I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 17

Chapter 17 – Got His Own Little Shoes Now

Elves and Fairies are races blessed with extraordinary talent, excelling in languages, poetry, music, dance, and magic. They are natural linguists, artists, and mages.

For Lia, Sperien wasn’t the only Fairy Cub who could play a tune on the harp the first time he touched it. Beyond praise and admiration, she felt no surprise.

It was simply that the Fairy race had too many geniuses—it was a common sight.

Yet Sperien still possessed a unique quality.

Other Fairy Cubs, when playing for the first time, would imitate melodies they had heard from adult Fairies. But Sperien’s tune was entirely original—Lia had never heard anything like it before.

Simple, lively, joyful, and refreshing, it lifted the spirits—a melody that belonged solely to Sperien.

Shu Li basked in the admiration, feeling a surge of pride. But he quickly suppressed his wagging tail.

His immediate mastery of the harp stemmed from his ten-year head start. Once the other cubs learned to play, he knew he couldn’t afford to become complacent. If he didn’t keep pushing himself, they would soon leave him in the dust.

The Fairies’ innate talent was truly terrifying!

To maintain his title as the “Top Student of Music,” he couldn’t afford to relax. He needed to work even harder!

With Shu Li as their role model, the cubs’ enthusiasm for music soared. They eagerly urged Lia to teach them how to play the harp.

Lia smiled warmly and formally began the lesson.

Throughout the afternoon, the classroom echoed with ear-splitting “noise,” causing passing fairies to quickly steer clear.

When the music class ended, the cubs were still brimming with enthusiasm, clinging to their harps and strumming relentlessly even after the bell rang.

Shu Li rubbed his ears, which had endured a torturous afternoon, and glanced down at his hands.

These hands, only a hundred days old, were far more delicate than his calloused former pair. After just one lesson, his fingertips were already red and numb.

Ouch!

Looking at the other cubs still strumming away, Shu Li couldn’t help but admire their dedication.

Don’t their fingers hurt? Each one played with such fervor, their chaotic melodies sounding like a sonic assault that left him with a throbbing headache.

Still, he had to admit, the Fairy School’s benefits were truly impressive!

Not only did they provide free learning materials, but they even gifted each cub a harp—a truly generous gesture!

Shu Li had originally planned to visit the Commercial District after school to find a harp, but now he could save himself the trouble.

Life in the cub class was relaxed, with only three lessons a day, leaving plenty of time for play.

With plenty of time before dinner, Shu Li suggested to Reddy and Whitey that they first take the harp home and then go explore the Commercial District together.

Budno, with his sharp ears, overheard their conversation. His round body waddled over, and he plopped heavily onto Shu Li’s desk, declaring in a booming voice, “I’m going too!”

He and Sperien had become good friends through trading snacks, and good friends should always stick together.

Decio and Angele’s eyes widened, instantly sensing a threat.

This little fatty wants to steal our leader!

Not a chance!

Budno, undeterred by their glares, stuck his tongue out at them.

Grrr! The little fatty is provoking us!

Decio and Angele clenched their tiny fists.

In an instant, the three cubs were locked in a tense standoff, ready to pounce.

Seeing they were about to fight, Shu Li quickly intervened. “Aisha said we’re big kids now! We need to get along!”

The difference between Fairy Cubs before and after their hundredth day was significant.

Before their hundredth day, their cognitive development was incomplete, leaving them in a state of hazy understanding. Roughhousing and squabbles were considered normal.

After their hundredth day, following enlightenment education, they gained basic intelligence, learned manners, and understood right from wrong. Fighting after this point would result in punishment.

The three cubs huffed and puffed, reluctantly lowering their flags in surrender.

None of them wanted to be punished by Aisha with yard duty.

The yard was vast, covered in dust, fallen leaves, and foul-smelling bird droppings. Without the aid of magic, cleaning it was backbreaking work.

Seeing them calm down, Shu Li secretly wiped a bead of sweat, picked up his harp, and took the lead, flying out of the classroom.

“Wait for me!” Decio grabbed his harp, flapping his wings to catch up.

Angele was equally quick, following closely behind.

Only Budno, being chubby, moved sluggishly, his wings wheezing as he struggled to keep up with his harp.

Back at his home, Shu Li carefully placed his harp in the empty space in the cabinet, then gathered some “specialties” he’d brought from the Nursery and stuffed them into the travel bag Aisha had given him earlier.

