《The Frog Prince and the Witch》


 CH 1

    The dark and damp basement remained eerily silent except for the occasional sound of clanking metal; the clamoring of chains resounded whenever the lone hostage tugged at his shackled hands and feet from discomfort.


    This place had no windows, leaving the prison devoid of light; Ian could not remember how long he had been trapped in this place.


    The only time he could see the light was when that mad woman would come and abuse him. It was only when she came over with her burning torch that light and warmth would finally reach this prison of darkness¡­.Ian did not know how much longer he¡¯ll be able to endure; his sanity had slowly begun to crumble. Every time he he was greeted by that warm light, he would be abused by that woman. He felt that he wasn¡¯t too far away from believing that ¡°happiness is equal to being abused by her.¡±


    If he reaches that point, then he would truly lose himself.


    But he couldn¡¯t think of a way to leave, not only because he was imprisoned and unable to break free, but rather because that woman seemed to be a witch! There was no other explanation as to how he ended up here; at that time no enemy had approached him, neither did he smell any unusual scents nor consume any strange food. Still he somehow ended up losing consciousness in the hidden woods and then woke up to find himself in this dungeon.


    The sound of footsteps echoed closer, step by step, and a light in the distance gradually grew brighter.


    The iron gate creaked open, and a cloaked woman placed a torch on the wall, then closed the door. The face under the hood was full of fascination for him.


    Suddenly, the woman flew into his arms and began to touch him without reserve, while the man cringed in disgust.


    She wasn¡¯t ugly at all. Rather, she was very beautiful and her flowing hair was golden as the morning sun¡­.However, he had no feelings for her from the day they met, and now he could only feel loathing for her.


    ¡°Ian¡­.Prince Ian¡­.Oh, I miss you so much!¡± The woman hugged him tightly knowing that he couldn¡¯t struggle against her embrace, ¡°Your Highness, do you love me?¡±


    Ian didn¡¯t respond. He refused to say a word to this unreasonable woman, except for times when he was weak from hunger and needed a meal.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­.¡± the woman tried to coax him with many words, but she still couldn¡¯t get him to react. In her anger, the woman scratched his face with her nails, ¡°You bastard!¡± she exclaimed.


    After the many times she¡¯s come down to play him¡­..Ian couldn¡¯t take it anymore; he refused to open his mouth and stubbornly held his silence. Back then he had tried to reason with this woman, saying that although they¡¯re not fit to be a couple, they could still be friends. He even offered to introduce her to someone, but the lady seemed to selectively listen to what she wants to hear. She would respond either by pretending that she couldn¡¯t hear his words, or she would react in anger and tie him onto a poll; and that¡¯s how it was right now.


    The woman tightened his chains against the rod, and then pulled out a whip from her waist. She raised her arm and landed several painful whips on Ian, while her mouth scolded unceasingly, ¡°Why? Tell me why?! What¡¯s wrong with me? Why don¡¯t you like me?¡±


    ¡°Am I not beautiful? Look at me, I¡¯m gorgeous! I¡¯m the most beautiful girl in the kingdom!¡± At first the prince was confused as to why she would make such a claim; he knew that there were many girls in the kingdom who were more attractive than her. But if they were dealt with by this crazy woman¡­..then she would be the only beauty left. One can surmise that if she becomes more powerful in witchcraft, then it is absolutely possible that this woman will become the most beautiful lady left in the country, and even across the continent.


    ¡°Am I not noble enough? Am I not worthy of you?¡± Of course, she was the Duke¡¯s daughter, so how can she not be qualified to stand by him¡­.But now he can only see her as a crazy woman! He was unaware of her mental disability when he first rejected her in the past; now that he knows that she¡¯s a madman, it¡¯s even more impossible for him to like her!


    ¡°Won¡¯t you love me? Your Highness, do you love me?¡± The woman whipped him a few more times, then she jumped on him and cried, ¡°Your Highness, as long as you love me, I will set you free! We can then live a happy life together¡­Your Highness, my prince!¡±


    So many whippings could not get him to cry out in pain, let alone respond to her questioning.


    He even refused to make any perfunctory remarks¡­¡­


    Why does his heart not have me? Why? After a couple more lashings, the woman grabbed her torch and tearfully left.


    Ian waited for a while, and sure enough, another servant came into the prison to take care of the aftermath.


    Ian thought that the man was blind, because every he came, he didn¡¯t bother to bring a torch. But the servant still managed to tidy up the cell quietly while also cleaning the prisoner¡¯s wounds. This man would feed him a meal once a day¡­..although the food wasn¡¯t very palatable.


    Back when he first arrived, he counted the number of times he had been fed, just to keep track of how long he¡¯s been imprisoned. However, now he couldn¡¯t recall how many meals he¡¯s already had.


    The servant left after he had finished his work. The dark prison once again restored its former quiet and lonely state.

 CH 2

    The woman continued to visit the chained prince from time to time.


    Just when he thought he was left for dead, an unexpected event brought him a glimmer of hope.


    Frantic footsteps echoed from a distance.


    Hearing the commotion, Ian knew that something must have happened outside. Perhaps he could use this chance to escape! Although he was fed each day, he was so malnourished and emaciated that he could actually slip free of the shackles, simply by twisting his wrists and legs with enough effort. However in the past he couldn¡¯t find a suitable time to escape since guards and servants would occasionally check on him. At that time, he had to put his hands and feet back into the shackles out of caution.


    Seeing that the mad woman¡¯s footsteps are so urgent, would today be his chance?


    As a prince, his disappearance would most like attract attention, especially from his mother the Queen; she would be very concerned about his return. Most likely, the Queen would be first to notice his disappearance and become suspicious. The last trace of the prince¡¯s presence was at the Duke¡¯s mansion before he disappeared, so whoever was dispatched was hopefully clever enough to find him imprisoned here.


    For the first time, Ian was actually looking forward to the mad woman¡¯s visit. He hopes she would come so that he¡¯ll be able to determine if this was a good time to escape.


    ¡°Your Highness Prince Ian!¡± The woman hurriedly fell into his arms while still holding on to the torch; the flame nearly burnt his hair. Moreover, at this time she eagerly held his face while shamelessly kissing him many times, making him even more nauseated.


    The woman¡¯s face was full of joy. ¡°Your Highness, we will be able to escape soon and enjoy freedom together! Let¡¯s wait and see. My dear Prince Ian, I will be back soon!¡±


    The woman eagerly left¡­.she was so excited that she forgot to lock the door!


    An opportunity has come at last! Just from her few words, Ian was able to deduce a few things: he wasn¡¯t too far away from the Duke¡¯s Mansion, since the woman said they could ¡°escape soon.¡± The Duke may disapprove of the relationship between his daughter and him, otherwise why would the daughter want to take the Prince and escape? Perhaps the Duke is trying to help the Prince safely leave the woman, after all, the Duke and his father were very good friends. However at this time, there must have been a serious matter causing the Duke¡¯s Mansion to fall apart in pandemonium, otherwise how could the crazy woman be so excited? She was eager to use this chance to take the Prince and leave¡­


    Thinking of the situation, now doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea to go and find the Duke. For now he should escape to the suburbs for treatment, and then return to the Royal Knights or to the Temple. In short, now is the time to escape!


    Ian quickly twisted his hands and feet and slipped free of the shackles. But he didn¡¯t expect that the old servant would notice the clanking of the chains and would enter the cell at this time. The old servant stood shocked at the unexpected sight. Taking advantage of the man¡¯s surprise, Ian quickly grabbed a rod and made his move.


    Although the prince was weak due to a long period of inactivity, he still had a way to deal with the old man. Having grabbed the rod, he decisively threw a couple of blows against the enemy until the servant fell to the ground. After making sure that the man was unconscious, Ian quickly locked the door and fled.


    All the events happened quickly, but it was actually difficult for him to press forward. After all he already little strength, and yet he forcefully used his hands and feet earlier for the attack. He was at his limits.


    The stairs circled upwards, meaning that Ian was trapped at the bottom of a tower all this time. Ian guessed that this could be one of the two towers of the Duke¡¯s Mansion. Once he neared the top of the basement, he could faintly see an open door in the distance; a subtle light shone through the door¡¯s crack while loud noises permeated from outside¡­.whether it was the sound of clanking boots and armor, or the shouting commands for battle, or the clashing of swords, every sound seemed to fill him with anxiety and hesitation.


    After gently pushing the door, making sure that it wasn¡¯t locked, Ian opened a gap that was just enough to let him pass through. Just pushing the door seemed to exhaust his strength. Afterwards he shakily picked up a couple of branches and leaves and used them to cover his trail.


    Once his trail was hidden, the prince gave a sigh of relief. His hands were still trembling, while his twisted fingers and fractured bones were twitching¡­.but he still dared not to leave the spot. His fear made him hesitant in venturing out, in case he encounters a foe instead of a friend. If that happens, then wouldn¡¯t his escape be futile?


    However, the turmoil in the distance did not subside for a long time and the prince soon grew impatient. Perhaps when things quiet down, the guards would have secured the premises and by then he would have no chance to slip through. He needs get moving! After taking several deep breaths, Ian mustered his strength and slowly approached the doorway. The pile of branches that were stacked against the wall prevented light from shining through the doorway. Ian carefully moved past the pile of branches that disguised the entrance, then slowly emerged through the crevice, before quietly shutting the wooden door.


    After taking a good look around, he decisively plowed into the forest nearby.


    The Duke¡¯s mansion contained a large thicket of bushes, which were so dense that they could conceal traces. Unfortunately, the shrubs rustled loudly as he brushed passed them.


    Soon enough, the prince was discovered.

 CH 3

    Right now, the prince felt very embarrassed.


    The onlookers noticed his messy hair, unkempt clothes, the sweaty odor, not to mention the filthy smell of urine that emanated from his untidy body. His body was wasted and his bones were almost visible from his emaciated state¡­..how can anyone recognize him as the ambitious and handsome prince from before?


    No one can. Right now, he looked just like a beggar.


    However, although the soldiers could not recognize him, the crazy woman knew his identity at first glance. So when the Duke¡¯s daughter immediately ordered them to bring the ¡°beggar¡± to her, they immediately obeyed; the guards simply assumed that Ian was a homeless man that stumbled into the mansion by mistake. In their minds they complained that now was not a good time to do such a worthless task, especially with the current commotion, but they still followed her command.


    The Duke¡¯s youngest son had organized a rebellion, claiming that the Duke¡¯s eldest son was not qualified as a successor. The young son incited some of the retainers and knights to rebel, thus openly provoking his elder brother. Soon he and the rebels engaged in battle against the successor.


    While the two brothers engage in fatal combat, the Duke¡¯s only daughter remained indifferent. She only seemed to care about chasing some homeless beggar at the mansion¡¯s backyard¡­.some clever knights have began to wonder whether this family is still worthy of their loyalty, after all, if there are two idiots fighting in the family, who can tell if this third child is also a sensible person? But for now they can¡¯t resist the woman¡¯s orders. The knights had to continue chasing the homeless man. Surprisingly, the man managed to escape their grasp despite his obvious weakness.


    Ian was quite stubborn. Refusing to resign to his fate, the prince ran desperately until he arrived at a lake.


    The lake was part of the boundary that separated the Duke¡¯s Mansion from the outer territories. This crocodile Lake served as an effective barrier, which is why no soldiers never really bothered to patrol this area on a regular basis. Despite today¡¯s mutiny, no garrison was found guarding the lake. At this time, Ian had finally arrived at this border, and although no soldier blocked his path, he still felt anxiety as he faced the calm lake. He knew that the lake had ferocious crocodiles.


    Does he really want to cross this lake?


    The sound of pursuing footsteps grew closer and closer, until the prince was finally forced to the very edge of the lake.


    ¡°You can¡¯t escape!¡± the mad woman glared at him as her expression twisted into an ugly scowl. ¡°Return to me now! If you come back I¡¯ll pretend as if none of this ever happened!¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± The prince hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time. His voice was very hoarse, without the former deep and gentle tone. ¡°Instead of going with you, I would rather die!¡±


    It¡¯s better to perish in the mouth of a crocodile than to be confined by this woman!


    ¡°Knights of the Duke! I am the Gaolan¡¯s Second Prince, Ian Gaoliu! Remember all of my words today¡ª beware of this crazy woman!¡±


    He urgently hoped to send his father a message that he was murdered by this devilish woman! That way even if he died, someone could take revenge for him! However even if some of these knights realized his identity, they might not necessarily escape the wrath of this witch; she could cover up their eyes and ears and sentence them to death. But perhaps¡­.perhaps there might be one or two knights who can successfully escape her grasp and pass on the news to his father the King? Moreover, if the King receives such a news, he will naturally reward the messenger with great benefits. That way the possibility of his circumstance being reported to the King would have a greater chance¡­..


    However, these were just his ideas.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± The Duke¡¯s daughter became even more hideous. She reached out and pointed at him, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die in front of me in this lake!¡± However the prince paid her no heed, causing the witch to scowl in rage.


    ¡°The Demon of the Night is under my command, and with it I shall make your life as Hell!¡± The witch gazed at the prince, as if to cast a spell. You shall beg for my mercy in the humble state of a beast! No human will be willing to touch you except for me¡­.Your curse can only be undone by me!


    At this moment, his guess was confirmed¡­..this woman was a witch! When she pointed at him, the prince had already jumped into the lake and struggled to move forward¡­..But in the end it was too late. A greasy sensation spread on his hand, while the vision in front of him began to morph. At the same time, the sensation of his body¡¯s changes had reached his brain.


    He did not know what he had become and what he looked like, but he was already exhausted.


    Before his consciousness completely blanked out, the prince drowned into the water.


    Through the layer of water he could see the moonlight¡­.it turned out to be a full moon.

 CH 4

    Ian thought that he would drown, but after noticing no pain in his lungs underwater, he struggled to wake up. His hands and feet constantly paddled against the water until his head finally emerged from the lake. The full moon still hung in the air; it seems that he fainted for only a short time.


    He broke through the bundle of reeds, when he vaguely heard the wrathful scream of the mad woman. At this moment, the knights were still battling against the rebels for the sake of succession, while a few soldiers continued to search in the dark for the missing prince. The darkness was thick, and it seemed to engulf all beings just like the lake. Meanwhile the men scoured the lake to search for a frog¡­..


    He was now a Frog.


    The prince raised his hands and noticed he had the webbed fingers of a four-toed frog. The sensation kicking feet against water compared to swimming with his webbed feet was not the same; even his vision has changed.


    He became a beast just as the crazy woman had wanted.


    The woman¡¯s unreasonable commands finally angered the knights. They said it was dangerous to venture into the crocodile lake during the night. Instead they disobeyed her orders and rejoined the battle. Ian was temporarily safe.


    But he did not dare to rest here, he must leave!


    Without a moment to waste, he hurried to the shore and trudged onwards. As long as he reaches the temple, the priests will surely recognize him as a cursed human! Naturally, somebody will think of a solution for his curse¡­..He must trust in their capabilities, otherwise he really doesn¡¯t know how he will continue to live!


    It took the prince three days to finally leave the woods. During this time, some soldiers continued to search for him, but all of them were successfully avoided. Finding a frog that was smaller than a fist was a difficult task to do in the midst of such dense woods. Sometimes the frog would look up at the moon and smiled self-mockingly; compared to the blemished and waning moon, at least his frog skin looked much better. Once he was out of the forest, he made his way down the long road, hoping to find some town or city.


    It was not a difficult thing to do as a person, but now that he¡¯s a frog, everything had become much bigger and much more dangerous. There were times when he would be chased by dogs, and other moments when shoes were tossed at him. At times, even civilians who were casually passing by would almost swing at him with their canes. Not to mention walking on the road, the possibility of being crushed by carriages or by a stampeding horse was quite high. Ian was already very miserable after passing through a small town. After leaving the town, he couldn¡¯t imagine it¡ªwhen he reaches the city, the chance of an accidental death was much higher.


    As a frog, he was spurned and despised by everyone daily. It felt as if the entire world had turned against him, becoming full of malice. When he suffered hunger, he could only eat disgusting flies and mosquitos. When he cringed from thirst, he could only drink water from the damp, disgusting potholes. He was tired, but he could only sleep in the damp, dirty corners. If he wasn¡¯t in a humid place, his skin would easily crack from dryness.


    If he was originally a frog, then his life may be considered very good, but he was a person, a person! A man was imprisoned in such a shell. His circumstances not only made him deeply frustrated, it also forced him to be deeply humbled. Every day that he opened his eyes was like a torture inflicted by an invisible hand. Although he was fortunate to still breathe air, he still felt that the days and weeks were threatening to drown and suffocate him.


