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-actually 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-don'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-in 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.