Chapter 28: It’s so good to be back at the sacred tree, home!

Shu Li soothed his churning stomach, lowered the hand covering his mouth, and flicked his tiny pointed ears.

When the Elven King had recited that incantation just now, he seemed to have mentioned the Earth God.

Earlier, when Shu Li had been "abducted" by that stupid bird and prayed to the gods, had he perhaps... gotten the Earth God’s true name wrong?

So the Earth God was not called Hefeg Lott, but Hedfis Auvergne!

Shu Li rubbed his nose guiltily, silently apologized to the Earth God, and promised that he would definitely get it right next time.

Then he reflected on himself.

Had he pronounced the true names of all the other gods correctly?

Shu Li sat cross-legged in the Elven King’s palm, propped up his chin, and sank into deep thought.

The Elven King opened his fingers, revealing the little cub sitting there with his chin in his hand, and asked softly, "Sperien, are you all right?"

Shu Li immediately snapped back to his senses. Stretching his neck, he looked toward the grass and was astonished to discover that, in the brief time that had passed, the mangled corpses had vanished into thin air. Even the bloodstains were gone. If the empty suits of armor had not still been scattered across the ground, he might have doubted that the Black Knights’ remains had ever existed.

"I-I’m fine." He pointed at the youth and the magic instructor lying on the grass, then hesitantly asked the Elven King, "Can they still be saved?"

They had been so severely injured by the Black Knights and had lost so much blood that their chances of survival seemed vanishingly small.

Shu Li frowned slightly.

He genuinely hoped they would survive.

The youth’s grief-stricken sobbing had resonated with him and reminded him of his family far away in another world.

The Elven King said gently to the cub, "They are fortunate. They encountered the growing season of moonlight grass."

"Moonlight grass?" Shu Li looked bewildered.

What was moonlight grass? Where was it?

Riding the unicorn, the Elven King moved several steps forward and let the cub look down at the ground.

Bracing himself against the Elven King’s finger, Shu Li lowered his head and examined the grass closely.

At first, he saw nothing. After staring for several seconds, however, specks of starlight gradually entered his vision. Soon, countless points of light gathered together, as vast and brilliant as the Milky Way.

Shu Li rubbed his eyes, suspecting that he was seeing things. He unconsciously spread his wings, flew from the Elven King’s palm, and moved closer to the ground.

At last, he saw the source of the light clearly.

They were tender blades of grass. A fine layer of fuzz covered their tiny leaves, absorbing the moonlight and reflecting a faint silver glow.

Was this moonlight grass?

Mixed among the other weeds, it was entirely unremarkable. Without looking carefully, one would never notice it.

Curious, Shu Li touched a blade of moonlight grass and got a handful of fuzz that resembled glitter.

He flew back to the Elven King, held up his sparkling little hand, and asked in amazement, "Your Majesty, can moonlight grass save them?"

The Elven King nodded and explained, "Moonlight grass is a gift bestowed upon the Faerie Forest by the Moon Goddess, Meter Lena. On every full-moon night, after bathing in moonlight, it grows in vast clusters. When the first ray of dawn appears, it returns to the earth and falls dormant once more."

"Wow." Shu Li marveled at the mystery of the moonlight grass.

The Elven King looked toward the two humans on the ground. "The fuzz of moonlight grass is the finest medicine for treating injuries. Even a small amount can repair a wound."

"That’s amazing!" Shu Li rubbed the "glitter" coating his hand. "Then they won’t die, right?"

The Elven King smiled. "The Faerie Forest does not harm kind and innocent outsiders."

Shu Li blinked and looked toward the youth and his companion. To his surprise, their bodies were already covered in scattered points of light.

So the moonlight grass had begun repairing their wounds long ago.

The Elven King held out his hand. Understanding his meaning, Shu Li landed lightly on one of his fingers.

The next moment, the Elven King moved him onto his shoulder, and Shu Li instinctively grabbed a handful of his hair.

