Nora went to her room and immediately picked up the book she had just bought to study it. But as soon as she opened it, she was stunned. She had been so focused on buying the book that she forgot the most important thing: she couldn't recognize the characters here.
That meant she, a top graduate from a 985 university, had become illiterate in this place. It was somewhat understandable. After all, in modern society, most people use simplified characters, and few read traditional ones anymore.
"No!" Nora flopped onto the bed in frustration and shouted. She looked at the book again but could only put it into her space and decide to learn the characters before reading it later.
"System Vee.9, why is it that others who travel through time are powerful and impressive, but I ended up illiterate? Did you secretly keep my rewards?"
"Warning! Host's thoughts are dangerous. Please do not wrongfully accuse the system. The system is official and will not withhold rewards."
"Alright, I get it! Sorry, I shouldn't have accused you." Although System Vee.9's voice was still cold and mechanical, Nora felt a sense of grievance in it.
"Then, dear System Vee.9, do you have any rewards that can help me get stronger?" Nora asked hopefully.
"Reminder! Host! The system is only for daily check-ins, not a wishing well!" System Vee.9's tone sounded even more pitiful.
As a formal system, it was already generous to not force the host to complete tasks. Yet the host still asked for so much. Other systems would punish for failed tasks. This one was truly rare and kind.
After chatting with System Vee.9 for a while longer, Nora let it be. She went to her space and placed her bed beside the strawberry field.
This way, she could eat fresh strawberries anytime, and the air here had a faint fruity smell that she liked very much. After tidying her bed, Nora lay down comfortably and closed her eyes.
When she woke again, night had fallen. Nora took the fire striker from the table and lit a lamp. She checked the time; it was already 7:30 p.m.
She rubbed her stomach and turned to go downstairs. "Waiter, is there still a window seat available?" Nora met a waiter right after going downstairs and asked quickly.
"Yes, madam! Please follow me." The waiter led Nora to a window seat on the second floor. "Just one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one soup, please."
"Understood, madam! Please wait a moment; I will arrange it right away." The waiter took the order and left respectfully.
Nora leaned back in her chair and looked out at the brightly lit street and the bustling crowd below. She thought the Tanzanite Kingdom was not bad. The people seemed fairly well off, and there was no curfew.
"Madam, your food is here!" The waiter brought the dishes and introduced them. "This is our signature braised chicken, stir-fried vegetables, and tofu soup. Please enjoy."
Nora picked up her chopsticks and tasted the food. She had to admit, the chef's skills were really good. Even simple home dishes were flavorful.
"Ugh! I haven't seen a woman other than my mother for almost a year! When will this life end?" A long sigh from the next table caught Nora's attention.
She lowered her movements and listened carefully, hoping to hear any useful information. "Who hasn't?" A man at another table also sighed sadly. "Women are so rare now. If a family has a woman, they protect her carefully. Even when she goes out, she's surrounded by layers of protection. Outsiders don't get to see her."
"Stone, how long has it been since you saw a woman?"
"Last month," Stone said proudly, lifting his chin like seeing a woman was the greatest honor.
"Really? Today I thought I might see the ladies of the household at Fairy Lake, but only the sons of officials and wealthy families can enter the lake and talk to the ladies. The ladies themselves never leave the cabin.
Those ladies are out of our reach. We should just focus on working hard and saving dowries. Maybe one day a lady will notice our dowry and bring us into the mansion, even if only as a servant.
Ah, I have no hope. I'm too old and not pretty enough. I can only save more dowry and hope my younger brother has a chance to catch a lady's eye."
...
Nora swallowed with empty eyes. This world is crazy. Men have to earn money and save dowries themselves, and they have to beg like this!
Back in her space, she stored the ripe strawberry watermelons and then crawled under her warm blanket to sleep.
She woke before five but was bored, tossing and turning without sleep.
No phone, no computer, no TV. Living surrounded by electronics before, Nora felt very uncomfortable here.
She could barely endure the first two days, but now nothing felt right. It always felt like something was missing.
"Ding! Today's sign-in is not complete. Host, do you want to sign in?"
"Sign in!" Nora replied weakly, lying on the bed.
"Ding! Congratulations, host. Today's sign-in rewards: master-level sanda training, a deep enlightenment, master-level calligraphy, one thousand taels of silver, and a two-courtyard house in the capital! Property deed has been stored in your space warehouse."
Nora sat up sharply, rubbing her ears in disbelief. "System Vee.9, what did you just say?"
"Ding! Congratulations, host. Today's sign-in rewards: master-level sanda training, a deep enlightenment, master-level calligraphy, one thousand taels of silver, and a two-courtyard house in the capital! Property deed has been stored in your space warehouse." The system repeated coldly.
This time Nora was sure she heard right. She jumped up with excitement. Yesterday she was useless in fighting, now she was a martial arts expert.
Yesterday she could not read, now she could understand books. She even gained master-level calligraphy, a skill others might never reach after years of practice.
Who wouldn't be excited?
"System Vee.9, you're really too kind to me!" If the system had a body, she would hug it tightly and kiss it hard.
"Ding! Do you accept the inheritance now, host?"
"Yes!"
Nora felt a sharp pain in her head. Though painful, it was bearable. After about a minute, the pain faded.
Her mind became clear. Not only were her martial arts moves fluent, but she could also read and understand the books she bought yesterday. Even knowledge from modern times was clearly remembered.
Is this what deep enlightenment feels like?
Nora immediately posed and followed the moves in her mind. She threw a smooth combination of punches. After finishing, she felt refreshed all over.
Now she finally felt safe!
Since coming to Quartz Continent, Nora never truly felt secure. She didn't know what kind of world this was.
She didn't know what to do if danger came. Even with the system, she worried what if it left one day?
But now, the system gave her the ability to protect herself. Even if it was temporary, she believed she could truly defend herself before the system disappeared.