I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom

Shu Li had filled seven or eight pages of his diary by the time his wrist started aching. He set down his quill and stretched.

Too much had happened on the road. There was no way he could finish writing it all down in an hour or two.

He closed the notebook and put it into his storage ring, planning to continue later.

”Knock, knock—”

A rhythmic knock sounded at the bedroom door.

”Sperien, are you awake?”

It was Ace.

”I’m awake, I’m awake.” Shu Li answered and was just about to get out of bed when he realized he was still in his smaller form. He hurriedly released his innate power and returned to his larger form.

He was still wearing the Fairy Clan’s high-ranking magic robe, so he couldn’t open the door right away. Standing barefoot on the floor, he began taking off his clothes as he called out, ”Ace, wait for me in the living room for a bit. I’m just going to... wash up.”

”Mm. Take your time.”

Outside, Ace turned and went into the living room. He took a book from his storage pouch and settled elegantly into an armchair to read.

In the bedroom, Shu Li changed into the uniform issued by the magic academy.

It was a white magic robe with blue trim around the collar and cuffs. Its buttons were made of golden crystal stones imbued with defensive power, and the hem fell all the way to his ankles. A layer of defensive magical inscriptions had been embroidered around the edges in silver thread.

As expected of a top-tier magic academy rolling in money. New students got to wear intermediate-grade magic robes the moment they enrolled.

Shu Li fastened the button at his collar and pinned his magical badge and academy crest to the left side of his chest. Then he stood before the bathroom mirror, raised a hand to touch the little green flower crown on his head, and softly recited an incantation.

In an instant, a golden circlet with a green gemstone set in its center appeared across his forehead.

Once he was fully dressed and certain there were no flaws in his disguise, he opened the bedroom door and stepped into the living room.

”Ace—”

Shu Li had just been about to greet his brand-new roommate when his gray-green eyes widened slightly at the sight of the blond human bathed in sunlight.

The curtains in the living room had been drawn open. Orange morning sunlight streamed diagonally through the glass, casting the boy in the armchair in a soft golden glow.

He looked nothing like the Elven King, yet Shu Li had mistaken one for the other again and again.

Just now, for a split second, he had almost thought the person sitting there with his head lowered over a book was the Elven King.

Smack!

Shu Li instinctively patted his own cheek.

He had only seen the King last night, so why was he seeing things again today? It looked like the next time he returned to the Elven Kingdom, he would have to spend a little longer with the King. Maybe then he wouldn’t keep seeing him everywhere.

At the sound, Ace looked up. Seeing the black-haired boy standing dazedly outside his bedroom, he gave him a warm smile.

”What’s wrong?”

”Uh, n-nothing.” Shu Li smiled awkwardly. ”Good morning, Ace.”

”Good morning.” Ace closed his book, returned it to his storage pouch, and rose to walk over to Shu Li. ”Did you sleep well last night?”

Shu Li nodded. ”Yes. Very well.”

It had been around ten at night when he returned from the Elven Kingdom, and he had slept straight through until five in the morning without even dreaming.

Ever since leaving the Faerie Forest, it had been a long time since he’d slept so comfortably and without a worry in the world.

”What about you?” Shu Li looked Ace up and down.

They were wearing identical uniforms, yet somehow Ace made his look several grades more expensive. Sure enough, when you were handsome, everything looked good on you.

”I slept very well too.” Ace looked down at him, his voice gentle.

Shu Li felt oddly uncomfortable under those emerald-green eyes. He reached out and lightly patted Ace on the chest.

”Come on. Let’s see if everyone else is up yet.”

Before returning to their rooms last night, the group had agreed to meet at seven thirty this morning.

Ace nodded and left the room with him.

Quite a few Mage Apprentices in uniform were walking through the corridor. When they saw Shu Li and Ace, they cast curious glances their way.

Shu Li calmly ignored their scrutiny. He stopped in front of Dixio and Budno’s room and pressed the magical doorbell set into the door.

