I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom

The moment the Elven guards heard the cry of a Sekern bird, they knew the Little Fairy Sperien had arrived.

There were still seven days before the beginning of next month. Why had the little fellow come early?

Dorei glided downward, extended his talons, and landed steadily on the grass outside the city gates. He called out to alert the drowsy Little Fairies on his back that they had reached their destination.

The bird’s back was far too comfortable, and his feathers were soft and warm. The four Little Fairies who had risen early were sleeping so soundly that they were drooling. None of them heard Dorei’s call.

Finding this strange, an Elven guard approached to investigate. When he lowered his head and saw the Little Fairies sleeping peacefully upon the bird’s back, he could not suppress a smile.

What was going on?

Not only had Sperien come here on his own, but he had also brought three companions. Yet even after arriving at Elven City, all four of them remained curled up on the bird’s back, fast asleep.

The Elven guard saw helplessness in the Sekern bird’s eyes.

“Ahem. Sperien, wake up—” The guard extended one finger and gently poked the blond adolescent Fairy.

The moment something touched his forehead, Shu Li’s eyes snapped open. The enormous face looming directly before him startled him badly.

“Huh?”

The Elven guard straightened, folded his arms across his chest, and asked with a smile, “Did you sleep well?”

Once Shu Li recognized the guard, he finally woke up properly. “Uh... good... good morning, Gallot.”

Indeed, it was Gallot’s turn to guard the city gates today.

“Good morning? The sun has already been warming your backside for quite some time.” The silver-haired, golden-eyed Gallot pointed toward the sky.

Shu Li hurriedly nudged his sleeping companions. “Angel, Disio, Budno, wake up! We’ve reached Elven City!”

Angel and Disio woke one after the other, yawning and stretching. That second nap had been so comfortable!

When Shu Li saw Budno roll over and continue sleeping, he had no choice but to use his ultimate weapon.

“Budno, someone stole your fruit!”

“What? My fruit? Who stole my fruit?” Budno shot upright and stared wildly in every direction.

Shu Li flicked him on the forehead. “No one stole your fruit. We’re in Elven City. It’s time to get down.”

Holding his forehead, Budno dazedly followed the others off Dorei’s back.

Once all the Little Fairies had dismounted, Dorei spread his wings and swiftly flew away.

Seeing Budno swaying unsteadily through the air, Gallot caught him by his little cloak and placed him on his shoulder. Still sleepy, Budno flopped down against it and closed his eyes.

“Why did you come today?” Gallot asked the blond adolescent Fairy, who was rubbing his eyes.

After rubbing away the soreness, Shu Li lightly patted his cheeks to wake himself up. “We’re looking for Saint Mage Danlov.”

“Huh? Danlov?” Gallot was puzzled. Had news of the Saint Mage’s arrival in the Elven Kingdom already spread to the Faerie Forest?

Then again, any outsider wishing to enter the Elven Kingdom had to pass through the skies above the Faerie Forest. Anyone who flew over the forest could not escape Elder Fedro’s notice.

“Yes,” Angel said as he flew. “We need Danlov’s help with something.”

Disio landed on Gallot’s other shoulder. “Is Danlov awake yet?”

Gallot glanced up at the morning sun, which was radiating a gentle glow, and smiled. “Unless the Saint Mage likes sleeping in, he should be awake by now.”

“Oh...” Shu Li felt as if that remark had been directed at them, especially with Budno still dozing on Gallot’s shoulder.

After they passed through the gates of Elven City, Shu Li touched Angel’s arm. Understanding him instantly, Angel joined Shu Li in taking hold of Budno’s wrists. Together, they carried him away from Gallot’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Gallot! We’ll go to the Crystal Castle ourselves!” Shu Li called, waving back at the silver-haired, golden-eyed Elf as he flew away.

With a beat of his wings, Disio quickly caught up with them.

Gallot watched the Little Fairies hurry off and shook his head with an amused smile.

After Shu Li and Angel dragged Budno through the air for a while, he finally woke up.

