Chapter 630: Wedding Preparations
Chiffon's body was submerged in a small pool filled with flower petals. Her body had already been cleaned, and purified. What was left were the finishing touches, before she wore the bridal gown that the Guardian had personally chosen from the Shop of Babylon for her to wear.
A few minutes later, a lady wearing a veil approached the pool, carrying a bath towel.
"Come," the lady ordered.
Chiffon stood up and waded towards the lady, who had the towel spread out wide. As the lady dried the body of the little girl, she couldn't help but be amazed at how smooth, and radiant Chiffon's skin was.
Perhaps it was due to the cleansing, or the purification ceremony, but the young girl's skin had returned to its clean and untainted state.
After drying her off, the lady led her to a room where a two-meter-tall mirror stood. Chiffon gazed at this mirror unflinchingly, and stood straight. No ripples of emotions could be seen in her eyes.
Two ladies wearing veils that covered their faces helped her put on her wedding dress. After they finished, they then moved to arrange Chiffon's hair.
The little girl's smooth, and silky long hair was arranged neatly into a princess hairstyle that highlighted her natural beauty. The boys in the academy that had ridiculed her in the past, would definitely widen their eyes in disbelief were they to see Chiffon's current form.
Back then she was like an ugly caterpillar that no one wanted to touch, now, she was a bewitching butterfly that everyone wanted to covet.
The two ladies worked hand in hand, and soon they finished the bride's preparations. Chiffon faced the mirror wearing a pink bridal gown.
"Young Lady, you are very beautiful," one of the ladies that dressed her up said softly.
Chiffon didn't reply. Perhaps, she didn't even hear the lady's flattery.
The pink glowing flower hovered above the little girl's chest, and acted like a matching accessory. It looked so beautiful, so radiant, and brimming with life. It was the complete opposite of its owner, whose consciousness had been sealed inside the flower itself.
A moment later, the door of the room opened.
The old woman entered and looked at the young bride with satisfaction.
"Both of you did well," the old woman said to Chiffon's two handmaidens.
She then turned to the pink-haired doll who was blankly staring at the mirror and gave an order.
"Come, Chiffon." The old woman extended her wrinkled hands to the young bride. "His Excellency, Belial, awaits. You shouldn't keep your groom, and future Master waiting."
Chiffon turned around and walked towards the old woman. She then placed her hand on the old woman's wrinkly palm, and allowed the old hag to guide her towards the portal she had opened.
After passing through the portal, they arrived on a wide open plain. It was a crimson world, in which everything, as far as the eye could see, was the shade of red. From the ground, to the sky, to the towering pyramid where the little girl's wedding would take place, everything was dyed in the color of blood.
Countless Yara-ma-yha-whos, Cockatrice, Basilisks, and other monstrosities gathered at the bottom of the pyramid. When the old woman and Chiffon appeared, the horde of monstrosities parted, and allowed the two to pass.
The old woman stood in front, Chiffon at her back, and the two ladies behind the little girl. Several other ladies wearing veils walked alongside them.
The monsters looked at this procession with excitement. They had already been told that their Master was going to get married today, and with it, they would be freed from the tower.
Belial's aim was to first conquer the City of Babylon and make it his base of operation. After this was done, he would increase the number of his army and start his conquest of the nearby lands. He wasn't afraid of any kind of opposition, for he was confident in his strength.
The Guardian of the 51st Floor had long prepared for the day of his conquest, and only a handful of individuals had the power to stop him in his tracks.
When the procession arrived at the base of the Pyramid, a red mist descended from the heavens. The old woman smiled and walked to the side, allowing her Master to take a look at his young bride.
The red mist gathered and transformed into a handsome man with dark blue hair and eyes. There were two curved black horns on his forehead which signified that he wasn't a Human.
Belial walked towards his bride and lowered his head until the beautiful flower that hovered in front of Chiffon's chest was mere inches away from his face.
The Guardian of the 51st Floor inhaled deeply and savored the fragrance of the heart that he coveted.
"Such a sublime fragrance," Belial praised. "Worthy of the last offering that will free me from this tower."
He took another whiff before sighing in pleasure.
"My bride is such a beauty," Belial said as he gently caressed the side of Chiffon's face. He liked how soft and smooth Chiffon's skin was, and it almost made Belial lose to the temptation that he was trying so hard to suppress.
"Come, Chiffon, my little pet," Belial said as he held the young girl's hand. "I will grant your final wish to marry someone. After that, I will feast on your heart, body, and soul."
Belial led the little girl to climb the steps up the pyramid. He would glance at his young bride from time to time. Clearly, he was looking forward to plucking the innocent girl's flower, and savoring it, to his heart's content.
It didn't take long before they reached the top, where an Altar had already been set in place. Standing on a small podium was a lady wearing a veil. She would be the one to officiate Chiffon's and Belial's wedding.
The old woman and the ladies standing beside her, looked up at their Master. The monsters of the Devil's floor also looked up. They were all looking forward to seeing the flower on Chiffon's chest bloom to its fullest once her Heart Devil's final wish was fulfilled.
The Priestess who stood before Chiffon and Belial opened the holy book in her hand and recited the opening phrases.
"We are all gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Chiff–"
Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder roared in the sky with a fury, preventing the Priestess from finishing her words.
A large bolt of lightning descended from the heavens and striked near the base of the pyramid, obliterating the monsters who were unlucky enough to be in its landing site.
Belial, the Priestess, and the monsters gathered around the pyramid stared at the gatecrasher who dared to appear before them.
A teenage boy with blazing red hair looked up at the tower with his glowing green eyes. His gaze landed on the young bride, and the anger that he had bottled up in his chest broke out like a raging river.
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"Get your filthy hands off my bride," William declared. "The one she will be marrying is me."
William's red hair lengthened and slowly changed color until it became silver-white. It looked exactly like the hairstyle he had in his past life when he still bore the name William Pendragon.
The Half-Elf summoned Stormcaller and Soleil, and held them in each of his hands. Clearly, he was planning to go all out, and make the bastard, who stood beside Chiffon, regret his decision for setting his eyes on his woman.
Lightning crackled on Stormcaller's body, and Soleil's body blazed.
The old woman's eyes widened in shock because she recognized who the troublemaker was. She had already made sure that the Half-Elf wouldn't be able to break free of his prison, by increasing the power of the Heart's Devil that would corrupt William's soul.
The old woman was already looking forward to making William her pet after his Heart Devil finished eating away his consciousness and willpower. Never in her dreams did she think that her future toy would be standing in front of her, with the intention of fighting against them.
It was at that moment when the loud toll of a bell spread across the entire floor.
It marked the beginning of a battle that would shake the very foundations of the Tower of Babylon, and change the course of its history, forever.