I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – A Wax-Sealed Letter

After finishing his diary entry, Shu Li reread it from beginning to end, then closed the notebook with a satisfied sigh. Gazing at the four notebooks stacked on the table, he rested his chin in his hands, lost in thought.

His Elven language skills were still rudimentary, yet he had already filled four notebooks in just over two months. He was currently only learning basic conversational phrases; he wondered how many notebooks he would need once he began studying the written language formally.

He needed to find a way to obtain a spatial storage pouch to carry his essential belongings.

However, Aisha had said that cubs without magic couldn’t use storage pouches.

This is truly terrible.

Shu Li tugged at his hair in frustration, his fingertips brushing against the floral crown. With practiced ease, he removed it and placed it on the table.

Forget it. No point dwelling on it. Time for bed.

I have to get up early for school tomorrow anyway!

Carrying the magic stone lamp, Shu Li rose dejectedly.

He never imagined that even after transmigrating, he would still have to attend school, starting from scratch.

He could already foresee the hardships that lay ahead.

Sniffling, he entered the bathroom and hung the lamp on the wall hook.

To care for their cubs, adult fairies had prepared a remarkably complete set of daily necessities. There was a well-crafted wooden basin, soft linen towels, a small rinsing cup, a trash can, and two large wooden buckets with lids.

The two large wooden buckets were taller than Shu Li himself. The bucket against the left wall was filled with clear water, while the one against the right wall was empty.

Shu Li guessed that the empty bucket on the right was likely for collecting wastewater.

The toilet stood at the far end of the bathroom, shaped like a round red drum with metal handles on both sides for easy carrying.

A small rattan basket hung in the corner, containing a stack of soft, finely textured dried grass leaves—the fairies’ equivalent of toilet paper.

While not as refined as pristine white tissues, these dried leaves were far more practical than freshly picked grass.

Shu Li scooped water from the large wooden bucket with a gourd ladle and poured it into the wooden basin. He then began scrubbing the linen towel.

This is so primitive!

It’s really too primitive!

This continent has been developing for over ten thousand years and possesses magic akin to advanced technology. Why is the standard of living still stuck in the Stone Age?

Shu Li grumbled inwardly as he washed up.

After finishing his personal hygiene routine, he spread his wings slightly and floated out of the bathroom.

He didn’t want to dirty the clean sheets, so he had specially washed his little feet!

Turning off the lights and pulling up the fragrant quilt, Shu Li obediently closed his eyes and went to sleep.

After more than three months without his phone, he had grown accustomed to going to bed early. The Fairy Cub was also very active during the day, ensuring he slept soundly. As soon as he closed his eyes, he drifted off into a hazy dreamland.

At dawn, Shu Li woke to the crisp chirping of birds.

He opened his eyes, staring at the unfamiliar surroundings, his mind momentarily blank.

After a long moment, as the bird calls grew closer, he finally snapped awake. He sat up, feeling refreshed, and stretched luxuriously.

The only good thing about transmigrating was getting enough sleep.

As a high school senior, he used to study until midnight, then sneak his phone under the covers to scroll through social media until nearly 1 a.m.

Waking up at 6 a.m. the next day meant barely five hours of sleep. He lacked energy at school and would often doze off by afternoon.

He knew this wasn’t sustainable, but he couldn’t break his habit of scrolling through his phone before bed.

That’s why Dad came to check on me every night. But one fateful evening, guilt-ridden and startled, he was unlucky enough to be knocked unconscious by a falling book and transported to a backward Otherworld.

There was no entertainment there. What else could you do at night besides sleep?

Shu Li got out of bed and walked to the window, pulling back the curtains with a whoosh.

Chirp chirp~

A sparrow, round as a ball, perched on the windowsill, tapping gently with its sharp red beak.

Staring at the Fatty Bird, which was several times larger than himself, Shu Li froze.

Huh?

Why… why is there a Fatty Bird perched on my windowsill so early in the morning?

The sparrow’s beady eyes swiveled, scrutinizing the Fairy Cub inside. Spotting the green floral crown atop Shu Li’s head, it tapped the window again with its red beak.

Hearing the tap tap sound, Shu Li’s sluggish brain finally began to function. He noticed something beneath the sparrow’s feet.

Hmm?

It looked like a letter.

