Prince Charming is a Frog

I. Prince of Mischief

Twenty Years Later, in the Earth Kingdom...

Prince Ling, the crown prince of the Earth Kingdom, is concealing himself behind a huge trunk of an old oak tree. With a bow in his hand and an arrow about to release anytime soon, he closes his other eye and aims for a pheasant that's quietly pecking on its food.

Woosh!

The arrow became one with the wind, fast approaching the poor clueless pheasant.

"Got it!" The prince exclaimed in delight when he successfully hit the target. He carefreely comes closer to his prey with a grin on his lips but it didn't last long. He flinched when a voice of an old man echoed from a few meters.

"Stop hunting my pheasants! They are livestock! Not wild ones!" The old man exclaims in an angry tone.

"Ah, here he goes again." Being discovered, the prince took the pheasant and runs away as fast as he can.

Prince Ling of Earth Kingdom. He is the only child of the Earth Immortal, and so, the king doesn't have any choice but to have Ling as the next king and inherit the title he holds. Although the prince is turning 21 this year, he's still a troublemaker, carefree, loves fooling around, and keeps on getting demerits. In short, he's a problem child and it would be a very big problem if he ascends to the throne.

Despite all these negative descriptions about him, he is still popular among the ladies of his age. In fact, he's been a big casanova. He's having a lot of women as his lover at the same time but no one of these ladies stayed long. No one could bear his attitude. This goes on until no one in the Earth Kingdom can be fooled by his charms. He's now known as a man who's not committed.

"Prince Ling!" His highness' timid personal attendant, Yang, is now very anxious. He's been looking for his master around the town square for about an hour now but still, he couldn't see him. "Where are you, your highness? You promised me that you won't give me a hard time anymore." He could only whisper to himself.

Just by remembering the intense scolding he gets every single time the prince escapes the palace, he can't help but get annoyed and teary-eyed.

"Yang!" A familiar voice sounded from afar but it is loud enough for him to hear despite the distance.

The poor attendant immediately turned his head to the direction where the voice came from. From his post, he sees the crown prince sprinting towards him.

"Prince Ling! Where have you be---" Yang couldn't finish what he has to say when the prince drags him along.

"Your highness! Wait! Where are we heading to?"

"We're going back to the palace. Didn't I tell you that I won't give you a hard time anymore? So we should go back before anyone notices that we're gone. HAHAHA!"

Then Yang noticed the pheasant on his highness' other hand. "Your highness, you hunted Old Bao's farm again? You're running away from him, aren't you?"

But instead of giving him a decent answer, the prince just chuckled. "Hehehe"

"..." Well, it's not that Yang needed an answer anyway. The pheasant on the prince's hand is enough proof. "It will surely reach the Earth Immortal again."

Despite what his personal attendant said, the prince doesn't seem to be worried at all. Instead, he gave Yang a mischievous smile like he always does.

Along the way, they were always slowed down every time the prince sees a woman of his age looking at him. They wouldn't take long if he'll just give a lady a wink or smile. But tiresome times do come too especially if he stops to have a little chat with a maiden. Unfortunately for this young royalty, he always gets turned down since every single lady knows what it's like to be in a relationship with him.

Like the usual, the prince brought his timid attendant with him in his residence hall inside the palace walls, having him help to roast the pheasant and eat with him. Although Yang feels conscience for eating other people's livestock, he can't say no to his master either. It's like he's helping his highness to erase the evidence but it always ends up useless anyway cause Old Bao will come complaining to the palace.

And sure, the usual happens again like an old record that keeps on playing.

The door of his highness the crown prince's hall opens, revealing the man behind it. He wears a golden crown with emerald stones attached to it. His well-woven green robes added to his overall majestic appearance as well. However, his face has an ugly expression. His thick eyebrows twitched and his eyes narrowed. He doesn't like how the prince's residence hall is full of smoke.

"Are they not feeling suffocated?" He asked himself internally.

Prince Ling really chose to roast the pheasant inside his hall to conceal the smoke!

"Y-your majesty!" Yang unintentionally tossed the roasted pheasant leg in his hand because of surprise. He then quickly faced the other, kneeled before him, and bows until his forehead touches the wooden floor. "Please forgive me!"

"Yang, raise your head. Why are you acting like I'm about to behead you?" And then his majesty the king saw the roasted pheasant as well as his only son who's averting his eyes from him. Then he realized, maybe Yang is sincerely apologizing because he couldn't stop Prince Ling from being mischievous again.

The Earth Immortal can't help himself but let out a sigh. "Old Bao came here in the palace just now. He wants to see you but I insisted to relay the message to you and discipline you myself... again."

"The Earth Kingdom is the land of life's origin itself! We won't run out of food. Why is he so stingy over a pheasant? I don't think pheasants will get extinct anytime soon." Prince Ling argued.

"He's saving livestock for winter. And he's old too. He can't hop around and actively hunt like you." The Earth Immortal massaged his temples. This prince is sure a troublemaker. "Ling, let's step outside. Yang, clean up the prince's hall. For goodness' sake, this room needs fresh air."

"Right away, your majesty," Yang answered and immediately gets to work 

Prince Ling, on the other hand, walks towards his father with heavy steps, unwillingly responding to his call.

When his son got close enough, he put his arm around his shoulder and drags him around the palace.

"Ling, you're not getting any younger. Your 21st birthday is just around the corner, fast approaching to you."

"We still have three months before my birthday, father."

"Yes, only three months left." For some reason, his majesty's eyes looked miserable, and his smile weak. "Are you not excited about your coming of age?"

"What is there to be excited when no one comes to greet me on my birthday?" The prince said. "Oh yeah, there are people who always greet me. You, mother, Yang, and the palace servants. Every year, I only receive two gifts!"

"You should learn to appreciate little things. For example, the everyday life you spend with us. Let's cherish every day that comes."

"Father, why do you have to make it sound like I'm going to die soon?"

"I-it's not like that." The king sternly denies. "Another thing, you are the crown prince of this kingdom. After your coming of age ceremony, you can take over the throne and be the next Earth Immortal. Do you know what it means?"

Earth Immortal. The rule of the person who bears this title is not only to lead his people but also a candidate to be the next Earth Deity if something happens to the current Deity and won't be able to function as one anymore. This title also means that the highest court gives you the blessing of immortality. However, if an Immortal passes the title to the successor, it would also mean passing immortality. But having immortality doesn't mean this person will not die. It's just they have much more abilities than a normal being. It goes the same as the other Elemental Immortals. 

"Does father mean that I need to be a real man?"

"..." For a while, the king got confused. Is his son, Prince Ling, not a real man? What does he mean by 'he needs to be a real man'. Is he gay? But on the second thought, maybe the prince's idea of a real man is being responsible, reliable, strong, and a good example for everyone. The Earth Immortal casually scratches his cheek with his forefinger as he speaks, "Well, if you put it like that. Yes."

"Then, on my birthday, I'll introduce my bride whom I wish to be my queen." The prince beams a bright smile and speaks in a proud and confident tone. "I know I've been with multiple women these past few years but I'll be sure to find the one."

"..." The Earth Immortal got speechless for what he had heard. So his idea of a real man is having another half? Even if he's a crown prince, does anyone even wants to be his wife? Can anyone handle his attitude?