    Despite the difficult journey, he did not dare to linger in one place. He continued to hop along the official road where the citizens would walk.


    Ian didn¡¯t know what to expect. Maybe he was looking forward to meeting the priests along the road? But can they recognize that he is a cursed person with the magic they hold? After all, no matter which part of him, everything about him resembles a frog. Is there a priest that is powerful enough to discover his state? There has to be!


    The hot sun was blazing.


    It was already summer. Prince Ian remembered that it was a beautiful spring day when he first visited the Duke¡¯s mansion¡­.it seems that he was imprisoned later for more than three months.


    The official road was currently worn down due to being trampled on by horse carriages and footsteps during the long course of time. The grasses did not have the chance to grow on such a spot. Much of the road was covered with pebbles and sand, causing the ground to be relatively dry and hot. The summer sun was quite hot today. While humans may not be affected, such a weather for a frog was like hell¡­¡­Ian felt as if he was dying from the heat, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be so depressed right now would he?


    Once again, he hopped forward with much effort, only to end up falling on the ground. Then he found that he couldn¡¯t get up. He was so tired everyday; he hasn¡¯t slept well for many nights and now he has become a thin and frail frog. Ian knelt near the official road. If he continues to roast like this under the sun, he may soon become a dead frog.


    Ian could not consciously laugh, so he issued forth a weak croak; a dignified prince was actually turned into a frog and was now about to die beside the official road. No one would be there to properly bury his body, thus leaving him to die in the wild. He would probably be left as food for the foxes or lizards.


    The prince finally closed his eyes with a sad smile as he felt himself being enwrapped in a gentle pair of hands¡­.has Death brought him into her arms? Is it time for him to die?


    Yes, it seems to be his time¡­..

 CH 5

    The gentle hand was not an illusion.


    When Ian woke up, he found himself resting on the palm of an unfamiliar hand, covered with a wet scarf. The damp scarf had moistened his previously dry skin, leaving him with a feeling of comfort and relief.


    He croaked in surprise, and suddenly felt a gentle caress. A soft cold voice whispered, ¡°Awake? Rest here until we reach the pond.¡±


    Her palm was protectively wrapped around him, preventing him from moving, but it wasn¡¯t tight to the point that he¡¯d be pinched to death. Meanwhile, the temperature of her hand¡­..was unexpectedly cold. Such a cool temperature was very comfortable for a frog, but for a person, this was not a good indication of health.


    Ian looked up and stared at a pale face.


    The woman didn¡¯t look very pretty. She also seemed to give off a distant aura which made her seem unapproachable. Despite her cold looks, she carefully held the frog in her palm while her other hand held up a small black and blue parasol. She didn¡¯t mind trudging past the tall grasses, small puddles and mud, just to find a pond for him.


    Ian couldn¡¯t help but stare at the girl dazedly¡­..perhaps it¡¯s been too long since he last experienced such gentleness, that he felt as if he were in a dream. He wished to stay in the palm of her hands, never to leave.


    ¡°Here it is.¡± The woman took some effort to crouch down towards the ground while lifting her parasol to block out the sun. She then gently placed the frog on a wet stone. After giving him a good look, the maiden reached out and caressed his head with her cold finger. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen such a skinny frog.¡± Was he malnourished because he was bullied by other frogs? No it shouldn¡¯t be the case.


    The prince observed the curious girl before him. She was adorned with a black and blue dress, along with long sleeves and a pair of gloves that covered her hands. Only her face was slightly exposed, revealing her pale skin¡ªactually most of her face was veiled with a net. But this lady¡­..no, she should be a maiden. This maiden was so young that it made him wonder, why did she dress like a widow?


    After placing the frog down, the girl stood up and shielded herself from the hot sun with her umbrella. The parasol was dainty and beautifully crafted, but its dark blue hue still gave off a gloomy mood. Unfortunately, the maiden¡¯s preference for dark colors had often resulted in people giving her strange looks.


    However, at the moment Ian himself wasn¡¯t quite ¡°human¡±; color didn¡¯t look the same to a frog compared to a person. That was why, even though people would judge her as unusual with her black clothes, Ian himself didn¡¯t share the same opinion. Instead, the first thing that entered his mind when beholding her was that he wished for her to never leave.


    ¡°Be wise¡ªdon¡¯t let yourself be bullied by other frogs. And remember to eat a little more.¡± The maiden wrapped her scarf around him before finally walking away.


    Within the scarf, Ian watched helplessly as her back receded from view. Her hair fluttered in the wind as she went on her way. The frog leapt desperately after her, but his exhaustion got the best of him¡ªin the end he couldn¡¯t catch up to her.


    Don¡¯t go¡­¡­ah.


    Please don¡¯t leave¡­¡­..


    His croak was so weak that it was barely audible.


    In the end, he was left behind by his Goddess.


    ¡­


    The prince was left kneeling on the ground with only the pond before him. The edge of the pool was teeming with many tiny insects that he could catch for his meals.


    Today, the food seemed especially unpalatable.

 CH 6

    He felt as if he was suffering from lovesickness.


    Every day that Ian woke up, he couldn¡¯t help but think of the girl¡¯s cold face, along with her faint whispers.


    In his longing, he couldn¡¯t push away the various thoughts that plagued his mind: Who is she? What is her name? Does she like me? Did she ever worry if this frog would get severely ill? Will she ever come back? Will she come and see me? If the maiden does return¡­..he will do everything possible to chase after her.


    Hoping to someday reunite with the girl, the frog forced himself to swallow those insects, even if they were disgusting. Although he could already be considered a mature young man, he still couldn¡¯t help but tremble in anxiety each day while living absent-mindedly. Every day he would look at the direction from whence the girl left, hoping that she would appear once again. However, after waiting for two months, she still did not return¡­¡­he listlessly looked towards the same direction. It was hard not to lose hope.


    The weather began to cool, and more and more leaves began to fall to the ground.


    He knew that autumn was coming; it was time for him to find a place to spend the winter instead of continuing to guard the scarf and the stone.


    The pond nearby had some muddy spots. When Ian jumped down towards the water, he splashed into the mud and accidentally stained the scarf. Every time the scarf gets dirtied, he couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed and humbled; how could he not be able to do something as simple as protecting a silk scarf! Afterwards, he would go through great pains to bring the scarlet scarf to a clean stream. When he finished washing it and letting it dry, the frog would use great efforts to bring the cloth back to the special stone. In his exhaustion, he slept with the scarf¡ªonly the scent of the cloth can calm his mind, blessing him with a dreamless sleep.


    At first he was able to smell the young girl¡¯s faint scent from the scarves, but after washing it a couple more times, he could only smell the nauseating odor of frogs and mud. But even so, he was unwilling to let go; as a frog he looked exactly the same as other wild frogs¡ªthere was no difference. Only that scarlet scarf can make him especially eye-catching, making it possible to recognize him.


    That is, if the girl ever comes back.


    ¡­


    Three months had passed since Ian was left waiting on the pond.


    He stared up at the moon, feeling his heart break.


    Unexpectedly a shadow appeared and covered the moon.


    ¡°You are still here?¡±


    The frog narrowed his eyes in disbelief as he stared wide eyed at the pale girl.


    I am here!


    I¡¯ve been waiting for you!


    The young girl looked at him thoughtfully, then reached out to touch the silk scarf.


    The scarf was very clean as if it had been washed often. The frog looked at her with brightened eyes; it was as if she was his entire world.


    ¡°Are you waiting for me?¡± Many storms had passed since she had left, and now fall was turning into winter. Despite all these things, he was still dwelling by this pond.


    Yes, ah.


    I have been waiting for you.


    The girl blinked and pondered to herself.


    She had compassion on small animals who were helpless, being easily moved by their plight. Seeing the small frog rest on her silk scarf, the maiden felt her inner feelings well up, causing her to break into tears. But she still kept a gentle smile on her face.


    She reached out and placed her hand in front of him. ¡°Do you want to come with me?¡±


    The frog¡¯s eyes brightened even more and he directly jump into her palms. His front paws held her thumb.


    The girl laughed and her other hand caressed his head. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t leave you again. If I knew then that you wanted to come home with me, I would have brought you along¡­¡­You actually waited all this time like a fool.¡±


    Yes, I am a fool.


    As long as I can be with you, it doesn¡¯t matter if I become your fool for life.

 CH 7

    Ian lived happily at the maiden¡¯s home


    The young teenage girl cleared up a corner for him in the room; she set up a small pond along with some aquatic plants. She regularly replaced the water and used the damp scarf to wipe and moisturize the frog. Luckily, Ian never needs to eat insects here! After the maiden discovered that he likes to eat cooked food, she would often take from her own plate and share it with him¡­..it was a blessing!


    As the girl would hold the spoon and feed him, Ian looked at the other pets at home with contempt. He proudly straightened his chest as if to say, ¡°See, I am the most favored one!¡±


    The girl¡¯s name was Joanna. She lived alone in a small house by a stream. The furnishings in her room were actually no different from an ordinary girl¡¯s, but one thing was very strange; her curtains were thick and heavy. Once they were pulled closed the entire house would dim black. Ian later learned that the girl¡¯s skin was very sensitive. Being under the morning sun was fine, but once the sun would shine high up in the sky, her skin would break out in blisters¡­.So if the girl goes out in the middle of the afternoon, she must cover her body completely. It was best for her to stay indoors, otherwise she would easily burn under the hot sun.


    Joanna was a very loving girl.


    There were many small animals in her house, but they weren¡¯t the kind that ordinary people would keep as pets.


    One time when he saw her bring back an injured puppy, he noticed that after bandaging the dog, she immediately sent it away to the hunters; the nearby hunters did not mind having a hound at home. From then on, he knew that all the pets in the family were ones that still needed care. For example, there was a lizard sleeping on the corner with broken legs, while the turtle under the table with a broken shell was always sick. The lizard, the turtle, along with the crow that could no longer fly from wounded wings¡ªall of them were poor creatures who could no longer survive in the wild¡­..Ian refused to admit that he was such a pitiful person.


    Joanna¡¯s house wasn¡¯t too small, but it wasn¡¯t too big either. The living room and the bedroom were little in size, but the study itself was very large; all four walls were covered with bookshelves. The height from the floor to the ceiling was about six meters. In addition to the four large bookshelves, there were two more shelves that were used to hold new books. So many books filled the room that if the shelves were to collapse, the whole room would be flooded with volumes.


    The maiden loved to read, and he likes to watch her immerse into her books. When he first followed him into her study, she brought him back to his corner, a little confused with his behavior. Only after seeing him repeatedly entering the study did she realize that the skinny frog was trying to follow her. Since then, whenever she was studying she would place a basin of water next to her along with a few stones for the frog to step on. As long as the frog doesn¡¯t wet her book, she doesn¡¯t mind having one more sticky pet.


    Moreover, there is a cute little frog to accompany her. She can read her book while teasing her little friend from time to time.


    There was a frog to relieve her of boredom; it was fun!


    Ian felt helpless whenever he was teased, and he couldn¡¯t help but croak loudly. When the girl puts down her book, she sometimes touched his head very gently and caresses his back. However sometimes she would pinch at his nose in a joking manner and other times would poke at his protruding belly with the back of her pen. Whenever she does this, he couldn¡¯t resist loudly ¡°croaking.¡± He was very loud; yes, some frogs could only ¡°squeak¡± lightly, but the River Frog species would croak as loud as a cow. Ian was a river frog himself, so the maiden enjoyed the sound of his croaking.


    At first Ian only dared to stay in the basin, not daring to leave its boundaries. Later on, he was emboldened to gradually leave the spot. In the end he even managed to climb over her shoulder to keep her company. She wouldn¡¯t object, but instead poked his nose.


    If Ian was just an ignorant frog, he would definitely be the happiest frog in the world.


    However, he was a person. He couldn¡¯t help but feel more and more dissatisfied¡­..He wanted to be able to embrace her, smell the scent of her hair, talk to her, and give her the world¡¯s most precious treasures. He wanted her to always have that beautiful smile when they were together.


    These were crazy thoughts, but he believed that his goddess was worth all of his madness.


    ¡°How is it that you¡¯re so quiet today?¡± The goddess¡¯ cool hand reached out to touch his nose once again, as she expressed her worry.


    When he felt the goddess¡¯ cool touch, he quickly covered his face with her hair. Every day with her was a true joy but at the same time it was painful living. He is willing to be her pet and stay with her for a lifetime, but he also couldn¡¯t be satisfied with the fact that he could only be a pet and not a man--a man that could protect her for a lifetime.

 CH 8

    Although he became a frog that could croak, Ian still couldn¡¯t understand the cacophony of frogs that dwelt outside the house. Naturally, he also couldn¡¯t understand what the crow, the lizard, and the turtle¡¯s words were when he was in Joanna¡¯s home. Only the maiden¡¯s words made sense to him; she even had the habit of frequently talking to her pets.


    Perhaps it was because he hadn¡¯t spoken to anyone for too long¡ªIan felt that he was increasingly craving Joanna¡¯s attention. Compared to the turtle and lizard who were too lazy to move, along with the crow who liked to come near the goddess but refused to be touched, the frog was the most lively one in the house. Thus he received most of the dialogue from Joanna. However, this was simply not enough for him.


    He yearned to be embraced by the goddess, yearned to receive all of her attention, and hoped that the goddess would put him at the center of her life.


    Recently, Joanna discovered that the frog who was spoiled with her attention had recently become more and more bold. He even dared to climb her bed and sleep on her long hair!


    She doesn¡¯t mind her pets being affectionate, but this was dangerous for a frog! If he leaves the water for too long, his skin will begin to dry up and crack, right? Isn¡¯t this frog being too intimate?


    When she first discovered this habit, she was a little reluctant to correct him. However after a number of repeated incidents, she finally couldn¡¯t help but reprimand and threaten to confine him if he dared to leave the water basin at night. Although she was speaking to a frog, she somehow felt embarrassed for her outbreak. The frog looked so sad as if he were about to cry. Joanna couldn¡¯t help but sigh and softly said, ¡°The weather is really dry recently. You actually don¡¯t pay attention to keeping yourself moist, do you really want to kill yourself?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t want to die but¡­..he also wants to be closer to his goddess!


    Although he was reluctant, he could only comply. After all, I can only continue to accompany the goddess by being able to live long enough.


    As this thought crossed his mind, a knock pounded on the door.


    Joanna¡¯s home was quite remote. Only specially hired people would come to her house. Joanna was also unaccustomed to liveliness so not many people would visit her abode. Still, many of the families in the neighboring village would come to her to exchange their food with her services in writing; after all, there were few people who were literate in this era, and even fewer were literate women. If any women were found to be literate without having a noble lineage, 80% of them were rumored to be a horrible existence¡­¡­..for example, a witch.


    But today, the newly arrived visitors from the neighboring village didn¡¯t come to Joanna for the sake of writing letters.


    When Ian saw Joanna greet the person outside the door, he felt that her attitude had changed. She was no longer the goddess who was very tender to him. Instead she acted like an aloof mistress; she didn¡¯t greet the outsiders like she normally would, neither did she offer them a seat. She simply went straight for her favorite chair, sat down, then looked up at her unwelcome guests.


    Behind her chair was a fireplace with a large portrait. The lady on the painting should be Joanna¡¯s mother since they both shared similar features. Her mother was also dressed in black and blue clothes, having eyes that were chilly, along with an expression that was equally cold and distant. Next to the seat was a small table that held the water basin where Ian was currently immersed.


    When he saw Joanna sit down, he could clearly see that she didn¡¯t like her guests. Her expression was a lot colder than when he first met her¡­.her indifference made her seem like a completely different person. Ian quickly leaned forward and touched her fingertips with the tip of his nose. Feeling his touch, Joanna turned to look at him with her usual gentle expression, and she finally calmed down; she was still his goddess, not someone else.


    ¡°Say it, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Joanna asked disdainfully. ¡°What kind of mess did your immature son commit this time?¡±


    The guest pulled down her hood to reveal a worn out, wrinkled face. It was a timid old woman.


    ¡°He¡­¡­he didn¡¯t play around women anymore. He finally settled for a job. But he went to gamble!¡± The old woman broke down in tears. ¡°I warned him several times but he still insisted on borrowing money from others.¡±


    The young man who stood behind his mother suddenly burst out in defense, ¡°It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t stand losing so many times, so I continued to gamble! I can¡¯t help it¡­..I won¡¯t dare to trouble you again after this matter!¡±


    Joanna picked up the frog and began to caress his back, over and over again¡­¡­if it was a cat the guests could continue to watch comfortably. However in this scene, the girl was actually holding a frog. The old woman stared with surprise and fright. Ian didn¡¯t understand why the maiden would hold him now at this time, being oblivious to the drama she was creating. However he enjoyed being in her palms and would occasionally give a croak or two, as if to express his comfort and satisfaction.