The chime had barely sounded when the door opened, revealing Dixio’s face.

”Good morning, Sperien!”

”Good morning, Dixio.” Shu Li peered inside. ”Where’s Budno?”

”Him? Still refusing to get out of bed!” Dixio pursed his lips and shook out his fingers. ”I’ve called him three times already. I’ve knocked so much my hand hurts.”

Shu Li’s head began to ache.

Budno loved his sleep and always refused to get out of bed. He was invariably the last one up.

”Tell him that if he doesn’t get up now, we’re going to breakfast without him.”

The only thing capable of motivating Budno was food.

”Got it. I’ll wake him right now.” Dixio turned around and went back inside, pounding hard on Budno’s bedroom door. ”Budno! Do you want breakfast or not? If you don’t, we’re leaving without you!”

”Ah—wait for me! I’m getting up right now!”

Budno’s panicked shout came from inside the bedroom.

Dixio flashed Shu Li a triumphant gesture from the doorway.

By the time Budno had gotten himself ready and come out, Angel, Amanda, Kumandi, and Hector had already been waiting in the corridor for quite a while.

”Hey, everyone. Good morning.” Budno raised a hand and greeted them sheepishly.

Dixio immediately hooked an arm around his neck. ”It’s not early anymore. Any later and we would’ve missed all the hot food in the dining hall.”

”What? Then let’s hurry!” Budno struggled free of his iron grip and jumped over beside Angel.

Shu Li shook his head with an amused smile. ”Come on. Let’s go have breakfast.”

Budno quietly asked Angel, ”Is Hector coming with us on assignments too?”

He was a noble from the Pross Empire. Surely he wasn’t short on money?

”He said he wants to earn money through his own efforts, so we agreed,” Angel replied.

Fairies had their own experiences to gain, and humans had theirs. Now that they had all entered the same magic academy, they were classmates. Classmates ought to get along. Since Hector wanted to join them, there was no harm in acting together.

The group left the boys’ dormitory and spotted Nasha, already changed into her uniform, waving at them.

She wasn’t alone. Beside her stood a brown-haired, blue-eyed girl.

”Nasha, good morning.” Shu Li walked over and greeted her with a brilliant smile.

”Good morning, Amo.”

Nasha was used to calling him by his nickname and had never managed to break the habit.

The girl beside her folded her arms and scrutinized Shu Li with a sharp gaze, making his scalp prickle.

What was going on? Who was she? Why was she staring at him like that?

Shu Li blinked questioningly at Nasha.

Nasha hurriedly introduced them. ”This is my roommate, Siti. She’s a new student in Class One, just like us.”

”Siti, this is Sperien, one of my companions.”

”Hello, Siti. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Shu Li said politely.

”Hello.” Siti stared at the magical badge on his chest and exclaimed in surprise, ”So there really is someone who possesses Seven-Element Magic.”

Before Shu Li could answer, she rubbed her small chin with interest.

”My first magic instructor once told me that no human has ever mastered all seven elements to their fullest potential. Aside from the dark element, you’ve already reached the level of an Intermediate Mage in every other element. Impressive!”

Shu Li smiled. ”Thank you.”

Siti snapped her fingers and raised an eyebrow. ”Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Siti. I’m eighteen years old, and I’m from the Rose family of the Serix Empire. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”

At the words ”Serix Empire,” Shu Li couldn’t help giving her another look.

The Serix Empire lay in the mysterious East and was one of the four great empires. It was famous for producing porcelain, tea, and other goods. Shu Li had always been curious about the people who lived there, so when he saw a brown-haired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned girl, he couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.

So they didn’t have black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin after all.

Siti had no idea what Shu Li was thinking. She eagerly asked, ”Nasha told me that you and the others formed the Light Squad. Would I have the honor of joining?”

”Well...” Shu Li hesitated.

Adding a new member wasn’t something one little Fairy could decide on his own.

