I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Tadpole-Shaped Elven Script

“Yes, this is the renowned Ring of Ancient Ota. An extremely rare Space Storage Ring that can be used without magic,” Aisha said, her silver eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light.

The King truly valued Sperien, gifting him even the Ring of Ancient Ota.

As its name suggests, the Ring of Ancient Ota’s internal space is shaped like a tower, with a hundred floors. Like the three legendary harps, it was crafted by the Dwarf Loki.

Master Loki forged seven such rings, gifting them to four close friends.

Among them, two are in the possession of the Elven King.

It’s unclear what magic the King used to shrink the Ring of Ancient Ota to such a tiny size, making it suitable for a Little Fairy to wear.

After Shu Li understood the ring’s origins and purpose, his jaw nearly dropped.

Ancient What Ring? The name doesn’t matter! What matters is “Space Storage” and “No Magic Required”!

He had been fretting over his overflowing notebooks, which his small pouch couldn’t contain, when the beautiful and powerful Elven King gifted him a Space Storage Ring.

Could he be any more considerate?

Waaah!

This is too touching!

To quote a popular internet meme: He’s really… I love him so much!

Shu Li desperately wanted to thank the Elven King in person.

Wait, what was the Elven King’s name again?

Fr… Freytt?

No, no, that’s not right. It’s too long and awkward, and I have to curl my tongue.

Shu Li pointed to the signature on the card and looked up at Aisha, his verdant eyes as clear as mountain spring water.

“Freyus Estel,” Aisha said slowly. “The Elven King is called Freyuus Estel.”

“Freyus Eyt…” Shu Li tried to repeat.

“It’s Estel,” Aisha corrected.

Shu Li silently repeated the name three times in his mind, then enunciated clearly, “Freyus Estel.”

“Excellent,” Aisha praised.

Shu Li grinned widely, memorizing the Elven King’s name faster than he’d ever learned anything before.

I must remember it perfectly!

The Elven King was his cheat code—ah, no, his mentor who would guide him to become a Hero. As his nominal disciple, he had to etch the name into his heart and never forget it.

Eagerly, Shu Li slipped on the Space Storage Ring, trying it on several fingers until he found the index finger was the perfect fit.

He raised his right hand, admiring the ring repeatedly with delight.

The silver-white ring, set with a crystal-clear ruby, was utterly beautiful.

The other Fairy Cubs gazed at his new Space Storage Ring, their voices rising in unison with envy.

“The Space Storage Ring is so pretty!”

“I want one too! Waaah~”

“Yesterday, I saw so many storage pouches, storage rings, storage bracelets… Let’s go check them out after school!”

“Silly, we can’t use those yet.”

“Then… then I’ll work hard to learn magic!”

“Aisha, Aisha, when will you teach us magic?”

“Yeah, yeah! I can’t wait to learn magic and use a storage ring!”

The cubs swarmed around Aisha, chattering excitedly, their tender, rosy cheeks glowing with anticipation.

Aisha’s heart melted at their cuteness. She patted one cub’s head and ruffled another’s hair. “Once you learn to write Elven script, you can start learning magic.”

“Can we learn Elven script today?” Red-Haired Decio asked.

“You’ll have to ask Siet.” Aisha turned and pointed to the brown-haired Fairy who had just entered the room.

Hearing this, the cubs immediately shifted their attention, flapping their tiny wings as they swarmed toward Siet.

“Siet, we want to learn Elven script—”

“Siet, we want to learn magic!”

“Siet, teach us how to write now!”

“Siet…”

“Siet…”

Suddenly surrounded by the enthusiastic cubs, Siet was overwhelmed. The air buzzed with their high-pitched, babyish voices, making his head spin.

He looked pleadingly at Aisha, who simply shrugged and grinned mischievously.

Shu Li was the only Little Fairy who didn’t rush forward. He stood obediently beside Aisha, watching Siet get swarmed by the other cubs.

It had to be said, Fairies were creatures of pure heart.

After the Elven King gifted Shu Li a precious Space Storage Ring, the other cubs envied him briefly, then resolved to earn their own through hard work. Learning that using the ring required mastering Magic, their enthusiasm for studying soared.