The unicorn swished its flowing tail, raised its front hooves, and neighed several times. Then enormous white feathered wings suddenly unfurled from both sides of its body.

Shu Li’s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the noble, sacred, and beautiful unicorn, temporarily forgetting how it had bared its teeth at him earlier.

With a gentle flap of its wings, the unicorn rose into the air.

Standing on the Elven King’s shoulder and clutching his hair, Shu Li watched the ground recede and asked in confusion, "Are we... just leaving them there?"

"I will send Elves to escort them out of the forest," the Elven King replied.

"Oh—" Shu Li relaxed.

With one powerful beat of its broad wings, the unicorn soared above the forest canopy. Without the branches blocking his view, the enormous jade-like moon was revealed in its entirety. Its radiance was bright and pure, and a faint lunar halo dyed the surrounding clouds golden.

Shu Li had never been so close to the moon before. It seemed as though he could touch it simply by reaching out.

The watery moonlight spilled over the Elven King, plating him in silver and making even his hair appear paler. The night wind brushed past, lifting his long, silk-like pale golden hair until it shimmered in the air.

Facing the gentle wind, Shu Li closed his eyes in comfort. He felt as though his very soul had been cleansed, leaving him extraordinarily peaceful.

The unicorn rode the wind and trod upon the moonlight as it flew toward the divine tree.

Shu Li emerged from his appreciation of the beautiful scenery and suddenly remembered something.

"Oh no!"

He tugged anxiously at the Elven King’s hair. "Your Majesty, I... forgot to say goodbye to Doris! I also wanted to talk to her about a thank-you gift!"

The wonder of the moonlight grass and the beauty of the unicorn had drawn all his attention, causing him to completely forget about the plump bird.

He kept looking back, but the enormous tree where Doris lived was already out of sight.

The Elven King gently touched his forehead with the pad of one finger. "I have already given Doris a gift."

Shu Li touched the spot on his forehead and said hesitantly, "But... I wanted to give her one myself."

The King was the King, and he was himself. The two could not be treated as the same.

Seeing how much Doris liked red crystal flower seeds, Shu Li had intended to invite her to visit the divine tree before he left. He had many red crystal flower seeds at home and could give some to her as thanks.

But now... he had even missed the chance to say goodbye.

Shu Li’s ears drooped. He struggled inwardly, too embarrassed to ask the unicorn to fly back.

The Elven King seemed to guess what he was thinking and said gently, "Doris will understand. Once we return to the divine tree, go to the commercial district and find a courier. Pay them a small fee, and they will make the trip for you."

Shu Li was astonished.

The Faerie Forest was so advanced that it even had a delivery service!

Wonderful!

That meant he could still send Doris some red crystal flower seeds!

Shu Li’s brows relaxed. Sitting comfortably on the Elven King’s shoulder, he gazed at the approaching divine tree, eager to return home.

He wondered how Desio and the others were doing. Had they cried when they saw him being carried away by that stupid bird?

What measures had Chris and Dosia taken after learning that he had gone missing? Had they entered the forest to search for him?

And... had the Elven King’s appearance there really been a coincidence?

Aisha had told him that Elves and Fairies took turns patrolling the forest at regular intervals to ensure its safety, but the idea that even the Elven King participated in patrols was incredible.

Elves and Fairies were both children of the Light God. There seemed to be no obvious class divisions between them. Their entire people were united and affectionate, with clearly divided responsibilities and a harmonious way of life.

Shu Li was immensely grateful that he had transmigrated into a Little Fairy rather than one of the other races outside the forest.

After everything that had happened tonight, he had become deeply aware of just how cruel and dangerous the world beyond the forest could be.

One careless mistake could cost him his life.

Before he had properly mastered his abilities, he would not dare take even a single step outside the forest.

Shu Li secretly clenched his fist.

In doing so, he touched the storage ring on his index finger. He suddenly remembered that he had been hoping to meet the Elven King again so he could return it.

The divine tree was drawing closer. If he did not mention it now, he would lose his chance.

