Chapter 95: Shuli, who successfully stole the number one fruit, was surrounded by the elves...

Shu Li had thought he might oversleep, but his internal clock woke him right on time. Not only did he get up early, but he was also full of energy, without the slightest trace of drowsiness.

Good news really did put a spring in one’s step.

Humming a tune, he released his core power and enlarged his body, cleaned himself up until he felt fresh and spotless, then headed out looking positively radiant.

“Good morning, Sperien!”

“Good morning, Sayah. You look very beautiful today!”

Shu Li’s words were sweet as honey, making Sayah’s eyes curve with delight.

“Well, look at you, little Sperien. You’re in high spirits today. Did something good happen?” Ilio asked.

“Something good? Of course!” Shu Li proudly lifted his chin and puffed out his chest.

“What was it? Tell us so we can share in your happiness.” Ilio winked at him.

“It’s... a secret!” Shu Li stuck out his tongue and skipped away, leaving Ilio staring after him in speechless disbelief.

Sayah burst out laughing.

That was what he got for teasing children every day.

After breakfast, Shu Li eagerly went to the library for his lessons. When he saw the Elven King sitting by the window, he bowed respectfully and thanked him.

The Elven King smiled. “Why are you thanking me?”

Shu Li answered earnestly, “Because Your Majesty encouraged me, I found the courage to do what I wanted.”

He had originally been full of misgivings about negotiating with Efit, but the king’s words had steadied him like an anchor, giving him the courage to press forward.

Fortunately, he had successfully persuaded Efit to become his long-term partner. With Efit covering for him, he could now transfer the fruits openly.

The Elven King gazed at the stars shining in the young Fairy’s eyes and offered his approval and praise. “Holding fast to your convictions as you grow is no easy feat.”

The king’s praise made Shu Li’s heart as sweet as honey, and he threw himself into his studies with even greater diligence.

He remained energetic all day, tackling everything with boundless enthusiasm. Even losing ten consecutive archery matches against Ilio failed to discourage him.

That evening, he returned to his room, shrank into his tiny form, and sprawled over his miniature desk to enthusiastically update his diary with everything that had happened during yesterday’s negotiations. His neat, regular handwriting gradually turned into wild cursive as his urge to express himself overflowed.

He wrote ten pages in a single breath. Still not entirely satisfied, he set down his pen and admired the entire entry from beginning to end, immensely pleased with himself.

He had spent so long writing that it was nearly midnight before he realized it. After tidying up, he beat his wings and flew through the gap in the window into the courtyard. He greeted the mother tree, quickly slipped into the trunk, and passed through the spatial tunnel to reach the Dark Elves’ territory.

The sun over Varnaku was as merciless as ever. The instant Shu Li poked his head out of the trunk of the mother tree’s offshoot, he felt as though he were about to melt.

He hurriedly hid beneath a dark green leaf, took out his magic staff, and prepared to purify the mother tree first.

Suddenly, he felt a piercing gaze directed at him. He dropped flat in alarm and cautiously searched for its owner.

It was Efit.

Shu Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He came awfully early today, didn’t he?

Dark Elves generally preferred the night. With the sunlight at its fiercest at noon, they would rather remain indoors than venture outside.

The mother tree had deliberately chosen noon for him to perform the purification precisely because she understood the Dark Elves’ habits.

Efit, however, was an exception.

Ever since taking on this job, he had made a point of coming after lunch each day to count the fruits.

Previously, Shu Li had avoided him either by arriving early or by remaining hidden until Efit finished counting and left before purifying the mother tree.

Efit wore a sun-shielding hood. He held a notebook in one hand and a black quill in the other as he looked up at the high branches. His exceptional eyesight immediately spotted the Little Fairy who had negotiated with him yesterday.

Shu Li gave him a friendly wave in greeting.

Efit remained frozen in the act of recording a number and offered no response.

Shu Li did not need one. He simply raised his magic staff and silently cast purification magic on the trunk.

One, one, three, four, five—and done.

Now that he was a Senior Mage, casting purification magic five times was well within his abilities.

The mother tree had suffered prolonged erosion by darkness. If she absorbed too many light elements at once, it would have the opposite effect and provoke a backlash from the dark power.

After finishing the purification, Shu Li beat his wings and flew upward. He found the little fruit he needed to purify, stuck his tiny bottom in the air, and crawled into the little space formed by the leaves.

With his sharp eyesight, Efit watched the Little Fairy’s practiced movements, and the corners of his lips rose involuntarily. Halfway into a smile, however, his brows furrowed slightly.

For five whole years, he had never once noticed any sign of the Little Fairy. He had only learned of his existence after the Little Fairy deliberately revealed himself.

