"
The woman stared back at him with icy composure, her gaze sharp and unyielding. "Why?" she asked, her voice was so cold and steady.
"Why?" the man scoffed, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Because of the power that comes with it, of course. Doctor, I’m thrilled to have joined your team. Thanks to you, I’ve seized this opportunity. And I won’t let you ruin it!"
The woman’s eyes lowered, her long lashes casting shadows over her expression. A faint, eerie smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "If I gave you the opportunity, I can just as easily take it back. I hope you know that"
"Oh, really?" the man sneered, his confidence unshaken. "You’re nothing but my prisoner now. How do you plan to take it back, huh?"
But in the next instant, his bravado faltered. As he watched the woman’s movements, as panic flashed in his eyes. He tried to stop her, but it was futile. He could only scream, "You’re insane! Stop! Don’t—!"
In a split second, the woman’s psychic energy erupted, causing the entire underground lab to explode. She had self-destructed, taking the laboratory with her. Just before darkness consumed her, she let out a soft, almost amused chuckle and closed her eyes. She should have left long ago, but she, too, had her own desires. And now...
1977, Tasmanian, Australia
Norah opened her eyes once more, her gaze sweeping over the unfamiliar surroundings. Confusion flickered in her eyes. Hadn’t she self-destructed with her psychic energy? Shouldn’t her soul have been obliterated? Why was she still alive?
She forced herself to stay calm. As a psychic practitioner from the apocalypse, there wasn’t much she hadn’t witnessed. Perhaps this time, she had broken through the boundaries of what she thought was possible.
With that thought, she roughly ran a hand through her hair, struggling to make sense of the situation. As a scientist, she had never believed in ghosts or spirits. Even though some people had awakened supernatural abilities after the apocalypse, she had always believed those could be explained through science. But her own resurrection? That was something truly bizarre.
...
"Norah, are you feeling unwell again?"
The voice from outside the door belonged to Hannah, as it was laced with concern. It had been three days since her daughter had woken up, and she hadn’t left her room or spoken a word. The family was worried sick, but they didn’t dare press her for answers.
As Hannah's question hung in the air, Norah's eyes dimmed momentarily before she exhaled deeply. She had taken over this body, and the young girl who once inhabited it had likely succumbed to a fever. If it weren't for her own formidable mental strength, she might not have survived either. This era was so backward , that there were no effective medicines for something as common as a fever. It was truly a time of poverty and hardship.
She never imagined that after closing her eyes, she would wake up two hundred years in the past. The girl whose body she now occupied shared her name, Norah. Perhaps it was this coincidence that allowed her to be reborn in this body.
The original Norah was a fourteen-year-old high school student in the county town. Her father, Edward, was the council head of Tasmanian, and her mother was Hannah. She also had an older brother, Gregory, who was twenty-five and married to Miriam. They already had two sons, Daniel and Damian, whose names symbolized the hope that they would become pillars of the nation.
In addition, Norah had two uncles, which were her eldest uncle, Phillip, and her second uncle, Clarence. During Edward's time in the military, Clarence had taken good care of their small family, so the two households were on good terms. As for Phillip, he lived with their grandparents, and his personality... well, she didn’t want to dwell on that.
The reason she had ended up in this girl’s body was because the original Norah had been on her way home from school during the summer break when she saw a child fall into the river. Without hesitation, she jumped in to save the child. Although it was summer, the water, fed by the nearby mountains, was still cold. She managed to rescue the child, but that night, she developed a high fever and never recovered. That was when Norah, which is the new Norah took over.
Now that she was Norah, she had to try to accept the Edward. After all, she had always believed in repaying kindness and settling scores. Since she had been reborn through Norah, she owed it to the family to repay their kindness. Besides, she had no way to return to her old life—her previous body had been destroyed by those scoundrels in the federal government. It was infuriating. She had been so careful, but she hadn’t anticipated a traitor in the lab.
"Mom, I’m fine. I’ve just been lying in bed for three days and feel a bit musty. I’ll go out in a bit."
Norah knew she couldn’t stay like this forever, or the Edward would start to worry. She had read about this era in history books, but after all, it was over two hundred years ago, and her understanding wasn’t thorough. All she knew was that both domestic and international technology were incredibly backward. Since she was here, she might as well take a good look at this primitive time. If necessary, she could even help advance the technological level of this era. If she could prevent the apocalypse that would come two hundred years later, that would be ideal.
Of course, it all depended on whether this era suited her tastes.
Norah found a clean set of clothes and put them on, checking herself in the mirror to make sure she looked exactly like the original Norah. Satisfied, she pushed open the door—only to come face-to-face with the girl’s mother, or rather, her mother now—Hannah.