Such good children, Shu Li thought.

Touching the Space Storage Ring on his index finger, Shu Li suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Compared to them, am I just getting something for nothing?

Aisha noticed the quiet little figure beside her. Looking down, she saw him silently touching the ring on his hand. “Sperien, what’s wrong?” she asked with concern.

Shu Li looked up, his expression hesitant. “I want… to give… the ring back to the King.”

Though the Elven King had called him “my little disciple,” he felt he didn’t deserve such a gift without earning it.

Aisha’s gaze softened. “Why?”

Shu Li pointed at the cubs surrounding Siet, his voice tinged with sadness. “I want to be… like them!”

Things you earn through your own efforts hold greater meaning.

When playing games, he’d always hated players who used cheats.

Because getting something for nothing is unfair.

Just moments ago, he had been smugly pleased with himself for obtaining such a powerful “cheat code.” Now, comparing himself to the other cubs, he felt deeply ashamed.

The golden-haired cub hung his head, the tips of his ears flushed red, and his wings pressed tightly against his back. His earlier excitement had vanished, replaced by listlessness.

Aisha glanced at the Fairy Cubs surrounding Siet, then at Sperien standing alone beside her. She understood the situation.

What a sensitive little fellow.

Aisha bent down, smiling gently. “Next time you see the King, why don’t you ask him what he thinks?”

Shu Li considered this for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”

If only I knew when “next time” would be.

Oh, right! Siet had mentioned that the annual Midsummer Festival was in two weeks. All the fairies in the forest would travel to Crystal City in the Elven Kingdom for the celebration.

That would be his chance to meet the Elven King.

Shu Li’s brow smoothed, his eyes brightened, and his worries vanished.

Siet finally understood why the cubs wanted to learn the Elven script. He smiled reassuringly at them, promising they could start learning today, but first, everyone had to return to their seats.

The cubs scattered like startled birds, flapping their wings as they hurried back to their places.

Siet straightened his rumpled clothes, glaring reproachfully at Aisha.

Aisha smiled faintly, spread her wings, and gracefully flew out of the classroom.

Siet watched her leave, then turned to face twenty-five pairs of bright, expectant eyes.

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Since my little darlings are so eager to learn Elven script, I’ll go with the flow. Sperien, are you ready?”

Called out by name, Shu Li stood up and nodded earnestly. “I’m ready!”

Even if he wasn’t ready, he had to be.

He refused to let the other cubs outpace him. He needed to approach learning Elven with the same determination he’d shown in mastering music—embrace it, study it diligently, and integrate it into his understanding until it became his second native tongue.

He believed that with unwavering resolve and perseverance, he could overcome any challenge and ultimately succeed.

Seeing the cub’s unwavering resolve, Siet’s gentle expression suddenly turned serious. “Even if you fall behind, can’t complete your assignments, and face severe punishment, are you still ready?”

Shu Li clenched his fist, his right thumb pressing against the Space Storage Ring on his index finger. Gritting his teeth, he repeated his earlier declaration,”I’m ready!”

The cub’s voice was still childlike, yet it carried an undeniable firmness.

Siet’s gentle demeanor returned, a warm smile spreading across his face as he softened his tone. “Very well, then. I’ll be watching with great anticipation.”

Shu Li sat back down, a fierce fire igniting in his heart.

I’m not stupid!

His parents had excellent genes, and all three of his older brothers were exceptionally talented. There was no reason why he should be the one with a genetic mutation.

He excelled in music, possessing a keen ear for melody since childhood. His teachers had always praised his natural talent. But mastering any skill required more than just talent; it demanded diligent effort.

In the past, he hadn’t focused on English, which was why he had struggled so badly.

Now, if he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to studying, Elven would be a piece of cake!

Shu Li made grand promises to himself, cheering himself on as if he could already see his future self mastering Elven, speaking with silver-tongued eloquence, writing with elegant, flowing script, and becoming one of the most distinguished fairies.

However, his daydream lasted only a few minutes before reality struck him hard.

