I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom

Five years later—

At ten years old, Shu Li had grown an inch taller and was now, by Fairy standards, a true adolescent Fairy!

Today was another day when he would travel to the Elven Kingdom to study under the Elven King. He woke early and made himself fresh and presentable.

He tied his waist-length hair into a ponytail. His little green flower crown transformed into a simple silver circlet, and he wore a smooth, light white robe with a belt woven from golden thread fastened around his waist. A small string of golden pearls adorned each side.

On his feet were a pair of airy sandals, their golden-thread straps winding up to his calves. An exquisitely patterned metal band encircled his right thigh, with a small sheathed dagger attached to it. Whenever he walked, the hem of his robe swayed gently, offering fleeting glimpses of the dagger.

The morning sunlight filtered through the divine tree’s dense foliage, scattering specks of light across the roofs of the Little Fairies’ homes.

The adult Fairies responsible for collecting the divine tree’s “nutrients” went from house to house, knocking on doors.

Once Shu Li was ready, he heard a polite knock and opened the door with a welcoming smile.

“Good morning, Witt.”

“Good morning, Sperien.”

Shu Li stepped aside so Witt could cast his magic. “Sorry to trouble you again today.”

Witt snapped his fingers. “It’s no trouble at all.”

Wind magic and water magic were swiftly cast in turn, carrying away the “nutrients,” cleaning the bathroom, and replacing the water in the tank.

Once he had finished, Witt flew off toward the next Little Fairy’s home with his bird-drawn cart.

Shu Li stood in the doorway and stretched both arms above his head. Breathing in the fresh air as the morning breeze washed over him, he felt wonderfully refreshed.

After three straight days of rain, the sky had finally cleared.

“Good morning, Sperien. Are you going to the Crystal Castle today?”

The Little Fairies emerging from their homes greeted Shu Li warmly when they saw him.

“Good morning!” Shu Li replied to each of them in turn. “Yes. We won’t see one another for another two weeks.”

“We’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss all of you too.”

The doors of the two neighboring houses opened, and Angel and Disio emerged. The moment they saw Shu Li, they swiftly flew over.

“Sperien, make sure you come back soon! The new Fairy babies will be leaving the Fairy Nursery before long. You can’t miss it!” Angel said.

“Yes, I know.” Shu Li nodded.

The flower buds in the Fairy Nursery produced a new group of cubs once every ten years.

Two and a half months ago, eight new Fairy babies had been born.

Shu Li had been quite surprised when he learned how few there were. After all, his own group had contained a full twenty-five Little Fairies!

Aisha had told him that the number of cubs born in the nursery varied each time. There could be as many as twenty or thirty, or as few as two or three.

The number normally hovered around ten. A group of twenty-five Fairy cubs born at once, like Shu Li’s, was extremely rare.

A Fairy cub’s departure from the nursery one month after birth was an exceptionally important occasion. Every Fairy would gather outside the Fairy Nursery to welcome them. Shu Li therefore had to return before the end of the month.

“I’ll copy the class notes for you,” Disio said earnestly.

Moved, Shu Li threw his arms around him. “You’re a true brother!”

Every time Shu Li left the divine tree to study magic in the Elven Kingdom, he missed two full weeks of classes. To catch up with the other Fairies afterward, he always had ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) to study like mad.

His three best friends took turns copying the class notes for him. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

“Sperien!”

Budno’s voice came from the distance.

His home was some distance from theirs, and since he loved sleeping in, he was always the last one out the door.

Now that ten-year-old Budno had learned to control how much he ate and had grown taller, he had finally shed his reputation as the chubby one. His figure had become as slender and light as those of the other adolescent Fairies, greatly easing the burden on his wings. Flying up to Shu Li, he blinked his bright brown eyes. “The Romi fruit you brought back last time was delicious.”

The moment he opened his mouth, Shu Li knew exactly what he wanted.

“Want some more?” he asked with a smile.