“Mmm... I can fly by myself!”

Shu Li and Angel released him simultaneously. They were flying so quickly that Budno had no time to prepare. He plummeted half a meter before frantically beating his wings and shooting upward again.

Along the way, every Elf who saw the Little Fairies greeted them warmly.

“Good morning, little cuties!”

“Good morning—”

The Little Fairies politely answered each greeting. Once inside the Crystal Castle, they slowed down and looked around for Danlov.

Sharp-eyed Shu Li spotted Sayah approaching and flew over to her.

“Good morning, Sayah.”

“Good morning.” Sayah examined the four Little Fairies in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Shu Li hovered before her, gently fluttering his gauzy wings. “Siet told me that the human Saint Mage Danlov was in the Elven Kingdom.”

Angel blinked his amber eyes. “Sayah, which courtyard is Danlov staying in?”

Sayah looked at them suspiciously. “Do you need something from him?”

Budno nodded vigorously. “Yes. We have something very important to ask him.”

Impatient by nature, Disio circled around Sayah. “Sayah, hurry and tell us where Danlov is.”

Although Sayah did not understand what the Little Fairies wanted from Danlov, she still pointed them in the right direction.

“Thank you, Sayah!”

The Little Fairies happily flew close and kissed her cheek.

“Mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah—”

Receiving four Little Fairy kisses at once left Sayah delighted.

“Oh my, Little Fairies are simply too adorable!”

She cupped her cheeks, her heart brimming with joy.

Danlov had risen early that morning.

It had been a very long time since he had slept so peacefully.

Ever since becoming the master of the Central Court’s Magic Tower, he had faced an endless stream of official business every day. Going three or four days without sleep was commonplace.

At the rank of Saint Mage, sleep was no longer essential. An hour of meditation was enough to restore his energy.

After explaining the purpose of his visit to the Elven King yesterday, Danlov had spoken with Ilio for more than an hour and benefited greatly from the exchange.

Dinner had consisted of the Elven Kingdom’s fresh fruit, wheat cakes, bread, boiled eggs, deer-cow milk, vegetables, and other local foods. There had been no meat, yet he had thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

It had been a thousand years since he had last eaten Elven food.

Elven food was naturally imbued with magical vitality. After eating it, he felt completely refreshed and cheerful.

Breakfast had been equally lavish. He had eaten a few too many pieces of fruit and felt rather full, so he decided to take a walk through the courtyard.

He entered the courtyard, which was filled with plants, and breathed in the refreshing fragrance of flowers. Relaxing his body, he immersed himself in the vitality of nature and gradually entered a wondrous state of mind.

No wonder outsiders called the Elven Kingdom a paradise.

There was no darkness, no intrigue, no poverty, and no hunger. One needed only to enjoy the gifts of nature.

Favored by the Light God, the Elves possessed exquisite beauty, extraordinary gifts, and eternal lives. They should have been able to live without care, yet they carried a momentous responsibility.

Whenever darkness returned, the Children of Light had to devote everything they possessed to opposing it and stand at the very forefront of the battle.

Danlov entered an elegant, beautifully decorated pavilion, found a chair, and sat down. Closing his eyes slightly, he enjoyed the gentle morning breeze and warm sunlight.

If he could spend the rest of his life here, even death would no longer seem frightening.

Following Sayah’s directions, Shu Li and his companions successfully found Danlov’s courtyard. When they spotted a human sitting with his back to them inside the pavilion, their eyes lit up.

It was Danlov!

The four Little Fairies excitedly high-fived one another, then beat their wings and flew toward the pavilion.

As they drew near, they saw Danlov reclining in his chair with his eyes closed. Feeling that it would be rude to disturb him without warning, they landed on a branch near the pavilion and curiously studied him from a short distance away.

“So that’s the human Saint Mage Danlov!”

“Shh—keep your voice down. Don’t wake him.”

“He looks so young!”

