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THE awaited day off finally came.
The three of us were to visit the tailor shop that would make my wedding dress.
We’d reached out to the shop in advance, so they were expecting us when we arrived. As soon as we entered the building, the middle-aged gentleman who always handled our orders welcomed us. He was accompanied by a petite woman with bright red hair, about a hand shorter than I was. She had a perky upturned nose and a very cute manner about her.
“We’ve been waiting for you! I’ve prepared lots of black fabric!”
Racal, the red-headed designer, beamed as she ushered me into the shop without any formalities. I let her lead me past rows of evening dresses until we reached an anteroom separated by heavy curtains.
“My…!”
“Amazing.”
“Spectacular.”
We were met with rows and rows of black dresses. More than I could have imagined.
“I went around all the local shops and borrowed all their black dresses!” Racal effused. “I figured we’d need plenty of samples to narrow in on the right design!”
“Thank you so much. This is very helpful.” I was grateful for Racal’s thoughtfulness. This would be much easier than looking through drawn designs in a book.
“Oh, boy, a black wedding dress will be the ultimate test of my skills!” she exclaimed. “See how even when every dress is black, there’s still such variety in the design?! See this one? A tight silhouette, very elegant, but THIS one has a low-cut neckline and an open back for a sexy vibe! Oh, and THIS one has a sort of poofy silhouette with ribbons and lace for maximum cuteness!”
Racal rifled through the dresses, explaining each one with enthusiasm. Wow. She really loves her job. No doubt any dress she made me for my wedding would exceed expectations in every way.
“So, then!” Racal finally turned around and made eye contact with me. “What kind of dress do YOU want, Lady Seren? I know black, but what do you picture in your mind when you think of your perfect dress? I heard that your husband-to-be is that famous Frosty Archmage. Is the black dress his idea?”
“No, no, I’m the one who wanted a black dress,” I stressed.
“Oh, then, perhaps you want to match his vibe? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him in anything but black.”
“Yes, I mean… I just think that he looks amazing in black…” I admitted.
“Hmm, we don’t often hear of a bride who wants to match her dress to the groom’s vibes, but it’s kinda nice. Now, your fiancé’s evening tuxedo has silver embroidery, right? A pitch-black suit with silver accents.”
“Yes! I’d like a dress that’s chic but memorable like that.”
“I see! Will your fiancé be dressed like that for the ceremony, too?”
“Yes. He will be wearing all black.”
“Hmm, but two people side by side in all-black outfits might give off a bit of an oppressive impression. We could use black as the base, but then add a lighter color as an accent, or perhaps embroidery… Or limit the total amount of black coverage with an off-the-shoulder or sleeveless dress to balance the skin tone and material…”
It was amazing. She instantly grasped what I wanted and fired off great suggestions for me to choose from. She must be one of those outspoken young women. Even in front of my mother, a duchess, Racal spoke her mind freely without any sense of reserve, and she was straightforward and to the point. It kind of reminded me of chatting with Lord Viol.
“We could also have long sleeves or bell sleeves, with lace, like this, which can give a sophisticated vibe.” She indicated a dress with a similar design to what she was saying.
“Indeed, that would be splendid,” Mother chimed in. “Seren, this mermaid-cut dress with the long sleeves is very ladylike. I think it would suit you well.”
The dress Racal was holding up had an understated design, and as Mother said, it did look very ladylike. It made me think of something a devoted wife would wear. It was both elegant and beautiful.
“Yes, it’s lovely. The lace is very delicate and beautifully made,” I said.
“Yes, isn’t it great? See, you can make it look sexier or cuter if you change up the lace pattern. It’s totally customizable! And choosing lace patterns is tons of fun. Of course, we have plenty of lace to choose from!” Racal beamed and proudly pointed to a wall covered in cubbyhole shelves containing an astonishing number of reams of black lace, among other fabric samples.
Thinking about how long it would take to go through them all made me grimace.
“Oh, but how about this? See, very short sleeves, just enough to cover the shoulders, really, projecting an impression of loveliness and modesty. We could add a little lace around the shoulders without going too far with it. This sort of design might suit a young, fresh-faced bride like yourself better, Lady Seren.”
“Oh, yes…! This is perfect! It would look amazing on you, Sis!” Marietta gazed at the dress, her eyes sparkling.
I was captivated by the dress. “It’s lovely…” I sighed in awe.
