The Shy Little Girl

Irina's room was spacious, with a smooth marble floor covered by a plush white carpet. In the center was a pale pink bed, with its head resting against the wall. To the left was a white wardrobe with floral patterns, half-open to reveal an array of garments in different colors and styles. On the right stood a desk, beneath which were small cabinets stuffed with books, while the desk itself had a lamp. Further right, there was a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the backyard pool.

Irina approached and pulled the white curtains, reducing the sunlight, and adjusted the nearby full-length mirror before sitting on the bed, which was adorned with several stuffed dolls.

Becky was already sitting there, reclining slightly, her hands propped on the bed as her little legs, covered in white stockings, swung back and forth.

'This world isn't as backward as I imagined, at least they have stockings… and other things that resemble bras… I can feel them on myself. There are tissues on the nightstand, and it looks like the wardrobe has something called "moon pads"…'

Irina's gaze swept the room as fragments of common knowledge resurfaced in her memory. She sat beside Becky, naturally taking her soft little hand, meeting Becky's surprised gaze without changing her expression.

"Becky, the Starlight Festival is coming soon, right?" Irina tried to start a conversation with the little information she had.

Becky glanced at the hand Irina was holding, then at her, nodding as she replied, "Yes, there are three holidays in September, and the Starlight Festival on the 19th is the last one."

This world had twelve months, each with exactly thirty days, and the hours, minutes, and seconds were all consistent with what Irina knew from her past life.

Feeling Becky's hand attempt to pull away, Irina subtly tightened her grip, not letting it go, and asked, "What are you planning to do for the Starlight Festival?"

Becky stopped trying to withdraw her hand and sighed, "People of our status don't get to decide what to do during such grand festivals. I can already imagine it. I'll be dressed up like a doll, taken to various lavish events, and forced to talk with familiar and unfamiliar faces, all while wearing a fixed smile and offering empty blessings."

Irina felt a shiver at the thought. "I hope I won't have to do the same on that day."

"You know, I've only just arrived in Selafite, so I'm still unfamiliar with everything here. By the way, will we have to dance at the Starlight Festival, when we're invited?" Irina asked, clearly concerned. This was her biggest worry.

"Don't worry," Becky smiled and reassured her. "In our kingdom's etiquette, ladies always come first. If a gentleman invites us to dance, we have the right to refuse. We can avoid dancing with people we don't like."

Irina let out a relieved sigh.

"However…" Becky continued, "Ladies are not allowed to invite others to dance; we can only wait to be asked. Those ladies who are unpopular hate attending balls, because they end up standing in the corners with sore feet."

'I'd rather have sore feet in the corner…'

Irina silently thought, wondering if she, as a foreign princess, would end up in the category of unpopular individuals.

"You don't have to worry about that, Irina. You're very popular. I'm sure there will be many self-proclaimed gentlemen who will kneel and formally invite you to dance," Becky said with a smile.

Irina didn't smile back.

Just then, a voice echoed in her mind:

"You've shaken hands with a female for one minute. Experience +10 points."

The sudden notification improved Irina's mood a bit.

As the conversation went on, Becky and Irina continued chatting, and Irina subtly steered the topic toward the subject of transcendent beings.

As the second princess of the Kingdom of Night, Becky's status naturally gave her access to more information.

But Irina was disappointed by Becky's response.

"Transcendent beings…" Becky pouted and said, visibly displeased. "My father told me that my initial training was sufficient, and as long as I complete the advancement ceremony, I could become a level one apprentice. But I've never been able to complete this seemingly simple but actually very difficult ceremony."

Becky was younger than Irina, only fourteen, and at that age, girls were often restless and impatient. Expecting them to memorize a thousand words within a day was a real challenge.

"Don't worry, Becky. You're amazing, and you'll definitely become a transcendent being one day. I believe I'll be there to see it," Irina said, trying to comfort her.

Seeing Becky's slightly wronged expression, Irina couldn't help but reach out with her other hand to ruffle her soft, golden hair. It felt so pleasant to touch.

"You've shaken hands with a female for one minute. Experience +10 points."

"You've teased a female and made her bashful. Experience +50 points."

The sudden influx of notifications made Irina pause.

"Did ruffling her hair count as teasing?"

She instinctively glanced at Becky, and to her surprise, Becky's face had turned bright red, her large eyes blinking rapidly, unable to look at Irina directly.

'What a shy and adorable little girl.'

Irina thought to herself, inching a little closer.

Suddenly, Becky jumped up in a panic and said, "Ah! I just remembered, I was supposed to meet with my mentor. If I don't leave now, I'll be late. Irina, I have to go!"

She hastily rushed out of the room, and Irina didn't try to stop her.

Irina opened the transcendent panel in her mind and checked her remaining experience. She poured it all into her apprentice experience, quickly bringing it up to 90/100.

"Looks like I'm about to become an apprentice. I'll use the remaining experience with Filine," Irina thought to herself.

She stood up, feeling a little uncomfortable with the emptiness beneath her. Deciding to change her clothes, she went to the wardrobe and opened it, only to be momentarily overwhelmed by the choices.

It seemed that most of the clothing, whether daily wear or formal dresses, were all skirts.

She closed the wardrobe and pulled open a small drawer beneath it, which was filled with undergarments, stockings, and accessories. Realizing it was futile to try on anything, she left the room.

The villa had two floors. Irina lived on the second floor, which had several rooms and a bathroom, including a room for Filine. The first floor housed the living room, dining room, kitchen, and a bathroom. The front door led to the yard, and the back door led to the swimming pool.

As soon as Irina stepped down the stairs, she saw Filine walking toward her with a stern expression.

"Your Highness, why didn't you inform me that Princess Becky had arrived? A guest came, but you didn't even offer tea. That's quite rude. Even if I weren't here, you should've taken on the responsibilities of the hostess…"