    As a result, the scene looked even more disturbing.


    Joanna looked at her guests with contempt. ¡°You and my mother used to be good friends long ago. She reminded you often that it was wrong to spoil you son in this way. She said not to raise your child in this way because your son is the kind of person who couldn¡¯t be saved once he has fallen into a pit¡­..However instead of paying heed, you let your son do whatever he wants, thus turning him into a parasite. The last time you came for help, I treated you as my mother¡¯s friend so I decided to help in whatever way I could. However, this time a solution won¡¯t be that simple¡­¡­For your son, what price are you willing to pay?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want! Even my life!¡±


    ¡°Why would I want your life?¡± Joanna¡¯s tone was still cold, ¡°Master Ferdelli¡¯s writings¡­..Yes, his books. If you can find his works for me, I can give you the help you need.


    The old woman was surprised. ¡°This¡­..¡±


    ¡°You used to be the administrator of the city¡¯s grand library. How could you possibly not know where those books are?¡± Joanna carefully placed the frog back into the basin, then stood up. ¡°Bring me those books, then we¡¯ll continue our conversation. You should leave now and treat it as if you¡¯ve never visited here today.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the old woman exclaimed excitedly. ¡°I will, I will definitely get those books for you! Please help my child.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Once Joanna gets the books, her problems can be solved. The maiden lifted her finger and pointed to the door, ¡°I won¡¯t be sending you off.¡±


    The old woman quickly nodded and left with her son. Thinking of something, she suddenly walked back and stood by the door; as if seeking one final assurance, she shyly asked, ¡°Witch of the Wilderness, please be sure to keep your promise!¡±


    ¡°Um¡± Joanna reluctantly nodded. Unbeknownst to her, Ian felt deeply unsettled, as if a huge wave had set storm into his heart.

 CH 9

    What did the old woman say? The Witch of the Wilderness?


    His dear goddess Joanna¡­.is a witch?


    ¡°Little frog, what¡¯s the matter? Were you scared to see strangers?¡± She gently held out her palm to carry him. However, upon discovering her identity, Ian backed away in fear.


    His heart quickly turned cold. It was a crazy woman who had transformed him into a horrible creature, and that crazy woman was a witch.


    It turns out that Joanna was also a witch¡­..So are the other pets in the room really pets or¡­¡­are they actually people who were cursed?


    Oh Joanna, my goddess, my master, you tell me! What are they really?!


    When Ian¡¯s desperate questions fell upon her ears, Joanna could only hear his loud croaks. She assumed that he was complaining, blaming her for frightening him with the visitors. She caressed his back in amusement, ¡°Well, later I won¡¯t let you be bothered by strangers. Is that okay with you?¡±


    You are a witch! Why can¡¯t you see that I am cursed? Tell me!


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Wait until you eat your potatoes, okay? I remember you liked potatoes a lot!¡± She still couldn¡¯t understand what the frog was trying to say, so she tried comforting him the same way she usually did with other animals¡ªshe would continue to caress him while speaking softly.


    Finally Ian gave up this useless conversation. He struggled to jump out of her hands, then returned to the corner that he usually avoided.


    He didn¡¯t want to think of Joanna as a terrible and hateful woman just like the crazy witch, however, he couldn¡¯t help but worry. The more he felt frightened, the more he wanted to act cold and distant. Staying in this room was a kind of torture; the vague sweetness of their past memories soon became a nightmare, and his body trembled uncomfortably.


    His movements fell into Joanna¡¯s sight. She only thought that the small frog felt deeply scared. In the future, if any unwelcome guests come by, she has to properly hide him away. Moreover, the little frog who was usually eager to stay by her side was suddenly distancing himself from her. It seems he was really angry this time. Should she make him some potato soup so he wouldn¡¯t be mad anymore?


    Despite his dissatisfaction, Ian couldn¡¯t help but feel but feel as if Joanna¡¯s movements were lovely and gentle. Even her movements in the kitchen were light and quiet.


    When dinnertime came, Ian was still plagued by heavy thoughts. The maiden was still unaware of his thoughts, so she took him to the table as usual. She used a small spoon to scoop up a bit of soup and was about to feed him¡­..suddenly, she remembered that frogs along with other small animals who dwelt near water were usually afraid of heat; cool things were the most comfortable for them. Having this in mind, she blowed on the spoonful of soup again and again until she was sure that it was cooled down. She then held the spoon before his mouth and entreated, ¡°Come on, say Ah ~"


    The frog habitually opened his mouth and took a sip, but when the wonderful taste of food brought him back to his senses, he immediately tossed away the spoon and spat out the soup.


    This made Joanna worry.


    ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± She was very confident of her cooking skills which usually had the small frog begging for more servings. However this time he remained silent. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had mistakenly used sugar instead of salt, so she quickly took a few mouthfuls of south to taste¡­¡­No it tastes fine. Maybe the little frog doesn¡¯t like thick soup, and instead prefers the potato? She couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    Ian noticed that she was nervous; she tried tasting the soup a couple of times, and she even used the small spoon that he had smashed earlier. Now she tried feeding him again using the same spoon that she had just licked herself¡­..finally, he shyly took a sip of the thick soup, to which she responded with a relieved smile.


    Aren¡¯t frogs considered very disgusting? And yet she maintained that same friendly smile, along with her gentle care for him¡­¡­such a lady. Even if she was a witch, he couldn¡¯t help but admit that these were her qualities.


    He finally reached out and touched her palm with the tip of his nose, silently asking for a caress. She naturally stroked his slippery back and began to converse with him with the usual, trivial everyday words¡­¡­it was as if nothing had changed, except that now his attachment to her had deepened.

 CH 10

    Three days later, the old woman returned with an embarrassed expression on her face. She had a parcel in her hand which contained several leather books. Many of Ian¡¯s previously written works were on the texts, and Joanna seemed to enjoy his writing.


    After finishing the book, Joanna picked up her parasol which hung by the door. ¡°Today is a good day since it will be cloudy.¡± She turned to face the old woman, ¡°You should lead the way. I think you should know where your son is.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the old woman gratefully. She even rushed excitedly to open the door for the witch, then quickly led the way.


    Hey!! The frog began to croak louder and louder. Joanna looked back and saw that the little frog had leapt in front of her, biting her skirt.


    ¡°Do you want to follow along little frog?¡± After hearing Joanna¡¯s question, he slowly let go of her skirt, looked up at her and smiled. Seeing his enthusiasm, the maiden waved her hand and a small pouch appeared out of thin air. This was the first time he witnessed her using magic; seeing the witch¡¯s powers left him momentarily dumbfounded.


    ¡°I can only trouble you. There are so many people on the road today and the sight of strangers may cause you to throw another tantrum, right? So for now you¡¯ll stay in the bag¡­¡­Oh! I almost forgot to dampen my hand towel so you can stay moisturized¡­..hold on a second.¡±


    Once everything was prepared and ready to go, the old woman wrapped herself in a cloak and walked ahead, while a young and proper lady followed her lead. It was quite the scene. The young lady seemed a bit unusual; she was fully dressed and held a small umbrella. She also gave off an indifferent and distant mood, but on the whole, she seemed to be a knowledgeable lady. No one noticed that the small handbag in the lady¡¯s palm contained a frog. The frog would frequently poke out his little head from the handbag to view the street outside.


    The two women walked all the way to the small village before seeking out a carriage to carry them over to the next town. The old lady continued on until they came to a hidden corner in the town¡ªa group of people were gathered at the spot, whispering constantly while surrounding a small table. Their eyes were focused on their cards which were constantly being turned over.


    ¡°Go and call out your son,¡± Joanna said.


    The old woman took heed and was about to grab her son¡¯s shoulder and drag him back, but Joanna shook her head. ¡°Go and stand next to him and call out to him. It doesn¡¯t matter how many times you call out, as long as you make your son turn around and look back at this direction.¡±


    ¡°Its that simple?¡± The old woman didn¡¯t quite believe her.


    Joanna simply nodded.


    ¡°Anyone who responds to your call shall be cursed by me, the Witch of the Wilderness. From then on, that person will suffer abdominal pain and diarrhea whenever he touches a gambling object. It will feel as if his ten fingers were smashed, so much that the pain will reach his heart and cause his eyes to tear up in pain without blinking. This curse will follow the victim until that person sleeps within the earth.¡±


    Upon hearing these words, the old woman immediately understood the witch¡¯s intentions. She immediately began to call for her son who refused to budge from the table. The middle-aged man was so annoyed that he finally turned back and yelled at his old mother, only to blink in surprise upon seeing the Witch of the Wilderness. A fierce stomach ache suddenly overwhelmed him causing him to fall the ground. The surrounding gamblers stood up in irritation and kicked him away out of disgust.


    ¡°My stomach¡­..my hand! It hurts!¡± The man was curled up on the ground. His tears kept flowing due to the immense pain.


    In her worry, the old woman quickly turned back and was about to call out to the witch, but then her fear of the witch¡¯s anger caused the old woman to hold her tongue. Joanna faced her and calmly said, ¡°Go and drag your son over here. It¡¯s too noisy next to that crowd for him to hear my words.¡±


    The unhappy middle-aged man quickly squatted in front of the Witch and received her cold eyes. ¡°Take heed to my words and don¡¯t be a fool who worries his mother. You should stay away from gambling, just as you have learned to quit cheating on women before. This kind of pain will follow you for a lifetime¡ªonce you start gambling, the pain will only get worse and worse, and before you know it, you could die because of the pain.


    Joanna didn¡¯t know if the man understood her words clearly, but when she finished speaking, she considered her task to be completed. The witch turned to the old woman and said, ¡°This is the best solution I can think of. But it must be stated that if your son is willing to gamble despite the risk of death, then losing his life is his responsibility. This is not something I can control.¡± If this does happen and if the old lady happens to backlash in anger, demanding that witches should be exterminated¡­¡­if the woman does take that action, then Joanna won¡¯t be polite to them either. See how she deals with them.


    The old woman quickly expressed her understanding, and fearfully watched the cold witch leave.


    Meanwhile, the frog in the handbag was reminded of the day he was cursed¡­¡­.Witches, do they only know how to curse?

 CH 11

    Since she rarely visited, Joanna walked around the city for a while to see what was new or strange.


    While strolling along, she saw a lot of interesting things and quickly bought them before placing them in her little handbag. Ian, who was in the small bag, stared dumbfounded. He was unable to figure out how those items disappeared into thin air once they entered the bag. Ian was afraid that he too might fall into some unknown abyss, but after seeing that he was still sitting firmly at the bottom of the handbag, he began to feel safe and secure.


    ¡°The King¡¯s List?¡± Joanna¡¯s doubts caught Ian¡¯s attention. At that moment, even though he was a little tired, he eagerly climbed up to the edge of the bag and look up at the King¡¯s List.


    ¡°That¡¯s unusual.¡± Joanna curiously looked up at the yellow poster that the city council had posted; the King¡¯s request for a search was especially eye-catching. ¡°What could possibly cause the King to add a search request on such a lowly billboard?¡±


    An Imperial Wanted List was a rare notice. The city¡¯s bulletin board was usually dotted with portraits and rewards for wanted criminals, or a notice of replacement for the city¡¯s officials, or even a new round of recruitments. It was rare to see the royal family issue a notice, which is the so-called ¡°King¡¯s List.¡± Usually the King¡¯s list notified the citizens of an upcoming dance or some kind of competition in order to perform in front of the king. However, this time the notice was to search for something.


    ¡°Search List¡­.Take note¡­ do not kill any frogs¡­.search for a missing frog?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Joanna saw the frog poking his head from the bag and she smiled at Ian. ¡°What does the little frog want to see? Come on, you can take a look¡ªalthough I¡¯m not sure if a frog can see all of these colors¡­¡±


    Ian quickly read the imperial list and noticed the royal seal below, along with the signature of the prime minister¡­¡­His father knew that he had become a frog! Now he was trying to find him and bring him back!


    ¡°Does the lady want to give it a try?¡± The soldier who stood by the bulletin board probably felt bored, so he opened up and suggested, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the lady have a frog right now? It says on the poster that if you manage to find the frog that the king wants, then there will be a reward of Ten Thousand Gold!¡±


    Joanna shook her head. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. But why would the king search for a frog?¡±


    The soldier shrugged. ¡°Who knows? The king suddenly issued such a list, and yet he doesn¡¯t even know what the frog looks like¡­..The Young Miss doesn¡¯t know this yet? After the King had issued such a request, so many people came by and took the opportunity. Many frogs were brought to the palace, but each time the king claimed that it wasn¡¯t the frog he was looking for. The people asked him what kind of frog he wanted, but the King couldn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this strange?¡± Joanna¡¯s cautiously looked at the soldier and said in hushed voice, ¡°Everyone has a special hobby. Maybe this was the king¡¯s new hobby?¡±


    The soldier glanced at Ian, who sat quietly in his little bag. ¡°Lady, do you really not want to try present that little frog with you? Who knows, you could get the reward of 10,000 gold.¡±


    ¡°Just as you said, this is my frog.¡± Joanna gently touched Ian¡¯s head. ¡°If such a reward would take away my frog, then I would rather not participate. The little frog once waited for me by the pond for months. For so long, it only had me in his world¡­.I would rather not let his world be destroyed.¡±


    Joanna gazed seriously at Ian, as if her words weren¡¯t just casual remarks, but rather, an oath that carried much weight¡­..When the soldier saw the lady say such an oath to a plain frog, he rolled his eyes thinking that the young girl was crazy. To Ian however, he felt as if he has got the whole world.


    Although he feels sorry for his father¡­..but even if he can reach the palace, he may not be able to find someone who can solve his curse. What''s more, a dignified prince had once turned into a frog. How can other servants and knights follow his orders willingly?


    So please, let this maiden continue to watch over his little world¡­¡­.His world only has his goddess.

 CH 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 goddess. 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 pass 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 attitude 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¡­.even now she was harming his beloved goddess, 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 goddess!


    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 shield 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¡ªVivienne Eisbourg! In comparison, you are the one who is without class or identity. 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 title ¡®Witch of the Wilderness¡¯ which was inherited from my mother¡ªyou 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.

 CH 13

    Ian¡¯s life once again fell into darkness.


    The mad woman took him away and locked him up in a golden birdcage; she stared at him intensely, with a pleased and loving gaze. Such a gaze made him feel sick and disgusted. He could only turn his back and close his eyes, pretending not to see her shameless stare.


    ¡°I finally found you my Highness, my Prince¡­..¡± Vivienne smiled. ¡°You belong to me my Prince. You are mine¡­.mine alone!¡±


    She took the birdcage to a mansion in the forest; the building was very old, yet very clean¡­..Ian wondered why it was so well maintained, until he finally saw a ¡°servant¡± with a distorted face and distorted body.


    ¡°Go!¡± she kicked the servant heavily. ¡°You¡¯re too ugly. I created you so you can clean up the mess when I¡¯m away, and what do you do? Instead you come into my sight and dare to pollute my eyes!¡±


    Created¡­..This woman actually created such a terrible thing! Ian looked at the grotesque ¡°servant¡± in horror, only to find that the servant had emotion¡­..On his distorted face, his eyes were wet and full of sadness¡ªunimaginable sadness.


    Yes, how could he forget that the ¡°servant¡± never wanted to be such an disgusting creature; it was just the same with Ian! He too never wanted to become a frog! However, when Ian had nothing left to lose, he finally met the kind Joanna to care for him. But what about this servant? He had no choice but to serve this crazy witch as his master¡­..his world must be dark and painful, enough to suffocate.


    The frog was taken to a gorgeous room, as the crazy woman eagerly gave him a tour of the place.


    ¡°See this crimson window? And this little table? And these clothes in the closet¡­..Oh oh, don¡¯t forget, there are many good little swords here. These are all for you my dear. I made sure the style was the same as your tastes; with so many gifts, don¡¯t you feel comfortable and happy?¡±


    When Ian glanced at the closet, he recognized that fashion as something he liked when he was still young¡­¡­how was the mad woman so familiar with him so early? How did he not discover this at all?


