The Frog Prince and the Witch Chapter 12
Translated by MissQ (ko-fi)
Chapter 12: The Missing Frog
After spending the entire winter in the warmth of the maiden’s home, Joanna, having depleted her kitchen supplies, resolved to venture out and buy provisions. As she prepared to leave, she felt a persistent tug at her dress. Looking down, she found the little frog pulling at her skirt again and again. She smiled helplessly, then scooped him up with one hand and gently placed him in a small bag.
Before winter set in, Joanna and her frog had ventured beyond the city limits, exploring distant farmlands where they purchased wheat, flour, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Joanna seldom consumed meat. The meat in her home hadn’t been acquired by choice; rather, it was offered by neighboring villagers as compensation for her writing services. Many of them expressed concern over her slender frame, worrying that her health might suffer from such a meager diet. In response, Joanna would merely smile, offering no explanation. However, in moments of solitude with Ian, she would chuckle to herself, calling herself two-faced.
"I actually enjoy eating meat," Joanna confessed. "But whenever I think about the fact that the meat was once a fluffy and cute creature, or that it had beautiful feathers before being torn apart... I just can’t bring myself to buy it. I always tell the villagers not to pay me with meat, but since they insist and even offer their best food as sacrifices, I can’t bear to turn them down. I really hate myself. I’m obviously not a good person, yet I pretend to be kind." She poked the little frog’s nose playfully. "I’m such a fake, aren’t I?"
You’re not a fake, my goddess. You are more sincere than those "kindhearted people" who denounce killing animals and champion the protection of cats and dogs while readily consuming butchered meat. Ian wished he could express this sentiment to her directly. Unfortunately, all he could do was croak and whistle.
Now that winter had finally ended, the distant farms were no longer able to provide food, prompting Joanna to take a carriage to the city.
Upon her arrival, she passed by the King's List. The search request still hung there, though the paper was beginning to fray from the wind and frost. When Ian caught sight of the list, he couldn’t help but sigh.
Joanna had quite a journey ahead of her today, with many places she intended to visit. However, the mood brightened as they reached the other side of the city, where the flowering trees had just begun to blossom. The maiden cradled the frog in her palms and extended her arms, allowing him to inhale the sweet fragrance of the flowers carried by the gentle breeze. In the future, when Ian reminisced about this day, he would inevitably think, This was undoubtedly the most beautiful day for us—if only that mad woman hadn’t shown up.
"Here you are… I finally found you!"
The deranged woman suddenly emerged on the road, her attire a tattered cloak covered in dust and mud. Despite her more striking features compared to Joanna, her eyes and the twisted scowl on her face radiated an unsettling madness.
Joanna was taken aback but quickly composed herself, maintaining a cold and indifferent demeanor towards the stranger. "You came to find me? Do I know you?"
"Who would look for you, you ugly girl!" The deranged woman lunged forward, intent on slapping Joanna, but Joanna swiftly intercepted her arm with a swing of her umbrella. Ian exhaled in relief; fortunately, the day was cloudy, allowing Joanna to use her umbrella as a weapon rather than merely for shade. What other means could she employ to defend herself against this lunatic?
Joanna quickly placed Ian back into her little bag and lifted her umbrella, holding it as if it were a sword. "Impervious to reason!"
The madwoman didn't respond, but it seemed as though her anger had transformed into a twisted smile, revealing a menacing grin. "You bitch!"
[Night demons, emerge from your realm! Take this woman’s blood and body as a sacrifice and bury her in the earth!]
With the howling winds as a backdrop, two dark shadows materialized from the madwoman’s figure, their mouths agape, revealing sharp, menacing tusks.
As the dark shadows enveloped Joanna, Ian couldn’t help but grit his teeth in frustration, trapped helplessly in the bag. His heart felt as though it had been crushed under the weight of heavy stones.
That madwoman had truly crossed a line this time! Even in his wretched state as a frog, she refused to relent. Now she was endangering his beloved goddess, and he felt utterly powerless to stop her. Once a formidable swordsman of extraordinary skill, he had been reduced to a mere frog, unable to intervene. All he could do was watch in anguish as the two dark shadows converged to strike at Joanna!
Meanwhile, Joanna, though initially surprised by the madwoman’s magic, reacted swiftly and unfurled her umbrella in defense. The seemingly fragile umbrella proved to be an unexpectedly robust shield, effectively withstanding the shadowy assaults.
The crazed woman stood dumbfounded at the sight of the maiden’s resilience, while Joanna met her gaze with a cold, furious glare.
"Black magic, it’s been a long time since I've encountered it," Joanna said, tucking her handbag behind her while casually propping up her dark blue parasol with the other hand. "Reveal yourself, Dark sorceress. I don’t engage with the nameless."
"Nameless?" The madwoman cackled, her laughter echoing with a manic edge. "I am Vivian Heisbourg, daughter of the Duke! In contrast, you’re merely an ugly woman without class or identity!"
"Vivian… Heisbourg?" Joanna mused, the name unfamiliar to her. She pursed her lips, maintaining her composure as a witch. "I am Joanna Black, the sixth-generation heir to the title ‘Witch of the Wilderness,’ passed down from my mother. You would do well to examine your own manners; I have yet to encounter a witch as unruly as you."
The madwoman screamed in fury, "I don’t care what witch you are! Hand over that frog!"
"I refuse."
Vivian's lips curled into a sinister smirk, bright red against her pale complexion. "You refuse?"
Confused by her sudden bravado, Joanna's attention was suddenly drawn to the ground beneath her feet, which began to tremble and shift violently. Mud and dust erupted into the air, momentarily obscuring her vision and disrupting her thoughts. In those fleeting seconds, she realized with horror that her small bag had been snatched away. How could she have been so careless against someone she deemed a mere novice?
Joanna grasped her small umbrella and swiftly drew a circle of light around herself, banishing the mud and dust that had clung to her. In that moment, she noticed that the mad daughter of the Duke had vanished without a trace.
Why would she want to steal the frog? Joanna furrowed her brow in contemplation but quickly shook off the confusion. She had to focus on the task at hand.
Black magic. She would allow the deluded girl her moment of triumph for now, but once Joanna set her sights on reclaiming what was rightfully hers, she would show no mercy.
The poor little frog, he must be terrified.
