Lord of Mysteries: Goddess of Origin

After breakfast, Selina took a few minutes of shower before briskly entering dresser room, lower floor of the Ivory manor's Southern Wing.

Seeing the mannequin clad in a white frilled gown, cascading its silk over the floor, Selina grumbled in her breath, I never realized how extravagant a gown is, I used to fantasize in wearing one but now...

She then saw her mother next to the mannequin, instructing the tailoress about the customization and alteration she'd have to make while tending Selina.

Noticing her daughter from the door, Filicia raised the corners of her mouth and welcomed her softly, "Ah... Selina, The time have been moved, Mrs. Isabelle here will be arranging you immediately."

Making her towards Selina, Filicia gave her daughter a warm embrace before quietly brisking off from the door, as she close it, she abruptly added, "We'll wait for you in the lounge area."

Thud

The door closed with a mildly sounding shut.

Turning her head to Isabelle, the tailoress's hand have already gestured Selina to face the full-length mirror.

Without needing to be asked, Isabelle spoke in a respectful tone, "Mr. Deimsfel will be waiting in the local abbey."

In this world, they have also adapted a tradition for spouses, where the groom never accompany his bride for the entire day of the wedding.

The only moment they'll meet is at the solemn gaze of the priest and the blessing of their deities.

With the tailoress's assistance, Selina undressed and slipped into the white frilled bodice. Almost immediately, she noticed the gown's poor condition—the skirt was uneven, frills hung loosely from the torso, and the waist sagged just slightly.

Isabelle, holding the fabric in place with practiced grace, began adjusting the gown with quiet diligence, shaping it gently to fit Selina's form.

From the full-length mirror, she was clad in pure white, lengthened dress that cascades down to the floor. With the skirt that begins strictly from her waist, layered in transparent frills sewn with intricate design of rose and vines in frozen white. 

She was a maiden of beautiful stature, a bride of an extremely fortunate man.

"Miss Selina, how do you feel?" Isabelle, the tailoress, initiated a conversation for the anxious bride as her finger accurately pierced the dress with needles, ensuring a customized fitting.

Blankly fixated into the reflective surface of the mirror. With a slight response, she revealed a soft and gentle smile, "I'm fine, you won't have to worry..."

Isabelle didn't further trouble the lady with her inquiries, focusing intently over the loose veils and frills of the gown.

After half an hour, Isabelle have finally finished pinning Selina's gown, perfectly suiting the lady's slender body. Soon, the wedding carriage will arrived by the manor's court yard to escort Selina to the town's abbey.

Noticing the bride's face uncovered, Isabelle quickly notified Selina of the missing headpiece.

"M-Mrs. Ivory, I forgot to bring the bridal veil, please wait patiently as I bring it promptly" Isabelle abruptly bowed her head in apology.

With a relaxed tone, Selina replied with a soft smile, "Alright... I'll be waiting." 

The tailoress briefly lowered her head as she exited the dressing room hurriedly.

Seeing the door closed, Selina let her gaze wonder towards the tailoress's portable sewing kit.

She noticed a long and thin silver hairpin, about seven to eight inch long resting at an equidistant from her and the case. Its end is carved with intricate patterns of miniature flowers petrified in its silver body. 

It somehow reminds me of the hairpin used to tie the hair of brides from the country of China... Selina reminisced of her years pursuing stylish clothes and accessories.

Reevaluating her initial plan, her hand reached the hairpin and slowly pierced it into her garment's skirt, below her abdomen, before intertwining her hand in the same spot, effectively concealing it.

Not long after, the door swinged open from the outside.

Isabelle, clenching a white headpiece consisting of a layered transparent veil, was breathing mildly from her running.

She spoke in an abashed tone, "H-Here my lady."

Selina didn't replied, instead she revealed a tender, courteous smile at the girl.

...

In the lounge area, main block of the manor.

Selina, draped in an extravagant white gown that cascaded to the floor, was flanked by several butlers attending to the voluminous cloth trailing behind her.

Ugh… this is such a hassle, She silently grumbled at the dress's overly elaborate design, wondering how she was supposed to navigate the length of the abbey in it.

