"Buzz—"
A sharp ringing in her ears accompanied by a wave of dizziness interfered with Syl's thoughts.
Where... am I?
Forcing down the urge to vomit, Syl tried to grope for something in the darkness, but she was completely unable to control her body.
It was as if she no longer had a body at all.
Before she could even think about what was happening, a beam of pure white light suddenly flashed out of nowhere in the void before her eyes.
In an instant, Syl felt as though she had regained control over her body.
She immediately snapped her eyes open.
"This place is..." Syl wanted to say more, but her head felt like it was about to explode. Countless strange words surfaced in her mind, along with a memory of the short life of a Nun named Syl.
"No... I can't pass out..." Syl murmured.
Although she didn't know what would happen if she fainted here, a strong intuition told her.
She would die.
She would definitely die.
At the thought of death, a surge of what could be called survival instinct or madness welled up in Syl's heart, driving her hands to keep groping for something beside her.
A subconscious sense of crisis in her mind reminded Syl that she had to clear her groggy head.
"(Suramar) Si... Sister Syl?" A hurried, panicked whisper came from beside her, as if the speaker were afraid of being overheard.
Without stopping to wonder why she understood this strange language, that voice made Syl feel a wave of tension.
Syl's hand gripped an object.
Even though her vision was blurred and she was seeing double, Syl's sharp eyes clearly saw it was a mountain-shaped, exquisitely crafted candlestick. Its hollowed-out decorations and gilded exterior spoke of its luxury.
Even if it wasn't an antique, it would probably fetch a good price as a piece of modern craftsmanship.
Syl gripped the candlestick with her right hand and swung it to the side, shaking off the candles and revealing the sharp spikes used to hold them in place.
With almost no hesitation, Syl raised the candlestick high with her right hand and drove it forcefully into her left hand.
*Thud—*
Like a sharp knife stabbing into pork, Syl's left hand made a dull sound as it was pierced. Blood splattered instantly, some even spraying onto Syl's face.
The pain of bone being pierced made Syl's entire body shudder. The massive pain brought with it a brief moment of mental clarity.
Taking advantage of this short window of clarity, Syl pulled out the candlestick and pointed the blood-dripping object at the person who had just spoken to her.
And now, Syl finally saw clearly who was in front of her.
A... middle-aged man in a black monastic robe, looking kind and refined?
"(Suramar) Miss Syl, what on earth is wrong with you?" The man showed a worried expression and took a small step back as he looked at Syl pointing the spike at him.
Seeing that the man didn't approach, Syl quickly glanced back and confirmed there was a side door she could exit through.
As she turned her head, Syl also took a quick sweep of her surroundings.
Rows of tiered desks like a lecture hall, but the decor was unlike any university in Syl's memory.
Instead, it looked somewhat like a church?
Why was she here?
But the most important thing right now was that there was a door behind her.
After confirming the exit, Syl quickly turned back and continued to confront the man, her body swaying as she slowly retreated backward.
Upon reaching the door, Syl endured the intense pain and used her pierced left hand to push it open, while her right hand still held the candlestick in a defensive posture.
Thank goodness, the door opened smoothly.
The sunlight outside instantly dispelled the gloom of the classroom. Syl's body retreated fully onto the wooden corridor behind her. Footsteps, voices in discussion, and the sound of bells all entered Syl's ears at once.
"(Suramar) Sister Syl! Why are you here? Wahhh! Your hand!"
A cute voice came from her side. For some reason, hearing this voice made Syl feel a sense of relief.
As Syl relaxed, dizziness and exhaustion reclaimed her body, and she collapsed weakly.
But in her hand, she still tightly gripped the candlestick... Sunlight spilled into the room through the windowsill, and the fresh wooden floor and bedding emitted a clean, warm scent under the warm sun.
*Gasp—*
With a sharp intake of breath, a girl with pale blonde hair quickly sat up from the bed. Her chest heaved as she looked around in panic, as if she had just had a nightmare.
In fact, she really had been dreaming, but it was a dream that told the life of a girl named Syl.
I am... Syl?
A Nun belonging to the Monastery of the Church of the Goddess of Hope outside Suramar City?
This isn't Earth?
The most crucial point! A Nun!?
Looking down at her delicate little hands, Syl didn't even need to consider other possibilities; she already accepted the reality of her dream.
In the dream just now, she had experienced the life of the girl Syl, from being abandoned by her family to being adopted by the Church, up until what had just happened... A girl... Even though Syl really wanted to think about the details of what just happened, the fact that she had become female made her feel a bit of a breakdown.
If her appearance in the dream was accurate...
Then her current self should be... fifteen or sixteen years old, about 1.68 meters tall, with willow-leaf eyebrows and drooping eyes that made it look like she was smiling at everyone.
Her azure eyes were as pure as gemstones. If she had to describe them, they were like sky-blue ice-type jade, clear and transparent, making anyone feel an instant liking for her at a glance.
Her hair was pale blonde, slightly curled at the ends. Combined with her beautiful features, she easily brought to mind the "angels" preached about in various Orthodox Churches.
Unfortunately, her chest was a bit flat, but she could still be considered a top-tier beauty in the making.
Xi... no, she should be called Syl now.
At any other point in time, she would have tried her best to pursue such a girl who was exactly her type.
Even if she failed, at least she wouldn't have any regrets.
But why... why did this pretty girl have to be me!?
Whoever wants to change can sign up! I don't want to become a girl!
Syl silently grumbled to herself, her beautiful eyelashes fluttering as she turned her head to examine her surroundings.
White curtains and bedsheets... they always reminded her of a hospital. The strange decor, completely different from her previous life, and the Church symbols she had never seen before repeatedly confirmed it for Syl.
She wasn't crazy; she had traveled to another world.
It was a strange world that looked very much like the Victorian era but was slightly different. There seemed to be a real mysterious power in this world, and as someone in the Church, Syl might even have the chance to come into contact with it.
But who was that man who had given her such a strong sense of crisis, that suffocating feeling of being on the brink of life and death when she first arrived?
And who was the girl who had called out to her?