After a moment’s hesitation, he cautiously cracked the window open a sliver, remaining vigilant in case the sparrow tried to rush in and swallow him like a bug—though the odds of that were slim.

The sparrow seized the envelope and deftly slipped it through the narrow opening.

Shu Li accepted the envelope with one hand and thanked the sparrow.

“Thank you.”

The sparrow chirped and spread its wings, preparing to leave.

Suddenly remembering something, Shu Li called out, “Wait!”

He placed the letter on the table and hurried to the cabinet, grabbing a handful of red crystals from one of the compartments.

These were seeds he had collected from the bushes in the Nursery.

At first, he had mistaken them for valuable gemstones, but later discovered they were seeds from some kind of plant, leaving him quite disappointed.

Still, the seeds were so beautiful that he couldn’t resist collecting many as keepsakes.

Since sparrows love seeds, he decided to give some as a thank-you gift.

The Fairy Cub’s small hand held only four or five seeds, which shimmered brightly on the windowsill in the morning light.

The sparrow chirped excitedly.

“For you,” Shu Li said in accented Elven.

As if understanding, the sparrow pecked at the seeds several times, swallowed them, spread its wings, and flew off cheerfully.

Shu Li leaned against the windowsill, watching it gradually recede into a black dot before disappearing into the dense Faerie Forest.

Looking like a fluffy ball, it flew surprisingly fast, just like the chubby Budno.

Shrugging, Shu Li closed the window and picked up the letter from the desk.

The envelope was made of some kind of tree bark, emitting a refreshing woody fragrance. The seal was a blob of sealing wax stamped with a golden crest.

The crest was intricately designed, radiating an aura of nobility.

When Shu Li was in his first year of high school, sealing wax had been a fad among his classmates. He had become obsessed for a while, ordering a bunch of materials online and enjoying the hobby immensely.

Later, when he grew tired of it, he gave half of the expensive materials away and locked the rest in a drawer.

Now, holding this sealing-waxed envelope delivered by a sparrow, he felt both puzzled and curious.

Typically, sealing wax was reserved for delivering letters to important people.

So, who was the sender?

Ding-a-ling!

Suddenly, the sound of Aisha’s bell summoning the cubs rang out from outside.

Without hesitation, Shu Li stuffed the letter and his notebook into his waist pouch, rushed to the bathroom, and quickly washed up and brushed his hair. As expected, the green floral crown he had left on the desk last night had silently reappeared on his head.

The bell’s ringing quickened, and Shu Li hurried out to find Decio and Angele.

“Decio, Angele, good morning,” he greeted them, his morning greeting now fluent from daily practice.

“Good morning, Sperien,” Angele replied, his silver hair a tangled mess and his eyes still heavy with sleep.

“Good morning, Sperien,” Decio said, his hair meticulously combed and pressed down with water. Despite his efforts, a stubborn cowlick refused to stay down, sticking up defiantly.

Noticing Angele swaying unsteadily, Shu Li asked, “Still sleepy?”

Angele puffed out his cheeks and grumbled, “The bed’s terrible!”

Not only was it uncomfortable, but it was also too small. Every time he turned over, he fell off. After five falls during the night, he woke up to find himself lying under the bed. He got up groggily, banging his head against the bed frame with a thud that brought tears to his eyes. If he hadn’t heard Aisha’s urgent bell ringing, he’d still be lying there crying!

Angele continued to grumble, pushing back his bangs to reveal a slightly swollen, red forehead.

Shu Li, his face full of sympathy, leaned in and blew gently on Angele’s forehead. “Hoo-hoo, pain go away~”

Angele blinked his amber eyes. “Huh? It really doesn’t hurt anymore?”

It’s just your imagination! Shu Li smiled. Kids are so easy to fool.

“What about you?” he asked Decio, turning his head.

Decio proudly held up two chubby fingers. “I only fell twice!”

Shu Li grinned. “I… didn’t… fall.”

Decio’s proud expression instantly deflated, but quickly transformed into one of pure admiration as he gazed up at Shu Li.

As expected of the boss! He didn’t fall even once!

“Wow… so amazing!” Angele exclaimed, equally impressed.

Shu Li felt a little embarrassed under the gaze of two pairs of sparkling eyes.

Of course I didn’t fall. I’ve been sleeping in a bed for eighteen years!