“I know! I thought a three-thousand-year-old human Saint Mage would be an old grandfather with a white beard.”

“Saint Mages possess enormous magical power. They can remain young forever.”

“Aisha said Danlov’s parents abandoned him in the Faerie Forest when he was little.”

“Why did they abandon him?”

“Commoners live difficult lives. If they have too many children to feed, they abandon the youngest.”

“That’s so sad...”

“Luckily, he encountered the king while the king was patrolling the forest.”

“But why did the king adopt him?”

“Hmm... I don’t know. We’d have to ask the king.”

“I know! It must have been because he was extremely talented! Look at him now. He’s humanity’s strongest Saint Mage.”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

The Little Fairies crouched in a row on the branch and nodded solemnly, as though they had uncovered the truth.

Danlov was not actually asleep. His mind remained perfectly clear, and his perception encompassed every plant in the courtyard.

The moment the four little creatures entered its range, they immediately caught his attention.

He did not move, however, and continued pretending to sleep.

He wanted to know why they had approached him.

Then—

He heard the four little fellows’ conversation.

Danlov was speechless.

For a moment, he could not decide whether he should open his eyes.

“Is he taking a second nap?” Budno asked, resting his chin in his hands.

“Obviously.” Disio shifted from crouching to sitting and swung his legs in boredom. “Are we going to wait until he wakes up?”

Angel frowned. “It’s rude to disturb someone while they’re sleeping.”

What else could they do except wait?

Shu Li craned his neck for a better look. Deciding that this three-thousand-year-old “elderly man” was unlikely to awaken anytime soon, he took out a book about potions.

“Let’s study tomorrow’s lesson in advance!”

The other three Little Fairies groaned and sighed, but had no choice but to take out their textbooks and study with Shu Li.

Through his perception, Danlov “watched” them.

When the Little Fairies recognized the person beneath the tree, they immediately lowered their guard and blinked their bright eyes in confusion.

Danlov gave them a kindly smile and spoke in flawless Elven.

“Hello, children.”

Surprise appeared on Shu Li’s face.

He was already a Senior Grand Mage, yet he had not noticed when Danlov woke up or how long he had been standing beneath the tree.

“Wow, he’s awake!” Budno exclaimed happily, smacking Disio on the shoulder.

Disio grimaced from the blow. “I can see that. You don’t need to tell me.”

Angel immediately switched into social-butterfly mode. Spreading his wings, he flew down from the branch and greeted Danlov with elegant courtesy.

“Hello, Saint Mage Danlov. I am Angel from the Faerie Forest. It is a pleasure to meet you here.”

Danlov regarded the silver-haired Little Fairy with benevolent eyes. “Hello, Angel.”

Disio and Budno jumped down from the branch together and introduced themselves to the Saint Mage.

“Hello, Danlov. I’m Disio from the Faerie Forest.”

“Hello, Danlov. I’m Budno from the Faerie Forest.”

Danlov nodded and smiled at each of them in turn. “Disio, Budno, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Fairies and Elves attached little importance to hierarchy. Young and old alike addressed one another by name.

Since taking control of the Magic Tower and becoming master of the Central Court, Danlov had rarely encountered anyone who dared to address him by his given name. Being called Danlov by three adolescent Little Fairies was quite a novel experience.

He raised his head and looked toward the blond Little Fairy still sitting on the branch.

Shu Li calmly put away his textbook, spread his wings, and flew down beside Angel. He raised one hand slightly over his chest.

“Hello, Danlov. I am Sperien from the Faerie Forest. I apologize for disturbing your rest.”

Danlov froze.

Sperien?

Was that not the name of... Teacher’s newest and youngest disciple, whom Ilio had mentioned yesterday?

“Sperien... Are you the Little Fairy blessed by the Elven King?” Danlov asked.

Shu Li was slightly surprised. “You know about me?”

Danlov smiled. “Ilio mentioned you yesterday.”

The corner of Shu Li’s mouth twitched. “Ilio certainly didn’t say anything good.”