Siet distributed to each Fairy Cub an introductory Elven textbook, a quill pen, and a notebook.

The cubs, brimming with excitement, immediately began fiddling with their new supplies.

Shu Li refused the quill pen, accepting only the textbook and notebook.

When he eagerly opened the book, his eyes suddenly went dark as he stared at the dense, unfamiliar script covering the page.

It’s over, it’s over, it’s over!

Why did these wriggling black characters look identical to him, each dragging a long, wavy tail like a school of tadpoles searching for their frog mother?

Was Siet sure he’d given him the right book?

Recalling the Elven King’s letter, written in the same tadpole script, Shu Li resigned himself to his fate with bitter acceptance.

I set this flag myself, so I’ll have to finish it, even if I have to crawl on my knees!

Gritting his teeth, he resolved to give it his all.

Siet caught the despairing look on the golden-haired cub’s face, a flicker of amusement in his blue eyes.

Forcing Sperien, who struggled even with spoken Elven, to immediately start writing might be a bit harsh.

But Fairies possessed boundless potential; a little pressure could always spark a breakthrough.

He believed that with enough effort, Sperien would undoubtedly become an outstanding Little Fairy.

For their first culture lesson, Siet kept it simple, teaching the cubs just ten characters. After repeated drills, most of them had mastered the basics.

As for Sperien, Siet didn’t hold him to such high standards.

Yet the little fellow was surprisingly diligent, filling four pages with notes.

Though the square-like patterns remained incomprehensible, their elegant forms possessed a unique artistic flair.

Siet refrained from interfering with the cubs’ learning habits. As long as their methods were sound and they showed progress, he allowed them to learn at their own pace.

After assigning today’s homework, Siet calmly left the classroom.

As soon as he was gone, Shu Li’s tense nerves instantly relaxed. He slumped onto his desk, his eyes brimming with tears, looking utterly despondent.

Ugh—my brain’s CPU is about to burn out!

To memorize those ten tadpole-like characters, every cell in his body had entered battle mode. His brain cells charged into the fray, dying in droves. After a fierce life-or-death struggle, he had finally emerged victorious.

However, he knew he had a major flaw:

He could remember everything perfectly during class, but the moment it ended, it all vanished completely.

This had been painfully evident when he was learning Elven earlier.

“Sperien, let’s go get lunch,” Decio said, poking Shu Li’s shoulder. When he didn’t move, Decio leaned closer to check on him. “What’s wrong?”

Shu Li replied weakly, “I just want some peace…” (Peace: Jingjing)

Decio looked puzzled. “Who’s Jingjing?”

Shu Li: …

Angele leaned in and whispered, “I know who Jingjing is.”

“Who is it?” Decio asked curiously.

Shu Li lifted his head, staring blankly at Angele.

Even I don’t know who “Jingjing” is. What does Whitey know?

Angele winked mysteriously. “He’s a bigger Fairy than us. I heard someone call him ‘Jingjing’ at the cafeteria this morning.”

Shu Li’s eyes widened, his expression blank.

Really?

Why don’t I remember him at all?

No—there’s no one named Jingjing here!

Angele patted his tummy and said pitifully, “I’m hungry.”

Decio swiftly grabbed Shu Li’s left hand. “Let’s go to the cafeteria for lunch and look for Jingjing while we’re there.”

Angele, understanding perfectly, took Shu Li’s right hand.

“No… wait…” Shu Li protested, but before he could resist, his two friends were already pulling him out of the classroom.

Fairies have wings—flying someone is a piece of cake!

They were the last cubs to arrive at the cafeteria. As they entered, they saw long tables filled with Fairies of all sizes.

Shu Li struggled slightly, trying to get his friends to release him.

But Angele was already scanning the room, his sharp eyes spotting a black-haired young Fairy sitting at one of the long tables. He pointed excitedly and shouted, “Jingjing—!”

Silence.

Every Fairy in the cafeteria stopped talking and turned their heads in unison, their eyes gleaming as they stared at the three cubs at the entrance.

Shu Li’s mind went blank, his face flushed crimson. Instant social death!

Bro, I’m gonna kill you—