"Mom, don’t worry. I’m fine now. I’ve just been a bit groggy since waking up. I’m sorry for making you and Dad worry."
Norah imitated the original girl’s usual way of acting spoiled with Hannah. As expected, Hannah’s face lit up with relief, showing no signs of suspicion. Norah relaxed a little. On one hand, she felt guilty for not being able to tell the Edward the truth; on the other, she knew she would gradually change her personality over time. Fortunately, Norah’s personality wasn’t too different from her own, so she wouldn’t have to make drastic changes.
"It’s good that you’re okay, it’s good that you’re okay!" Hannah’s expression softened as she pulled her daughter close. "You really scared us these past few days. Your father was even thinking of taking you to the big hospital in the city. Don’t ever scare us like that again!"
Norah nodded with a smile, a signature gesture of the original girl.
"Mom, where’s Dad?"
"Your father and the others have gone to work in the fields. Your brother and his wife are there too. There's some porridge left in the pot for you. Eat it while it's warm and rest at home for a few more days. Once you're fully recovered, you can join them in the fields!"
Edward and Hannah, though deeply affectionate towards their youngest daughter, believed in teaching her the necessary skills. They loved her, not spoiled her, understanding that overindulgence could do more harm than good.
"Got it!" Norah nodded. From her memories, she knew she helped out during every summer and winter break. It was more about showing face to the folks of Tasmanian than actual labor, as she was always given the lightest tasks.
"What about Daniel and Damian?"
"Those two rascals are off playing with their friends!" Hannah replied, picking up a farming tool from the yard and slinging it over her shoulder, ready to head out. She added, "Don't forget to eat!"
"Mm-hmm," Norah nodded again, watching her mother leave the house. She glanced around; their home was considered well-off in Tasmanian, but to her, it was starkly poor and backward. She mused that perhaps the heavens had sent her to save this underdeveloped planet. After all, the technological backwardness of this era was notorious, with significant advancements only emerging in the 21st century. Now, in the 1970s, it was over two centuries behind her time, making the technological gap understandable.
Norah chuckled wryly to herself and headed to the kitchen. Sure enough, there was some warm porridge in the pot. Looking at the modest kitchen and the not-so-thick porridge, she had to admit that she was no longer the esteemed pharmacist from the apocalypse but a simple village girl in Tasmanian on Earth.
After finishing her meal, Norah couldn't help but marvel at the deliciousness of Earth's natural foods, a stark contrast to the artificial, cultivated meals of her previous life. Even as a high-ranking pharmacist, she had never tasted anything as pure and flavorful as this porridge. It was a small comfort in her new reality.
After tidying up, she missed her robotic housekeeper from the future, who would have handled such chores with a simple command. Now, she had to do everything manually. She longed to create even a basic dishwasher, but without the necessary materials, her genius was of no use.
Once done, Norah decided to visit the fields. Having spent the last three days confined to her room, grappling with the reality of her rebirth in another's body, she felt it was time to see the world with her own eyes and plan her next steps.
As it was mid-morning, most people were out working in the fields, so Norah encountered few villagers on her way out.
After walking for a while, Norah finally spotted a few villagers scattered here and there. They all greeted her warmly, and at that moment, she felt immensely grateful that the original owner of this body had left her with memories!
"Norah, are you feeling better? You haven’t been out these past few days, and we’ve been so worried! You’re such a brave girl, jumping into the water to save someone without a second thought in this scorching heat!"
"That’s right, Norah! You’re truly the daughter of the Council head—such high morals!"
Norah smiled and nodded in response to the aunties and sisters-in-law, but she didn’t engage in conversation. She wasn’t sure what to say, and when someone occasionally offered a word of concern, she simply thanked them. Fortunately, she didn’t run into too many people along the way. When she reached the fields, she realized that almost everyone was busy with the harvest. If it had been before, she might not have understood what "harvest rush" meant, but now she knew all too well.
Watching everyone bent over, their faces flushed and even darkened by the blazing sun, Norah felt an unfamiliar, indescribable emotion stirring within her.
"Norah, why are you here? We told you to rest at home! You’ve just recovered from a fever—what if you get sick again?" Hannah’s voice was tinged with anxiety as she saw her daughter approaching. She was genuinely afraid that Norah might fall ill again. This recent illness had truly frightened both her and her husband. Edward nodded in agreement. "Norah, listen to us and go back. It’s too hot here. Your mother and I, along with your brother and his wife, can handle the work in the fields. There’s no need for a young girl like you to join us."
Norah nodded. She had only come to get a feel for the place, and she hadn’t planned on working anyway. Her real goal was the mountain behind Tasmanian. It was said to be teeming with game, and in this era, the food was all natural, unprocessed, and incredibly delicious.
