Min-jun woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed than he had in years. The palace bed was incredibly comfortable, and the gentle sounds of his magical companions sleeping peacefully around the room created a soothing atmosphere. Bounce had somehow managed to curl up in the silk curtains, while the Crystal Wolves were sprawled across the expensive rugs like giant, sparkling house cats.
A soft knock at the door interrupted his morning stretch. "Come in," he called, quickly putting on one of the elegant robes the palace had provided.
A young palace servant entered, carrying a silver tray laden with breakfast. "Good morning, Lord Min-jun. Princess Seraphina asked me to bring you breakfast and to inform you that she and Lady Cecilia will meet you in the Royal Library at ten o'clock."
"Thank you," Min-jun replied, accepting the tray. The breakfast smelled incredible - fresh bread, eggs, fruit, and something that looked like magical coffee but smelled even better.
After eating and getting dressed in one of his new outfits, Min-jun made his way through the palace corridors toward the Royal Library. He was getting better at navigating the maze-like hallways, though he still had to ask for directions twice.
The Royal Library was magnificent. It wasn't quite as large as the Ancient Library of All Knowledge, but it was certainly more elegant. Tall shelves reached toward a vaulted ceiling painted with murals depicting the history of the kingdom. Comfortable reading areas were scattered throughout, with plush chairs and good lighting for studying.
Princess Seraphina and Lady Cecilia were waiting for him near the entrance, both dressed in practical but elegant day clothes.
"Good morning, Lord Min-jun," Princess Seraphina greeted him cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"
"Very well, thank you. Your palace hospitality is incredible."
"I'm glad to hear it," Lady Cecilia said. "We have quite a bit of research ahead of us today."
They were joined by the head librarian, an elderly woman named Scholar Beatrice who wore thick spectacles and had the kind of precise manner that suggested decades of organizing knowledge.
"Lord Min-jun," she said with a respectful bow, "His Majesty has given you access to our restricted archives. This is a rare privilege that comes with significant responsibility."
"I understand," Min-jun replied seriously.
"The documents you'll be examining contain detailed information about the time before the Great Transformation," Scholar Beatrice explained as she led them deeper into the library. "Much of this knowledge is considered dangerous because it describes magical practices and entities that no longer exist in our purified world."
They stopped at a heavy wooden door marked with symbols that seemed to glow faintly. Scholar Beatrice pressed her hand against a crystal panel, and the door swung open silently.
The restricted archives were smaller than the main library but felt much more intense. The books here were bound in strange materials - some in scales, others in what looked like metal, and a few in substances Min-jun couldn't identify. The air hummed with magical energy, and he could feel his System responding to the proximity of so much arcane knowledge.
"These are the texts about the Whispering Mountains specifically," Scholar Beatrice said, indicating a section of shelves. "And these cover the general history of the pre-Transformation period. I'll leave you to your research, but please be careful. Some of these books can affect the reader's mind if studied too intensively."
After the librarian left, the three of them settled at a large table and began examining the ancient texts. Min-jun was amazed to find that he could read all of them, regardless of what language they appeared to be written in. Apparently, Admin's enhancements included some kind of universal translation ability.
"This is fascinating," Princess Seraphina said, looking up from a book titled "Chronicles of the Dark Age." "Before the Great Transformation, our world was completely different. There were wars, monsters, dark magic, suffering... it's hard to imagine."
"And yet people were stronger in some ways," Lady Cecilia observed, reading from another volume. "They had to develop powerful abilities just to survive. Some of the magic described here is incredibly advanced."
Min-jun was studying a particularly interesting book called "The Whispering Mountains: Gateway to the Ancient Powers." According to the text, the ruins in the mountains had once been a major magical research facility where scholars studied the fundamental forces that governed reality.
"Listen to this," he said, reading aloud. "The Whispering Mountains facility was designed to investigate the deepest mysteries of the System that governs all life and magic. The researchers there were attempting to unlock what they called 'Administrator Functions' - abilities that could modify the basic rules of reality itself."
"Administrator Functions?" Princess Seraphina repeated with interest.
"It says here that only a few individuals in history ever gained access to these functions," Min-jun continued. "They were called System Administrators, and they had the power to change fundamental aspects of how magic and reality worked."
Lady Cecilia leaned forward excitedly. "That could explain the Great Transformation! Maybe whoever purified our world was one of these System Administrators!"
Min-jun nodded, though privately he knew that Admin was actually the original creator of the System, not just someone who had learned to use it. Still, this information was helping him understand more about how Aetheria worked.
As they continued reading, a commotion outside the archives caught their attention. Voices were raised in what sounded like an argument, followed by the sound of something crashing.
"What was that?" Princess Seraphina asked, looking worried.
Before anyone could answer, Scholar Beatrice burst through the door, looking flustered and upset.
"Your Highness!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry to interrupt, but we have a situation in the main library!"
"What kind of situation?" Lady Cecilia asked, already standing up.
"A group of young nobles are causing quite a disturbance," the librarian explained. "They're demanding access to combat magic texts that are beyond their skill level, and when I refused, they became belligerent. One of them tried to cast a fire spell and nearly set an entire bookshelf ablaze!"
