I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom

Shu Li scrubbed his face hard with a towel and decided to play ostrich. The next time he saw the Elven King, he absolutely would not admit to rubbing his face against the man’s hair.

After washing up, he left the bathroom, opened the cabinet, and transferred everything inside into the storage ring.

Since the Elven King refused to take the storage ring back, Shu Li would not make a fuss about it.

He still did not understand what the Elven King had meant by “grow up quickly,” but he supposed that, as a tiny Fairy cub, he truly was not capable of much yet.

Once he grew older, learned some useful skills, and became strong, there would still be plenty of time to repay the Elven King for saving his life.

The storage ring really was convenient. Now he could carry everything with him, and the belt pouch had finally completed its mission and could temporarily retire.

Shu Li stuffed his notebook, books, quill, and even the belt pouch into the storage ring.

Items placed inside did not need to be organized. They were automatically sorted by category onto the appropriate floor, and taking them in and out was extremely easy.

Shu Li was very satisfied.

Once everything was packed, he prepared to head to the commercial district and find a messenger to deliver a package to the plump bird.

Before that, however, he needed to eat at the school cafeteria.

He had slept all the way into the afternoon, and his stomach was already flat with hunger. The fruit he had eaten last night had long since been mostly digested.

Feeling refreshed, he opened the front door, only to be startled by the crowd of cubs gathered outside his house.

“Do you... need something?” Shu Li asked blankly.

At the front, Disio and Angel directed the other cubs to move back and clear a path for their boss.

“Sperien, we want to hear about your adventure.”

“Yeah, yeah! After that big bird carried you away last night, did lots of things happen?”

“Was the forest scary? Were there magical beasts? Were they fierce?”

“How did the Elven King find you? I really want to know all the details.”

“The king’s unicorn was so beautiful. What did it feel like to ride it?”

“...”

The cubs all spoke at once, firing question after question until Shu Li’s head spun. He did not even know which one to answer first.

“Stop, stop, stop—” He raised one hand in a stopping gesture, and the cubs obediently closed their mouths.

With more than twenty pairs of innocent, sparkling eyes fixed on him, Shu Li felt tremendous pressure. He patted his empty stomach and said tactfully, “Um... how about I tell you after I eat and send my letters?”

“Okay!”

The cubs agreed in unison.

“Come back quickly! We’ll wait for you in the little square!”

Before scattering, they did not forget to remind him.

“Okay!” Shu Li made an “OK” gesture.

The cubs copied him, lifting their chubby little hands and trying the gesture over and over. They found it incredibly fun.

Listening to the children’s cheerful laughter, Shu Li shrugged and looked at Redhead and Whitehead, who were still standing by the door.

“Have you eaten yet?”

“No.” Disio shook his head.

“We were waiting to go eat at school with you,” Angel said with a wide grin.

Shu Li nodded and looked around, but did not see the little fatty. “Where’s Budeno?”

Disio gave a soft snort. “He said he was too hungry and went to the school cafeteria first.”

As if Disio did not know exactly what he was thinking.

He simply wanted to eat more before they arrived.

The three cubs beat their wings and flew toward the school cafeteria together.

Although mealtime had already passed, today’s circumstances were unusual, and food was available no matter when they went.

The moment Shu Li entered the cafeteria, he saw Budeno sitting alone at a long table with five plates of food arranged in front of him, eating with gusto.

“Mmm, delicious—” Budeno’s mouth was covered in fruit juice. Suddenly, he felt a chill and quickly looked up, meeting Disio’s sharp gaze.

He froze, swallowed the fruit in his mouth, and chuckled. “Oh... you’re here? Sit down. I ordered lots of tasty things so we could all eat together.”

Disio’s wings flared. He flew over, plopped down across from Budeno, and pulled three plates toward himself, leaving Budeno only two.

Budeno stared longingly at the fruit and baked wheat cakes that had been taken away, his narrow eyes filled with reluctance.

Angel sat beside Disio and smiled sweetly. “Budeno, you’re so considerate.”

Budeno was crying rivers inside, but outwardly he smiled generously. “Ah, mm—go ahead and eat!”

Shu Li looked at the little fatty’s conflicted expression. He felt sympathy, but not much. “Thank you, Budeno.”

“It’s... it’s nothing!” Budeno grabbed a fruit and took a vicious bite, secretly relieved that he had already finished an entire plate of kuku fruit before they arrived.

Three plates of fruit were not enough for three growing cubs, so Shu Li asked the adult Fairy working in the cafeteria for several more dishes.

Nectar, animal milk, boiled eggs from some kind of bird, wheat cakes, a fruit platter...

