Chapter 71: Should we learn from the Elf King, who couldn’t even open a "textbook"?...

Shu Li cautiously flew through the library doors.

It was not as dark inside as he had imagined. Sunlight streamed down through the multicolored glass skylight, mingling with the glowing magic stones embedded in the pillars to create a dazzling display of color.

The entire library resembled a colossal tower. Bookshelves lined the walls, rising in tiers to a height of more than thirty meters. Countless books stood neatly arranged upon them, packed so densely that there was simply too much to take in at once.

Although Shu Li had visited the library several times before, the sheer size of its collection still astonished him.

He craned his little neck and looked all around until his head began to spin, then hurriedly lowered it again.

This library was said to house the most complete collection of books on the entire continent. Some had survived from ancient times and were written on bark, wooden tablets, clay, tortoiseshell, animal hides, or linen. They were extremely fragile and had to be carefully preserved with magic.

However, Elves were a diligent people.

Using the finest modern paper, they copied and organized books from ancient times, creating new editions that future generations could read more easily.

The divine tree also had a library, but its books were miniature volumes copied by Fairies and suitable only for Fairies to use.

Shu Li slowly flew deeper inside. Passing rows of empty tables and chairs, he reached a spot by the window and immediately saw the Elven King sitting at a table, leafing through a book.

The morning sunlight shone through the window behind the golden-haired Elf, bathing him in a hazy glow. His immaculately combed hair fell sleek and straight down his back, while the silver crown signifying his noble status glittered beneath the sunlight.

The Elven King’s features were deep-set and sharply defined. Sitting there in silence, he radiated the cold beauty of an ice sculpture, lofty and unapproachable, enough to make anyone hesitate to draw near.

Yet when those profound green eyes gazed upon someone, they seemed to steal away their very soul, drawing them helplessly into their depths. A reverent devotion would rise within them unbidden, making them willing to submit at his feet.

Whenever Shu Li spent time with the Elven King, he unconsciously cast aside every distracting thought and devoted himself entirely to looking up to him, determined to show him his very best side.

Unfortunately, things never went as planned. Whenever Shu Li found himself in an embarrassing situation, the Elven King was always there to witness it.

Just remembering the day the Dark Elf had hunted him down, when he had clung to the Elven King’s chest and sobbed his heart out, made him feel utterly humiliated.

And then yesterday, when he had called the merfolk king by the wrong name {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} in front of everyone...

Ahhh, he couldn’t think about it anymore!

Shu Li shook his head vigorously, trying to fling those awful memories out of his mind.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

At the sound of that gentle voice, Shu Li instantly froze. He awkwardly raised his eyes toward the Elven King by the window.

At some point, the Elven King had closed his book. A faint smile graced his handsome face as his emerald eyes regarded Shu Li warmly.

“G-good morning.” Shu Li tried his best to act natural. Beating his wings, he flew toward the Elven King and lightly touched down on the tabletop.

However, whether the table had been polished too smooth or he simply failed to find his footing, he stumbled and abruptly pitched forward.

“Ah!”

Shu Li cried out softly. Forgetting all about the wings on his back, he flailed his arms in an attempt to steady himself.

But the more anxious he became, the easier it was to make mistakes. With a splat, he fell flat on his face.

Wah!

This was... so embarrassing!

How could this happen?

Why was it that whenever he was in front of the Elven King, he was either dying of embarrassment or well on his way there?

He had smacked his nose against the table. It hurt—

A pair of warm hands lifted him. Covering his nose, Shu Li sat back on his knees, his eyes watering as he looked pitifully at the Elven King.

“Did you hurt yourself?” The Elven King leaned closer and carefully examined his soft, fair, round little face.

“N-no... only a little...” Shu Li instinctively leaned backward.

No matter how handsome someone was, having his face this close still felt somewhat overwhelming.

Noticing his discomfort, the Elven King moved half a foot back. He gently placed his free right hand over Shu Li’s head and softly recited a light-element healing spell.

Shu Li felt a warm current pour into him through the top of his head and spread throughout his body. The pain vanished instantly.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” He rubbed his nose and expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

The Elven King gently set him down, then took a miniature table and chair from a drawer and placed them on top of the large table.

Shu Li stared at the exquisite little furniture in astonishment.

His Majesty was so thoughtful!

He had even prepared a special desk and chair for Shu Li’s lessons!

