I Became a Cub in the Elven Kingdom - Chapter 88

Chapter 88 – He Grew Bigger!

As the morning sun rose, its golden rays bathed the Elven Kingdom’s mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, and plains in a vibrant, life-filled glow.

Inside the Crystal Castle, early-rising elves greeted each other with elegant courtesy. As they passed the Nursery Courtyard, their gazes invariably lingered for a moment before a certain room’s door.

“Has Little Sperien woken up yet?” Ilio asked.

“No, not yet! He didn’t eat dinner last night, so the little fellow must be waking up hungry,” Sayah replied, holding a tray laden with exquisite clothes and jewelry. She was about to deliver Sperien’s new attire.

“I never expected him to act so quickly,” Ilio said, pinching the bridge of his nose with a headache.

The day before yesterday, he had casually mentioned the Elemental Essence to the little fellow. He never imagined that the very next day, the child would use that single clue to venture alone to the ancient battlefield ruins in the North.

What shocked the elves even more was that the little fellow had not only miraculously summoned the Wood Spirit but had also gained its recognition, obtaining immense power and immediately advancing to become a Senior Mage, restoring his Source Power.

Even among the naturally gifted elves and fairies, no one had ever become a Senior Mage at the age of ten.

Sperien was extraordinary—so extraordinary that the elves regarded him with solemn reverence.

As the Mother Tree had said, he was the Light Clan’s only hope.

Shu Li, cherished by the elves, slept soundly in his bed. He stretched his limbs, instinctively sprawling out in a starfish shape, when suddenly one leg dangled off the edge.

Hmm?

Half-asleep, his leg swung back and forth, searching for purchase. After a long moment, it found none, and his body began to slide downward.

Shu Li’s eyes snapped open. Seeing the familiar ceiling, he closed them again with a sigh of relief, pulled his dangling leg back onto the bed, shifted from lying flat to his side, and tugged the blanket up.

The blanket came up easily. He nuzzled into the soft pillow and drifted back to sleep.

But as he drifted off, something felt off.

Had the bed… shrunk? His entire head now rested on the pillow, and the blanket seemed lighter.

Shu Li bolted upright, his eyes wide as he scanned the room in confusion.

It wasn’t his imagination!

The bed had indeed shrunk!

Normally, he occupied only a small corner of the bed, able to roll around without touching the edges. Now, when he stretched his legs straight, his toes brushed against the footboard.

Moreover, all the furniture in the room had shrunk as well.

Completely bewildered, Shu Li threw back the blanket and prepared to get out of bed. His bare feet touched the floor, revealing his smooth, bare legs.

He glanced down and was shocked to discover he was completely naked!

Huh?

He never slept nude, always changing into loose, comfortable pajamas every night. So why had he woken up stark naked today?

Shu Li swiftly retrieved clothes from his Storage Ring, then stared blankly at the miniature garments in his palm.

The next moment, he rushed into the bathroom and stood before the mirror.

His face was still his own, the only changes being his height and the pair of translucent wings sprouting from his back.

He had nearly gotten stuck in the doorway earlier due to the wings’ size.

Shu Li stared at the mirror, confirming beyond any doubt that he had grown larger!

Yes, just like those Fairies who had restored their Source Power, he had transformed into the same size as an Elf.

He cupped his cheeks, feeling utterly incredulous. His newly awakened mind finally began to process the situation.

If he remembered correctly, he should be at the ancient battlefield ruins in the northern part of the Elven Kingdom.

Yesterday afternoon, he had ridden Dore north, experienced a series of miraculous events, and encountered the Wood Spirit. She had touched his forehead, causing a massive surge of power to flood his body, and then he had lost consciousness.

Now, he had woken up in a room, lying on a bed, his body inexplicably grown larger.

Shu Li rubbed his head, dazed, as he stumbled out of the bathroom, returned to the bed, and pulled the blanket around his naked body.

Only when a Fairy advances to Senior Mage can they restore their Source Power and grow from small to large.

This should have been a joyous occasion, but he had forgotten the process of growing up, making it feel utterly unreal.

What puzzled him most was how he had returned here.

Knock, knock, knock—

A knock sounded on the door.