The moment the food arrived, Budeno’s eyes nearly popped out.

Shu Li gave him two boiled eggs and a bowl of milk. “Here. Have some eggs and milk.”

Among all foods, the cubs preferred fruit and vegetables and ate comparatively little egg or milk.

Shu Li was different. Every time he ate, he ordered eggs and milk to go with vegetables and fruit. It was nutritious, healthy, and would help him grow taller.

Budeno never refused food. He took the boiled eggs and animal milk, so delighted that his eyes narrowed into slits.

Disio stared at him sternly. “What did you promise me before?”

The smile on Budeno’s face stiffened.

Disio turned to Shu Li. “He must have eaten a lot before we got here. Touch his stomach if you don’t believe me.”

Budeno immediately covered his belly and shook his head like a rattle drum. “No, no!”

But the moment he hugged his stomach, the pressure squeezed his belly and made him release an enormous belch.

Silence.

Shu Li covered his forehead and stared speechlessly at Budeno’s guilty little face.

Expressionless, Disio took away the two plates of fruit in front of him, leaving him only the eggs and milk.

“Ah...” Budeno reached out dramatically, his heart aching.

Angel comforted him considerately. “Don’t worry, Budeno. We’ll help you finish it.”

With that, he picked up a fruit and began eating with obvious enjoyment.

Budeno looked ready to cry. He curled up in the corner of the table, pitiful, weak, and helpless.

Shu Li: ...

No. With Budeno’s round, ball-like figure, no matter how tightly he curled up, he still did not look pitiful.

After they finished eating, the group left the cafeteria.

Shu Li needed to go to the commercial district to find a messenger, and the other three cubs followed along out of curiosity.

“Sperien, who are you sending a letter to?” Angel asked.

“A plump bird,” Shu Li replied.

“Plump?” Budeno patted himself. “Plumper than me?”

Shu Li looked at his round belly, then raised both hands and drew a huge circle. “Much plumper than you. She’s this big.”

No matter how fat the little fellow was, he was only as tall as a thumb. The plump bird was the size of a hen!

“Wow—” the three cubs exclaimed.

To them, a hen was enormous.

“She also has four babies.” Shu Li made a much smaller circle. “Each one is round and fluffy, like a snowball.”

“Snow? Sperien, what is snow?” Angel asked.

“Uh—” Shu Li blinked.

Their group of cubs had been born in spring. More than three months had passed, and it was now summer, so naturally they had never seen winter snow.

“Snow is solid water. Um... you’ll understand when the weather turns cold.” Shu Li gave them a rough explanation. Thanks to his quiet little top student, he had learned plenty of things Siet had not taught yet.

The other three cubs only half understood, but they were filled with longing for the plump bird and her chicks.

The world beyond the divine tree might be dangerous, but it also sounded so interesting.

As they talked, they reached the commercial district. The moment Shu Li landed, many adult Fairies greeted him.

“Oh, adorable Sperien. Good afternoon.”

“Buying something, little one? Would you like to look around my shop?”

“I’ve just made a new batch of toys. They’re perfect for cubs!”

“I have fresh fruit here. Come, take one and try it.”

“...”

The adult Fairies were far too enthusiastic. Shu Li smiled and declined all the way down the street until the muscles in his face nearly went stiff.

Oh no.

After what happened last night, he seemed to have become even more famous!

Now every Fairy knew that he had been accidentally “kidnapped” by a stupid bird, dropped into the forest halfway through, and finally brought back by the Elven King.

Was this what social death felt like?

He desperately wanted to find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

Under immense pressure, Shu Li finally reached the messenger station.

“Oh, dear Sperien, good afternoon. What can I help you with?” The adult Fairy at the station smiled as he welcomed the red-faced cub.

Shu Li replied shyly, “G-good afternoon. I’m here to send a letter.”

The adult Fairy winked teasingly. “To a new friend you met in the forest?”

Shu Li looked astonished. “H-how did you know I made a new friend in the forest?”

The adult Fairy smiled. “The magical beasts and little animals in the forest are all our friends. Since you returned safely, they must have helped you.”

Before Shu Li could answer, Angel spoke for him. “Sperien met a big plump bird. She was white and chubby and this big.”

He copied Shu Li’s earlier gesture, drawing an enormous circle as though he had seen her with his own eyes. His movements were remarkably vivid.

“Plumper than me,” Budeno added.

Disio said, “She has four chicks. They’re round like snowballs.”

Shu Li kept smiling.

Fine. They had already said everything for him.

The adult Fairy raised his eyebrows. “She sounds like a very kind bird. So, little Sperien, what would you like to send her?”