Waiting patiently by the frame of the double doors stood her father, Vincent Ivory, poised to personally escort his daughter to the altar.

He wore a long sleeved white shirt draped in a black-grey tuxedo, a miniature rose tucked inside the pocket of his chest.

Upon arriving beside her father, Vincent offered Selina his arm as they made their way to the bridal carriage.

"Don't feel nervous..." Vincent said in a measured tone, cradling his daughter's anxiety.

Are they're really replicas? Selina muttered to herself before turning to face her father. With a forced smile she replied, "I'm fine."

Vincent nodded in acknowledgement before retracting his head forward.

The carriage is adorned with flower vines frozen in its wooden carvings, with an emblem of leaves and flowers circling a bolded capital letter of V, their family's emblem.

Its doors swinged open, inside was her mother, Filicia Ivory, wearing a long white dress, paired with a long white gloves, accentuating her supple shoulders.

She revealed a wide smile as she said "You look so beautiful, my daughter..."

Selina accepted her compliment with a nod, replying "Thank you."

As she board the carriage, her hand remained in her lower abdomen. Taking the seat next to her father. Vincent, raised his voice and commanded, "Let's go"

The coachman nodded before raising his hands holding the leads and tugged the rope with a sudden fall, commanding the horses to advance.

...

As they reach the border of Milo, Filicia broke the quiet atmosphere, encountering the gaze of Vincent, she spoke in a mellow voice to Selina, "Please don't ruin your wedding again..."

Then, for a moment, she added, "But it won't matter..."

Selina felt her body froze in her seat, noting herself internally, So this is where they reveal their true selves...

Selina could only nod in submission.

Beyond the carriage's window, sliding pass its periphery one by one, the road are shadowed by trees extending its branch above the tracks. At a distant, the town consists of either three to four story buildings, each at a space from one another, adorned in bricks and occasional terraces, the town's design depicts a vintage residentials of the Western 18s.

Soon, they arrived at the central court of the town, paved ahead is the abbey crowded with town's residence occupying each pew of the interior.

Selina, holding her father's left arm, together, they exit the bridal carriage.

Entering the abbey, it holds ten white pillars, even in each sides of the aisle, light filters through the stained glass windows depicting an eight miniature stars around a magnificent gray moon, ahead in the altar, in between the two hallways that leads to the back area.

Hand-in-hand with her parents, Selina walked down the aisle.

She recognized the majority of residences spectating her wedding as guests, while others completely foreign to her.

In a distant whispers, she heard a faint voice. "That's Mr. Klarman, our higher-up."

Her head subconsciously turned towards the man in their topic, with frizzled black hair followed white streaks in them, he appeared to be of southern highlands. Wearing a white shirt beneath a black tuxedo, he revealed a frivolous smile at Selina.

Klarman... Selina retracted her gaze forward, ahead is the altar depicting a woman's statue. She wore a lose loincloth garment while her eyes concealed in a piece of cloth, her left carries harvests while on the right cradles an infant.

Her face cascades a crimson river.

According to her memories, such a statue was never displayed in the town of Milo. Especially if its the statue of an unknown deity.

Below the altar, is a priest draped in a long and loose white robe, next to him is Deimsfel, the groom of the wedding. He wore a long-sleeved shirt followed by a black tie with a piece of a wide V-shaped suit, concealing his shoulder, leaving his chest open.

Selina took noticed of his entire before reevaluating her plan internally once more. Hands clenched together below her abdomen. 

Finally arriving at the altar, Selina faced Deimsfel, his eyes fixated at the bride, revealing a smile.

Selina mirrored her "husband's" expression, her intertwined hands below her abdomen, maintaining her posture with diligent care, she raised her eyes to meet his.

Under the solemn gaze of the priest. Selina and Deimsfel listened to the chanting of the wedding vow. The hall remained eerily quiet

With the vow disclosed, the two began to swore an oath.

With her heart restrained, head lowered, she said in a mellow voice, "I do."

In response, his posture straightened, Deimsfel echoed the same word.

In the center of the altar, the priest lowered his head slightly before he invoked in a solemn tone, "You may seal your love..."