He turned toward his companions, silently asking for their opinions.

While they were considering it, Hector hurriedly spoke up. ”Could you add me too?”

His uncle was a Grand Mage who held an important position at the magic academy, so Hector’s circumstances couldn’t possibly be too bad.

And yesterday, Hector had deliberately paid attention to what happened. Aside from Nasha, the other seven had entered Headmaster Gabri Muse’s office carrying letters of recommendation.

Obviously, whoever had recommended them had a close relationship with the headmaster.

A connection this valuable had to be held onto tightly. If Hector built a good relationship with them, it could become another source of support when he eventually returned home.

As for whether Siti and Hector joined the Light Squad, Shu Li didn’t particularly care. They already had two humans, Ace and Nasha, so adding another two wouldn’t make much difference.

With more people, they could even split into Team One and Team Two by race.

Kumandi exchanged a look with him and, after a moment, slowly nodded.

They wanted to gain experience in the Human World, which meant interacting with humans was unavoidable. Working together as a team was one way to do that.

Seeing that Kumandi had no objections, Shu Li said to Hector and Siti, ”All right. From now on, you’re members of the Light Squad.”

Siti bounced excitedly. ”Yay!”

Hector’s face lit up.

Finally, someone was willing to accept him!

After everyone exchanged names, the enlarged group headed for the dining hall together.

Shu Li and Ace walked side by side at the front, admiring the academy’s beautiful scenery along the way. A little over ten minutes later, they reached the academy dining hall.

This year, St. Velia Magic Academy had admitted a total of five hundred outstanding Mage Apprentices from across the continent. Looking around the dining hall, Shu Li saw that most of the people inside were new students dressed in white magic robes.

”Whoa, there are so many people.” Dixio looked around, searching for an empty table.

”There’s one over there!” Amanda’s sharp eyes spotted a table by the window.

”Not enough seats,” Angel said. There were ten of them now, while the table only seated eight.

”That’s fine,” Shu Li said. ”You guys sit there. Ace and I will find somewhere else.”

As someone who had once fought for seats in a school cafeteria, Shu Li knew one ironclad rule: if you saw an empty seat, you took it. No polite yielding, or someone else would snatch it first.

He headed for the table, with everyone else following behind.

But before they could even pull out the chairs, four Mage Apprentices rushed over from the side.

”Wait. We’ve already claimed this table.”

The speaker was a brown-haired young man with an arrogant expression. When his gaze landed on Hector, his gray eyes narrowed and his mouth curled into a mocking smile.

”Well, if it isn’t my dear cousin Hector. I’ve been here for more than half a month, and you never showed up. I thought a pack of wolves might’ve eaten you on the way here!”

Hector glared at the brown-haired young man, clenching his fists.

”Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m alive and well. And the Snowor family crest is a snow wolf. Show some respect!”

”What do you mean, ’the Snowor family’?” The brown-haired young man sneered. ”Someone who’s lost his right of inheritance has no business mentioning the family crest in front of me.”

”You—”

Hector was nearly speechless with rage. The veins stood out on the back of his hand, but mindful of the teammates beside him, he took a deep breath and forced down his anger.

”Ludwig, whether I’m entitled to mention the family crest is none of your business! I may have lost my right of inheritance, but my surname is still Snowor.”

Ludwig spread his hands. ”If you can’t become a Mage within five years, you’ll lose the Snowor name too. With your talent—I’m afraid you won’t manage to become a Mage even in ten!”

”Hahahaha—”

The three Mage Apprentices behind him burst into mocking laughter.

Hector’s face flushed crimson with fury.

Bang!

Someone suddenly slammed a hand down on the table.

The laughter stopped dead.

Siti shook out her stinging hand and said impatiently, ”You sound like a hundred quacking ducks. You’re driving me crazy!”

Ludwig and his lackeys’ faces instantly darkened.

”Pfft—”

The Fairies and young dragon watching from the sidelines couldn’t hold back their laughter.