Shu Li snapped out of his daze, loosened the blanket, and instinctively reached for his wings to fly to the door. But then he remembered his grown-up body—stark naked—and quickly wrapped the blanket back around himself. After triple-checking that he was securely covered, he hopped off the bed, took small, hurried steps to the door, and twisted the handle.

“Good morning, Sperien,” Sayah greeted him, her golden eyes sparkling as she surveyed the young fairy before her. She held a tray with clothes, her smile radiant.

Normally, he was a tiny, adorable creature, so delicate that his features were easily overlooked. Now, in his grown-up form, his striking features were clearly visible.

Golden hair cascaded in disarray, crowned with a dazzling Emerald-studded Flower Crown. His forehead was smooth and full, his eyebrows delicate, his nose straight and refined, his skin fair and flawless, his lips rosy, and his tender green eyes pure and untainted.

He resembled a newly bloomed flower, its petals dewy and bathed in morning light—fresh and utterly charming.

The young fairy, visibly flustered, clutched the blanket around himself, the tips of his ears flushed crimson. His bare feet, peeking out from under the blanket, nervously shuffled against each other, betraying his unease.

Sayah’s gaze softened, her maternal instincts overflowing. She longed to set down the tray, pull the little fellow into her arms, ruffle his hair, and nuzzle his cheek.

“Good morning, Sayah,” Shu Li said, unnerved by her blatant stare. He instinctively took two steps back and invited the red-haired Elf inside.

After entering the room, Sayah placed the tray on the table, picked up a set of robes sized for a ten-year-old, shook them out, and smiled. “Lorin sewed these new clothes for you overnight. Do you like them?”

Lorin was a renowned textile master among the Elves, responsible for crafting most of their garments, including those worn by the Elven King himself.

Her creations were renowned for their comfortable materials, exquisite designs, and the addition of defensive magic arrays, making them highly sought-after High-Tier Magic Robes that were nearly impossible to obtain outside the Elven Kingdom.

Shu Li’s mouth dropped slightly in surprise.

A masterpiece crafted by a master artisan—how could he not like it?

And it had been rushed overnight just for him! He was deeply moved.

“Please convey my gratitude to Lorin.”

Sayah winked. “You can thank her in person at the dining hall later.”

Shu Li paused, then nodded. “Alright.”

He wanted to personally express his gratitude and offer a valuable gift to show his sincerity.

“Thank you too, Sayah,” he said.

During his time in the Elven Kingdom, Sayah had always cared for him, and he hadn’t properly thanked her until now.

Sayah bowed slightly and couldn’t resist gently stroking the young fairy’s hair. “You’re welcome. Caring for you is my duty. I’m your nursery attendant, after all!”

She still remembered the moment the final bud bloomed, revealing a tender, pale-skinned baby nestled in the flower’s heart, sleeping soundly. While other fairy cubs would spread their wings and fly out of their Flower Beds, eager to explore, he remained fast asleep.

Worried that the Little Fellow might not be developing properly, she cautiously poked him with a finger, only to be caught red-handed by the Elven King.

Watching the fairy cub she had personally “delivered” grow day by day filled her with immense satisfaction.

Ten years had passed in the blink of an eye. The once tiny cub had blossomed into a young fairy, now the great hope of the Elven Mother Tree—a sight that filled her with profound emotion.

Just last night, he had summoned the Wood Spirit, who had vanished ten thousand years ago, shocking the entire Elven Kingdom.

This morning, twice as many elves as usual were passing by Sperien’s doorway.

Shu Li said shyly, “No matter what, thank you. By the way… how did I get back here yesterday?”

Sayah replied matter-of-factly, “The King carried you back, of course!”

Under Shu Li’s astonished gaze, she poked his forehead and scolded, “You! You didn’t even tell us you were going to the northern battlefield ruins alone. You were lucky this time, summoning the Wood Spirit, but what about next time?”

“I… I’m sorry,” Shu Li said, his pointed ears drooping as he admitted his mistake. “I won’t do it again.”

Sayah patted his head and chuckled. “Hurry and change into your new clothes! Breakfast is waiting in the dining hall—everyone’s waiting for you!”

“Huh?” Shu Li tilted his head.

Everyone’s waiting for me?