    ¡°Do you still remember when we met for the first time?¡± As Vivienne held the birdcage, her gaze turned soft as she recalled a beautiful memory. ¡°It was a hot summer day during the royal hunting festival. I followed my father to the palace and arrived at the hunting grounds with a team of soldiers. While the men went off to hunt, me and a group of ladies were there to drink tea and chat¡­..I was so bored that I wandered off to the creek myself, when suddenly I met a bear! It was you, it was you who saved me! At that time, you carried me away gently and told me to be careful later on. From then on, my heart was filled with you, Your Highness!¡±


    Ian also remembered that time. However, he could only recall bringing a group of royal children to hunt a bear. The bear had scratched his cousin and had almost taken the little girl¡¯s life! After killing the bear, he ordered his attendant to hastily report the incident. Meanwhile, Ian himself hurriedly carried his cousin back to the camp to find a doctor¡­..Was the crazy woman the little girl from that time? If he could turn back time, he would never bring his cousin to where the bear was! In fact, because she got injured, Ian wasn¡¯t permitted to enter the army at that time.


    ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve looked for you in the palace several times; I wanted to meet and speak with you, but you must have been shy. Your personal attendant always said that you weren¡¯t available, am I right?¡±


    He really was clueless!


    When conflict erupted on the border, Ian had to go on behalf of his father so he could see if the nobles at the distant frontier were harboring rebellious feelings. He also wanted to inspect the harvest by the southern territory, which he managed on behalf of his elder brother, the First Prince. Even if Ian wanted to meet another lady he was simply too busy. Who knew! His attendant only said that he stopped several people from bothering him, but he never mentioned the other person¡¯s identity. Ian never asked him either. He trusted his attendant to judge who to stop and who to let in¡­¡­If Ian was ever fortunate enough to return to the castle, he must reward that attendant for preventing him from meeting so many crazy women!


    ¡°Your Highness, you must love me¡­¡­¡± Vivienne stared longingly at the quiet frog within the cage. ¡°How could you not love me? I am beautiful, I am strong, only I can match with you!¡±


    Unreasonable, crazy!! The frog could not help but miss Joanna¡¯s gentleness and the little world they shared.

 CH 14

    Ian couldn¡¯t bear staying in the crazy woman¡¯s lair for much longer.


    Before he could see Joanna once again, Ian didn¡¯t resist eating the meals provided by the mad woman; it was better to eat her food rather than starve to death, otherwise, he would have no chance to reunite with his goddess Joanna.


    Vivienne kept him imprisoned in the room that was furnished according to his liking. Out of nowhere, the mad woman began to mutter incoherent words continually. Many of the words were unrelated, and yet she strung them together into sentences without reason. How could anyone comprehend her madness?


    Suddenly, his goddess Joanna fell from the sky and directly shattered the window by the balcony. She proudly stood upon the debris while Vivienne glared at her with disdain. ¡°You vulgar woman!¡± Vivienne¡¯s stare was filled with madness and anger; even her tight grasp of the cage was forceful enough to suffocate a person¡­.If he wasn¡¯t in a cage, Ian believed that he would have been crushed by her hands.


    Joanna had changed her attire for the trip. A dress wasn¡¯t fit for such a venture, so she put on a pair of boots and pants, along with a black cloak full of blue runes. The small umbrella that she usually brought was replaced by a wooden staff.


    Not just that, she even brought her three pets: the crow perched on her wooden staff, the lizard on her shoulder, and the turtle on the side of her backpack. They looked so comfortable that Ian felt a bit jealous. No matter how strangely Joanna was dressed at this time, Ian thought she was very beautiful in his eyes¡­..His goddess had come to rescue him even though she could replace him with any frog she encountered on the road. And yet she came back for him. Even if he died at this moment, he would die content.


    ¡°Last time I was careless.¡± Joanna walked slowly, one step at a time. ¡°So this time, to show you my respect, I brought along all of my familiars. Dark Witch, I hope you¡¯ve treated my little frog well, otherwise don¡¯t blame me for being impolite."


    Joanna glanced around the room and scoffed at Vivienne¡¯s taste. With such a mediocre taste, how could she claim to be the Duke¡¯s daughter?


    ¡°D**n it!¡± Vivian screamed, and the black shadows emerged from her once again. Joanna was no longer polite like last time. The wooden staff in her hand swung and the crow also flew into the air.


    Blue flames lit up the sky!


    Ian watched from within his cage as Vivienne scream and struggled; within the commotion, his cage was accidentally tossed into the air and rolled unto the ground. It was quickly lifted by the Crow¡¯s claws and was sent to Joanna¡¯s arms.


    The bird was no longer an ordinary crow¡ªnot just its physique, its black feathers were engulfed in gorgeous blue flames. The demonic bird caused Vivienne to scream in pain as it shot blue flames to scorch her entire body. Once again, it was the two dark shadows that appeared to extinguish the fire on her skin¡­.it seems that apart from those two demons, the mad woman had no other magic.


    Joanna released the frog from his cage and gently caressed the wounds on his back, which he suffered from the collision earlier. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve come for you. You¡¯re okay now. Once I¡¯m done here, I¡¯ll take you home and make sure this never happens again. Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Let him go, he is mine!¡± The shadows tried to break through the circle of fire that protected Joanna, but none of them could approach her.


    Joanna stared indifferently at the crazy woman who screamed in rage, completely ignoring her own wounds¡­..Yes, the woman was definitely insane. If she wasn¡¯t crazy, wouldn¡¯t she tend to her scorched wounds first instead of yelling at her?


    Joanna was tired of dealing the frenzied lady. With her sensitivity to magic, Joanna was quite sure that Vivienne sacrificed countless lives for the two shadow¡¯s loyalty.


    Black Magic is loathsome.


    After placing the lizard on the ground, Joanna stepped back and leapt out the window before landing on the lawn. She looked back at the mansion as the building lit up with an even greater flame.

 CH 15

    The mansion in the forest burned intensely, although the flame wasn¡¯t the usual reddish hue, but rather a strange blue color.


    Ian had no idea when the lizard within the mansion had turned into a flaming dragon the size of a stallion. The dragon began to destroy the mansion, effectively suppressing the mad woman who constantly attempted to break free from the dilapidating building.


    The screams and curses of the residents did not cause any change to Joanna¡¯s expression. She remained indifferent to the scene as she protectively held the frog in her hands. This was certainly not the first time that she used these forces.¡­and it won¡¯t be the last time either.


    Suddenly a person manage to rush out from the fire. Rather than the screaming Vivienne, it was the tough and grotesque ¡°servant.¡± This ¡°servant¡± who was nearly burnt to a crisp, had stumbled forth and fell before Joanna¡¯s feet. His heavy breathing was like a fan that roused the flames of an iron stove while his throat could give out a weak voice.


    Joanna looked at him for a while, then placed the frog on her shoulder before reaching out to touch the servant¡¯s face. Usually when she encountered stray dogs or cats along the road, especially those who treated her with courtesy, she would respond back with a gentle caress. At this moment, she patted him with the same gentleness, despite him being a half burned and distorted ¡°servant.¡±


    ¡°Poor child¡­¡­you are truly a poor child¡­¡±


    Yes, she was deeply saddened by the fact that she hadn¡¯t him earlier. This ¡°servant¡± was a broken soul within a broken shell that was distorted and synthesized by dark magic. His every breath caused a pain that language could not describe. What sins did ¡°he¡± commit to deserve such a fate? No¡­..he must have done something to provoke the crazy witch. As a result, the woman cursed him in her anger and turned ¡°him¡± into a vile creature.


    Sometimes Joanna felt like she really couldn¡¯t understand humanity, even if she was a human herself.


    ¡°Child, do you want me to give you relief?¡± She asked him softly and the ¡°servant¡± blinked in delight; his skin had melted into a mesh and he could no longer nod his head.


    Ian stared in surprise as Joanna bent down to kiss the man¡¯s charred forehead. The servant didn¡¯t have soft skin, nor was he a cute, furry cat, but rather, a half burned creature with a terrible face! Despite his grotesque appearance, Joanna didn¡¯t hesitate to kiss his cheek!


    After being kissed, the ¡°servant¡± smiled contently and finally closed his eyes, resting his head upon Joanna¡¯s lap. As Ian looked at the pitiful man, he wasn¡¯t sure why, but he no longer felt that the man was repulsive; ¡°he¡± was just a poor soul with a sad fate.


    He was a man who deserved compassion.


    ¡°I wish you a good journey my child. I leave a blessing upon you as the Witch of the Wilderness.¡± Joanna gently caressed the ¡°servant¡± who no longer breathed, and then carefully placed him on the ground. She picked up the wooden staff on her side and stood up proudly. If Joanna had simply intended to give Vivienne a light punishment before, now she had resolutely made up her mind to show her no mercy.


    Vivienne wasn¡¯t sure how long it took her to finally escape the blazing mansion; at this moment she appeared to be in a sorry state as she stood a short distance from Joanna. Despite her dirty clothes, Vivienne always had a way to appear lovely and pitiful in any bad situation. Even with her current messy appearance, her delicate and lovely figure could still arouse affection. Unfortunately, the one standing before her wasn¡¯t a handsome man, but rather an angry witch, along with a prince who was sick of her madness.


    The dragon spread its wings and flew up, shattering through the roof before landing by Joanna¡¯s side. The Black Phoenix with the Blue Flame also came to Joanna¡¯s side, standing once again on its favorite wooden staff.


    ¡°You vulgar woman!¡± Vivienne¡¯s voice was hoarse, but she still had the energy to viciously glare at Joanna.


    ¡°As your predecessor, I must remind you that black magic will only bring evil consequences.¡± Joanna looked down on her disapprovingly. ¡°If you make a mistake, even if it was just a small blunder, your dark magic will backlash and your contract demon will drag you down into an endless abyss. Your bones may remain on the earth but your soul will never be able to see the sun¡­¡±


    ¡°Demons!¡± Vivian once again summoned the shadows that stood alongside her. ¡°Bring him back to me!¡±


    Joanna laughed mockingly, ¡°Do you think you have the ability to beat me a second time?¡±

 CH 16

    In fact, when Vivienne launched all of her attacks, Joanna was fully prepared, making the mad woman¡¯s spells seem like they were hitting solid rock; it was quite a ridiculous scene.


    However, Joanna didn¡¯t dare to underestimate her enemy, having suffered a loss from her hands before. Instead she used her most powerful spells to respond to all of Vivienne¡¯s attacks. Joanna had received her mother¡¯s witch inheritance since the age of five and had trained in the arts for more than decade afterwards. Although she was still young at this time, Joanna was absolutely qualified to be considered a senior in her field. Vivienne, on the other hand, had only begun to practice black magic two years ago; she could only fumble on her own. Because she had no guidance from a master, her strength was further compromised. Only a short moment had passed before Vivienne overpowered and stepped on by the dragon.


    ¡°Impossible¡­..this is just impossible¡­.


    ¡­Why is this happening!?¡±


    Vivienne refused to believe that she could be beaten by the low class woman in front of her. Nothing seemed to be special about Joanna at all. ¡°I clearly have the strongest Night Demons, how could I lose to such a vulgar woman?!¡±


    ¡°Your foundation is not stable¡ªeven if you had immense power, if your foundation isn¡¯t solid, then all your strength is in vain.¡± Joanna didn¡¯t want to kill her as punishment. Although many people believe that witches are evil beings who love to murder, the truth is that witches treat their work the same as other professions; they provide services to customers based on their needs, while seeing if the request is within their criteria. In that way the Witch can choose to take on a job based on their own magical ability or mentality.


    And Joanna was the kind of witch that didn¡¯t like to kill.


    Unfortunately, the reputation of witches have long been destroyed by a small number of evil witches who were proactive in seeking out a lot of guests. These matters caused Joanna to feel disappointment.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always been curious¡­..¡±Joanna thought about whether she should use up the mad woman¡¯s personal magical reserve before letting her off. After all, a witch whose magic was stripped away would immediately falter. Their shame would cause them to hide in a corner. However, this mad woman was so crazy that she might just bite around and throw a wild fit, even if she lost her magic. So Joanna had to stall for time as she contemplated how to deal with her. While she pondered, she needed to distract Vivienne with a topic. ¡°Whenever you demand for my frog, you always say to hand ¡®him¡¯ over, instead of ¡®it¡¯ over¡­..Why is that?¡±


    Joanna noticed that the mad woman seemed to start feeling panic¡­


    as if¡­.she was about to be caught.


    ¡°Is this frog¡­.a key to opening a treasure? No this isn¡¯t it.¡± Joanna continued to observe the mad witch¡¯s expression, and this didn¡¯t seem to be the answer. ¡°Or is it a clue to a secret?¡± But the mad woman¡¯s face still remained ambiguous. Just what was this woman¡¯s reason for being so persistent, especially with just a little frog?


    Meanwhile, Ian, who rested on Joanna¡¯s palms, had once again felt as if his heart was so full, that it overflowed with emotion. It turned out that she really didn¡¯t know he was cursed! In the beginning, she had always been such a kind person, such that she even treated pitiful creatures kindly.


    But isn¡¯t she a very powerful witch? Why couldn¡¯t she recognize my state?


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡­..did you curse a person into a beast?!¡± As Joanna thought of this possibility, she felt intense anger.


    No wonder the little frog was so attached to her! No wonder he would feel so lonely whenever she left! He must have been tortured so cruelly by this crazy woman in the past, that he dare not remain alone again! That d**n crazy woman!


    When Vivienne heard Joanna¡¯s remarks, her expression turned complicated; she felt fear and embarrassment when her secret was caught. However now that it¡¯s out in the open, she also couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief. Suddenly she burst out in mad laughter, ¡°Hahahaha¡ªyou can¡¯t break my curse! That¡¯s the curse that I created with my life; no one can undo it except for me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± Joanna held back her anger, although her hands continued to tremble in rage. Ian, who was wrapped in her palms, clearly felt her struggle. If the frog didn¡¯t have the chance to escape to her side, or if she had never come to rescue him, who knows, she almost would have lost a human life!


    Joanna slowly exhaled, stabilizing her magic. ¡°Because of your lack of skill, you could only curse people into animals to remove their ability to speak¡­The original intention of this curse is to cause the victim pain from being deprived of their voice. After all, the human language is as important as food to live. Because you have used such a vicious way to control him, you as the caster will have to pay the corresponding price! If the curse does not naturally fade, but rather, is forcibly broken, then your magic will backlash.¡±


    Joanna continued, ¡°Your curse is powerful, but you¡¯ve only casted it halfway. I¡¯m going to get rid of it since it¡¯s a simple matter. But you will suffer the biggest blow.¡± At this point Joanna had completely given up on the crazy woman. ¡°I would have wanted to let you go, but it seems that you will only harm other people if freed. It¡¯s best to leave you for dead. May you feel satisfied and content when you fall into the abyss, daughter of the Duke.¡±


    Vivienne stared at the scene in horror as Joanna¡¯s lips kissed the small, ordinary frog in her hand.

 CH 17

    Just as Joanna kissed the frog, the curse was broken.


    Vivienne Eisbourg made a piercing scream, scaring the dragon that had immobilized her and causing it to leap back and loosen its grip.


    At that moment, she was dragged to the ground by two dark shadows until she was swallowed up by an invisible dark vortex. Once the dragon had returned, the vortex had been closed, leaving behind the chaotic mess that resulted from the magical duel.


    According to legend, the true love¡¯s kiss of a princess can break the curse. This was actually true. Although the emphasis is on the kiss of true love, the power of loyalty can also be used to break the curse. It¡¯s just that someone who has a royal lineage can greatly enhance the effect of the kiss, but the royal lineage can only ¡®enhance¡¯ the effect. With that logic in mind, if the King gave the kiss of true love himself, perhaps the magic to break the curse will be more powerful. On the other hand, the kiss of loyalty from a general could work, or even the kiss from a soldier or a knight.


    While Joanna¡¯s kiss, or a Witch¡¯s kiss, had nothing to do with true love, it can also break a lot of curses and bestow a lot of blessings¡ªbecause as witches they can use kissing to channel their magic. This method was ideal for breaking the curse; the more powerful the witch was, the more effective the spell.


    Therefore, the kiss she had just given to the ¡°servant¡± earlier had broken the magic that bound the poor soul, freeing him from his shell and blessing him with a pleasant journey. In the end he was able to safely rest his soul with the embrace of death.


    Of course, Ian who was kissed, was not aware of any of this knowledge at all. All he knew was that he was being kissed by Joanna, his goddess¡­.Even if he died at this moment, he would die without regret.


    When he opened his eyes once again, he immediately saw his goddess¡¯ shocked expression, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    Ian could tell that he was no longer a frog; the sensation that spread all over his body made him feel that he had returned to his human body. However, Joanna¡¯s reaction made him feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.


    Although he didn¡¯t care whether he was handsome or not, according to how people usually reacted to him he shouldn¡¯t be ugly either. So why was his goddess so shocked? Could it be¡­.did he become more hideous and repulsive than the servant who just died?