“A thank-you gift.” Shu Li touched the storage ring and took out five red crystal flower seeds. “I want to send these.”

He had originally planned to choose something from the items Mr. Serpent had given him, but then he remembered how much the plump bird had liked the red crystal flower seeds from the Elven King and changed his mind.

He had decided to invite the plump bird back to the divine tree with him and give her seeds from home.

Then he turned around and forgot.

Fortunately, the divine tree had messengers.

Seeing the cub use a storage ring, the adult Fairy could not help taking a second look.

Was that... the Guta Ring?

Only the Guta Ring could be used without magic.

If he remembered correctly, it had belonged to the Elven King. Yet now it sat on the finger of a tiny cub.

A child blessed by the king truly was extraordinary.

The adult Fairy smiled knowingly. He took out a small cloth pouch and had the cub place the seeds inside, then slipped the pouch into an envelope made of bark.

“That’s all?” Shu Li asked.

Was that not a little too simple?

Back home, sending a package required layer after layer of tape to prevent the wrapping from tearing and the contents from being lost.

“Of course not.” The adult Fairy winked mysteriously. “It still needs a little magic.”

He touched one finger to the bark envelope and recited an incantation. A layer of dazzling golden light rose from the envelope.

The four cubs instinctively raised their hands to shield their eyes.

When the golden light faded, the envelope had undergone a complete transformation. The bark had become exceptionally smooth, and a layer of brilliant starlight flowed across its surface.

“Wow—” the cubs exclaimed.

“What kind of magic is that?” Shu Li breathed. “It looks amazing!”

“Just a small defensive spell.” The adult Fairy took out a quill. “Is your friend’s name really Plump Bird?”

“No!” Shu Li shook his head. “Her name is Doris, and she’s a snow-white Ta... Taga... ga...”

Oh no!

What kind of bird had she been again?

He had forgotten!

“A Taganya bird?” the adult Fairy supplied.

“That’s right! A Taganya bird!” Shu Li smacked one fist into his palm.

“Very well.” The adult Fairy held the quill and wrote Doris and Taganya bird on the front of the envelope in elegant Elven script.

Shu Li took out his magic notebook and pen and wrote it down on the spot so he would not forget again.

When he turned to the latest page and saw the cute cartoon snake, he suddenly cried out, “Oh no!”

“What’s wrong, Sperien?” The other cubs jumped.

“Did you run into some problem?” the adult Fairy asked with concern.

“I-I... I...” Shu Li clutched his notebook, consumed with regret. “I forgot to pass Mr. Serpent’s greetings to the Elven King!”

What kind of pig brain did he have? How could he forget something so important?

It had to be the cub’s body affecting his brain capacity. The moment he was startled or excited, his memory simply vanished.

Not only had he forgotten to say goodbye to the plump bird, he had also tossed Mr. Serpent’s request completely out of his mind.

Had he not opened the notebook and seen the cartoon snake, he would not have remembered at all.

“Who’s Mr. Serpent?” Angel asked.

Shu Li scratched his hair and frowned in distress. “A huge magical serpent who helped me find the direction of the divine tree... He asked me to greet the Elven King for him, and I... forgot.”

What was he supposed to do now?

Where could he even find the Elven King?

The adult Fairy asked knowingly, “Do you know the magical serpent’s name?”

“I do.” Shu Li looked down at the Chinese characters in his notebook. Mr. Serpent’s name was far too long for him to remember at once, so he had written the Chinese pronunciation beside the cartoon snake.

“Bazien Bulgareth.” He looked hopefully at the adult Fairy. “His name is Bazien Bulgareth. He’s an enormous magical serpent, and his scales are smooth and beautiful like mirrors.”

The adult Fairy smiled. “So it was Bazien! I know him.”

Shu Li brightened. “Really?”

The adult Fairy stroked his smooth chin. “He’s a sixth-rank magical beast and quite famous in the Faerie Forest. I’ve dealt with him before. He is a... rather helpful magical serpent.”

As if!

In the Faerie Forest, Bazien was notoriously cold-blooded and stingy. The idea that he had warmly helped a lost Fairy cub was simply unbelievable.

Shu Li nodded vigorously in agreement. “Yes, yes! Bazien looks scary, but he has a kind heart. He not only helped me find the direction of the divine tree, he also gave me a whole pile of treasure.”

To show how much there had been, he took off and flew a circle around the room.

“This much. Like a little mountain.”

After landing, he raised his right hand and showed off the silver ring on his index finger.

“Good thing I had a storage ring. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to bring it all back.”

The little cub looked deeply moved.