Delighted, Shu Li pulled out the chair and sat down. He took his notebook and quill from his storage ring, arranged them neatly on the desk, then placed both hands behind his waist and sat perfectly straight like an elementary school student waiting for his “teacher” to begin the lesson.

The Elven King was amused by his obedient appearance. He lightly touched Shu Li’s forehead with the pad of one finger, then, under the cub’s puzzled gaze, placed a thick book on the desk in front of him.

“This is a book on the fundamentals of magic. Start by reading it.”

Shu Li leaned forward and stared at the hardcover book, which was nearly as tall as his little desk.

This book... was comparable to the Modern Chinese Dictionary from his original world. It had to be at least a thousand pages long.

Shu Li swallowed, a troubled expression appearing on his round little face.

“Do I... have to finish all of it today?” he asked softly, looking up at the Elven King’s flawless face. He knew his own reading speed perfectly well. A hundred pages in one day would already be impressive.

The Elven King did not pressure him. Smiling, he said, “Read as much as you can.”

Shu Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness! He didn’t have to finish it in a single day!

Spreading his wings, he flew out of his chair and landed on the thick magic book. He lowered his head to read the tadpole-like Elven script on its cover.

Secrets of Beginning Magic.

Wow!

Secrets!

That meant this book compiled the wealth of experience left by those who had come before, explaining the crucial methods that would offer Mage Apprentices the best possible shortcut.

As expected of the Elven Kingdom’s library. It even had an incredible book like this.

Its only flaw was that it was much too large and thick for a Little Fairy.

Shu Li stepped backward onto his little desk. Gripping one corner of the rigid cover with both hands, he pulled upward with all his might.

Huh???

It wouldn’t budge!

He must not have tried hard enough. Time to try again.

He breathed on his palms, firmly gripped the corner of the cover, and pulled upward once more.

“Eeyah—”

Shu Li exerted every ounce of strength in his body, but the cover did not move in the slightest. Refusing to accept defeat, he stubbornly kept at it and even brought his wings into play. Yet the hardcover might as well have been welded shut. It refused to give him even the slightest bit of cooperation.

“Huff, huff, huff—”

Shu Li temporarily gave up and stood on his little desk, panting for breath.

The Elven King watched him at his leisure, showing no intention whatsoever of lending a hand.

Shu Li’s face flushed. How could he possibly bring himself to ask for help?

As a student, being unable to even open his textbook on the first day of lessons was seriously humiliating, or what?

He decided to try from another position. Beating his gauzy wings, he flew to the side of the book. He braced his little feet against the large table, placed both hands beneath the edge of the cover, and pushed upward.

“Heave-ho—”

A narrow gap opened beneath the cover.

Seeing hope, Shu Li redoubled his efforts. His wings buzzed furiously as he used the force of his flight to push the cover upward.

Just as he managed to raise it a centimeter, the last of his strength ran out.

Slap!

The cover fell shut again, wiping out all his hard work.

Sweat covered Shu Li’s forehead. Too tired to care about his appearance, he plopped down on the table and looked up at the Elven King, his face crimson.

“Your Majesty, I’m sorry... I... I can’t open it.” His toes curled in mortification.

Fortunately, no other Elves were in the library. Only the Elven King had witnessed his humiliation.

It wasn’t the first time, anyway.

He just had to get used to it.

Wah—

He didn’t want to get used to it!

Shu Li’s ears drooped dejectedly.

Holding a beautifully bound book, the Elven King effortlessly opened its hardcover, making Shu Li burn with envy.

Wah, he wanted to grow up as soon as possible. Once he was bigger, he would be able to do so many things.

“Why don’t you try using magic to open it?” the Elven King asked, looking down at the Little Fairy.

Shu Li’s eyes lit up with sudden realization.

That was right!

If physical methods didn’t work, he could use supernatural magic!

Whenever his eldest brother encountered a problem he could not solve, their father would remind him not to be bound by convention. He needed to use his head and find another approach.

Shu Li immediately rose and took a step back. He drew his magic staff, aimed it at the book, and loudly recited, “Great Wind God Wendis Inor, I am Sperien of the Faerie Forest. I ask that you command the wind elements to gather around me and bring me a gust of wind that will lift the cover of this magic book—”

The wind elements instantly surged. A tiny whirlwind emerged from the tip of his magic staff and rushed toward the book.

Under Shu Li’s expectant gaze, the whirlwind circled the edge of the book once and quickly vanished.

That was it?

Shu Li’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Wasn’t that tiny whirlwind being much too perfunctory? What was the point of circling the book once? Wasn’t it supposed to lift the cover and help him open the book?

