Chapter 252: The Pawn Who Thought She Was The Queen
We continued talking, and I learned that she awakened the system and inherited the memories around that time, after undergoing a traditional awakening ceremony to increase her ’price’.
With the help of the system and the memories, she had started to build confidence and skills slowly.
She had started by learning to protect herself, both physically and emotionally. The memories had shown how manipulation worked, how to read people’s true intentions more clearly, how to build walls that couldn’t be torn down easily, and so on.
"The ’system’ gave me access to skills, abilities, strategic thinking, missions, even powerful resonance arts and techniques." Cassandra continued, but she was much calmer now.
"I started small, learning how to say ’no’ to the servants who tried to use my ’foolishness’ or frame me. Standing straighter when my siblings attempted their usual cruelty. Using the etiquette lessons they’d forced on me as armor instead of chains."
"I learned to be fearless, even if I took a beating, and learned to fight back for myself."
"But I was still a bit late."
I squinted my eyes slightly, guessing it might be related to the engagement she spoke of before.
"The duke and his first wife had long signed a marriage contract between me and an old marquis from a neighboring kingdom."
Oh, so that red-haired guy wasn’t her first fiancé?
"It was supposed to be my final fate - another transaction, another way to use me as a tool for their political games. An old man who saw me as nothing more than a beautiful ornament for his declining years." Her voice hardened. "But by then, I had begun to understand my own worth. The memories and experiences taught me that I didn’t have to accept the life others had planned for me."
"...So you refused then?" I asked curiously.