The Frog Prince and the Witch Chapter 21
Translated by MissQ (ko-fi)
Chapter 21: The Witch’s Redemption Among Villagers
As late spring transitioned into early summer, the village buzzed with anticipation for the upcoming festival. Ian had forgotten the reason for the celebration, but he knew it was a rare occasion for them to venture out together, especially since Joanna was unable to go outside during the day. A night festival was indeed a unique opportunity.
“Master, we’re going to the bonfire, right? Right?” Ian asked excitedly, watching Joanna weave the last bracelet.
In truth, Joanna was reluctant to attend. Being around others often felt awkward and uncomfortable for her. She knew she was different, and even if she managed a smile, the villagers would likely remain uneasy in her presence. The last thing she wanted was to spoil the villagers’ joyous festival, which would only add to her own unhappiness. Thus, after attending once, she never returned.
“Are you not planning to go, Mistress?” Ian, expecting her to be thrilled at the idea, pressed closer when he saw her hesitation. “Does Mistress not enjoy festivities? Have I misunderstood?”
Seeing Ian’s eagerness, Joanna felt a pang of guilt. She had forgotten that she was no longer alone. While her absence didn’t matter much, Ian surely wanted to go, didn’t he? And he seemed to get along well with the neighbors, so surely he wouldn’t face any issues attending alone.
With that thought in mind, she gently patted his hands. "The festival will be very lively. If you want to go, shall I prepare some clothes for you?"
"Is Mistress not going?" Ian pressed, seeking a clear answer.
She sighed, feeling the weight of his expectation. "No. I don’t want to ruin the celebration."
"Why do you think that?" Ian’s voice held a note of indignation, his brow furrowing as he struggled to understand her perspective.
Joanna couldn’t understand his reaction, so she slowly explained, but it seemed Ian didn’t grasp her reasoning.
"I’m aware, Mistress is a witch. So? Does being a witch mean you can’t go out or join the bonfire? What sense does that make? Mistress has never harmed them; you have even helped them! Is this how they treat a good neighbor?”
Joanna didn’t know how to explain further, so she sighed. “Just come with me tonight, and you’ll see why.” It was far better to show him the villagers' true attitudes than to waste more words on the subject.
…
At night, the villagers donned their finest attire and gathered around the bonfire, socializing and savoring the dishes prepared by the community. Merchants from outside the village seized the opportunity to sell their wares, captivating those villagers who had never ventured far from home.
As Joanna stood at a distance, watching the lively scene, she felt a twinge of regret for the disruption she was about to bring. Noticing Ian’s eager demeanor beside her, she couldn’t bear to say she wanted to go back, so she allowed him to lead her toward the vibrant bonfire. In truth, she couldn’t get too close to the scorching flames; her sensitive skin would be scorched. So before leaving, she had already applied a layer of ointment beneath her sleeves and gloves, hoping the situation wouldn’t become too dire.
When the villagers at the bonfire saw Ian arrive, they were delighted to see Joanna, the usually reclusive witch, accompany him. Yet, rather than the looks of disdain she expected, many villagers eagerly gravitated toward Ian. "Hey, kid! Don’t think I didn’t notice you slacking off instead of helping us gather firewood! I’m keeping track; if you don’t get drunk tonight, I won’t call you Hans!"
"I wanted to help, but my lady won’t let me~" Ian replied. Since Joanna forbade him from calling her ‘Mistress’ in public, he resorted to referring to her as ‘my lady.’ Little did she know, he particularly enjoyed calling her "my lady" rather than simply "lady."
"Tch! The kid is showing off again!"
"Hey, over there! The boy from Joanna’s house has arrived! Make some space for them! Right there, that spot should be theirs!"
"Is this enough room? Just the two of them; is this space wide enough?"
Hans leaned in to whisper, "Let me tell you, the lamb chops from Nala’s place at the village entrance are the most popular. Make sure you’re quick to get some!"
"Got it, thank you!" Ian chuckled, leading the somewhat dazed Joanna to the space cleared for them according to the layout of the village houses.
Tonight, the bonfire didn’t have chairs; only tree stumps and picnic blankets were available. After helping Joanna settle down, Ian quickly darted toward the food table, his figure soon lost amidst the crowd of villagers. Remembering the plates brimming with delicious food and the little weight of what Ian can take, Joanna stood up to find him, but a girl sitting beside her stopped her.
That girl was Aelanda, the daughter of the woodcutter next door. Aelanda huffed in a slightly spoiled manner, "Don’t go help; tonight is our night to relax, after all!"
"Exactly!" Aelanda’s mother chimed in. "We usually serve these stinky men, so tonight it’s their turn to serve us! Just this one night, don’t worry about your man; let him take care of you!”
"But his body isn’t well; he shouldn’t overexert himself…"
"It’s just one night; he can rest however he likes tomorrow!" Aelanda nudged her shoulder playfully. "Who would have thought the seemingly cold-hearted Joanna actually knows how to take care of someone?"
Joanna was taken aback. What was going on with the villagers tonight? Why did the distance between her and them seem to vanish?
“Heh, don’t bully my lady like that! She gets shy easily!” Ian returned, spotting them and running over, setting down the food before pulling Joanna into a warm embrace, then looking at Aelanda with mock disdain. “What’s up? Jealous? If you’re jealous, go find someone for yourself; don’t make fun of my lady!”
“Jealous? No way! If I were looking, I’d want someone steady and honest, not a smooth talker like you! Let’s not even mention those embarrassing words; only Joanna would want you!” Aelanda huffed, turning to hug her father before happily diving into her meal.
Ian also huffed in response, then presented Joanna with a platter of lamb chops as if revealing a treasure. “My lady, try this and see how it tastes! If it’s good, I’ll get more!”
Joanna responded in a daze. “No need! I can’t eat that much… You’ve taken too much; it’ll just go to waste.”
“Don’t worry, I can finish it all! Come on, try it!… and here, have some mushroom soup!”
In the firelight, Ian’s red hair resembled flames, dazzling and bright. As Joanna watched him, she suddenly understood why the villagers’ barriers had disappeared; he must have gone around praising her while she slept!
Having such a lively and outgoing person cooped up in her dark house truly felt unfair to him. With that thought, Joanna became even more determined to find a way to heal his heart illness, allowing him to explore the world freely, carrying it in his heart as he wandered.
Ian, blissfully unaware of her deeper intentions; he simply felt that tonight, his goddess remained as gentle as ever. Enjoying the food she had left, he savored the fact that what he bit into had once touched her lips. He savored the moment, feeling as though his life had reached a perfect completeness.