The adult Fairy was already staring in shock.

Was this really the Bazien he knew, the one who would not part with so much as a single hair?

Any creature that passed through his territory had to leave behind a layer of skin, or it could forget about escaping safely.

This little cub was truly remarkable!

Not only had Bazien helped him, he had even given him a pile of treasure.

“Since I’m going out anyway, I can make another trip and deliver a message to Bazien for you.”

“You can?” Shu Li asked happily. “That would be wonderful!”

He crouched down, held the storage ring close to the floor, and pulled out a stone taller than he was.

The stone was oval, smooth, and covered in brilliant patterns of every color. It was extraordinarily beautiful.

“Wow, Sperien, why did you take this stone out?” Angel and Disio circled it.

The three of them had struggled tremendously to move it back then!

Shu Li stood and said, “I want to ask Mr. Messenger to give this stone to Bazien as an apology.”

He had forgotten to greet the Elven King on the serpent’s behalf, so naturally he should send an apology gift.

The adult Fairy stared at the stone, his eyes fixed on it. After a long moment, he asked the cub, “Are you certain... you want to give this to Bazien?”

What had Bazien ever done to deserve a rare moonrise stone?

Moonrise stones appeared only in the deep pool of the Fairy Nursery, and occasionally fish pushed them onto the shore.

Most Fairy cubs had no interest in stones, and something this large was impossible for them to move anyway.

Yet this cub blessed by the Elven King had an exceptional eye and had actually brought a moonrise stone out of the Fairy Nursery.

How could such a precious treasure be wasted on that stingy magical serpent?

Before the cub could answer, the adult Fairy added, “Moonrise stone is a top-tier alchemical material that can raise a weapon’s grade. It would not be particularly useful to a magical serpent.”

“Is that so?” Shu Li hesitated. He had only thought that since the serpent was so enormous, a small gift would look rather shabby.

The adult Fairy nodded solemnly.

Little cub, good things should be kept for yourself!

“All right!” Shu Li put away the moonrise stone and changed the apology gift to red crystal flower seeds instead. Mr. Serpent had seemed to like those too.

This time, the adult Fairy said nothing more. He took another small pouch, placed it inside a bark envelope, sealed it with defensive magic, and wrote the magical serpent’s name on it.

Once that was done, he said to the cub, “You really don’t need to feel guilty. The Midsummer Festival is not far away. All the Fairies will travel to Crystal City in the Elven Kingdom, and the Elven King will be there as well. You can pass Bazien’s greetings to him then.”

Shu Li’s eyes lit up.

How had he forgotten? He could see the Elven King again at the Midsummer Festival!

“Thank you for reminding me.” His eyes curved happily. “What do I need to pay you for the delivery?”

“It’s no trouble.” The adult Fairy waved a hand. “I’ll make the trip for free.”

The treasures cubs brought out of the Fairy Nursery were all far too valuable. He would have to deliver a hundred letters to equal the worth of a single red crystal flower seed.

“How can that be?” Shu Li frowned. “I have to pay you!”

He searched through the storage ring, looked among the items Mr. Serpent had given him, and chose a sapphire.

It was so large and heavy that he needed both hands to hold it.

“Wow, what a beautiful stone.” The other three cubs curiously poked it with their fingers.

“It’s a gemstone!” As a wealthy young master from another world, Shu Li still knew valuable jewelry when he saw it.

A sapphire this large, pure, transparent, and deep in color would surely be worth millions once made into jewelry.

It was a pity his mother was not here. Otherwise, he would have saved it for her.

Fairies liked sparkling things, and faced with such a beautiful sapphire, the adult Fairy found it difficult to refuse.

The little cub was struggling to hold the gem, looking up at him with an exquisite face and earnest eyes. The sight melted his heart.

How could he bear to reject him again?

“All right!” He cleared his throat and cheerfully accepted the sapphire. “Consider this advance payment. From now on, whenever you have a letter, you can come directly to me.”

After a pause, he looked at the other three cubs.

“That includes them.”

Since they were all here, it would not do to favor one over the others.

“Thank you!”

The little cubs left the messenger station in high spirits and flew back toward home.

By the time they reached the little square, the other cubs had already been waiting for quite a while.

Then Shu Li also spotted Aisha, Siet, and the other Fairy teachers who taught them.

Huh? What was going on?

Shu Li began to sweat.

“You’re back?”

The quiet little top student’s voice came from behind him. Shu Li turned instinctively and saw him carrying a steaming teapot.

“Since you’re back, let’s hurry and begin!”

Shu Li looked confused.

Begin?

Begin what?

A discussion meeting???