Knowing Ilio, Shu Li would be fortunate if he had merely refrained from causing trouble.

A hint of amusement flashed through Danlov’s blue eyes when he saw the Little Fairy’s puffed-up cheeks. “No. He praised you constantly. He said you were the cleverest and bravest Little Fairy.”

The moment Shu Li heard the word “bravest,” he was struck by an ominous feeling.

Sure enough, Danlov asked curiously in the next instant, “Were you truly almost stolen by a Sekern bird?”

Before Shu Li could answer, his three companions all began chattering at once.

“It’s true! That awful Sekern bird was stealing fruit and carried Sperien away!”

“Then it maliciously abandoned him at the edge of the forest!”

“Luckily, Sperien met a kindhearted Mr. Serpent.”

Then the three adolescent Fairies burst passionately into song.

“Brave Sperien fears no danger! Determined to cross the forest and return to the divine tree...”

Under Danlov’s astonished gaze, Shu Li drew his magic staff and swiftly cast silent wood magic.

Smack, smack, smack—

Three leaves fell from above and sealed themselves firmly over the three Little Fairies’ mouths.

“Mmph, mmph, mmph?”

With their mouths sealed, the three Little Fairies widened their eyes and glared accusingly at Shu Li.

Shu Li hugged his magic staff and looked completely innocent.

They had broken into song without the slightest warning. They could hardly blame him for mercilessly “silencing” them.

Danlov stared deeply at the blond adolescent Fairy, repeatedly replaying what had just happened in his mind.

The adolescent Fairy had produced a high-ranking magic staff and pointed it at his three companions. Without uttering a single incantation, he had successfully cast a spell.

And he had done so with almost inconceivable speed.

How was that possible?

Every mage had to recite an incantation when casting magic. Even Danlov, a Saint Mage, had to speak the name of a spell when using low-ranking magic.

Yet this adolescent Fairy had cast an intermediate spell—the Silence Spell—without reciting an incantation.

No wonder Ilio had said, “When you meet Sperien, you will discover that he is a truly unique Little Fairy.”

After witnessing Shu Li’s silent magic, Danlov was overwhelmed by shock.

Unique did not begin to describe him. He was one of a kind.

Shu Li knew nothing of Danlov’s thoughts. When he saw his three companions’ pleading eyes, he raised his magic staff and released the Silence Spell.

The leaves loosened, detached themselves from the Little Fairies’ mouths, and fluttered down onto the grass.

Having regained his freedom, Disio bared his teeth. “Let’s deal with the important matter first!”

Angel licked the corner of his lips and looked at the silent Saint Mage.

“Danlov, there is something we would like your help with.”

Budno pressed his palms together, his large brown eyes sparkling. “Please, you have to help us!”

Danlov returned to his senses and suppressed his astonishment before giving them a kindly smile. “What is it? Tell me.”

Shu Li thought to himself that a Saint Mage was indeed a Saint Mage. Danlov neither refused nor immediately agreed, cunningly leaving himself room to maneuver.

“It concerns a coffin.”

As soon as Shu Li finished speaking, he pulled an enormous, magnificent coffin from his storage ring.

Thud—

The two-meter-long coffin appeared on the grass, startling Danlov into taking a step backward.

“This is...” His gaze immediately fell upon the high-ranking magic array on the lid.

“Dosia said the person inside might be a count,” Shu Li explained.

Danlov circled the coffin and examined it carefully before nodding in agreement. “That is correct. Only a noble of at least a count’s rank could afford such an expensive coffin.”

He ran one hand over the snow-wolf crest at the top of the lid and considered it for a moment.

“If I am not mistaken, the deceased belonged to the Snowolf family of the Pross Empire.”

Having lived for more than three thousand years and accumulated vast experience, he knew the crests of every major family in every country.

“Wow! Danlov really does know where the owner of the coffin came from!” Budno clapped happily.

“Does that mean we can take the coffin back to the Snowolf family?” Disio asked Danlov expectantly.