Scratching the back of his head, Shu Li stole a glance at the Elven King. Seeing that the Elven King’s attention was focused on the book in his own hands, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was fine. Failure was the mother of success. If one attempt failed, he would try twice. If two attempts failed, he would try three times. As long as he kept trying, he would eventually succeed.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself, aimed his magic staff at the book again, and recited the spell.

“Great Wind God Wendis Inor... bring me a gust of wind capable of lifting the cover of this magic book...”

The tiny whirlwind successfully appeared. He gently flicked his magic staff, and the whirlwind spun toward the book.

Shu Li stared at it intently, praying over and over in his heart.

Go! Lift it! Hurry!

To his disappointment, this tiny whirlwind was just as perfunctory as the last. It spun around once and disappeared.

Shu Li puffed out his cheeks, determined to keep at it until he succeeded.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that on his very first day of studying under the Elven King, he would be unable even to open his “textbook.”

No one would believe him if he told them!

“Great Wind God Wendis Inor, I am Sperien of the Faerie Forest...”

Failure!

“Great Wind God Wendis Inor...”

Another failure.

“Great...”

Yet another failure.

“...”

After ten consecutive attempts, Shu Li began to feel exhausted. Even his tongue was no longer cooperating.

“Great Wind God Wendis Butnor... Ptooey!”

He quickly patted his mouth.

Sure enough, his tendency to trip over his words had reared its head again, drastically reducing the efficiency of his spellcasting. If he ever found himself in a real battle, he might stumble over the incantation before he could defeat the enemy, throw himself into confusion, and completely lose his rhythm.

Shu Li raked his fingers through his hair in distress.

The beautiful hairstyle he had arranged that morning was now a complete mess.

“Sperien...”

The Elven King’s gentle voice sounded above him. Shu Li froze, then slowly raised his head, shame filling his heart.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty... I can’t open the book even with magic. I’m completely useless!”

Normally, the Elven King would have thoughtfully helped him open it long ago. But this was lesson time, so aside from quietly observing him, he had done nothing.

For the first time, Shu Li experienced the Elven King’s strictness.

“What do you think magic is?” the Elven King asked.

“What is magic?” Shu Li repeated blankly.

Magic was magic. Could it mean something else?

The Elven King closed his book and set it aside. Taking the tiny magic staff from Shu Li, he pointed it at Secrets of Beginning Magic and recited a simple spell.

“Wind elements, please help me open this book.”

A current of air emerged from the tip of the tiny magic staff and drifted toward the book. Like a pair of invisible hands, it gently opened the rigid cover.

Shu Li’s mouth formed a perfect circle.

Amazing!

With one simple incantation, he had made the wind elements obediently follow his command.

Meeting the Little Fairy’s worshipful gaze, the Elven King returned his magic staff and closed the book again.

“Do not regard magic merely as a tool for achieving a goal. Think of it as a part of your body. Or rather, magic is your will, your conviction, and the desire of your heart. Natural elements are energy, and an incantation is the key that transforms that energy. A mage uses that key to communicate with the natural elements. When your will is firm enough, the natural elements will take tangible form and act at your command.”

Shu Li tightened his grip on his magic staff, only half understanding.

The Elven King lightly tapped his head with one finger and said solemnly, “Sperien, it is not the incantation that determines what form magic takes. It is your thoughts.”

“My thoughts?” Shu Li tilted his head slightly and carefully considered the Elven King’s words.

Magic was will, conviction, and the desire of the heart. Whatever form it took was determined by thought.

The incantation was merely a key that transformed energy.

In short, magic was controlled by thought.

Obsessing over whether an incantation was right or wrong meant he had fallen into a misconception. A mage’s will should transcend the incantation.

Shu Li composed himself and raised his magic staff high, aiming it at the book. He gently closed his eyes and formed a clear image of the cover opening in his mind. Then he recited, “Wind elements, please help me open this book—”

A current of air abruptly burst forth and surged toward the magic book.

Shu Li opened his eyes and stared fixedly at the current, repeatedly envisioning the motion of opening the book.

Perhaps his will truly had taken effect, because the current obediently lifted the cover and slowly, ever so slowly, opened it.

He had succeeded!

Shu Li’s eyes widened with delight.

The next second, his body felt as though it had been completely hollowed out. All his strength deserted him, and his legs gave way. He collapsed onto the tabletop, his head spinning and throbbing.