Now that they had reached an agreement, Efit would honor it and cover for him properly.

Once Shu Li finished purifying the little fruit, he eagerly asked the mother tree, “Eunomysis, can we transfer Fruit Number One now?”

He hugged the fresh green fruit and could not resist giving it a kiss. In a soft voice, he said, “Little Fruit, we’ll be going home soon.”

“Yes. Fruit Number One has been completely purified. Once it is moved back to the main trunk, the child born from it will be a pure White Elf.”

The mother tree’s gentle voice echoed through Shu Li’s mind.

“That’s wonderful! Eunomysis, let’s hurry and do it! How do we transfer it? What do I need to do?”

Shu Li released the little fruit and wiggled his ears excitedly.

“In a moment, I will sever Fruit Number One’s stem. You must immediately use wood magic to sustain its life, then carry it through the spatial tunnel within my roots. Once you return to the main trunk, use restorative wood magic to reconnect its stem to me.”

“All right!”

It did not sound difficult. Now that he could silently cast wood magic, the process would be much easier.

“Begin—”

The fruit’s stem snapped the next instant. Reacting swiftly, Shu Li raised his magic staff and silently recited the wood spell that would preserve its vitality. A sphere of green light enveloped Fruit Number One.

The glow was rather conspicuous. Without hesitation, Shu Li hugged Fruit Number One and plunged into the trunk. His vision blurred, and he emerged at the other end of the spatial tunnel. Guided by the mother tree, he returned to the Elven courtyard.

In the darkness of night, the little fruit glowed with a soft green light like a tiny lamp.

Holding it in his arms, Shu Li beat his wings and found a branch where the foliage on the mother tree’s main trunk was thickest. He placed the fruit there, then silently recited the spell with a devout heart.

“Spirit of Wood, please use the purest wood elements to restore the bond of blood between the mother tree and her child, and return everything to its rightful state.”

“As you wish—”

The Spirit of Wood’s voice suddenly rang out. Her spectral form appeared on the mother tree’s branch, and with a lift of both hands, she scattered a shower of green starlight over Fruit Number One. The instant the starlight touched the fruit, it filled it with boundless vitality. Its stem automatically sought out the most suitable branch and firmly took root there.

Shu Li stared in astonishment.

Fruit Number One had successfully reconnected with the mother tree’s main trunk without the slightest sign that it had ever been transplanted.

“That’s amazing!” He put away his magic staff and fluttered around Fruit Number One in a circle, marveling at the sight.

The Spirit of Wood sat elegantly upon the branch and swept aside her willow-like hair, smiling as she watched the delighted Little Fairy.

“Sperien, instead of sleeping at night, you’ve been busy grafting fruit onto the Elven mother tree?”

The Little Fairy circling the fruit abruptly stiffened, his soft, pale face revealing that his secret had been discovered.

Oh no!

He had been so happy that he had forgotten all about the elusive Spirit of Wood!

Reciting the spell was essentially the same as summoning her.

Her assistance had made the magic flawless, but it had also exposed his act of “stealing fruit.”

“Where did this fruit come from? Surely...” The Spirit of Wood deliberately asked a question whose answer she already knew. “Surely you didn’t steal it from the Dark Elves?”

Shu Li’s ears drooped. Blinking his pale green eyes, he clasped his hands together. “Fenlis, please keep this a secret for me. I’m begging you!”

Fenlis was the Spirit of Wood’s name. He had once heard the Elven King call her that inside the illusion.

The Spirit of Wood leaned closer to Shu Li and smiled. “Since you’re asking me, I suppose I have no choice but to agree. How could I possibly refuse such an adorable and courageous Little Fairy?”

Shu Li’s small face reddened slightly. “Th-Thank you.”

The Spirit of Wood’s lips curved upward. She turned toward the little fruit nurturing an Elf cub, and her expression softened, though she continued teasing the Little Fairy.

“Sperien, aren’t you afraid that bringing the fruit here directly might cause the mother tree to give birth to a Dark Elf cub?”

“No, it won’t!” Shu Li immediately protested. “I purified Fruit Number One for many days. There isn’t any dark power left in it now! I only helped transfer it because the mother tree said it was ready!”

“Oh, is that so?” The Spirit of Wood still sounded doubtful.

Shu Li puffed out his cheeks and began organizing his thoughts so he could defend himself, but the mother tree’s spectral form appeared in time to speak on his behalf.

“Fenlis, do not tease the child,” the mother tree said solemnly. “Sperien played a significant role in restoring my consciousness and vitality. Now he is risking his life to secure the future of the Elven race. His contribution cannot be overstated.”