    Or was he no longer a human being, but instead another kind of creature? After all, Joanna did say that the mad woman¡¯s curse was incomplete¡­..


    So he raised his hands to touch his head, and then he looked down to see his feet. He felt his long hair draping over his face, and when he touched his belly, he could see that it no longer emanated like a frog¡¯s¡­..the curse had been broken and he changed back!


    Why does this scare Joanna?


    He wanted to speak but¡­.he didn¡¯t know how to address Joanna.


    Should he call her ¡®Miss Joanna¡¯? Or maybe ¡®Master¡¯? Calling her goddess would definitely not be appropriate¡­.This was a secret in his heart! Joanna was unaware of the heat that was rising within him as he stared at her intensely. The feelings flooding inside of Ian threatened to drown him, such that he had to look away before she could discover his ragged breathing.


    Joanna thought he could¡¯ve been a child, maybe a child under ten years old. After all, he was such a tiny frog. But instead she ended up with an adult man, and also¡ª¡­..Nonsense, how would one expect a frog to be wearing clothes? Of course it was only natural that he was completely bare. She didn¡¯t have to gawk at him¡­¡­In the past she had treated and seen so many bodies, so why does she have to feel embarrassed now?


    Joanna pulled off her cloak and handed it to the man; she watched him take it as if he had received a gift from heaven. Ian buried his face deep into the cloak¡­.His satisfied expression reminded her of the times when he had buried his face into her hair as a frog. This made her feel even more embarrassed.


    ¡°Quickly put it on, or do you want to freeze to death?!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Ian quickly wore the cape and enveloped himself in the taste of Joanna¡­It felt as if he was owned by Joanna, as if he were a part of her body.


    Ian was much taller than Joanna. When she wore the cloak, the hem would drag on the ground, but with Ian, the cloak only reached up to his ankle. The cape wasn¡¯t suitable for him at all, but he was very satisfied.


    After he wore the cape, Joanna took the lizard which had returned to its prototype, and placed it on her shoulder. Meanwhile she lifted her wooden staff so that the crow could perch on it to rest. Hiding her embarrassment, Joanna cleared up her throat and said, ¡°Since your curse is broken, then it¡¯s time for you to return. I think you should know the way back to your home¡­.I¡¯ll give you some money for the trip. Would this be enough?¡±


    If he were just a child, she would naturally bring him back. After all a child may not know where his or her home is, so she would be willing to raise the child until the origins are found. Or if the child was willing to be her disciple, then she would be able to pass on her inheritance as a witch. The title of a ¡°Witch¡± is not necessarily passed on from mother to daughter; it can also be passed on from master to student, even if that student wasn¡¯t a woman¡­..but this was a man, an adult man.


    When she finished speaking, she suddenly felt a slight pain on her hand.


    The seemingly indomitable man was now kneeling on the ground, tightly grasping her hand, as he looked at her with pleading and fearful eyes. ¡°No, don¡¯t go! Please don¡¯t abandon me!¡±


    Thinking that she would insist for him to ¡°go back¡± or to ¡°let go¡± of her hand, he couldn¡¯t help but break down in tears¡ªhe was afraid to lose his whole world and become hopeless.

 CH 18

    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, please get up!¡± Joanna tried to pull him up in her panic, but instead, she was embraced directly by the forlorn man. He buried his face on her abdomen, causing her to feel overwhelmed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have family and loved ones waiting for your return? Shouldn¡¯t you go home?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll never get to see you again! I don¡¯t want to leave!¡± Believing that their separation would mark this as their last meeting, he became even more afraid of letting her go¡ªshe was his light!


    What¡¯s going on? Joanna could only see the top of the man¡¯s hair. The red hair was as beautiful as the maple leaves in autumn, but the man behind them acted like a little child. No, perhaps he was merely affected by the curse that turned him into a beast, but now he was a grown man. Maybe it was because he had not been rehabilitated that he was no different from a child.


    ¡°Master¡­my master¡­.I beg you please don¡¯t give up on me!¡± Ian managed to hold back his tears while his broken words and wet eyes left a pain that was difficult to ignore. ¡°I¡¯ll cook for you, I¡¯ll clean, I can even be your servant. I¡¯ll fight for you as long as you don¡¯t give up on me!¡±


    Hearing his pleas, Joanna became more certain that the man was probably cursed for too long, to the point that he couldn¡¯t think clearly. She sighed and decided to treat the man as a child. Joanna gently patted his head and said, ¡°I will not give up on you. So what do you say? Straighten up and don¡¯t ever do that posture again. It¡¯s bad for your body¡­.You¡¯re no longer a frog, you¡¯re human now. And don¡¯t get close to wet and cold things anymore.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re willing to let me stay?¡± The man¡¯s pleading eyes were full of hope, just like the little frog who had pulled her skirt when he begged to join her¡­..Joanna could not refuse this look. So she smiled and touched his hair just like she used to when she would stroke the frog¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s true, so rise up.¡±


    The man smiled and laughed joyfully. He felt so satisfied, so happy¡­..just by her one sentence, he felt as if he was smitten by a spell.


    When she helped the man up, Joanna found for the first time that his hands were somewhat disfigured. It appeared as if his bones were broken, but weren¡¯t treated well. Needless to say, such an injury must have been inflicted by that crazy woman! This made Joanna feel even more distressed.


    ¡°Can you still remember your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Ian, Master.¡±


    At present, it didn¡¯t seem like a good time to correct how he addressed her; who knows, if she rejected the way he called her, would he once again be pained with a broken heart? So Joanna simply nodded and helped him along as they walked; his feet also showed signs of fracture revealing that he didn¡¯t recover well. I¡¯m afraid that from now on it will be hard for him to stand, and even more painful for him to walk. When he was frog, she never discovered that he had suffered this kind of injury. Doesn¡¯t that mean that she wasn¡¯t a good master?


    A carriage was parked outside the forest. The coachman worriedly awaited the young lady who had rented his services. When he saw the girl approach him with a strange man, he felt even more scared. But why did he not escape? That¡¯s because although he was scared, he felt that the rich reward was worth the risk! As long as he received a generous pay, it didn¡¯t matter how afraid he was. The benefits this time was enough to support him for half a month even if he didn¡¯t work!


    ¡°After we return home, the first thing I¡¯ll do is to heal you¡­¡­but I don¡¯t know if you can still be completely cured. Especially since it¡¯s gotten this serious. Joanna examined Ian¡¯s hands carefully. Although they were somewhat disfigured, it was undeniable that these were a pair of warm and thick hands. Such hands brought considerable warmth to her own chilly hands. ¡°Do you have any other injuries?¡±


    ¡°I may have some on my back, and on my chest.¡± He hesitated, ¡°she would often strike me with a whip. Although her servants would sometimes apply medicine, I¡¯m still unsure whether it¡¯s recovered at this time.¡±


    Whip the little frog? That¡¯s too much! She caressed his back as she held back her anger. ¡°Well such a thing won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ll give you a thorough check-up later to see if you have any other wounds that need attending to.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    Ian was very satisfied; being able to get Joanna¡¯s attention was already a kind of happiness¡­..As for the castle, along with his worried parents and brother¡­.for now he would like to forget about them. After all his limbs have already been crippled¡ªeven if he was cured, he would no longer be able to use his hands and feet like he used to, rendering him unable to assist his brother in the army. He no longer could lead in combat¡­..Also he wasn¡¯t very good with paperwork, so there was no use in being around his brother. Besides, if word got out that one of the princes was cursed into a frog, the citizens may criticize their ruling monarchs as weak and incompetent for allowing one of their own to be taken advantage of by a witch¡­.There weren¡¯t enough wise men among the public who could see that there was no direct relationship between a weak leader, and a leader who was cursed. Once such doubts were spread in the hearts of the people, it would be easy to lose their support.


    Ian could not afford to make himself a burden to his brother, the Crowned Prince, and to his father.


    Perhaps Ian will consider paying them a visit after his father decides to tear down the ¡°King¡¯s List¡± from the town¡¯s bulletin board. But for now, let him be selfish, to serve his new master as he pleases¡­.


    hoping that someday, his Master may completely become his.

 CH 19

    As mentioned before, Joanna¡¯s house was not a place where neighbors would often pass by or frequent. In addition, because she inherited the title ¡°The Witch of the Wilderness,¡± people expected her to live in the wilderness or in a sparsely populated area. So it was understandable that not very many villagers lived near her. Her dwelling was an unpopular location at the edge of the village.


    However, recently there seemed to be one more person living in her abode. Suddenly a lot more villagers began to pass by her house out of curiosity. Just what kind of person would the indifferent physician bring home?


    ¡°Good morning, Aunt Susan.¡±


    ¡°Good morning!¡± Susan was the neighbor that lived nearest to Joanna, and was naturally the most frequent passerby, ¡°is Joanna up yet?¡±


    Ian smiled. ¡°She got up earlier, but now that the sun had risen, she had gone back to sleep.¡± Joanna¡¯s body clock was different from everyone else¡¯s. Because of her skin¡¯s sensitivity to the sun, she would stay indoors to nap until early evening. When she wasn¡¯t tired, Joanna liked to pull up the curtains for a bit of sunlight so she could read. Such a leisurely habit would continue until midnight when she would head back to rest. But no matter what time Joanna slept, she would always get up before sunrise to start off her day.


    ¡°Let me tell you young man, you should convince her to eat more meat. She really is too thin! The last time I shook hands with her, her palms were really cold!¡± the neighbor advised. Ian worriedly thought of his goddess. Most people needed to cut back on meat, but even the villagers noticed her thinness and encouraged her to eat more¡­..Are her hands still suffering from coldness?


    ¡°She¡¯s still affected by the chills, so I¡¯m planning to buy some packs to warm her up later,¡± Ian said. ¡°Does Aunt Susan know where I can buy a stove?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know!¡±  she beamed. ¡°The village blacksmith¡¯s craft is quite good. If you tell him that you need a stove, he would be willing to craft a special one for you, especially since you¡¯re a good man!¡±


    Aunt Susan wanted to continue chatting, but Ian hurriedly interrupted her when he saw that the sky was growing brighter. ¡°It¡¯s already noon, wasn¡¯t Aunt warming a soup on your stovetop? I¡¯m afraid that Uncle might be waiting in the field for your delicious meal. Thick soup isn¡¯t as good when it¡¯s cold.¡±


    When Susan suddenly remembered her husband, she hurriedly nodded and left after giving a few perfunctory remarks.


    Ian smiled and waved at the enthusiastic aunt. Seeing her retreating back, he bowed his head and continued to heap soil to cover the roots of a flowering plant. Once he was sure that the newly planted rose bushes were firmly grounded, he stood up slowly and walked towards the house.


    Joanna was very skillful in her medical practice. Ian felt that his hands looked no different from an ordinary person¡¯s. However, Joanna would still feel pity whenever she saw the scars on his hands. His numerous wounds were deeply imprinted due to lack of treatment for a long time; its appearance was unpleasant enough to attract stares, but Ian still insisted that it ¡°looks just like a normal person¡¯s.¡± His days of being imprisoned by the crazy Vivienne had caused his body to suffer a terrible loss¡ªeven with the help of Joanna¡¯s rehabilitation and medicinal baths, his internal injuries that compounded during his cursed state as a frog could not be fully healed. He would not be able to restore the former strong physique he used to have.


    Joanna did not approve of Ian¡¯s frequent work of sweeping the leaves or cleaning the garden. However, he still wanted to do something for Joanna and for their family. Besides¡­


    He missed the feeling of being able to use his hands. In between his efforts, Ian needed to rest for as long as he could whenever his wrist would start to weaken and tremble. Just like now. As he slowly stood up from the garden soil, not only were his hands shaking, even the muscles on his legs were trembling¡­Within the twilight, the man looked young in appearance, but his movements were like an elderly person¡¯s.


    ¡°You went out again.¡± Joanna was angry at Ian for not listening, so her tone was colder. She worked so hard to save him and yet he actually didn¡¯t cherish his own body. He acted foolishly, wasting her own efforts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, my Master.¡± Ian knelt before her on one knee and lifted the back of her hand as he bent down for a kiss. ¡°Today¡¯s roses have bloomed beautifully, isn¡¯t Master happy to see them?¡±


    Joanna, who was holding her umbrella under her cloak, looked to Ian and grunted, ¡°I was happy, but not after seeing you in the garden. Now, come back to the house with me!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    He quickly stood up and reached out to hold Joanna¡¯s little parasol, shielding her from the sun more properly. After glancing at him, Joanna walked back into the room with a quick pace, but occasionally she would slow down.


    Ian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He knew that although the goddess sounded very angry, the truth was that she was simply distressed for him. Didn¡¯t she slow down her pace for the sake of his injury?


    ¡°If you really want to busy yourself with something, why don¡¯t you try braiding all the yarn in my study? I know a client that lives far away who wanted to buy a hundred ¡®blessed¡¯ bracelets from me. Although I won¡¯t be personally braiding them, I can still bestow the blessings after you make them. The effect won¡¯t be as good if I had made the bracelets myself, but I think she won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Ok ~¡± Ian opened the door for her and put the little parasol away. He hung the cloak before handing her a cup of water, ¡°I hope that master will not dislike my skill.¡±


    ¡°The braided patterns are important.¡± Joanna became aware of her thirst when Ian offered her a drink. After swallowing deeply, she passed the cup back to him. ¡°So you have to do a good job. If the weaving isn¡¯t good, I¡¯ll have you take them apart and start over again!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Master.¡± After Joanna left the study, he poured some water for himself and¡­.


    ¡­drank from the cup that Joanna just used. As their relationship grew closer, he felt that his feelings for her had bloomed.


    Immersed in these thoughts, Ian laughed happily to himself.

 CH 20

    Joanna noticed that Ian would do strange things when she wasn¡¯t paying close attention.


    For example, when he went to sleep, he would embrace her cloak and smell its fragrance. Throughout the day he would continue to hold the cloak like a treasure, even while he was poorly weaving together the bracelets.


    In another instance, when the witch wasn¡¯t around, he would sneak into her room to lie in her bed. He slept on her pillow and even picked up her fallen hair. Although Joanna didn¡¯t feel disgusted towards him, she was still very worried. He was too obsessed with her, to the point that he may even place her importance above his own.


    If this was a relationship between parent and child, or even between husband and wife, she would understand. But what was the relationship between them? She considered herself as a landlady who gave the poor man a peaceful place to stay temporarily. Once her tenant leaves, that was it. However, it seems that the ¡°tenant¡± feels otherwise¡­.She wondered how the man considered their relationship.


    Joanna never believed the words, ¡°I will sacrifice all for the master.¡± Surely, the servants were only loyal because the master had given them conditions for their loyalty. But once those conditions were no longer in place, say if the master were to die, then the servants would no longer have any reason to be true to them. But if after the master¡¯s death, the servant continues to serve generation to generation¡­.then this was no longer allegiance; it was ¡°faith.¡±


    Once a person was bound by belief, he or she could unintentionally be manipulated by their master, especially if that master harbors ill will. The consequences of such a relationship would be dire. As Joanna pondered about Ian¡¯s affections, she couldn¡¯t think of any other explanation for his behavior than this. Why else would he be so persistent towards her? ¡­Is it, because of love?


    But when she thinks of this matter rationally, she was not the kind of woman any man would be attracted to. Not only because of her plain appearance, but also because of her strange fashion in wearing dark blue clothes during the day. Most people would look upon her in disgust, seeing that she was far from ordinary. Even her sleeping patterns were different from anyone else. To top it off, she was labeled as a notorious witch who trapped herself in her house with turtles, crows and lizards while avoiding the sun.


    There were so many weird things about her, which caused the villagers to naturally avoid her. If even neighbors wouldn¡¯t dare be close with her, how could a man possibly fall in love with a strange girl like her? Her mother¡¯s last regret before passing away was being unable to cure her of her strange illness, causing her to avoid the sun for safety. Knowing the misery that would accompany her sickness, she believed her daughter would never find a partner, not to mention having children. So she counseled Joanna to find a child in the future to pass on her teachings as a Witch.


    Joanna¡¯s illness was inherited from her great-grandmother, and from earlier ancestors. It wasn¡¯t a terrible disease, but it did cause her skin to be very sensitive to temperature. She could not endure the sunlight as it could easily burn her skin black instead of tanning it. That was why she had always envied tan skinned women who could stand under the sun for hours. She stared enviously at their healthy skin and bright smiles as they basked in sunlight.


    Unlike her, who could only hide under the small black and blue parasol, living all her life in the dark. So how could Ian love her? She dismissed this idea, and was more inclined to believing that Ian had suffered too much trauma. She concluded that his actions were based on his faith or worship.