When Aisha had taken the cubs to the Commercial District for a tour, she explained that there were two ways to acquire goods: bartering and using Gold Coins.

Gold Coins were the universal currency of the continent, primarily used by Elves and Fairies who ventured out on expeditions. Within the forest, bartering remained the preferred method of exchange.

The items the cubs had brought from the Nursery could be traded for necessities in the Commercial District.

Shu Li let out a wistful sigh..

No wonder Aisha and Third Elder Siet had repeatedly urged the cubs to bring their “belongings” before leaving the Nursery.

It turned out these were their initial funds for life.

Shu Li was grateful for his habit of collecting things, having brought a large bag with him. Some cubs who had underestimated the importance of this and brought too little were now regretting it bitterly.

However, this was a one-time opportunity. Once they left the Nursery, they couldn’t return.

Shu Li wondered if his collection of seeds, leaves, and stones was valuable enough to trade for a pair of shoes.

At least Fatty Bird had seemed quite fond of the seeds he’d given him that morning.

About twenty minutes later, the four cubs each carrying a bag flew toward the Commercial District.

The Divine Tree was colossal, with tens of thousands of branches. Even adult Fairies who had lived on it for years occasionally got lost, let alone newly arrived cubs.

During their previous visit, Aisha had guided them smoothly through the sights. But now, venturing out alone, the four cubs quickly found themselves disoriented.

“Uh… should we go left?” Shu Li asked uncertainly.

For someone with his terrible sense of direction, the sprawling Divine Tree felt like a giant maze. Without a familiar guide, he couldn’t even tell which way was up.

The school and home were close, a straight line between them. After a few trips back and forth, Shu Li had become familiar with the route. He had only been to the Commercial District once, and the winding paths had left him completely disoriented.

“No, no, it’s to the right!” Angele pointed to a thick branch on their right. “There are lots of houses over there. Let’s go check it out.”

“That’s wrong too! It’s clearly above us,” Decio insisted.

“You said it was above us last time, and you were wrong!” Budno grumbled.

Decio bared his teeth at Budno. “Then you tell me, which way should we fly?”

“I don’t know!” Budno retorted defiantly.

Decio glared, Budno glared back, neither willing to yield.

Shu Li’s headache returned.

They had argued countless times on their way here, all because they were lost. At first, he had tried to mediate, but now he had given up.

Speaking in Elven was already exhausting enough.

If they couldn’t find the Commercial District soon, Shu Li planned to head back and try again tomorrow. Otherwise, they’d miss dinner.

He didn’t want to go to bed hungry.

A cub’s growing body couldn’t tolerate hunger.

Just as they were at a standstill, a cold voice cut through the air: “What are you doing?”

Shu Li’s ears twitched, recognizing the familiar tone. He spun around, his tender green eyes lighting up with joy.

“Kumandi!” he blurted out.

The black-haired, violet-eyed young fairy hovered in mid-air, his deep purple wings spread wide. He surveyed the four cubs with a slight frown.

“Wow, it’s Kumandi!” Angele exclaimed happily, flying forward with his usual familiarity. “Kumandi, are you going to the Commercial District too?”

Kumandi glanced at the silver-haired cub’s sweet smile and nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“Great!” Angele spun in a circle, delighted. “Kumandi, take us with you!”

At that moment, Shu Li couldn’t help but admire Angele’s sheer social confidence. What a social butterfly!

Kumandi didn’t refuse, agreeing to the cub’s request.

Shu Li was deeply moved. “Thank you so much, Kumandi!”

Waaah, the quiet Top Student is such a kind person with a cold exterior but a warm heart!

“Thank you, Kumandi!” the other three cubs chorused, their voices clear and bright.

“…Mm.” Kumandi turned away, the tips of his ears flushing slightly. “Let’s go.”

With a flap of its deep purple wings, Kumandi swiftly angled forward and to the left.

The four cubs scrambled to keep up.

In truth, they had been very close to the Commercial District. Just three thick branches stood between them and their destination.

Standing at the street corner, Kumandi asked Shu Li, “What do you want to buy?”

“Shoes… shoes,” Shu Li mumbled, lowering his head in embarrassment as he rubbed his delicate white feet together. Despite his best efforts to keep them clean, his feet had inevitably gathered dust.

