The White Marriage of the Seamstress and the Ice Count - Extra

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

This is an extra chapter featuring Margaret and Alexis.

　✧✧✧ Seventeen years ago ✧✧✧

“Hello, great aunt!”

The sound of the door knocker and a cute voice came from outside the front door.

Margaret hurriedly took off her soot-covered apron and left the kitchen.

She was in the middle of working on something, but that was secondary to the child coming in.

“Welcome, Alexis!”

When she opened the door, she saw five-year-old Alexis standing there holding a large basket.

Dressed in a child-sized jacket and shorts he looked just like a little master, that is to say — adorable. 

But there were no servants in sight.

“Ah, did you come here on your own? Where are your servants?”

“No servants. I was in a hurry, so I ran from the castle.”

“Oh, what are you saying? You are the heir to the venerable Middleton family. Even though you are five years old, you should be more aware of your actions!”

She scolded him with a scary face, and Alexis hung his head low.

“…I’m sorry. But I wanted to let my great aunt know as soon as possible.”

The little hand held out a basket with a freshly made carrot cake in it.

Because of the running, it crumbled a little at the edges.

Carrot cake was Margaret’s favorite food.

“…You want to… give it to me?”

“Yeah. Mother said my great aunt is not feeling so good these days and doesn’t eat much… But you can eat your favorite carrot cake, right? I asked the head chef to make it especially for you!”

Those round, black eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at her.

Margaret couldn’t help but hug Alexis tight.

Last month Margaret’s husband, Oscar Stapleton, suddenly died in an accident.

Margaret, who was left behind, had no time to grieve.

Time passed in the blink of an eye as she was tasked with funeral matters, taking over the business and sorting his belongings for the inheritance of the rest of the family.

The management of the company asked Margaret to become the next president, but she declined, leaving the position to her husband’s trusted right-hand man, and she left the Stapleton company.

Margaret had no children.

Now that her husband Oscar was gone, staying alone in the trading company became a painful experience that constantly reminded her of Oscar and left her haunted by his loss.

She sold the house where she and her husband lived and bought a small house near her old home, Searfield Castle.

As soon as she moved into the house and took a breath, she suddenly felt as if she had aged ten years.

Suddenly, she lost all her energy and appetite.

Margaret had just started the process of developing a magical item that she had been meaning to make for some time when Alexis came to visit.

“G-great aunt, please let go…”

Alexis, who was held in a hug by all of Margaret’s strength, pleaded bitterly for help.

But Margaret wasn’t listening.

“Oh, Alexis! What a sweet boy you are! I have decided, as long as I live, I will protect you, the future Count, with all my might!”, Margaret declared with a snort, shaking little Alexis’s shoulders with how she trembled.

　✧✧✧ Three months ago ✧✧✧✧

“Alexis, what is going on with Mr. Carlton’s large plantation being neglected and tax yield being held up?”

“Due to his advanced age, he will be succeeded by his son when he returns from his studies in another county. We are already in the process of planning the plantation.”

“And what about the reports of demons appearing in the western forests?”

“I rushed my horse and dealt with it yesterday. It was a lone troll, not a herd, so I don’t think there will be any more damage.”

Margaret’s eyebrows lifted.

She sat in her home in a rocking chair, listening to the report about the territory of her great-nephew who she summoned. 

Last year, Alexis lost his parents one after the other and succeeded to the title of Count. 

Thanks to Margaret’s careful training since his childhood, the young count at only twenty-one years of age could easily perform the duties of the lord.

However.

“You went to defeat the demons alone, without reporting to the Royal Capital or requesting reinforcements from the Knights?”

“I didn’t go alone, I took a servant with me. I have already submitted my report,” he replied.

Margaret let out a heavy sigh.

Alexis’s parents had died as a result of a curse placed on them by the Middleton family.

Then even Alexis’s younger sister, Rosie, has been struck by the curse.

Once the illness had manifested itself, there was no way to save her.

It was easy to blame him for putting his own life in danger.

But there was nothing that Margaret could do to help him with his despair.

“That’s all I have to report. Excuse me.”

“Wait, Alexis. I’ve prepared some tea. You should join me.”

“I’m sorry, but I still have work left to do.”

He refused instantly.

When he was little, he was such a lovely child, running to her with a carrot cake, worried after Margaret’s loss of energy over the death of her husband, Oscar.

Where did it all go wrong?

Even though he still looked like the beautiful boy with that angelic black hair of his just like back then, he has grown into a cold-hearted man known as the “Ice Count.”

He would easily disperse the crows that Margaret sent to watch over him, and when she tried to introduce him to the daughters and grandchildren of her acquaintances as potential wives, he refused to see them. 

In fact, he rejected more and more of what she had to offer.

Even though he was cursed before being born, Margaret still hoped that her beloved great-nephew would find at least some happiness in life.