    As long as his psychological well-being was attended to, and he was restored to normal, she would no longer be someone special to him.


    By that time, he would be able to leave and return to his family. So what can she do now to be able to heal his heart and those unseen emotional wounds? Joanna began to feel tangled.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    Hearing Ian¡¯s voice, Joanna snapped back into reality and saw the man kneeling next to her. His hands were placed obediently on her lap while his head was raised to stare at her. His gaze was filled with concern. ¡°Is master feeling unwell?¡± Lately she seemed so absentminded. What could be bothering her?


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Joanna also found that he seemed particularly fond of kneeling in front of her. Instead of scolding him, she asked, ¡°have the bracelets been prepared? Your craft needs more improvement, so until you¡¯re able to mend them, no one is allowed to see your work.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me Master¡­¡±


    ¡°Why you can¡¯t finish it fast enough?¡± Joanna said with displeasure. ¡°Don¡¯t let me find you going to the garden and carrying those heavy flowerpots. If you end up dropping them and destroying those flowers, we¡¯ll have no material to work with!¡±


    Although she swore at him, Ian continued to smile happily, knowing that hidden in her harsh words were simply traces of her concern. ¡°Yes, my Master.¡±


    Why is it that even when she tries to speak harshly, he can still laugh so openly?

 CH 21

    Witch Accepted by the Villagers


    In the late spring and early summer, there will be a festival in the village. Ian almost forgot about the celebration. But he knew that it was a rare day to go out, especially when Joanna could not go out during the day, and a festival during the night was very rare.


    ¡±Master, let¡¯s go to the celebration. Can we?¡± Ian looked at Joanna, who was knitting the last bracelet, and asked excitedly.


    In fact, Joanna didn¡¯t really want to go, because usually being around others was awkward and uncomfortable¡­After all, she was odd, even if she smiles, there is no way for the villagers to feel at ease with her. Instead, it will have the opposite effect. She didn¡¯t want to ruin the villagers¡¯ festival, which will cause her to be unhappy ¨C thus she has never attended previous events.


    ¡±Master?¡± Ian thought Joanna will be excited to go, but after seeing her hesitation, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master does not like celebrations?¡±


    To see Ian so eager, Joanna feels guilty; she just forgot, she is no longer alone. It doesn¡¯t matter if she attends, but Ian wants to go. Ian seems to get along with the neighbors, so he should not encounter any problems if he goes, right?


    Therefore, she patted his hands. ¡°The festival will be very lively. If you want to go, will I prepare clothes for you?¡±


    ¡±Is Master not going?¡± Ian insisted on getting an exact answer.


    She sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go. I don¡¯t want to ruin the celebration.¡±


    ¡±Why do you think that?¡± Ian¡¯s tone was a little excited, and Joanna didn¡¯t understand what was going on, so she had to explain slowly, but Ian didn¡¯t seem to understand.


    ¡±I know that Master is a witch, so witches can¡¯t go out and participate in festivals? What¡¯s the reason?¡± He was indignant. ¡°Master never harm them, and even helped them! And they treat you like this?¡±


    Joanna didn¡¯t know how to explain to him, so she sighed. ¡°When I go with you at night, you will know why.¡±


    Let him see the attitude of the villagers towards her, it was much better than continuing to waste her breath here.


    At night, the villagers wore their best clothes and gathered around the bonfire. They socialize and ate the food prepared by everyone. Many merchants who were not from the village also took the opportunity to sell goods. Many of the villagers who had never traveled were surprised.


    Looking at the excitement from afar, Joanna, who just arrived with Ian, felt sorry for the fact that she was about to ruin the mood at the festival. She noticed Ian was full of enthusiasm and couldn¡¯t bear to say that she wanted to go back. He took her hand and guide her to the warm bonfire.


    In fact, she can¡¯t be too close to the hot bonfire, because the sensitive skin will be burn. So before going out, she wiped a layer of ointment under her sleeves and gloves so it will not be visible and hope that the burns will not be too serious.


    The villagers at the bonfire saw Ian approaching with Joanna, who rarely leaves the house. However, Joanna thought that the villagers would be distanced, but many villagers eagerly approached Ian.


    ¡±Hey boy! Don¡¯t think that I didn¡¯t see you being lazy and didn¡¯t come over to help us pile up firewood! I remember, I¡¯ll ask for Hans help tonight!¡±


    ¡±I wanted to help, but my Miss does not let ah ~¡± Outside, Joanna forbids him to call her Master¡­ but she doesn¡¯t know why he particularly likes to call her ¡°my lady¡±, and not just ¡°miss¡±.


    ¡±Tchh! Show off kid!¡±


    ¡±Hey, over there! Joanna¡¯s boy came home, giving them an empty point ah! Right-right over there, the location of their home is there!¡±


    ¡±So, is it big enough? A family of two, such a big house!¡±


    Hans also deliberately interject a reminder, ¡°I told you that the lamb chops grilled in the village of Nara is the most sought-after, wait for the hands and feet. ¡°


    ¡°We will find out soon! Thank you!¡± Ian smiled slyly; he took the dull Joanna to the designated spot the villagers reserved to them based on the village homes¡¯ arrangement.


    Around the bonfires were seating ¨C the tree trunk is cut to a stump and a picnic cloth laid over it. After Ian let Joanna sit down, she quickly found the place where the food was arranged, and Ian¡¯s figure quickly disappeared under the cover of the villagers. Thinking of the plate and the weight of the plate that Joanna just saw, she thought that Ian shouldn¡¯t exert himself too hard, and couldn¡¯t help but stand up and look for him, but she was stopped by the girl sitting next to her.


    It was Elanda, who lived next door with her husband, Kenny. Elanda snorted with a squeaky voice. ¡°Don¡¯t help, today is the night for ladies to rest!¡±


    ¡±Yes, yes.¡± Elanda¡¯s mother nodded. ¡°I usually serve these stinky men.¡± Eat and drink, now it¡¯s their turn to serve us! Also, tonight, don¡¯t feel bad about your man, let him serve you!¡±


    ¡°But his body is not well, he can¡¯t work so hard¡­ ¡°


    ¡±Only for tonight, tomorrow he will love to rest and let him, okay?¡± Elanda did not poke her shoulders intentionally. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this, I always thought that the cold Joanna did not know how to worry about others, how surprising!¡±


    Joanna was dumbfounded; what happened to the villagers tonight? Why is the gap between her and the villagers seem to have vanished?


    ¡±Oh, don¡¯t bully my lady! She can be very shy!¡± Ian came back and saw, screaming and running, placing down the food and pampering Joanna, then giving a look to Elanda, ¡°Why? Jealous? Jealous of others? You are not allowed to make fun of my lady!¡±


    ¡±You fart! I was being honest and making a statement. If there are those who are ashamed to death and don¡¯t mention it, Joanna will tell you!¡± Elanda snorted and turned to give her father a hug before enjoying her meal.


    Ian also snorted and immediately took the lamb chops in front of Joanna. ¡°My lady, how is the taste? If it¡¯s delicious, I can get you another?¡±


    Joanna responded slyly. ¡°No. I can¡¯t eat so much¡­ You eat, it¡¯s a waste to not eat.¡±


    ¡±Rest assured, I have finished eating! Come, you should eat first¡­ and try this mushroom soup!¡±


    Ian resembles fire with his red hair flame-like and dazzling. Joanna looked at him and immediately understood why the villagers were at ease with her; it must have been after she fell asleep; Ian went outside and said a lot of good things about her.


    Such a lively and extroverted person is difficult to restrain in her dark house. Thinking of this, Joanna is determined to find a way to cure his heart and illness, so that he can explore the sky and enjoy the world.


    Ian naturally didn¡¯t know her deep thoughts, just that the goddess tonight is so gentle. Eating the rest of her food, thinking about her lips that had touched him, he bit down to the food, he felt that life was complete.

 CH 22

    The Snow Witch


    After the bonfire, the villagers who approach Joanna¡¯s home increased. Of course, they still didn¡¯t see Joanna who was sleeping in the house due to the sun¡¯s heat, but Ian was friendly! Many of them felt happy while talking to Ian, and the uncles thought the young man was a person with ideas, and whom was willing to stay by Joanna¡¯s side and thus admired him.


    Not only that. After Ian said that Joanna have medical skills, there were more people who were willing to visit Joanna during the evenings. Many people now know that her skin is sensitive to the sun and therefore do not come during the day.


    The uncle who was prescribed the herb from Joanna felt guilty. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us? We all thought that you didn¡¯t like to be associated with us, so we avoided you. I didn¡¯t expect this, being prevented from going out! We have misunderstood you for a long time!¡±


    ¡±¡­ ah?¡±


    ¡±Although there were people who said you were a private person, your disease was never known! Don¡¯t do this anymore, now we are embarrassed for we have misunderstood you for so long.¡± Uncle patted her shoulder and left cloth in exchange for the herbs. ¡°Look at you, everyday wearing the same clothes, I suggest dressing in clothing that suits your age, and I can make you some new clothes!¡±


    Joanna said with hesitation. ¡°Actually, this is the custom of my family. It is best to wear black and blue clothes. ¡­¡­¡±


    ¡±Really! Is that what it was? What a strange custom¡­¡± Uncle¡¯s tone once again was tainted with guilt. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so! We all thought that you wanted to be left alone. You were always dress like a widow¡­now that I think about it, your mother just passed away when you first moved here. She was wearing the same black-blue dress at the time. Did you inherit the tradition from your mother and continued with it?¡±


    ¡± uh, yeah ¡­¡­ ¡°


    ¡± What a good girl, ah!¡± Uncle sigh and said, ¡°The mother passed away so long ago, and you still remember the dress your mother once wore¡­¡­ well, well, I have to go back now. Otherwise, my woman will come here again.¡±


    Without Joanna stepping out of the door, Ian, waiting for this moment, took over for Joanna, and walked the guest out of the property properly, and told him that she was shy that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t see him out. And does not like to talk, and so on, in short, the uncle was happy to leave.


    After returning, Ian looked at the pink fabric with a little regret. He knew that as the Witch of the Wilderness, she was required to wear a dark blue dress. It was an expected tradition, like a priest has clerical clothing, a chef has a chef¡¯s uniform, and she is a witch therefore needs to be outfitted as a witch. Although the villagers were not quite sure that she is a witch, she must maintain the symbol of being a witch¡­ She does not intend to preach everywhere, but she does not know that this kind of thing is not known to others, and she does not know what to do in this situation. It will lead to a misunderstanding, and then she had thoughts of trying to explain herself to the villagers.


    The appearance of Ian broke her thought and made her feel more emotional.


    Ian looked at Joanna¡¯s new cloth and felt a bit indescribable. ¡°Does Master want me to wear this pink color?¡±


    He never dreamed of wearing a feminine color, but if it was for his goddess¡­ He will put it on¡­ What¡¯s more, if this dress is made by the goddess herself¡­ He would be so happy and will fly straight to heaven!


    She is a bit concerned. Pink is not suitable for her home but would be a waste if not used¡­ and does not seem to be suitable for him.


    ¡±If you don¡¯t like it, I will throw it away.¡± It will have to be wasted, and I will make new clothes from other fabrics in the future.


    ¡±No! I like it!¡± He quickly hugged the fabric in his arms. ¡°My Master, I like it the most!¡±


    ¡±Isn¡¯t your taste too strong?¡±


    ¡±What is it?¡± Ian smiled and narrowed his eyes. ¡°If Master made it herself, will there be a witch¡¯s blessing?¡±


    ¡±If you want.¡±


    ¡±Yes! Of course!¡± Ian still wanted to say more, but the doorbell rang.


    That was no ordinary doorbell, but a ringtone which a magical visitor will activate when they arrive, and the rhythm of the ringtone will be unique to each magical guest.


    After hearing this, Joanna felt strange for the new guests. ¡°It¡¯s the sister of the Northern Snow. Why during this time?¡± After all, the summer days was the least optimal weather preference of the Snow Witches.


    ¡±You go to sleep first, I may talk to the sister for a long time.¡± After Joanna urged Ian to bed, who didn¡¯t want to go, she opened the window and saw a white figure coming from afar. In mid-air, riding a broom flying in the sky, the air turned cold, and when the visitor landed on her windowsill, it brought along a cold wind.


    ¡±Long time no see, sister of the Wilderness.¡± The Snow Witch was dressed in fox fur with a graceful posture.


    ¡±Same to you, sister of the Snow.¡±

 CH 23

    The Prince who was Found


    They were both witches and congenial to each other. They both regard the other as a sister, and thus treated each other as true sisters.


    Some witches are very keen on banality, often seeking other witches for a chat. Of course, there are also unsociable witches who are not gregarious, so they enjoy isolation. Joanna is a peculiar witch, she was living in loneliness, not did not enjoy nor desire solitude. She does not initiate contact with others, but she welcomed any sisters to come and chat with her. There will always be about five or six guests in a year, all from far away.


    The Snow Witch is named Sola Snow, whom inherited the name from her teacher. Unlike Joanna¡¯s obscurity, the Snow Witch is very famous in the North. After all, as a witch, she had a proud motto. ¡°As long as you have money, what you want to do, I want to do for you.¡± It is really unique.


    ¡°I said, although you are called the Witch of the Wilderness, don¡¯t always use such dark colors!¡± Sola looked at the room, which was illuminated by the moon, and then glanced at the pink fabric. ¡°Ah, what is this? You should have used it! Although the Witch of the Wilderness is required to be dressed in black and blue, your house does not need to match. Use lighter colors to brighten up your home.


    ¡°But the color doesn¡¯t seem to match¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, use this cloth to make a tablecloth and then replace your dark tablecloth!¡±


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t yell so much, you¡¯ll disturb the neighbors.¡± Joanna reluctantly guide Sola into the house and closed the window. ¡°Why are you here, did you made a special trip to pick on my taste of color preference?¡±


    ¡°No, although your taste in clothing is really worth my scrutiny.¡± Sola found a seat and pulled it next to Joanna and began to talk, ¡°You know, I am having trouble, I am looking for someone and don¡¯t even know where to find that person, but I have to locate them. The kingdom you reside in is searching for me to complete their request!¡±


    Joanna couldn¡¯t help but think of the emperor¡¯s list. ¡°Is the royal family looking for you?¡±


    ¡±Yeah, luckily you are really low-key. When the Witch of the Wilderness is mentioned, it is not as well-known as compared to other prestigious witches. That¡¯s why your country did not seek out your help but went to my far away country instead to seek my services.¡± Sola took out her small purse and reached into it. ¡°I remember I have a portrait of the person, where is it¡­ Oh, I forgot to mention, the royal family lost the second prince, saying that he was cursed to become a frog and asked for my help, but I can¡¯t locate him. In my opinion, a small frog will have a difficult time surviving through the winter and may have frozen to death. Will I find a mummified frog or even its corpse buried in mud? Maybe I will only find small bones. When I think about the royal family, who seek me out due to my fame, but ended up being worthless¡­I worry they will start a crusade against the witches¡­ the royal family¡¯s request is really annoying!¡±


    Cursed into a frog¡­ Joanna thought of Ian, pondering over the coincidence about picking up a small frog from the roadside, is he a prince of this country?


    Although Sola is very wealthy, but without her magic, her life is a mess. She never remembers where she places her things, always losing stuff and her many small bags. Don¡¯t even bother looking for it, it¡¯s probably lost. So, she talked about the commission from the royal family while looking for the portrait.


    It is said that the second prince¡¯s disappearance occurred four months ago, last year. Two disgruntled knights seek audience in the palace, saying that there were news of the second prince, but demanded absolute asylum. The emperor was dubious at first about the fact that his son was cursed into a frog, and that the Duke¡¯s daughter Vivian was actually an evil witch. However, after seeing the crazy witch who appeared at the palace¡¯s entrance and due to the sudden situation, one of the knights was slain by her. The emperor then believed the knights¡¯ words and was very worried about the second prince¡¯s situation. The emperor then issued the emperor¡¯s list to reward those who located the second prince to aid in his safe return. But in the imperial edict, it stated that he was looking for a frog, and did not clearly explained the situation, the secret message¡¯s interpretation was for the second prince to protect himself.


    On that day, the witch, who was still surrounded by heavy soldiers, was so frightening that the emperor was frightened and quickly summoned for the knights and priests of the temple to come to his aid. Fortunately, on that day, the high priest was in the temple listening to the sufferings of the people. Therefore, the witch¡¯s attacks on the emperor was deflected by the high priest. The high priest also launched a counterattack which resulted in the witch shrieking and running away.


    The high priest said that as long as the prince was found, he can unravel the curse, but he could not locate the prince whose energy was very low, so he suggested for the emperor to seek out witches for their help.


