Chapter 43 ~ The Wedding

Belinda stared at the reflection of herself looking charming and beautiful in the wedding dress of Ravis nation.

Belinda stared at her reflection in the mirror, feeling a mixture of awe and awkwardness. The fiery red wedding dress she wore was indeed alluring, but it felt more like a Sailor Moon costume than a wedding outfit. The thigh-length cut of the dress and the striking color made her feel like she was preparing for a battle on the moon, not walking down the aisle.

The sharp makeup that adorned her face further reinforced that impression-framing the eyes perfectly and giving a dramatic feel to her seductive red lips. “This is more suitable for cosplay,” Belinda thought to herself, feeling more like a fictional character than a bride-to-be.

Yet, even so, there was a slight sense of pride growing within her. Her appearance was different, but that was her choice. This dress, although it made her seem more like a heroine than a bride-to-be, was a manifestation of her daring to challenge convention. If the world wanted to see her as Sailor Moon, then so be it.

Belinda looked up at the gray sky from the window, musing about how life had brought her to this point. “I never imagined before,” she murmured softly, ”that I would marry someone so foreign to me.” Remembering the days when she was still so focused on her goals, after graduating from college, she wanted to focus on her career, pursue her dreams, and not think about marriage at all.

At that time, after graduating from college, she imagined that she would have a brilliant career, without being tied down to something more sacred and binding like marriage.

But reality spoke differently. Her life journey was filled with unexpected surprises.

Now, at a young age and with her student status still attached to her, Belinda is already standing before the altar, ready to say her vows. More ironically, the campus where she used to study, where she planned her future, has now been destroyed, leaving only ruins and barely recognizable memories.

How could life change so quickly? Belinda didn't know the answer for sure. Everything seemed to happen so profoundly and inevitably. When faced with bigger choices than just college or a career, she knew that no one was truly prepared for everything that came their way. In fact, marriage to a complete stranger could be even harder than imagined.

A soft knock on the door interrupted Belinda's reverie, startling her back to reality. With hasty steps, she turned around, staring at the slowly opening door. A maid stood in the doorway, her face full of serenity though there was a hint of doubt in Belinda's eyes that was still lost in thought.

“Miss Bell, it's time for you to come out. The wedding is about to begin,” the maid said in a formal tone, but there was a gentleness that peeked out from behind the words, as if trying to calm the anxiety that was clearly visible on Belinda's face.

Belinda took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Her heart was pounding, with mixed feelings of anxiety, confusion, and nervousness.

She looked at the bright red dress she was wearing in the mirror for a moment, as if asking her own reflection if this was really the path she had chosen.

“Fine,” she replied softly, though the sound felt more fragile than she expected. With heavy steps, she made her way to the door, preparing herself to step into a world that was no longer the same.

With slow steps, Belinda followed the servant who guided her towards the main room. Every step was heavy, as if she was walking towards a destiny she did not fully understand.

After some time, they arrived in front of a tall, solid door, signaling that she was already on the threshold of a completely different world.

The large doors opened slowly, and Belinda was instantly greeted by a sight that stunned her.

Inside the spacious room, a group of alien-looking and mysterious Ravis were standing with expectant and curious gazes. They were dressed in magnificent and symbolic garments, as if this world was truly not Belinda's place. However, her eyes were immediately drawn to the most eye-catching figure in the crowd.

There, under the light that illuminated the room, stood Luca Miller, the groom whom she had heard of, but did not fully recognize. Luca was dressed in a striking outfit, a long red robe that flowed beautifully behind him, paired with the white and black of his basic outfit. The red robe seemed to match the color of his piercing eyes, like a smoldering fire, full of power and mystery.

Luca stood tall, exuding an aura of leadership and decisiveness. His every movement conveyed the authority of a ruler. Belinda could feel how the entire room seemed to be concentrated solely on the figure of the man, who looked at her with an elusive look in his eyes. There was an electrifying feeling, something much deeper than just the tension of a wedding.

Belinda swallowed, looking at Luca with a mixture of awe and anxiety. “Here he is,” she thought, ”Luca Miller, lord of the North, my future husband whom I never chose.”

Luca looked at her with a meaningful gaze, though the faint smile on his face could not hide the firmness contained in his demeanor. It was as if he was used to being the center of attention, but there was something different this time, there was Belinda in front of him, a figure he did not fully know, yet would be a part of his world from now on.

Belinda stepped slowly on the long red carpet, as if her every step had carved a mark in history that could not be changed.

The eyes of the Ravis nation were fixed on her, sharp and attentive. From her vantage point, they looked like swirling shadows, alien figures in colorful clothes that looked more like otherworldly painters than ordinary people. Each of them seemed to exude an aura of power and splendor that she had never encountered before.

However, there was something different this time. Their gazes were no longer the condescending stares Belinda had felt when she first arrived on this planet, full of curiosity and indifference to her origins. Now, those gazes were full of admiration, subtle respect, and even a hint of curiosity.

They looked at her like a worthy figure, no longer just a lowly creature thrown into their world.

Belinda's feelings were mixed. Every gaze that touched her made her heart beat faster. She now felt as if she was no longer just an ordinary human, but part of something bigger.

However, that feeling also carried a burden, a responsibility that she had never imagined before.

Finally, Belinda stopped right in front of Luca, a handsome man with piercing red eyes that were full of mystery. In his presence, she felt a strong magnetism, as if something connected them even though they didn't really know each other.

Luca extended his hand, and his gesture was so sure, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Belinda's heart skipped a beat, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. Slowly, but steadily, she took Luca's hand. As soon as their hands touched, the world seemed to stop for a moment.

There was silence, only the sound of their breathing could be clearly heard, though around them, the crowd of Ravis watched their every move with rapt attention.

Luca smiled slightly, but there was a depth hidden behind that smile. No words came out of his mouth, just a look that said everything. It was a feeling that Belinda could not fully understand, yet somehow, she felt as if she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

“You're so charming, Bell,” Luca said finally, his voice heavy and firm, yet there was an unusual gentleness to it. Those words were like a door that opened a new chapter in Belinda's life, and she knew that the next step would be one she could never reverse.

There, Luca and Belinda made their sacred vows of marriage. Witnessed by many Ravis and god statues.

It was a Ravis wedding ritual. It ended with the couple drinking red wine with their hands wrapped around each other.

Luca and Belinda's sacred wedding ritual truly depicts the beauty of the Ravis culture. The presence of statues of gods and Ravis as witnesses added to the solemn atmosphere, while the tradition of drinking red wine with their hands tied together showed the strength of their commitment.

“Now... you have become the ruling empress of the North, Empress Bell,” Luca said softly. Staring intensely into Belinda's beady eyes.