Sayah didn’t explain further, leaving his room and thoughtfully closing the door behind her.

Shu Li sighed and unwrapped himself from the warm blanket. After being wrapped up for so long, his back was drenched in sweat.

He rummaged through the tray and happily found several pairs of small underwear.

Great! No more mooning everyone.

Since he had previously been an Intermediate Mage, he hadn’t prepared clothes that could adjust in size, so his underwear was naturally the mini-sized variety.

Although he could revert to his Little Fairy form, he rarely grew this large and wanted to experience the sensation of being bigger.

Shu Li went to the bathroom to clean himself up and change into new clothes.

No wonder it’s a High-Tier Magic Robe—it’s so comfortable!

He transformed the Flower Crown into a silver forehead ornament and found the dagger that had been strapped to his leg earlier lying on the bedside table.

The dagger had grown larger, and its metal ring had snapped.

Shu Li retrieved a new metal ring from the tray, fastened it around his thigh, and slid the dagger into the ring’s side—a perfect fit.

He also noticed the Emblem the Giant Lizard had given him on the bedside table.

Picking it up, he examined it curiously.

How exactly was that Illusion triggered?

Before entering the Illusion, he had recited a Purification Spell over the Basin. Immediately afterward, his Storage Ring grew hot, and he quickly retrieved the Iron Clump.

The Iron Clump rolled to the bottom of the Basin, emitted a green Light, and then he was sucked into the Illusion.

So, this Emblem must be the key.

Shu Li stored the Emblem, which bore the Elven King’s seal, back into his Storage Ring, put on his new shoes, and left the room.

“Good morning, Sperien!”

Along the way, he encountered many Elves who greeted him warmly.

Shu Li responded politely, though somewhat puzzled.

As he stepped into the dining hall, Shu Li froze, startled by the sight of the room teeming with elves.

Elves were early risers, and usually half the tables would be empty at this hour. Had the sun risen in the west today? Why was the hall so crowded?

What surprised him even more was the presence of the Elven King.

Having studied in the Elven Kingdom for five years, Shu Li rarely encountered the King during breakfast. By the time he rushed to the Library, the King would already be seated at his table, engrossed in a book.

He couldn’t recall any special occasion today.

The elves in the hall cast fervent glances at the beautiful young fairy in his new clothes.

Shu Li felt a chill run down his spine. Alert, he weaved through the tables and hurried to the Elven King’s side.

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” he said, placing a hand over his chest in a respectful bow. “I’m terribly sorry to have caused you so much trouble again.”

Sayah had told him the King had carried him back to the Crystal Castle. It was clear he had caused a mess at the ancient battlefield ruins, and the King had once again had to clean up after him.

“Good morning,” the Elven King replied warmly. “Please, sit down and have breakfast.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…” Shu Li obediently took the chair beside the King.

The table was laden with a lavish spread, untouched as if waiting for his arrival before the meal could begin.

The Elven King picked up a fruit and placed it on the plate in front of Shu Li.

After thanking him, Shu Li picked up the fruit with one hand and took a refined bite.

Seeing him begin eating, the other elves gradually started their meals as well, their ears perked up, constantly monitoring the Elven King’s table.

Shu Li, who had been starving, devoured two fruits and drank half a cup of deer milk, finally easing his hunger.

He slowed his pace, involuntarily stealing glances at the Elven King as he ate.

The Elven King set down his cup and turned to look at him. “What is it?”

Caught in the act, Shu Li nearly choked on the deer milk, clutching his mouth and coughing violently.

Seeing this, the Elven King offered him a handkerchief.

“Thank you…” Shu Li murmured, accepting the handkerchief and wiping the milk from the corner of his mouth. Clearing his throat, he looked at the Elven King with his tender green eyes, hesitant to speak.

The Elven King smiled. “You may speak freely.”

Clutching the milk-stained handkerchief, Shu Li hesitated before asking, “Aren’t you… going to ask me what I encountered at the battlefield ruins yesterday?”

“You summoned the Wood Spirit.” The Elven King gazed deeply at him. “On behalf of all the comrades who perished on the battlefield, I thank you for their Purification.”

“Gah?” Shu Li froze, stunned.