After hesitating for a moment, he gently tugged on the Elven King’s golden hair and began awkwardly, "Um... Your Majesty... you previously sent me a letter with a plump little bird."

At the words "plump little bird," the corner of the Elven King’s mouth curved upward. "What about it?"

Shu Li’s cheeks grew warm. Embarrassed, he said, "Thank you for giving me the storage ring... but it’s too valuable. I can’t accept it."

The Elven King lowered his eyes and said calmly, "No matter how valuable an object may be, if it is not used, it is no different from rubbish."

Shu Li’s jaw nearly dropped in shock.

Was this the Elven King’s attitude toward possessions?

How... how extravagant!

He had actually said that the rare... Gunalara Ring, or whatever it was called, was rubbish if no one used it!

Who knew how furious its creator would be if he heard that?

Shu Li lowered his head and looked at the silver ring on his index finger, then sighed softly. "But... I don’t want to receive something without earning it... Besides, Your Majesty saved my life. I don’t even know how to repay you."

If he kept the storage ring as well, he would owe the Elven King far too much. How could he possibly repay all that kindness?

He was only a cub right now. He had nothing.

What a dilemma!

The Elven King suddenly reached up and moved the cub into his palm, bringing them face-to-face.

Startled by the abrupt change in position, Shu Li steadied his little body and stood stiffly upright, raising his face to gaze at the golden-haired Elf now so close before him.

"If you wish to repay me—" Bathed in moonlight, the Elven King appeared even nobler and purer. In the most beautiful voice in the world, he said to the Fairy cub standing in his palm, "then grow up quickly."

"Huh?" Shu Li blinked his pale green eyes in confusion, utterly baffled.

He was about to ask what the Elven King meant when the other man shifted his gaze forward and said with a smile, "Look. They have come to meet you."

Shu Li immediately turned around and was astonished to discover that they had already drawn close to the divine tree without him noticing. Countless glowing Fairies were flying toward them like fireflies.

Closer, closer, closer still—

Shu Li saw many familiar figures.

Aisha, Siet, Lia, Dosia, Oress, Chris...

Mixed among the many adult Fairies were several tiny Fairy cubs.

Desio, Angel, Budno, Lois, Kumandi...

Shu Li’s nose stung, and tears suddenly filled his eyes.

Unable to hold himself back, he forgot even to say anything to the Elven King. He spread his wings and flew eagerly toward the Fairies.

Once he left the Elven King’s protective barrier, the night wind became somewhat fierce, buffeting him from side to side. He quickly steadied himself, pushed against the wind, and vibrated his wings at high speed as he rushed toward the Fairies waiting to welcome him.

The unicorn stopped and hovered in midair. Seated upon its back, the Elven King quietly watched one tiny point of light join countless others until they merged into a single glowing expanse.

"Sperien... Waaah! You’re finally back!"

Desio threw his arms around Shu Li, tears streaming down his face.

Angel and Budno pounced on him as well, and the four little cubs clung to one another in a tight bundle.

"Sperien... I’m sorry! I-I thought I would never see you again! Boohoo—" Budno hugged Shu Li, tears and snot flying everywhere.

"We were so worried about you, Sperien!" Angel rubbed his face vigorously against Shu Li’s and choked out, "Thank goodness you came back!"

Held tightly by his three little companions, Shu Li listened to their worried words and found his own vision blurring with tears. He hugged them back.

"Yes, I’m back. I’m sorry I worried you."

Thank goodness he had returned alive. Otherwise, he could not imagine how devastated they would have been.

It was wonderful to see them again!

Thank the gods. Thank the Elven King!

The other cubs also wanted hugs and pushed forward one after another, nearly suffocating Shu Li.

Only after the cubs had hugged him to their satisfaction and gradually moved away was Shu Li finally rescued.

What a sweet burden.

He rubbed his cheeks, which had nearly been scraped raw from all the nuzzling, and looked toward Kumandi a short distance away.

Kumandi had waited patiently. Once the other cubs dispersed, he flew closer to Shu Li and reached out to stroke his head.