“Yes!” Budno nodded with complete honesty. After losing weight, the fat had disappeared from his face, revealing his delicate features.

Seeing the hope in his eyes, Shu Li could not bring himself to refuse. “All right. I’ll bring back a few more Romi fruits, but you have to make them last.”

“I promise I’ll only eat one a day!” Budno raised four fingers, unable to hide the delight in his eyes.

Angel put an arm around his shoulders and said to Shu Li with perfect sincerity, “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

Budno’s expression stiffened.

The corner of Shu Li’s mouth twitched twice.

Angel had been devious since childhood, and Budno, that hopeless glutton, was completely under his thumb.

“I’ll be going, then.” Shu Li waved goodbye to his friends and flew toward the small plaza. He brought his thumb and forefinger to his mouth and blew softly, sending a clear whistle ringing through the sky.

“Skreeee!”

A long, eagle-like cry drew closer. Under the fascinated gazes of the adolescent Fairies, an enormous black magical bird descended from the sky.

“Wow! It’s a Sekern bird!”

The adolescent Fairies cried out in amazement.

Sekern birds were high-rank magical birds known as the Gales of the Sky, undisputed rulers of the air. The most famous Sekern bird, named Deklet, had “abducted” Sperien ten years ago and dropped him near the edge of the Faerie Forest.

The Sekern bird before them had made its permanent home at the divine tree. Hatched and raised by a Taganya bird five years ago, it was a friend of the Fairies.

The small plaza was enormous to a Fairy, but somewhat cramped for a Sekern bird. After landing with extreme care, it folded its long, broad wings and crouched obediently.

“Dore, sorry to trouble you again today!”

Shu Li happily flung himself onto the Sekern bird’s broad back, burrowed into its feathers, and rolled around.

Dore had been inside one of those five enormous eggs.

They had been a gift from Mr. Serpent and had nearly been mistaken for food and fed to the little mermaid and the young dragon. Fortunately, the Elven King had stopped them. Only then had they discovered that the eggs belonged to Sekern birds and could hatch into chicks.

To find out where they had come from, Shu Li had written to Mr. Serpent. In his reply, Mr. Serpent explained that he had found the enormous eggs in an invader’s storage pouch. They had come from the Magical Beast Forest, and their parents might have been killed by a party of adventurers who specialized in hunting magical beasts.

Shu Li had felt terribly sorry for them and entrusted the plump bird with incubating the eggs.

Five years had passed, and all five Sekern birds were now fully grown.

Once their wings had matured and they could soar through the sky, Shu Li gained another “mode of transportation” for his journeys to the Elven Kingdom.

Dore was closest to Shu Li and escorted him every time.

“Chirp!”

Dore responded, signaling for the Little Fairy on its back to sit securely because it was about to take off.

Shu Li immediately buried himself in Dore’s thick feathers, leaving only his small head exposed. He also wrapped both hands around several feathers to keep himself from being flung off.

Dore spread its immense wings and gave them a gentle beat, stirring up a powerful gust that sent the nearby leaves rustling.

In an instant, it rose dozens of meters into the air. With several more beats of its wings, it left the divine tree behind.

The enormous magical bird soared through the skies above the Faerie Forest. Other magical birds moved aside one after another as Dore flew east, in precisely the opposite direction from the Elven Kingdom.

It had not taken a wrong turn, however. Flying east was Shu Li’s idea.

Before heading to the Elven Kingdom, he needed to visit the eastern reaches of the Faerie Forest.

Ever since he had advanced to Intermediate Mage and gained Dore as a safe and swift “mode of transportation,” he had often delivered gifts to Mr. Serpent himself.

Half a month ago, while he was still studying in the Elven Kingdom, Mr. Serpent had sent him a gift and left it with Mr. Messenger. Once Shu Li returned to the divine tree, Mr. Messenger had delivered it to his door.

To thank Mr. Serpent, Shu Li had decided to visit him today and bring a gift in return.