The Frog Prince And The Witch Chapter 12

After spending the whole winter at the maiden's warm home, Joanna, who ran out of food in her kitchen, decided to head out and buy supplies. Feeling a tug on her dress, Joanna looked down to see the frog tugging at her skirt again and again. She smiled helplessly, then picked up the little thing with one hand and placed him in a small bag. Meanwhile, a stranger from the distance saw the scene and smiled eerily before sneaking away.

Before the winter started, the young maiden and her frog had left the city's boundaries and traveled the distant farm fields where they bought wheat and flour, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables.

 Joanna seldom ate meat. The meat in her house was not bought voluntarily. Rather, these were offerings that were given by the neighboring villagers as renumeration for her writing services. Many of the villagers asked her why she had such a thin body and why she ate so little meat; they were worried that her health might deteriorate from her lack of nutrition. In response, Joanna would simply smile without a word. But occasionally, when she was alone with Ian, she would laugh self deprecatingly and call herself a hypocrite. 

"I actually enjoy eating meat. But when I think that the meat was once a fluffy and cute creature, or that it once had beautiful feathers before being torn into this state….I couldn't bring myself to buy meat. I always asked the villagers not to pay me with meat, but since they insisted and even sacrificed to give me their best food, I didn't have the heart to turn them down. I really hate myself. I'm obviously not a good person and yet I have disguise myself as if I were someone kind. She poked the little frog's nose, "I'm such a fake aren't I?"

You're not a fake, my G.o.ddess. You are more sincere than the "good guys" who denounce killing animals and even protect cats and dogs, and yet those same people don't hesitate to eat butchered meat. Ian wanted to say this to her personally. It was a pity that he could only croak and whistle with his mouth.

Now that winter has finally ended, the distant farms no longer had food to offer, so today Joanna took a carriage to travel to the city.

Upon arriving, Joanna happened to pa.s.s by the King's List. The search request still hung there, however, the paper had begun to wear out due to the wind and frost. When Ian caught a glimpse of the list, he couldn't help but sigh.

Joanna had to travel quite far today due to the many places she had planned to visit. The mood suddenly brightened when the pair reached the other side of the city where the flower trees had only begun to blossom. The maiden held the frog on her palms and stretched forth her arms so that he could smell the scent of the flowers, carried over by the wind……In the future when Ian recalled this day he couldn't help but think, This day was definitely the most beautiful day for us, if only that mad woman had never appeared.

"Here you are…..I finally found you!"

The crazy woman suddenly appeared on the road with unkempt clothes, along with a cloak that was covered with dust and mud. Although her face was more beautiful than Joanna's, her eyes and her scowl still had a twist of madness within them.

Joanna felt surprised, but she maintained a cold and indifferent att.i.tude towards the stranger. "You came to find me? Do I know you?"

"Who would look for you, you ugly girl!" The crazy woman rushed forward, wanting to give Joanna a slap, but Joanna quickly intercepted her arm with a swing of her umbrella. Ian exhaled in relief; luckily it was cloudy today, so that Joanna could forego using her umbrella as a shade. Otherwise, what other weapon could she use to defend against this crazy lady?

Joanna quickly put Ian back into her little bag, then lifted her umbrella as if she held a sword. "Are you out of your mind?!"

The mad woman didn't answer her question. Instead she gave a sly grin, "Hey ugly girl!"

[Night demons, come out from your world! Take this woman's blood and body as a sacrifice and drown her into the earth!]

Within the raging winds, two dark shadows emerged from the mad woman's body. Their mouths opened wide, revealing sharp tusks.

As the dark shadows shrouded around Joanna, Ian couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration while he helplessly stayed in the bag. His heart felt as if it was crushed by heavy rocks.

That crazy woman really did it this time! Even if he had become a wretched frog, she still wouldn't let him off….and now she was harming his beloved G.o.ddess, but he couldn't do anything about it! In the past, he used to be a powerful swordsman of extraordinary skill, but now he was reduced into a mere frog. He couldn't do anything! He could only watch in distraught as the two dark shadows combined to strike at his G.o.ddess!

Meanwhile, Joanna was quite surprised at the crazy woman's magic, nevertheless, she responded quickly and opened her umbrella in defense.

The umbrella, which looked very fragile in appearance, was unexpectedly a reliable s.h.i.+eld at this time; it could even withstand the shadow attacks.

The crazy woman was dumbfounded as she witnessed the maiden's move. Joanna in turn looked at her with a cold and angry glare.

"Dark magic has not been seen for a long time." Joanna protected the small bag with one hand while her other hand held forth the dark blue parasol. "Mad woman with no name, I advise you not to dabble in Dark Magic. You don't know enough to handle it."

"Mad woman with no name?" the lady laughed wildly, "I'm the daughter of the Duke—Vivienne Eisbourg! In comparison, you are the one who is without cla.s.s or ident.i.ty. You're just an ugly woman!"

"Vivienne Eisbourg?" she had never heard of this name. Joanna simply pursed her lips and maintained her dignity as a witch. "I am the sixth generation owner of the t.i.tle 'Witch of the Wilderness' which was inherited from my mother—you should address me as Joanna Black. I think you'd better take a look at your manners; compared to those I know, I have never met a witch as wild as you are."

The mad woman yelled angrily, "I'm the real witch here and you're just nothing! Hand over the frog!"

"I don't want to."

Vivienne smirked with her bright red lips. "You don't want to?"

Joanna didn't understand why she acted that way. Suddenly, the ground beneath her feet was disrupted, causing mud and dust to fly up in the air. Her sight was blocked, momentarily affecting her train of thought. Although it was only for a few seconds, within that short time, her small bag was stolen away…….Her opponent was just a junior….how could she be so careless!

Joanna grasped her small umbrella and drew a circle of light around her. The mud and dust which covered her body had quickly disappeared.

At this time, the crazy daughter of the Duke had also disappeared without a trace…..why did she want to steal the frog? Joanna frowned in thought, but she quickly gathered herself and began to move.

Black magic. She'll let the crazy girl be smug for now, but once Joanna comes to take everything back, she won't be merciful!

The poor little frog, he must really be scared.

GROUP TRANSLATIONS: (for other translated works)