"All that matters is that you came back safely."

Shu Li sniffled, his small face turning slightly red. "I’m sorry I made everyone worry."

"It wasn’t your fault," Aisha reassured him.

Dosia dragged Chris over by the ear and brought him before the golden-haired cub. She said apologetically, "It was Chris’s fault and mine."

She had become absorbed in conversation and let her attention lapse, failing to notice that the four cubs had left the center of the safe area.

And Chris, that idiot, had dawdled so much that he could not even drive away a Sekern bird. Before starting the fight, he had not bothered to sense whether any other Fairies were nearby. He had recklessly attacked and ended up involving all four cubs.

In the end, he had been forced to watch helplessly as the Sekern bird snatched the fruit-laden branch and escaped.

If the other three cubs had not come to him for help, Chris probably would not even have known that Sperien had been carried away.

After learning that Sperien was missing, all the adult Fairies had gone out together, searching the forest in a panic.

However, the forest was vast, and the Sekern bird had long since vanished without a trace, making the search extraordinarily difficult.

As the sky gradually darkened, the Fairies grew frantic with worry. They held out until nightfall before finally deciding to ask the Elven King for help.

Inside the Crystal Castle of the Elven Kingdom stood an enormous magic mirror. By casting a spell upon it, one could see anything one wished to find.

They wanted to borrow the magic mirror to locate the cub.

Using magic that linked their minds, the Fairies conveyed their request to the Elven King.

Unexpectedly, the Elven King replied that they should remain calm and that he would find Sperien.

With the Elven King’s promise, the Fairies were temporarily reassured.

They waited anxiously until the moonlight grass began to sprout. At last, they received a message from the King.

He had found Sperien, and the little fellow was safe.

The Fairies were overwhelmed with excitement. None of them went to sleep, choosing instead to wait together for the cub to return home.

When they saw the King riding a unicorn toward the divine tree, they all flew out to welcome him.

Now that they could see Sperien safe and sound, the weight hanging over their hearts finally lifted.

Still, the little fellow’s clothes were torn, his face was covered in grime, his hair was a complete mess, and several pieces of chick down clung to him. Judging by his appearance, he had suffered quite a bit before encountering the King.

Chris grimaced in pain as Dosia twisted his ear, but when he remembered the mistake he had made, he accepted whatever punishment came his way.

"Sperien, I’m sorry. Please forgive my recklessness," he apologized sincerely.

Looking at his miserable appearance, Shu Li suppressed a laugh and shook his head. "It’s all right... Actually, I was at fault too. I shouldn’t have left the safe area."

Budno might have been gluttonous, but he was still an ignorant cub.

Shu Li was different.

He was not truly a cub. An eighteen-year-old soul lived inside this small body, so he should have handled things more maturely.

If he had not left the safe area at the time, none of the dangerous events that followed would have happened.

Not only had he placed himself in danger, but he had also made so many Fairies worry about him.

Siet glanced at Chris. "A cub can be excused for making a mistake. When an adult Fairy makes one, he must be punished."

Chris raised his hand. "I accept my punishment! I accept it! Please, you absolutely must punish me!"

Otherwise, his conscience would never be at ease.

Dosia released his ear and said to Siet, "Chris is already an adult. Isn’t it time he went out to gain experience?"

Since he loved playing pranks so much, they might as well send him out to torment the other races of the continent.

Siet clapped his hands and agreed, "That’s right! What an excellent suggestion!"

Chris opened his mouth, intending to say something, but after receiving sharp looks from the many adult Fairies, he obediently swallowed his words.

Fine.

It was indeed time to travel around the continent.

In truth, for Fairies, going out onto the continent to gain experience could hardly be considered a punishment.

Shu Li blinked, feeling certain that the corners of Chris’s mouth were curving upward.

Aisha flew toward the unicorn and bowed respectfully to the Elven King. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving Sperien."

The Elven King smiled. "There is no need for thanks. Sperien is my disciple. It is only right that I care for him."

