“HUH? Frog Festival?”
As the dressing session wrapped up, Mia parroted Mary’s own words back to her. She’d been telling Mia about the legend of the Frog Festival, where young people were said to be able to meet their soulmates.
“Yes, it’s a festival recreating the start of the romance between King Leonard and Princess Luludia, who went on to become his wife. You know the fairy tale, don’t you?”
Mia nodded.
The tale was known across the land. Naturally, Mia knew the basic story.
She just hadn’t realized a frog was such a big part of it.
As a pharmacologist—a specialist in biology—Mia perhaps should have been ashamed of the truth: she hated frogs. Once, some local kids had pelted her with live frogs while bullying her about her mother.
The frogs had died from being thrown so forcefully at Mia, and she remembered weeping over their limp little bodies, crying with pity for them, crying with pity for her mother.
After that, frogs had gotten mixed up with bad things in her mind. Even looking at drawings or depictions of frogs made her skin crawl, and she couldn’t even bear the thought of touching one.
As she grimaced, Mary chuckled.
“We’ve got a version of the fairy tale in these parts that’s a bit more detailed. The first Neu-Aera was made in the shape of a frog. It contained a magic spell that would transform you into one!”
In the days of King Leonard, Isea and Radius had actually enjoyed friendly relations, although the rupture between the two was all that anyone seemed to remember. It must have been a very peaceful and happy time, though. Mia figured that was why the festival was still celebrated to this day.
As Mia mulled it over sadly, Mary continued with excitement.
“So, the tradition is for boys to give a plush frog toy to the girl they have a crush on! And then, if she likes him back, she’ll give him a kiss!”
“A kiss?!”
All sympathy for King Leonard suddenly evaporated in a haze of panic. As Mia gasped, Mary roared with laughter.
“Oh my, you young folk these days certainly are bashful! See, the tradition comes from the legend, which says that King Leonard gave Luludia a kiss of true love after she accidentally transformed into a frog. And the kiss returned her to her original form. You know, I was wearing that exact dress when Rudolf confessed his feelings for me!”
Mia felt like her cheeks were burning with embarrassment and awkwardness.
Henrik’s mom was absolutely nothing like her son. Maybe she was really only his stepmother or something? But Mia could never ask her something so prying and rude.
“The other two boys have already gone out to the festival. I wonder who’ll be the one to capture your young heart?”
“What, Felix and Mathias will be at the festival too?”
“Of course! It would hardly be fair, otherwise. Ooh, I wonder if my boy will be the victor in love…”
Mary looked like she hadn’t been this entertained in years. But at the mention of Felix’s name, Mia felt like running far, far away.
✦ ✦ ✦
UNABLE to deny Mary’s wishes after she’d been so kind to her, Mia wore the dress and reluctantly headed out into the evening air of the town to attend the festival with Henrik.
This was Mia’s first time going anywhere so dressed-up. Like any girl, Mia felt excited to be going out wearing such beautiful clothes. But her nerves were fighting her excitement for superiority and coming out on top.
The boys give a frog to the girl they have a crush on…
The custom horrified her, and not just because of her phobia of frogs. She couldn’t help remembering what Felix had said to her at the end of last year…
“My reasons aren’t logical. They won’t get through to you unless I clearly tell you…”
Her heart beat oddly in her chest as she recalled the look in his eyes as he spoke those words. The thumping sensation felt like she’d developed an arrhythmia, a pulse irregularity.
But Mia couldn’t accept his feelings. She’d thought it over from every angle, but it just wasn’t an appropriate time for romance right now.
They had to keep pushing forward, every chance they had, to cure her mom’s disease. She tried to never let herself think about it, but on some level, she knew there was every chance her mom would never be cured and that there would be no reunion for them. Their parting would remain permanent.
Mia believed that Felix understood how she felt about everything.
But Mia was afraid. Afraid that she’d unwittingly walk right into a trap. That she would fall under the spell of love and forget what she needed to do.
Mia would never, ever forgive herself if she let that happen.
So, she’d locked up her heart securely so that she would never be swayed by anyone’s temptation.
And that’s why I don’t need this right now.
She was afraid this silly traditional event might end up busting open the lock she’d placed on her heart.
Please, please let Felix know nothing of this festival…
She repeated her wish over and over to herself as they walked along. A cold breeze whipped around her ankles, and she shivered.
Looking up at the night sky, her eyes widened. The skies were so much clearer here than they were in the capital. The stars looked like they were just about to fall out of the skies above.
But the one drawback to the clear skies was harsher cold. Mia’s dress was thick and warm, but she was still coatless and beginning to grow chilly.
I should have brought my old shawl with me…oh, but it would simply ruin the effect of the dress.
As she was lamenting her discomfort in her mind, she felt something being placed over her shoulders. It was a thick woolen shawl.
Its muted beige color complemented her dress, and it felt very soft and warm. As she was about to thank Henrik for the shawl, she paused.