    ¡±Were you recommended by the high priest?¡± Joanna was astonished. ¡°I thought those believers thought we were all evil!¡±


    ¡±The high priest met me and realized that not all witches are evil. It is fortunate¡­¡­Ah. Otherwise, the reputation of witches will be ruined by that crazy woman who is corrupt! Only God knows why that crazy woman was stubborn to keep practicing black magic, people close to the witch will witness firsthand how terrible black magic is. Sola stopped searching her small purse, and a portrait was pulled out. ¡°Finally found it! Look, this is the appearance of the second prince, it was painted on his 20th birthday.¡± Sigh, can I really find him based on this portrait? Really, I am not familiar with this land, to locate him in a foreign land. It is really difficult for me to the point of death. Fortunately, you are here, this is your land, you are familiar with it, so it should not be difficult for you, right? ¡°


    ¡°Yes, ah is not difficult.¡±  The person from the portrait, she felt a little familiarity, but it was strange.


    The twenty-year-old second prince seems to be a very proud person. How handsome he was dressed in a luxurious palace clothing¡­How different he was compared to the red-haired man who clung to her.


    And she sincerely feels that the man should return to his life as seen from the portrait, instead of keeping her company in this gloomy home.


    ¡±Sister, the person you seek is in my house.¡±


    Sola thought she would ask about the reward, and plan out how they would work together, but at her words she froze. ¡°What are you talking about? The second prince is here?¡±


    Joanna nodded. ¡°The crazy woman was dragged into the abyss by dark magic, and I witnessed it with my own eyes. The prince¡¯s curse was also broken by me, but his body is still recovering, so he is at my home for treatment.¡±


    Sola looked at her carefully. ¡°When will he return to the palace?¡±


    ¡°Soon, sister, I will send him back soon. There are many people, including his family waiting for his return.¡± Joanna said while touching the portrait.


    She probably didn¡¯t know while she said that, her expression was lonely, her eyes displayed sadness¡­ Although tears did not flow, it let others know about her feelings of loss.


    ¡±Oh, dear Joanna, it¡¯s all right.¡± Sola hugged her, and the Snow Witch could only console her by rubbing her back. ¡°Everything will be fine, it will be fine.¡±


    Yes, it¡¯s going to be okay. After all, I expected him to leave, didn¡¯t I? Joanna froze at the thought and realize she didn¡¯t want him to leave. She allowed herself to be embrace in Sola¡¯s cold arms.

 CH 24

    The Witch who Took the Prince Far Away


    ¡±We¡¯re going away?¡± Ian watched Joanna packing the luggage and asked the question after packing his necessities in a small bag. After all, it is the summer and it is very hot and not a suitable day for Joanna to go out.


    ¡±Yes.¡± Joanna nodded. ¡°Pack up some more bags today, and buy some food to eat on the road. We will leave tomorrow.¡±


    ¡±On foot?¡±


    ¡±No, with a carriage.¡± Joanna continues to search for items she needs to pack. ¡°I have rented a carriage that will wait at the entrance of the village tomorrow morning. You also need to look for anything you may need and pack it.¡±


    Joanna sighed as she watched Ian happily packing away. Sure enough, this little black house will be transported by the Crow.


    Yesterday, after the discussion with Sola, Sola said she would find a carriage, so that she can go out during the day, and naturally the carriage was sent by the royal family which is absolutely confidential and safe. Sola first reported to the emperor, so he can dispatched the Royal Knights to escort them, but before that, the prince¡¯s safety is Joanna¡¯s responsibility.


    After Ian packed his things and brought them to Joanna, he suddenly remembered that he should let the neighbors know and immediately stood up. ¡°Master, I should let the neighbors know that we are leaving.¡±


    ¡±Why tell them?¡±


    Ian smiled. ¡°So when we are not there, someone will help us water the flowers and look after the house~¡±


    In fact, that will not be necessary¡­because she is planning to move; his courtesy would not be suitable for her.


    Sola said that there is a forest near her house, and the leaves are so thick that there is no way for snow to fall on the ground¡­ it may be difficult for the sun to shine? If you live there, you would not worry about being burned anymore.


    I am definitely not moving in order to avoid Ian and for him to have zero possibility to find me in the future! Although he is a prince, his skin is not so thick to go looking for me!


    ¡±Do we have to go out and buy things now?¡± Ian soon returned, holding a basket of biscuits in his hand. ¡°Aunt Susan said this is for us. It is almond-flavored. You can also eat and taste.¡±


    Then, without waiting for Joanna¡¯s reaction, Ian put the small biscuits to her mouth, which inadvertently brush against her lips. After retracting his hand, he continued to recall the brief sensation which lasted less than a second. Then asked, ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    Joanna chewing the biscuit nodded in response and turned around to find her small parasol and put on her veiled gloves. Now ready to go out shopping; after all, the journey to the palace was long. From time to time, there will be opportunities on the road to encounter restaurants and inns to rest, but otherwise they need to prepare for occasions where they need to spend the night in the wild¡­ What¡¯s more, the preparations to travel, will always keep you busy, and it is best to prepare for unpredicted events, its best to pack rations.


    When she turned around, she didn¡¯t know that Ian¡¯s tongue licked the finger that had just touched her lips¡­ It¡¯s sneaky, but he just couldn¡¯t help it, as if it represented the goddess. That way, the goddess belongs to him.


    He really doesn¡¯t know who the visitor was yesterday or what they discussed. It was sudden that she wanted to go out when she rarely does so. She was willing to travel a long journey¡­Did something big happened? Did someone paid a lot of money to ask a witch to avenge him or to have a duel between witches? If so¡­can he represent her as her ambassador?


    The lizard and crow at the house, and the tortoise who never moved were her familiars. Why is it that when he was a frog, he did not get the same treatment? He also wants to be her familiar! So, this way, it will feel as if he had a seal on his body, with the words ¡°Exclusively Joanna¡¯s¡± ¡­. when he thinks about it, flowers begin to bloom and let him look forward to this trip.

 CH 25

    The Witch Who Saved the Day


    At every town, they will let the horses rest and take a break. Each day, they pass about two or three towns.


    Ian felt that the journey was very pleasant, but on the bumpy carriage, Joanna didn¡¯t sleep well, and was not in high spirits. This made Ian, who was still excited, and wanted to wander around, decide to instead let Joanna lean against him, hoping to make her feel more comfortable and sleep better.


    The coachman doesn¡¯t talk much. As a person employed by the royal family, he clearly knows when to be present and when he should ¡°disappear.¡± However, he was surprised that the prince was so diligent and attentive to this ordinary witch¡­ He knew that there was a witch in the carriage, and he witnessed the evil witch who attacked the palace. He felt old and could not cope with the sudden situation and wanted to resign but did not expect the prince to reside in the same village and be his neighbor. Therefore, he was invited to be the driver of the prince to return to the palace.


    However, he didn¡¯t see her as a witch, but as a weak and sickly woman. The driver who didn¡¯t encounter many witches couldn¡¯t compare, so his only comparison was the evil witch from that day. Therefore, for a long time, he was not as vigilant as compared to the beginning of the trip. He even thought that the soldiers who he passed were more intimidating. Is such a woman who is small and weak, really a witch?


    However, after a certain encounter, he knew that he was transporting a powerful witch.


    It was during the time that there was heavy rainfall that continued relentlessly for several days. From the first raindrop to the subsequent downpour, they were forced to stay in a town for a few days, waiting out the rain before continuing their trip on the road.


    Just as they dined in the inn¡¯s restaurant, the townspeople rushed in and said that a flash flood broke out, and the road to the adjoining town was blocked by mud. The main point is that there is a caravan that was attempting to rush to the town for shelter from the rain have been buried in the mud!


    The anxious townspeople wanted to go save the caravan, but the situation was difficult, to attempt to save a life was to take their own lives!


    ¡±My lady?¡± The prince¡¯s words brought the driver back from his thoughts just as he saw a woman with the same dark blue color he was transporting going outside. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up. She also picked up her wooden staff that was placed on the side. The lizard and turtle on the other chair were placed on her arms.


    ¡±I¡¯ll go out, and you will wait here¡­¡±


    ¡±No, I want to go with you!¡± The prince spoke quickly, as if the woman would abandon him. He also quickly said that he would be able to keep up and can take the horse out to pull the carriage.


    ¡±Why pull the carriage, the horse will get sick in this weather.¡± The witch shook her head and threw the lizard down before going to the door.


    The lizard transformed into a dragon in a roll mid- air. Under everyone¡¯s shock, the witch propped up her small parasol, which blocked the raindrops five meters away, sat on dragon¡¯s back. The prince, with the driver¡¯s eyes popping out, also quickly climbed onto the dragon¡¯s back. The dragon wing beat and flew into the air with its wings flapping and disappeared into the skies with the town watching.


    The driver didn¡¯t care about the heavy rain that continued to pour after the witch left, and immediately went to pull the horse out, as the horse ran wildly in the rain; he thought about the emperor¡¯s command to safely escort the prince back to the palace! Now the prince was taken away by a dragon in front of him. Is this still worth it?


    When the driver arrived at the scene where the mudslide buried the caravan, he found that the horrible mountain torrent was blocked by a huge turtle with long horns, while the witch and the prince stood by the mud, the rain not touching them. He couldn¡¯t get to them, and then a dragon appeared with a big black bird with blue flame that came from nowhere, they were constantly pulling out the buried caravan from the mud.


    The witch threw her small parasol, and the small parasol shelter extent from the raindrops grew wider to include all the survivors. The witch, who had always been very clean, avoided all the filth. She rushed over to one survivor and examined the body and fed the pills she had. Although regrettably, some people have already died, but it is undeniable that if the witch did not appear, they would have all drowned by the mud, and some people were lucky to survive.


    ¡±Miss, is there anything I can help with?¡± The coachman quickly asked.


    The witch nodded, ¡°go gather the survivors and load them onto the carriage and take them all back to the town. Ask if there is an inn or a more spacious place for them to rest for the night, their situation is not optimistic, they need to rest.¡±


    The coachman quickly went into action.


    The rescue operation took half a day, while the witch tended to the survivors, giving them proper medication and care.


    After determining that there was no one left under the mud, the dragon, the black phoenix and the giant tortoise returned to their original appearance. As the torrential floods continued to pour, Joanna, who had maintained the magic supply to her familiars, was exhausted. After everyone was tended to, she fell into a deep slumber and thus was not able to see the town¡¯s respect for her as Ian¡¯s eagerly watched her visage.


    His goddess really is so kind, ah.

 CH 26

    The Prince Reluctant to Part


    After Joanna slumbered for a day and a night, she woke up and returned to her normal routine. It so happens that the heavy rain had finally stopped, and she arranged to continue the journey.


    Although, she didn¡¯t quite understand why so many people delayed her from leaving when she was about to depart, but she was upset the trip was delayed.


    Ian naturally saw her unpleasantness, and quickly led her to wait in the carriage, and he closed the door and explained it to those who wanted to give gifts and thanks to the witch for her help.


    ¡±We won¡¯t be able to take all that you¡¯ve offered. We are on our way,¡± he said.


    ¡±You don¡¯t have to give us money. You should see that my lady is not short on money, so we really don¡¯t need any compensation.¡±


    ¡°Really very sorry, my lady¡¯s skin is sensitive and the sun being out will make her body very uncomfortable, so we would like to depart before the sun rises any higher, otherwise the afternoon heat will catch up to us at our next rest stop.¡±


    ¡± Thank you all for your appreciation. Please just forever remember that not every witch is evil, and may have a kind heart like my lady.¡±


    ¡± Okay, I will convey your gratitude. You still need to take a good rest, don¡¯t send us off. Goodbye, goodbye.¡±


    ¡±Hate you? How come?¡± Ian smiled. ¡°My lady is just a little tired. but also a little shy, so she did not come out to meet it with you. ¡°


    Meanwhile, Joanna is still replenishing her strength from depleting her magic reserve from the previous event and was left with excessive fatigue, unfortunately she did not hear the conversations outside of the vehicle. When Ian finally finished, the driver began the carriage, she asked Ian what the commotion was all about.


    ¡±Ah, it¡¯s from the day that you saved those people, they wanted to come and express gratitude towards you¡± Ian let her lean on him to sit more comfortably. ¡°But I tried to refuse, we don¡¯t need those things, right?¡±


    ¡±Well, it¡¯s not needed. I will naturally pay for doing business, because it is a transaction, but that day was not a transaction.¡± Joanna snorted. ¡°Those people are annoying.¡±


    ¡±Yes, annoying, you don¡¯t have to worry about them. I will solve it.¡± But he saw it, the phrase ¡°annoying¡± was followed by a very light smile¡­so in fact, to save people, she is very happy!


    It didn¡¯t take long for the car to stop; the roads flooded by torrential rain did not have time to clear, so the blockage was still there.


    ¡±Miss, do you want to detour?¡± the driver asked in front.


    ¡±No, I will do it.¡± Although her magic support is not sustainable, otherwise she would have used her familiars to escort the prince back to the palace. Regardless her burst magic is powerful, and clearing the roadblock is just a small matter.


    After getting off the carriage, she saw the road condition, the small parasol was on the ground, the land automatically rolled over, and soon after, it became a flat and clean road. She then returned to the car and continued to sleep.


    Ian watched her sleep, and his face could not stop smiling.


    However, his smile collapsed when he found that the carriage¡¯s path was getting more and more familiar. He knocked on the front partition, ¡°Mr. Coachman, are we going to the palace?¡±


    ¡±Yes.¡± He did not dare say more¡­because he seems to understand why the witch said if the prince does not ask you, don¡¯t say where you are going; it seems that the witch did not cast any spells on the prince, but the prince stuck to the witch very tightly. In this case, will the prince return to the palace? Or is the royal family willing to accept his closeness to the witch?


    After getting closer and closer to the kingdom, some of the knights also approached their carriage and presented an escort formation¡­even if he never greeted them. So it seems that these knights recognize the carriage, and the indifferent driver must be the one sent by the palace.


    The emperor¡­ Ian looked at Joanna, who was not very stable because of the bumpy carriage, and didn¡¯t want to ask her why he was returning.


    Whether it is because it was to exchange him to 10,000 gold coins, or to return him to his family and then leave¡­ He doesn¡¯t want to ask, he doesn¡¯t want to know in advance that they may part.

 CH 27

    Prince in the Same Bed as the Witch


    The carriage took them to a superior hotel very close to the palace, where the service and amenities was not comparable to the previous civilian inns.


    He was not happy to see this. Others may not know, but he knows that this is his mother¡¯s own family¡¯s industry, it is one of his mother¡¯s dowry¡­ The mother¡¯s maiden family is a merchant traveling around the country, businesses is spread all over the country, and even many adjacent countries is populated with their businesses. That family is not from old money. Before the rise to wealth, they were just ordinary peasants. But by relying on their riches and alliance, his grandfather did not oppose their marriage when his father was in love with his mother.


    However, that is because the strength of his mother¡¯s family is strong. But the point is that his mother also love father¡­not like his current predicament.


    After the two got out of the carriage, the waiters who rushed to greet the guests, saw the lizard on the shoulder of Joanna and their faces blanched. This is why his mother gave instructions to find daring and clever waiters? Otherwise, normal people would have been as surprised.


    ¡±Ga!¡± The crow, who was stationed on the wooden pole, shriek, so Joanna quickly stroked it and comfort with a soft voice.


    ¡±Don¡¯t worry, just a little more people. You¡¯ll be all right.¡±


    The crow¡¯s wings were originally broken by human beings it occurred in the middle of the city, when it camped at the butcher shop for food. The owner of the shop hated the Crow and dealt a ruthless hand. Originally, crows were known to be gregarious and vengeful, if one crow was attached, a whole group will swarm and take vengeance, the crows¡¯ strength was not to be underestimated. Many people in the city knew about this. However, the owner was particularly was unsociable and was ignorant of the matter and was thus driven out of city by a congregation of crows and the remaining employees of the butcher shop did not dare to interfere.


    It was Joanna who happened to pass by, reaching out, she saved it and took it home to recuperate. However, Joanna only healed people and did not know how to treat birds. Therefore, although the crow has healed, it cannot fly for long durations, and since then very afraid of other human beings, but was very attached to Joanna and thus stayed by her side ever since.


    At that time, Joanna had a lizard on her shoulder, and the crow didn¡¯t like her shoulder as much, so the staff was pulled from the cupboard for the crow to dock on.


    Carrying the wooden stick, she did not care about other peoples¡¯ opinons, and followed the waiter¡¯s body to a gorgeous room. In fact, it cannot be considered a room, it is like a small house, with three separate areas with a living room, very spacious, the service is very thoughtful.