The upper part had cap sleeves just covering the shoulders with a simple silhouette. But if we added some eye-catching silver embroidery, it would look really glamorous. The skirt part, in contrast, was poofy and voluminous. The contrast was eye-catching.
“Why don’t you try on a few dresses that you like the look of?” Mother suggested. “Once we’ve decided on the basic cut, we can refine it to suit you perfectly, Seren.”
“…Okay!” I nodded without hesitation at Mother’s suggestion.
I examined multiple dresses as Racal painstakingly talked me through their designs. Whenever I found one I liked the look of, I’d try it on. The dresses were made loose, especially for fittings, so they were easy to slip on and off, and I tried quite a few.
“…I think this is still the one.”
I had tried on various styles, but in the end, the dress that Marietta had said looked good on me earlier was the one that I liked the best.
“Your fair skin will shine like pearls in this pitch-black dress, Sis. I’m sure even the famously expressionless Frosty Archmage will crack a smile. Can’t wait to see it!”
Right… Yes. Will this dress please Lord Viol? I pictured myself wearing it, standing by his side, and my cheeks warmed.
“You’re too cute, Seren! Especially with that flush on your cheeks. Lord Viol will no doubt be charmed.”
“I… I hope so…? Do you think he will?” I asked, uncertainty tinging my voice.
“Of course!!!” Racal nodded emphatically in the face of my hesitance. In fact, she had tears in her eyes… And was wringing her hands… Why? “Oh, you’re just too cute!!! I’m so happy to be able to make a dress for such a lovely bride! Oh yes! It’s going to be a showstopper of a dress!”
“Th-Thank you…”
Racal grabbed my hands in hers and, caught up in her enthusiasm, I nodded along. Then Racal went to grab a stepladder, placed it beside me, and stepped up onto one of its rungs with one foot.
I looked up at her in confusion. Racal gave me a jaunty smile, showing her pearly teeth. “How tall is this fiancé of yours, anyhow?”
“How… How tall is he?”
“He’s pretty tall, right? Imagine you’re looking up at him. About what level is your face at?” she asked.
I tried to picture Lord Viol in my mind and raised my eyes to the level where his face would usually be… Whenever I looked up at him like this, his eyes would narrow just a little, and he’d smile ever so faintly. The thought made me blush all over again.
And just as I was thinking that…
I made eye contact with Racal, who’d gone a few quick steps up the ladder.
“Ah, about this height? I see, I see, yes, very adorable!”
How could she tell?!
“What’s most important is for the bride to look delectable to her soon-to-be husband! Just as Lady Marietta said, your white skin surrounded by that puffy black skirt… It will be magnificent!”
So that’s why she got the stepladder, I thought, impressed. Racal seemed to be meticulous about every aspect of dress design. I wasn’t sure how I’d look in Lord Viol’s eyes, but… I hoped that he would find me cute… Or even beautiful.
“Hmm, but…” Racal grunted, tipping her head to one side. “I think pure black is a bit too strong, after all. Since you have such soft vibes, Lady Seren, I think it would be better to change the skirt material to give it a softer, airy impression. Also, layering a bit of white or silver to create a gradation effect might help to soften up the look, too.”
Now that she pointed it out… The fabric for this dress seemed a bit severe, maybe. I like the fit of the bust and waist; the material has a nice sheen, and the overall dress is comfortable. But maybe a lighter and softer skirt part would be good.
“What do you think, Seren?” Mother asked.
“I think the upper bodice would be good with this fabric and design and some major-scale embroidery work, but as Racal said, I’d like the skirt to be softer and fluffier as well…” I said.
“Right! Using firm tulle as the bottom layer will add volume, and then we can layer on some chiffon for a soft, flowing look. There’s a ton of fabrics we could try! Just choose what you like the look of, and I can fit it to the dress!” Racal vowed.
“…Okay! Thank you!”
“Just picture your happy wedding with your husband while making your selections!”
Everything Racal said made me think of Lord Viol’s soft, faint smile, and I blushed even more.
“Aw, Sis, you’re so cute…”
“It makes me smile to see her like this, too,” Mother said. “Seren… Let’s pick the perfect dress and make Lord Viol happy.”
I was too embarrassed to look up at my mother and sister. Still, imagining Lord Viol’s happy reaction when he saw me in my dress filled me with indescribable joy.