At these words, the playfulness vanished from the Spirit of Wood’s face. She gazed deeply at the Little Fairy. “Please forgive my careless words.”

Shu Li had never been angry in the first place. Seeing the Spirit of Wood apologize, he hurriedly waved his hands.

“It-It’s all right! For the prosperity of the Elven race, I’ve only made a tiny, insignificant contribution.”

Without the Elven King’s blessing, he could not have cast silent purification magic. Without the spatial tunnel in the mother tree’s roots, he could not have reached the Dark Elves’ territory. Without the Spirit of Wood’s recognition, he would still be only an Intermediate Mage and would never have learned to cast wood magic silently.

How could anyone possibly resist such a modest Little Fairy?

The Spirit of Wood said, “Don’t worry. I will keep your secret.”

The fact that a certain fiercely protective Elven King had witnessed everything from the room opposite hardly counted as her revealing it!

“Thank you.” Shu Li exhaled in relief. He did not want the Elves to know about his “glorious achievements” yet. He was afraid that once they found out, they would worry themselves sick and refuse to let him return to the Dark Elves’ territory.

There were still so many fruits left to “steal”!

The mother tree and the Spirit of Wood exchanged a glance before the mother tree said gently, “Sperien, it is late. You should go to sleep.”

Shu Li stared at the little fruit growing on the mother tree’s branch, feeling slightly dazed.

The transplant had been so simple that he barely felt any sense of accomplishment.

“Good night, Eunomysis. Good night, Fenlis... Good night, Fruit Number One.”

Before leaving, Shu Li deliberately flew over to the little fruit and stroked it twice. Then he reluctantly returned to his room.

He had expected to be too excited to sleep, but his adolescent body demanded rest. He burrowed beneath the soft covers, nuzzled into them a few times, and promptly drifted off.

The next morning, the commotion in the courtyard woke him.

“Oh, Light God above! The mother tree has borne fruit!”

“Did the Light God hear our prayers? Not only has the mother tree recovered half her vitality, but she even has a fruit now!”

“After more than five hundred years, the Elven race is finally welcoming new life!”

“Ilio, you won’t be the youngest Elf anymore!”

“This is all thanks to...”

“Yes... We must thank him for everything he has done for the Elven race.”

“Shh—”

Shu Li woke in a daze. His hair sticking up in every direction, he rubbed his sleepy eyes, crawled out from beneath the covers, and flew to the window.

Through the glass, he saw the courtyard packed with excited Elves. Even the most reserved among them were babbling incoherently and waving their arms like children.

Oh. The Elves had discovered the little fruit growing on the mother tree’s branch.

Shu Li instantly perked up, and a brilliant smile spread across his face.

Helping others really was the greatest source of happiness.

Although the Elves did not know that he deserved half the credit for the mother tree bearing fruit, the joy on their faces still made his own heart feel sweet.

After watching for a while, he flew to the bathroom to wash, changed into clean new clothes, and restored his core power. Then he swaggered into the courtyard, stopped beneath the mother tree, and looked up at the fruit hanging from her branch.

“Wow, wow, wow! The mother tree has borne fruit! That’s amaaaaaazing!”

At his shout, all the Elves who knew the truth turned toward him, unable to stop the corners of their mouths from rising.

Shu Li continued his performance. “Look! This fruit is so fresh and green! It’s definitely going to produce an adorable, beautiful Elf cub.”

“Ahem. Y-Yes, Sperien is absolutely right!” Sayah reached out and rubbed his head, then took a box from her storage pouch. “I’m so happy today. This is for you.”

“Huh?” An exquisite box was thrust into Shu Li’s arms.

When the other Elves saw this, they began pulling out their most treasured possessions as well.

“Today is a wonderful day. Sperien, this is for you. Hurry and take it.”

“To celebrate the cub’s coming birth, here’s a toy for you. No need to be polite.”

“...”

Shu Li fumbled frantically as he tried to accept everything.

What? What? What?

What was going on?

They were happy, so why were they giving him a mountain of presents?

“That’s enough, that’s enough... There are really too many... I can’t take them fast enough...”

Surrounded on every side, Shu Li struggled to squeeze his way out. His arms had gone weak from accepting gifts, and just as he was about to be buried beneath the growing pile, his sharp eyes spotted the Elven King standing at the back.

He reached out a hand in desperation. “Your Majesty—”

The Elven King raised both hands. An invisible force pushed away the Elves surrounding Shu Li, and Shu Li’s entire body floated into the air. He drifted toward the Elven King and descended into his arms.

Suddenly finding himself carried like a princess, Shu Li blinked innocently.