The Frog Prince and the Witch Chapter 26
Translated by MissQ (ko-fi)
Chapter 26: The Prince Who Dreads Goodbye
After sleeping soundly for an entire day and night, Joanna awoke refreshed and quickly resumed her normal schedule. As the rain had finally ceased, she prepared to continue their journey.
However, she found herself puzzled—and somewhat annoyed—by the throng of townsfolk who seemed determined to delay her departure. The interruption was not helping her mood.
Ian, noticing her frustration, quickly ushered her into the carriage to wait comfortably. Then, closing the door, he turned to face the grateful villagers, eager to present gifts and offer thanks for the witch’s lifesaving help, and set about explaining the situation to them as gently as he could, "We really can't accept these; we're on a journey and can’t take so many things with us."
"There's also no need to offer us money. Surely, you've noticed that my lady does not lack wealth, so truly, there’s no need for any reward."
"I’m terribly sorry, but my lady’s skin is quite sensitive. With the sun coming out, it will soon become very uncomfortable for her, so we must leave before it fully rises. Otherwise, we won't reach a place to rest by midday's heat."
"Thank you all, truly, for your kindness. If you wish to show gratitude, remember that not every witch is evil. Some, like my lady, possess a truly good heart."
"Alright, I’ll be sure to convey everyone's gratitude. You should all rest well; no need to see us off. Farewell, farewell!"
"Dislike you? How could she?" Ian chuckled. "My lady is simply a bit weary—and perhaps a little shy—which is why she didn’t come out to greet everyone."
Meanwhile, Joanna was still recuperating from the toll her magic had taken during the rescue. She felt exhausted and was unaware of the conversations happening outside the carriage. Once Ian finished with the townsfolk and the coachman began to move, Joanna finally asked, "What was all the commotion about?"
"Ah, it was the people you saved the other day—they wanted to show their gratitude," Ian explained as he allowed her to lean against him for comfort. "But I declined for us. We don’t need any of that, do we?"
"Mm, no need. When it’s business, I accept payment because it's an exchange. But that day—it wasn’t a transaction," Joanna scoffed softly. "Those people... such an annoyance."
"Yes, an annoyance indeed. You don’t have to worry about them; I’ll handle it." Yet, he noticed that the term ‘annoyance’ was accompanied by a faint smile, revealing her true feelings—she was genuinely happy to have helped!
The carriage soon came to a halt; the unrelenting rains and mudslides had blocked the path ahead, leaving the road still obstructed.
"My lady, shall we take the detour?" the coachman inquired.
"No need; I’ll handle it myself." Though her magic couldn’t last indefinitely—otherwise, she would have simply used her familiars to carry the prince back—her power was formidable, and clearing this roadblock was a mere trifle.
She stepped out, assessed the terrain, and tapped her parasol lightly against the ground. The earth responded at once, rolling and shifting until a clean, even path appeared before them. Satisfied, she returned to the carriage and promptly drifted back to sleep.
Ian watched her rest, unable to suppress his smile. But as the journey continued and the surroundings became increasingly familiar, his smile began to falter. He tapped on the panel in front of him, "Excuse me, Mr. Coachman—are we heading to the royal capital?"
"Yes," the coachman answered cautiously, hesitant to elaborate. He had gleaned why the witch had advised him to keep their destination quiet unless the prince himself inquired. It seemed the witch had cast no spell on the prince, yet he was evidently drawn to her, clinging to her side closely. Given this, would he even want to return to the palace? And if he did, would the royal family accept the witch’s presence by his side?
As they drew nearer to the capital, a contingent of knights in their formal attire began to approach their carriage, adopting a protective stance. The coachman had not signaled them, yet it was evident these knights recognized the royal carriage, and the silent coachman must surely be one of the palace's appointed escorts.
The capital... Ian gazed at Joanna, who was sleeping fitfully due to the carriage's jolting movements. He hesitated to inquire why she had chosen to keep her arrival at the royal city a secret from him.
Regardless of whether her intentions were to exchange him for a fortune of ten thousand gold coins or to return him to his family before departing once more, he found himself reluctant to ask. He did not wish to confront the impending sense of separation that might loom over them.
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T/N: This novel should be completely updated this week! If there are any shorter novels that have been removed from NU or just never translated, lmk in teh comments, I’ll see to it!