Still, after sleeping in the Flower Bed for three months, lying down on a regular bed felt a little strange at first.

The Flower Bed was huge, with protective petals all around. The cubs could roll around freely inside without falling out.

Last night, when they switched from the Flower Bed to single beds, it was understandable that they struggled to adjust.

Shu Li flew to the assembly square and found the other cubs yawning incessantly, their spirits low. They were a stark contrast to their vibrant selves from the previous day, clearly suffering from severe sleep deprivation.

As the chubby Budno descended from mid-air, his foot suddenly slipped, causing him to land with a resounding thud on his rear.

“Waaah—!”

He was about to burst into tears when he noticed Shu Li standing opposite him, watching with a gentle smile. The wail abruptly ceased, and Budno stubbornly choked back his tears.

He… he wouldn’t let that annoying guy laugh at him!

It was all the fault of the tiny bed last night. He’d fallen off ten times, cried three times, and miserably endured until dawn, leaving him severely sleep-deprived and causing his clumsy landing.

Shu Li gazed at the dark circles under Budno’s eyes, feeling a pang of sympathy.

Poor thing, he must have fallen off countless times last night.

With his round, spherical body, that narrow, four-centimeter-wide single bed must have been terribly uncomfortable for him.

Decio and Angele, however, lacked Shu Li’s compassion. They pointed at Budno and erupted into gleeful laughter.

Budno, humiliated and enraged, flapped his wings and lunged forward to defend his dignity.

Aisha swiftly intervened, gently asking, “Are you alright?”

Budno nearly collided with her before slamming on the brakes and landing awkwardly.

This time, he managed to stay upright.

Two large tears clung to his doughy face as he stubbornly shook his head. “I’m… I’m fine.”

Budno, determined not to be looked down upon by his tormentors and even more determined not to disappoint his little followers, bravely endured the pain in his rear, putting on a show of remarkable courage.

Aisha patted his head, reminding him, “Be careful next time.”

Fairies, despite their wings, were still vulnerable to fatal falls. Especially when mentally exhausted or physically drained, the risk of a tragic plunge from the sky increased dramatically.

When all twenty-five cubs had gathered, Aisha surveyed the group. To her surprise, only Sperien radiated energy; the rest seemed listless, some barely able to keep their eyes open.

She knew that cubs transitioning from the Nursery to their own cottages often struggled to adjust on their first day, but Sperien’s radiant vitality was unprecedented.

His adaptability was truly remarkable, a trait that had been evident even back in the Nursery.

After a moment of reflection, she shook her bell. The sharp, clear chime startled the drowsy cubs, instantly dispelling their sleepiness.

“Are you all hungry?” Aisha asked.

“Hungry!” the cubs chorused in unison.

No matter how sleepy they were, their little bellies couldn’t be left empty.

Aisha successfully diverted the cubs’ attention, leading them to the school cafeteria for breakfast.

Driven by hunger, the cubs perked up, eagerly following Aisha’s lead.

They flew upward for a short distance until they reached the cafeteria.

Without needing Aisha’s instructions, the cubs instinctively entered, found their usual long table from the previous day, and lined up to sit down, their faces brimming with anticipation.

The plump, spherical sparrow darted nimbly through the dense forest. As it left the territory of the Divine Tree, its body suddenly swelled, transforming into a massive hawk.

Compared to the clumsy, adorable sparrow, the hawk, with its four-meter wingspan, was domineering and ferocious. Birds scattered before it, none daring to meet its gaze.

The hawk arrogantly tore through the air, reaching the middle layers of the Faerie Forest in an instant. It slowed slightly, located its target, and plunged downward.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The thunderous flapping of its wings against the leaves shook the forest.

Just before hitting the ground, the hawk transformed again, reverting to its original form as the chubby sparrow.

Chirp! Chirp!

The sparrow flapped its wings and flew toward the golden-haired man standing by the lake.

The man had already heard its approach. He gracefully extended his hand, and the sparrow landed precisely on his pale fingertip, chirping excitedly.

King—I completed the mission! The message is delivered! Reward! Reward!

The golden-haired man gently tapped its head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “And where’s my return gift?”

The sparrow let out a disgruntled coo before reluctantly opening its crimson beak and spitting out four crystal-clear plant seeds.