Shu Li’s expression grew solemn. Once more, he raised a hand in greeting.

“Danlov, we would like to ask you to take this count—home.”

Angel repeated, “Yes. Home!”

Over the course of his three thousand years, Danlov had helped countless people and performed many meaningful good deeds. Yet this was the first time anyone had ever asked him to take a coffin home.

The four Little Fairies before him were purehearted, innocent, and eager to help. Despite having no idea whether the deceased had been good or evil, they had gone out of their way to seek Danlov’s assistance for the sole purpose of sending him home.

“How did this coffin come into your possession?” Danlov asked.

The Little Fairies lived in the Faerie Forest year-round, while the Snowolf family resided in the distant north. There should have been no possibility of the two ever crossing paths.

“We traded for it with Niledi, the three-headed water monster in Lake Borgaman.” Shu Li gave him a brief account of how they had obtained the coffin.

After listening, Danlov remained silent for a long time.

Everything these Little Fairies had done completely overturned his understanding of ordinary Little Fairies.

Despite their young age, they dared to perform missions in the forest, had befriended a ninth-rank water monster, possessed a water-repelling magic pearl gifted to them by the merfolk king, and had dived to the bottom of the lake to trade for items in the water monster’s treasury. Meanwhile, that high-ranking magical beast enjoyed scavenging treasures from the Danaga Sea...

Therefore, the coffin had originally been aboard a ship belonging to the Serix Empire. After the ship was wrecked, the coffin had sunk to the bottom of the sea, where the three-headed water monster found it and carried it away.

The four Little Fairies had mistaken the coffin for a treasure chest and traded a precious Moonrise Stone for it.

When Danlov heard about the Moonrise Stone, his heart ached on their behalf.

That was a Moonrise Stone!

It was a supreme alchemical material coveted by every swordsman, yet they had casually exchanged it for a coffin.

They truly were innocent Little Fairies who could be fooled far too easily.

Danlov examined the snow-wolf crest on the coffin and agreed to their request.

A coffin that should have remained at the bottom of the sea had reached the Little Fairies through an extraordinary chain of circumstances. Then, by sheer coincidence, Danlov happened to be visiting the Elven Kingdom. It all seemed almost deliberately arranged.

After obtaining the Saint Mage’s promise, the Little Fairies joyfully embraced one another.

“Thank you, Danlov!” Shu Li beamed. “We’ll pay you for your help!”

“It is no trouble. There is no need to thank me.” Danlov had not intended to request payment, but the Little Fairy’s offer reminded him of the Grand Mage who had been bitten by a hellspawn and whose fate remained uncertain. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “If you have any moonlight grass... could you give me some?”

“Moonlight grass? We have lots of it!” Shu Li and his companions cheered and took the herb sacks containing their moonlight grass from their storage pouches.

Four bulging cloth sacks immediately dropped onto the grass. Each was large enough to hold an entire basketful.

Although moonlight grass grew only beneath the full moon, it appeared in enormous quantities and grew remarkably quickly. Whenever one patch was harvested, another soon sprang up. It was impossible to gather all of it.

Danlov lowered his eyes to the large sacks, his heart filled with emotion.

The Faerie Forest’s resources truly were inexhaustible. No wonder humans and other races from the outside world resorted to every possible method to enter the forest and plunder its resources.

“Is that enough?” Shu Li asked.

“More than enough.” Danlov regarded the Little Fairies warmly and placed his right hand over his chest. “On behalf of the mages of the Magic Tower, I offer you my heartfelt gratitude.”

“Huh?”

The four Little Fairies stared at him in confusion.

Why was he thanking them? Were they not supposed to be the ones thanking him?

“Well, well. Is that a human coffin?”

Ilio’s languid voice suddenly sounded, attracting the attention of Danlov and the Little Fairies.

Shu Li turned toward Ilio and was delighted to discover the Elven King standing beside him. His gauzy wings immediately began beating as he flew toward him in excitement.

“Your Majestyyyy!”