Aisha froze, a trace of surprise crossing her heart.

The Elven King continued, "He is still young and cannot leave the divine tree yet. Once he begins studying magic, I will bring him to the Elven Kingdom and teach him personally."

"...Yes." Aisha steadied herself and bowed once more.

How had she forgotten? Every disciple of the King was personally instructed by him.

Saint Mage Danlov, Dragon King Harmon, and the Elven warrior Ilio had all become among the finest in the world after receiving the Elven King’s teachings.

She believed that Sperien, too, would one day stand at the summit of power and become renowned throughout the world.

"Go on. Return home and rest properly." The Elven King lightly patted the unicorn.

The unicorn neighed, drawing the attention of all the Fairies.

They turned toward the Elven King in unison and bowed respectfully.

Shu Li flew several meters forward, mist gathering in his eyes as reluctance filled his heart.

The other cubs, who had never seen the Elven King before, let out excited exclamations.

The Elven King waved to them. The unicorn turned, spread its wings, and flew away. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a streak of light and disappeared beyond the horizon.

After seeing the Elven King off, the Fairies returned to the divine tree.

When Shu Li arrived back at his home, tears filled his eyes.

The moment he entered, he flopped onto the soft carpet and rubbed himself against it again and again.

Everything he had experienced that night felt like a dream, one filled with danger and terror.

Fortunately, he was home.

Afraid that the cub had gone hungry outside, Aisha brought him a plate piled high with fruit.

Shu Li went to the bathroom, hurriedly took a bath, changed into clean clothes, and sat cross-legged on the carpet. Holding one fruit in each hand, he took enormous bites from both.

After spending the entire night frightened out of his wits, he was so hungry that his stomach felt glued to his back.

"Mmm... delicious... You should eat too!" He gestured toward the other cubs in the room.

Redhead, Whitehead, the little fatty, and Jingjing were all sitting on the carpet, watching him devour the food.

"We’re not hungry," Budno said, shaking his head. For once, he resisted the temptation of food.

"We’ve all eaten already." Desio thoughtfully passed Shu Li more fruit, while Angel collected the pits he spat out and placed them in a small dish.

Fruit pits were seeds and could not be discarded. After being collected, they would all be sent to the orchard for planting.

Kumandi asked, "Would you like some hot water?"

Shu Li swallowed the fruit in his mouth and nodded vigorously. "Yes."

Kumandi stood, picked up the kettle from the table, filled it with water, and placed it on the stove. He skillfully recited an incantation and asked the Fire God to ignite the magic stone.

The other cubs gathered around curiously, chattering that they would also go to the commercial district tomorrow to buy stoves and kettles.

Shu Li finished every fruit on the plate, gave a satisfied burp, and looked utterly content.

Once the water boiled, Kumandi poured each cub a cup of hot water.

Holding his little cup, Shu Li asked in confusion, "Aren’t we adding tea leaves?"

"It isn’t good to drink tea late at night," Kumandi replied. "It can keep you awake."

Ordinarily, the cubs should already have been lying in bed, sleeping soundly at this hour. Dawn would arrive in a little over three hours.

"Oh." Shu Li nodded. After waiting for the water to cool, he drank it in small sips.

The warm water entered his stomach, filling him with heat and comfort. The tension that had gripped him all night gradually eased.

Then drowsiness came rushing in.

He gave an enormous yawn, his mind growing hazy with exhaustion.

The other three cubs could no longer endure it either and began yawning repeatedly. They had originally wanted to ask Shu Li about all the dangers he had experienced that night, but one after another, they lost the strength to stay awake. They set down their cups and sprawled across the carpet, drifting into sleep.

Kumandi was the only Fairy who remained awake.

He looked at the cubs lying together, took a blanket down from the bed, and covered Shu Li with it. Then he removed a broad rug from his storage pouch and spread it over the other three cubs.

Once all four cubs were sound asleep, he extinguished the light and quietly left the cub’s little home.