Become A Great Sword Master

Second Chance

Cassio opened her eyes after her head was cut off by a royal soldier.

"....What the hell is this? I'm still alive."

She slowly got up from her shabby mattress and walked over to the old mirror hanging on the wall. Cassio stared at herself in disbelief.

The young woman's face was staring back at her. Her long, thick black hair was scattered over her worn dress. Her eyes shone brightly, revealing the light of hope and youth. Obviously, this was a very strange but familiar appearance in her memory.

"How on earth? Have I returned to eight years ago?" Cassio muttered in disbelief. She raised both hands and saw some faint scars from work and training.

Too many questions raced through her mind for her to speak.

Was this all a dream? But it's too real to be considered a nightmare. Did I use magic to travel back in time? No, no, I couldn't use any magic. Besides, only certain people can use it.

But it was a truth that she went back eight years before that terrible fate happened. Cassio can change everything she regrets for as long as she lives.

"Absolutely...I can change my future!"

Cassio's body trembled with excitement. She thought about how she could escape from the cruel fate that bound her and determine her own destiny.

If she remembered correctly, it was two weeks before she was to be married by force to Duke Eluned Clothilde Scamnder. That's why she had to leave this place in a hurry.

Moreover, the Imperial Cavalry would be held in a week. It was the perfect opportunity for her to leave this place and join the Imperial Cavalry.

The Imperial Cavalry was an organization that was created to keep the peace in Nordiff due to its vulnerable location and history of civil unrest. The strength of the Cavalry was not to be underestimated by other empires. The members were strictly selected.

Becoming a member of the Cavalry was a daunting and challenging task. Furthermore, the role of women in the Nordiff Empire was limited and often disregarded.

Despite knowing the difficulties, Cassio was determined. Since childhood, her greatest desire has been to become a sword master in the Imperial Cavalry. Unfortunately, her dream was shattered by her own father.

This time, she wouldn't let anyone stand in the way of her dream.

While Cassio was making her plans, the creaking door of her old room swung open. Two women in elaborate gowns and heavy makeup entered, their faces filled with contempt and disgust.

They are Cassio's half-sisters. The one in the green dress is Aleccia Yyarniam Marquesse, her eldest sister. The one in the red dress is her second sister, Othello Aloysius Marquesse.

They are identical twins with matching appearances and personalities—all bad. That's why they remained unmarried at the age of 21. They remained unmarried, well past the age considered appropriate for noblewomen. The reason is that there's no man who wants to marry them.

It's evident in the way they treated Cassio every day, mocking her as if it were part of their daily schedule.

"Our Sleeping Beauty has finally awakened from her long sleep," sneered Alecia, fanning herself with a lace fan that revealed only her large eyes.

Othello waved her fan dramatically and strolled arrogantly around Cassio. "Look at your shabby appearance. Are you even a human? No woman, not even a servant, looks like you."

Normally, Cassio would ignore her step-sisters' taunts and let their words wash over her until they grew tired and left. But this was the first and last encounter she would have with them since returning to the past. She wouldn't let them go so easily.

"Is that so? I had no idea how to present myself properly. Could you teach me how to be as stunning as the two of you? Your appearances are truly captivating and impressive, making it impossible for other women or even servants to emulate you two."

The two women's eyes widened. Their cheeks, painted with thick rouge, turned as red as tomatoes in anger. But before they could retaliate, the sound of the palace bell echoed throughout the palace.

Aleccia and Othello swallowed their insults and quickly left after spitting out a threatening sentence, "Watch out, you little b***h!"

Cassio glanced at them briefly before walking to the small window in her room and gazing out into the distance.

The bell that had just rung was a signal for all members of the palace and citizens to pay homage to the Emperor of Nordiff. They would bow for one minute to the north, where the Nordiff Imperial Palace was located.

In retrospect, Cassio had stopped participating in the strange tradition that had been going on for about a decade when she reached her teenage years. Her mind had begun to realize that the Emperor was someone who was so obsessed with respect that he created such ridiculous rules, making her completely uninterested in honoring someone like that.

Cassio closed her eyes as the wind through the open window gently brushed her cheeks.

Besides, the reign of the current Nordiff Emperor wouldn't last long before he would be succeeded by his son, the young ruler who would lead the Empire to its glory.

Speaking of the Empire, Cassio remembered that she needed to start preparing. The Imperial Cavalry was stationed at the Nordiff Military Base, near the Imperial Palace. The reason for the proximity was to ensure immediate security in case something bad happened.

Fortunately, she had returned before informing Duke Marquesse of her intention to join the Imperial Cavalry. This way, she could escape without anyone knowing where she was going.

Cassio had already calculated the timing. She will leave tonight and arrive in the imperial capital within two days. That meant she still had five days to prepare before the Imperial Cavalry selection began.

A satisfied smile played on Cassio's lips, making her look sharper than ever.

"Cassio, clean the garden right now!"

Her smile immediately faded as a commanding voice echoed outside her room. Cassio rolled her eyes and sighed. It seemed that before she could leave this place, she had to do her routine chores first.

In this palace, she was also known as a servant. Though not explicitly stated, anyone who saw her treatment could easily guess.

Meanwhile, in public, the Duke Marquesse was very adept at covering it up. He treated Cassio as his beloved daughter, presenting the image of a good father.

The same was true of her stepmother, the Duchess Marquesse. In the eyes of the public, Cassio was considered the Duchess Marquesse's biological daughter. Her sudden appearance at the age of three was explained by her illness, which required her to be entrusted to her uncle for treatment.

A story so fascinating that it made Cassio want to laugh every time she remembered. She even wondered how the public could be fooled for years without discovering the truth.