Kumandi raised an understanding eyebrow and turned to the other cubs. “What about you guys?”

Decio struck a heroic pose, miming drawing a bow. “I want to buy a bow and arrows.”

Angele blinked his amber eyes. “I want toys and a storage ring.”

“You can’t use a storage ring without magic,” Kumandi pointed out.

Angele waved his fist dismissively. “That’s okay! I’ll learn magic eventually and then I can use it.”

The leader’s storage ring was so cool; he wanted one too, even if he could only wear it as a decoration for now.

Budno had originally come along just for the fun of it, with no intention of buying anything. But hearing the others talk about their purchases, he decided to follow suit.

“Shoes, a bow, a storage ring, and toys—I want them all!” He patted his bag proudly, which contained all his worldly possessions.

After understanding the cubs’ needs, Kumandi first took them to the armor shop.

The armor shop’s vast selection was dazzling.

The cubs’ request for shoes presented a challenge for the shopkeeper.

In his centuries of running the shop, he had never encountered cubs barely a hundred days old coming to buy shoes.

“Don’t you have any?” Shu Li asked pitifully.

The cub’s tender green eyes glistened like morning dew, striking the shopkeeper’s heart.

“Of course we do! We must have them!”

What adult Fairy could bear to disappoint a cub?

He immediately produced a ruler to measure the cubs’ tiny feet and then gathered a pile of materials.

If there were no ready-made shoes, he could make them on the spot!

The shopkeeper worked swiftly and skillfully, hammering and shaping the materials. In less than ten minutes, four pairs of exquisite, miniature shoes were complete.

The cubs’ tiny feet required minimal materials and effort.

“Done,” the shopkeeper said, handing a pair to Shu Li. “Try them on for size.”

“Thank you, sir!” Shu Li accepted the shoes with delight.

The Fairy shoes weren’t made of leather or cloth, but from a type of vine, making them completely natural. They resembled modern women’s sandals, with several beautifully woven straps.

Before putting them on, Shu Li worried the vines might scratch his feet. But once he slipped them on, they proved surprisingly soft and flexible. His only difficulty was figuring out how to tie the straps.

He wrapped them around and around, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get them right, nearly tying them into a knot in his frustration.

No wonder they don’t give shoes to the Fairy Cubs, he thought. They’re too complicated for the little ones to put on themselves.

Shu Li’s efforts had become a tangled mess, leaving him utterly discouraged. Just as he was about to give up, a pair of pale hands reached out and deftly untangled the mess he’d made.

“Cross the straps and wrap them upward, like this—”

The black-haired young Fairy knelt before the golden-haired cub, his fingers moving with nimble grace as he wrapped the straps around Shu Li’s leg, all the way up to his calf, where he tied a perfect bow.

“There.”

Kumandi looked up, his violet eyes gazing warmly at the golden-haired cub’s flushed face.

“Th-thank you…” Shu Li stammered, his voice barely a whisper, too stunned to speak properly.

He never expected Jingjing, the quiet Top Student, to be so considerate, helping him put on his shoes.

“The other foot?” Kumandi glanced curiously at the blush on the cub’s face. Is this little one always so shy?

“N-no… no need! I can do it myself!” Shu Li quickly grabbed the other shoe and clumsily copied Kumandi’s movements, awkwardly crisscrossing the laces upward.

Though his attempt wasn’t as neat as Kumandi’s, at least he managed to tie it.

Seeing that Shu Li had learned, Kumandi moved on to the other cubs, guiding and correcting them one by one.

Finally, all four cubs had their shoes on.

Shu Li stepped onto the ground and bounced a couple of times, feeling incredibly comfortable.

“Boss, how much?” he asked habitually, but when he met the shopkeeper’s smiling, handsome face, he quickly corrected himself. “What… what do you want in exchange?”

“What do you have?” the shopkeeper asked.

Shu Li opened his travel bag, revealing its contents. “These.”

The shopkeeper leaned in for a closer look and exclaimed in surprise, “Red Crystal Flower seeds, Sun Gold Grass, Moon Dawn Stone, Kaming Scorpion molted shells, Fire Butterfly Moth silk…”

He swallowed hard, his eyes wide with astonishment.

There was even bark from a Kabbalah Tree—something he hadn’t seen in nearly two centuries!