It seems like the only way was to reach for the ace up her sleeve.

Margaret stood up quickly and said firmly, “No, Alexis. There is no need to do that.”

“…What do you mean?”

“A young man who treats his life so lightly and neglects his family is unworthy of the title of Count Middleton. You haven’t even married, which is important for the head of the family. Until you find a bride and bring her to the castle, I will not recognize you as the head of the family!”

“Didn’t you say last year, with tears in your eyes, ‘Alexis, from now on, you are the head of the Middleton family’?”

“I will not accept any objections. You must go to the Royal Capital or wherever and find a wife!”

At the mention of the Royal Capital Alexis’s expression changed slightly.

One more push.

Then Elsie, the maid, came in.

“Mistress, the tea is ready! Oh, my Lord, are you finally going to the Royal Capital to meet that ‘Seamstress’ of your dreams? Good luck!”

Suddenly, the air turned as cold as in the middle of winter.

Elsie felt a chill run down her spine and her hand, busy with preparing tea, halted.

A few weeks ago, Margaret had been secretly using her connections and magic to investigate a viscountess known in the capital as the ‘Seamstress.’

Apparently, there were signs that Alexis was interested in her and had tried to learn her name.

It was natural that Margaret, who wanted her great-nephew to settle down quickly, would be interested in her.

Elsie had been assigned to assist in the investigation, but Margaret had told her to keep her mouth shut about any looking into the young lady.

But just after that, Elsie had been subjected to endless complaints about how “the Count is such a handful” and “he was so cute when he was little,” and so on, that she had completely forgotten about the secret.

Elsie looked up with tears in her eyes.

Alexis and Margaret were both looking at each other blankly, glaring at each other like polar bears and walruses facing each other in an icy sea.

“Oh no! I forgot to put out the fire, I have to go check!” Elsie ran out of the room as if to escape.

She didn’t know what kind of discussion had taken place after that.

　✧✧✧ Current day (the day before the harvest festival) ✧✧✧✧

“Good morning, Margaret. How are you feeling?”

“Thank you, Sara. I am fine.”

“Great aunt, you said you were hurt…”

“Don’t be dramatic, Alexis. I just fell and scratched my hand.”

The day before, after Margaret attended the final meeting of the town’s most influential people for the harvest festival, they all went to their favorite pub for a drink, as they did every year.

On her way home, she took a rare fall.

Seeing her mistress return in the middle of the night in a muddy dress, the fidgety Elsie flew a crow to the castle in a panic. 

But in fact Margaret only scratched her hand, so she hurriedly sent another crow to tell Alexis not to come and that there was nothing to worry about, lest the castle send a rescue party.

But the couple came early in the morning, no doubt out of concern of the ever-gentle Sara.

Alexis looked at the bandage on Margaret’s hand and his face clouded over.

She was sure that he would try to blame her for this anyway. 

Stop drinking, you’re too old for it, or something.

But Sara said something unexpected.

“Since last night, Master Alexis has been worried about you, Margaret. He wanted to come check on you alone in the middle of the night…”

“Sara.”

The pretty new wife was smiling when her name was called with an echo of restraint.

That Alexis would not show a trace of coldness in front of Sara.

The look of slight annoyance he had on his face as he looked at his wife was warm like the spring sunlight.

Even calmly observing the situation, Margaret was happy to see it.

To think that this boy was worried enough to come check on her.

After all, he was still a good boy.

“…I’m sorry for worrying you. From now on I’ll try to refrain from drinking alcohol.”

“Now that’s surprising. I never thought that the day would come when my great aunt, the “Drunkard of Searfield”, would say such a thing.”

“Oh dear! You are a very strong drinker, aren’t you, Margaret?”

“Wait a second, Alexis. I have never once been called by that nickname. Sara, don’t believe a word he says.”

In the end, her great-nephew was not cute at all.

Just as she was about to throw him out, Alexis asked, “By the way, great aunt, do you have any plans tomorrow? If you don’t mind, would you like to come with us to the harvest festival?”

Margaret’s eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Alexis was expressionless as usual.

Sara was watching with a smile. 

Suddenly, Margaret felt flustered.

Since Alexis had grown up, they had stopped going to harvest festivals together.

Although Margaret was involved in the event as the town’s leading figure, on the day of the harvest festival she usually stayed at home alone, tinkering with ingredients for magic potions while listening to the hustle and bustle of the festival in the distance.

She never expected Alexis to invite her like he did in the past.

Was that also Sara’s power?

It was surprising to see how easily the young woman had melted the icy heart of her great-nephew. 

“Well,” Margaret replied with a pretentious smile. “I’m very busy, but if you insist, I can go with you.”

“It would be an honor.”

As she spoke the words on the contrary, a smug small smile appeared on the corner of Margaret’s mouth.