    ¡±Get some rest.¡± Joanna said to Ian after placing her three pets down.


    ¡±Master.¡± Ian stopped her and felt embarrassed about what to say next.


    ¡±What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joanna looked at him. ¡°Is your body uncomfortable? Come over do you want me to examine you?¡±


    Ian shook his head. ¡°No, I just want to make an unreasonable request. I don¡¯t know if it will be fulfilled¡­.¡±


    ¡±What is it?¡±


    If, tonight, he is really sent back¡­ If the goddess really does not want him, he will never see her again, he hopes to obtain a memorable moment. He always felt that the time spent with the goddess was not enough to satiate him, and it will never be enough¡­ but how to create more memories.


    ¡±Tonight, can I sleep next to you?¡± Ian lowered his gaze and didn¡¯t want to see the goddess angry with him. ¡°I will sleep very still and will not bother you! I just want to be close to you, it¡¯s just¡­I¡­¡±


    The flustered look reminded her of the frog that clung to her hair while they slept. The little frog held onto her hair even when she tried to move him but refused to budge.


    Was her scent that attractive? She grabbed her own hair and sniffed it, and it was clear that it was very clean and did not have a scent.


    ¡±I know that this request is very unreasonable, and it is normal for Master not to agree¡­¡± He did not hear a response after a long time, then added slyly, but his shoulders sunk.


    ¡±I do not refuse.¡± Joanna looked at the man who had been decadent and then burst into brilliance. Although she was worried about this situation, she was also delighted¡­ really shouldn¡¯t, ah, she really shouldn¡¯t be with him. This kind of obsessiveness made her feel happy, even if she is the object of being obsessed. ¡°Go and wash, I will be waiting for you.¡±


    As Ian rushed away with joy, she sighed and went to another bathroom to freshen up.

 CH 28

    The Prince and Witch Before Separation


    Because of exhaustion, Joanna fell asleep quickly after lying on the bed. Ian, who is laying next to her, had a hard time falling asleep.


    Tonight is the last night with the goddess¡­ He looked at her sleeping face with heartbreak.


    He knows that the goddess has always believed that his love is only a disease, but he feels that if you fall in love with a good woman is also a disease, then he would rather be sick for a lifetime, and never be heal.


    After Joanna fell asleep, she slept very hard and was very difficult to wake up. So he boldly approached, and put his nose on her neck, and breathe in the full aroma of her bath¡­ He must remember her smell forever, and he could never forget it in his lifetime, because this is his life. She is his only love, no other woman will be able to occupy his heart like her, and he smiled.


    Reaching over, he held onto her palm to remember the touch that belongs to her. He never dared to be so arrogant, except for the night of the campfire, because the villagers were there so he jokingly held onto her hand. It was only once, because he thought she didn¡¯t want to embarrass him in front of so many people, and henceforth he didn¡¯t have the courage to reach out again, fearing that she would have a disgusted expression.


    Was her waist so thin? It is no wonder that the neighbors are worried that she was too thin, it¡¯s as if she can easily break.


    Was she so cold? He really want to keep her warm¡­ but is she cold? Otherwise, how can such a strong witch not keep herself warm? Naturally, because she doesn¡¯t feel cold, she doesn¡¯t want to keep warm!


    The smell of the ancient paper on her body and the smell of dried herbs reminded him of the time he was a little frog, looking at her in her study while weighing the herb and flipping through the book.


    At that time, she was the most charming.


    Being able to sleep next to her is probably the happiest thing he can think of, but tonight is the last night, it would be a pity to sleep like this. So even if he was exhausted, he carefully painted her face with his eyes and used his nose to remember the smell that belonged to her¡­ But what should he do? It wasn¡¯t enough, no matter how much effort he put forth, it doesn¡¯t feel enough!


    Why is he not her familiar? Why wasn¡¯t he accepted as one when he was a frog? If he was her familiar, they would be bound by an invisible contract, and wouldn¡¯t they never separate? Obviously, she promised¡­ obviously she promised that she would not abandon on him, right?


    The more that he thought about it, the grievances quickly caused him to become emotional, but he still did not dare to make any big movements for fear of waking her, so he held in his emotions until dawn. Before Joanna woke up, his feet were asleep, from her appearance she looks well rested.


    Joanna just opened her eyes and saw his smile. His eyes were still misty. She didn¡¯t see his eyes, but she was a little surprised at his dark circles. This is the best quality bed she has ever slept on. In this kind of bed would you get dark circles¡­..what could be so uncomfortable? Or¡­ because he is a prince, so he can¡¯t sleep on any beds besides the one in the palace?


    ¡±Good morning, Master.¡± He helped her up. ¡°Would you like me to give you a basin to wash?¡±


    ¡±Okay.¡± Although it can be delivered with a mere pull of the service bell, if he wants to go out, let him go out. He probably wants to go to the toilet, right?


    In fact, he really wants to get out of Joanna¡¯s sight in the morning, because he wants to wash away these bed marks from his face. Today was the only opportunity for a last impression, and he cannot let her see such a haggard face!


    So, after taking care of himself, he held a basin in front of Joanna, gently waiting for her to wash¡­ this made her feel very strange, he was obviously not as clingy as before.


    As for the sadness at the bottom of her heart, she completely ignored.

 CH 29

    The Prince and the Witch Ending


    When they both got ready and wanted to go eat at the restaurant, a waiter came to knock on their door to let them know they had guests.


    It was unexpected, Joanna is not surprised, but she also found Ian not surprised. This man is really smart¡­ probably already guessed what she was going to do.


    The waiters took them directly to the hotel manager¡¯s reception room.


    When they arrived, the hotel manager was no present, but there were three people sitting on the gorgeous sofa. A middle-aged man with gray and white hair looks very majestic. There is an elderly woman who relies on him. His face is very kind, and there is a young man who looks like Ian, very similar, but older. Ian¡¯s profile is more like his mother, and Ian¡¯s brother is more like their father. Joanna now recognizes that they were family.


    Joanna curtsy with her skirt and salute, ¡°Witch of the Wilderness ¨C Joanna Black Cashmere, greets His Excellency the Emperor, Her Royal Highness, His Royal Highness Prince.¡±


    ¡±I heard much about you, the Witch of the Wilderness, from the Snow Witch. Thank you very much for saving my child and giving him good treatment.¡± The emperor stood up and took her hand. ¡°And after learning his identity, bringing him back so quickly and as safely as possible. I don¡¯t know how to express my gratitude, especially since you slain that crazy witch!¡±


    It was a well deserved compliment but she was not haughty, she did not need excessive praise, so she didn¡¯t say much, just stood there quietly waiting for the king¡¯s enthusiasm to cool down.


    The empress held her second son who she has not seen for a long time. ¡°Oh, Ian! I finally see you! Do you know that the news of your disappearance came, how worried I am with your father? Your brother even took soldiers to find you! You look a bit haggard, but you come back safely, mother will tell the kitchen to prepare a delicious meal, to help nourish your body!¡±


    The crown prince first gave Ian a hug, and then followed the emperor and shook the witch¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, thank you very much! My brother is so brave and had disappear. I really don¡¯t know if anyone who is better than him can quietly disappear like him¡­ In short, thank you very much!¡±


    For these earnest gratitude, the witch just responded with a polite smile, without much to say.


    ¡±I don¡¯t know what kind of reward the Witch of the Wild would like? You are the benefactor of our royal family. Please ask, as long as we can do it, we must satisfy you.¡± The emperor made such a haughty statement, but later realized that the sentence is not appropriate; what if the witch used this to make unreasonable demands that are harmful to the country, but he is capable to complete? As an emperor, there must be a proper attitude, so that many problems can be avoided¡­ Just too excited, so forgot it.


    But her response was beyond his expectation. She just smiled. ¡°No need for payment.¡±


    ¡±No? But you saved my son¡­¡±


    ¡±This is not a transaction, so you don¡¯t need to pay.¡± The witch shook her head and smiled at Ian standing on the side. ¡°And I am glad I saved him, I am happy and rejoice. That alone is a reward.¡±


    For the first time, the Emperor was overwhelmed by the witch, ¡°let us entertain you, at least for a few days in the palace. There are some rare treasures within the palace, perhaps you would be interested to see it?¡±


    The witch shook her head once again, ¡°No. After returning him, I plan to leave immediately.¡±


    ¡±So soon?¡±


    The witch smiled and nodded.


    She walked over to the man who was no longer smiling, and carefully looked at the individual who had become a man from the little frog, and whispered, ¡°Be careful and take care of yourself, don¡¯t be too hard. I reminded you many times, this is the last time to remind you¡­ As long as you are well conditioned, your hands and feet can still be stronger than you are now. Although you still can¡¯t lift the sword, I regret that this is because my medical skills are not good enough.¡±


    He will have a better life here than with her. After all, you are a good prince, how can you always be mixed up with a witch?


    And Ian, he thought he could really let go, really can look at Joanna who turned to leave.. but when it happened, he found that he couldn¡¯t do it.


    ¡±You said that you won¡¯t abandon me¡­ you said it! That you promised me so my world wouldn¡¯t fall apart!¡± Ian hugged her, shouting in a voice with a hint of a whimper. ¡°If you leave, my world will be destroyed! You know that you are my world!¡±


    His arms naturally were not able to restrain a powerful witch. Joanna¡¯s hand swung at him and looked into his eyes, looking at him with an indescribable gaze.


    ¡±Ian, wake up! You are not a frog, you are no longer alone! You are no longer my pet! You are a prince, a man of this kingdom! Your eyes should be wider, why should it be confined to me? What¡¯s more¡­ If someone who saved you at the time was someone else, would you have the same feelings for that person, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Yes, saving him from the fire was the biggest reason he became infatuated, isn¡¯t it? Otherwise, as she thought of herself, who would like this strange woman?


    If it was not her who saved him at that time, but another beautiful princess? Maybe you don¡¯t need a princess, anyone who saved him, would he be so obsessed with them?


    ¡±No¡­ it isn¡¯t like that!¡± Ian tried to hold her hand, but she pulled away as soon as he did and stepped back. She didn¡¯t want to get close anyway. ¡°Only you¡­it has to be you! It doesn¡¯t matter if someone else saved me, you were the only thing in my eyes! When I was still a little frog that has always been unremarkable, only you didn¡¯t despise me, and took me back to your home and cared for me¡­ no one else would have been able to enter my heart!¡±


    ¡±Your feelings are just an illusion, and its because I saved you that created this illusion.. You are sick, heart disease!¡±


    After Ian found out that he couldn¡¯t convince her, he stood helplessly, watching her pleading eyes. ¡°If you like a kind woman it is a disease, if you like a gentle woman it is a disease. If I like a woman with a soft heart, it is a disease¡­ then I would rather have this disease for a lifetime!¡±


    The witch was shocked by his declaration.


    ¡±Crazy¡­ madman! Don¡¯t forget that you are a prince, how can you be so capricious!¡±


    ¡±As long as I am not a prince, will it be possible?¡± Ian asked this sentence and did not wait for her. In response, he turned around and eagerly opened his eyes to the three elders on the side. ¡°Father, mother, brother, I can¡¯t hold the sword and I am no longer the mighty second prince! My hand and feet has been broken, and now it is too difficult to work. As for the government affairs¡­ Brother, you know, I am incapable and cannot lead the army? I will only be a waste when I go back, let alone the face that I have been cursed. Such a prince will only make the royal family lose face, so can it be said that I died? At least it is better than being a waste prince and to die with grace from a witch¡¯s duel. Isn¡¯t it? Father, I¡­ ¡­¡±


    ¡±What are you talking about?¡± Joanna slapped down, an a ¡°snapped¡± loudly echoed. ¡°It¡¯s your parents, your family, how can you say something that hurts their heart?¡± ¡°


    Ian finally stopped talking. He knows how shocked his family is now, probably still is speechless, but this is his idea, he has no intention to beautify or conceal such an idea¡­ After all, if he really goes back, things will certainly develop into a ¡°high-flow royal family out of a waste prince¡± such a bad scandal with the royal family, so that the reputation of the royal family will be reduce, maybe even some people will take this opportunity, he is only a step earlier to prevent that from happening.


    But she was angry, so he had to bow down and say ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±; he really didn¡¯t want to make her angry¡­ Even if things had developed, he still didn¡¯t want her to get angry.


    ¡±In short, what you feel is just an illusion. As long as I leave, your illusion will naturally disappear, and your heart will naturally heal.¡± Joanna said with a deep breath. But Ian knows very well that these feelings will not disappear because she is not there¡­ Otherwise, when she left him at the pond, why would he have stayed at the pond for two months without leaving?


    The atmosphere became very akward.


    Joanna thought she should get going, but she didn¡¯t want to move.


    Ian thought that she was about to leave, but he didn¡¯t dare to speak any more, and he was afraid that he would make her angry again¡­ obviously he knows that today is the last time he will see her, but he still couldn¡¯t control himself and embarrassed himself. He really is a guy who has caused more trouble than good. He would always be ridiculed by his brother in the government affairs and he is stupid. He does not know how to solve it in the softest way. It is always so rough.


    At this moment, the king who was on the sidelines for a while cleared his throat.


    ¡±Actually¡­ If the emperor can¡¯t be a little self-willed, it¡¯s not as bad as it is, what do you say, witch?¡±


    What does this mean? Joanna looked up in confusion but saw the emperor¡¯s unique smile.


    ¡±What kind of past did you and my son shared? This is our family business. As for the outsiders¡­ what does it have to do with you? If you dare to say a word, I will exile him. If you are so dissatisfied, then don¡¯t live in the land that I ruled, you should say yes, witch.¡± The king touched his chin¡¯s beard and smiled happily. ¡°What¡¯s more, I have a way to prevent people from talking. This is not something that needs to be taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± The queen smiled more than the king and gave Joanna a hug. ¡°Oh, my son went out and I didn¡¯t know that there was an unforgettable adventure, and he had an unforgettable relationship. Now that I see my daughter-in-law more directly~ Hey, how are you so thin? Isn¡¯t Ian trying to make you eat? I know that this son is a stupid person, I will always worry about his life. I am afraid that he is like this, a piece of wood with a lonely life! The result is still good, actually still a witch! Really good, really good~¡±


    She is a witch, always witch with evil was the perception! Is this reaction supposed to be normal?


    The crown prince had a thought while looking at the witch next to him. ¡°If my younger sibling is a witch, then naturally there is a group of witch friends. Right then, when the disaster happens, the rescue operation can be carried out faster¡­ Maybe you can open a witch training class directly to cultivate qualified girls as witches? In this case, if we have one or two witches in each city, they can immediately contact the emperor once something happens, and all the governance can be implemented immediately¡­ ¡­I think it¡¯s wonderful! I really want to find a way to make communication faster. Brother and sister should not refuse such a request. In the end, the princess is also responsible for the kingdom. But rest assure, the burden will not be too heavy to disturb your two-person world!¡±


    What is going on? She didn¡¯t agree to anything!


    While she froze, Ian hugged her again, and was held tightly, fearing that she would try to escape the embrace. ¡°I really love you, it¡¯s not an illusion or a heart disease¡­ Or do you want to make me your familiar with a contract? So I will belong to you all my life, no one can take me away from you, is this good? I beg you to let me stay with you, Ok?¡±


    This is a prince¡­ Why is the tone so wrong? Is it because she is wronged? Does she actually have this ability to ask a big man to beg her with his gaze?


    It feels like a dream. Someone like her, there was someone out there willing to open their heart and accept her.


    ¡±It¡¯s as you said, don¡¯t regret it after that!¡± she muttered in a low voice, but this sentence passed into his ears¡­ His heart was filled with ecstasy.


    ¡±No regrets, I will never regret it!¡± Ian madly kissed her cheek. ¡°I love you, love you, love you, love you! It¡¯s so nice for you to be willing to marry me, it¡¯s great!¡±


    Does she say that she wants to married??  No, right? Moreover, it¡¯s too fast, isn¡¯t it¡­ as she thought, but the reddish hue on her face hasn¡¯t fade for a long time, and she didn¡¯t say she refused.


    The Snow Witch received wedding invitation. ¡°Ha¡±, she bounced the gorgeous stationery in her hand. ¡°I knew I was fooled. She said that my magic is not enough to escort him back. I was correct! If I ended up bringing him back, would this have happened? That girl probably didn¡¯t find me until she used her magic. Otherwise, the invitation will not be so ordinary¡­ um, still, her skin is so thin, it¡¯s not good to be angry. Ah~ It¡¯s really a day to celebrate~ Well, go to the hot springs!¡±


    [End]