Princess Seraphina sighed. "Let me guess - Prince Roderick and his friends?"
"I'm afraid so, Your Highness."
Min-jun had heard that name mentioned during dinner the previous evening. Prince Roderick was apparently a distant cousin of Princess Seraphina, the second son of a minor royal house. According to the gossip, he was spoiled, arrogant, and had a tendency to cause problems whenever he visited the capital.
"We should go handle this," Princess Seraphina said apologetically. "I'm sorry, Lord Min-jun. Royal family drama wasn't supposed to be part of your research time."
"Maybe I can help," Min-jun offered. "What exactly is the problem?"
"Prince Roderick fancies himself a great warrior," Lady Cecilia explained as they hurried toward the main library. "But he lacks both skill and discipline. He's constantly trying to learn advanced techniques before mastering the basics, and he gets angry when people try to stop him."
They found the main library in chaos. A young man who was clearly Prince Roderick stood in the center of the disturbance, red-faced and shouting at Scholar Beatrice. He was handsome in a conventional way, but his expression of entitled rage made him distinctly unattractive. Around him, several other young nobles stood watching with expressions ranging from embarrassment to amusement.
Scorch marks on the floor and a pile of ash that had once been books showed evidence of his magical tantrum.
"I am a prince of the royal blood!" Roderick was shouting. "You cannot deny me access to any knowledge in this library!"
"Your Highness," Scholar Beatrice replied with strained patience, "the advanced combat magic texts require a license from the Royal Academy. It's for your own safety as much as everyone else's."
"My safety?" Roderick scoffed. "I've been studying magic for years! I don't need some dusty old woman telling me what I can and can't read!"
"That's enough," Princess Seraphina said firmly as she approached the group. "Roderick, you're causing a scene."
Prince Roderick turned toward her, and his expression shifted to one of smug confidence. "Ah, cousin Seraphina. Come to defend your pet librarians?"
"I've come to restore order," she replied coolly. "You've damaged valuable books and disrupted other scholars. This behavior is unacceptable."
"Unacceptable?" Roderick laughed. "What are you going to do about it? Have me arrested? We both know Father would never allow that."
Min-jun watched the exchange with growing irritation. He had dealt with entitled bullies like this in his previous life - people who thought their status gave them the right to treat others poorly. The main difference was that this bully had magical powers.
"Perhaps," Min-jun said, stepping forward, "the issue isn't about access to the books, but about whether Prince Roderick is actually ready for advanced magic."
All eyes turned to him, and Min-jun felt a moment of nervousness. But then he remembered his new appearance and enhanced confidence. He stood straighter and met Prince Roderick's gaze directly.
"And who exactly are you?" Roderick asked with obvious disdain.
"This is Lord Min-jun," Princess Seraphina said proudly. "The hero who saved Lady Cecilia and me from bandits just days ago."
Min-jun saw Roderick's expression shift as he took in Min-jun's tall, handsome appearance and confident bearing. There was a flash of envy and insecurity before it was covered by increased arrogance.
"A hero?" Roderick sneered. "He looks like another pretty-faced foreigner trying to impress our noble ladies."
"Watch your tongue," Lady Cecilia warned, stepping beside Min-jun. "Lord Min-jun has proven his worth through actions, not words."
"Has he indeed?" Roderick's eyes glittered with malice. "Then perhaps he'd be willing to prove it again. I challenge you, foreign hero, to a magical duel. Winner takes all - the loser admits their inferiority publicly."
Min-jun felt his System interface pulse with what seemed like anticipation. This was exactly the kind of situation he had dealt with countless times in video games - the arrogant rival who needed to be put in his place.
"I don't think that's necessary," Min-jun said diplomatically. "There's no need for violence over access to books."
"Are you afraid?" Roderick taunted. "I thought heroes were supposed to be brave."
Princess Seraphina looked worried. "Roderick, this is foolish. Lord Min-jun is our guest."
"Then let our guest prove he deserves such hospitality," Roderick replied. "Unless, of course, he's all reputation and no substance."
Min-jun considered his options. He could walk away and probably look weak, or he could accept the challenge and risk revealing too much about his abilities. But then he had another idea.
"I accept your challenge," Min-jun said, "but not to a duel."
"What?" Roderick looked confused.
"You want access to advanced magic texts because you believe you're ready for them," Min-jun continued. "I propose a different test. Let me tutor you and your friends for one week. If, at the end of that time, you can demonstrate that you've truly mastered the intermediate skills, I'll personally recommend that Scholar Beatrice grant you access to the advanced materials."
The suggestion caught everyone off guard. Prince Roderick had clearly been expecting either a fight or a backing down.
"Tutor us?" one of Roderick's friends asked with interest.
"Why would we want tutoring from a foreigner?" Roderick demanded.
"Because," Min-jun said with a slight smile, "I'm willing to bet that I can teach you more about practical magic in one week than you've learned in years of studying books."
That got Roderick's attention. His pride was being challenged in a way that he couldn't easily dismiss.
"And if you fail?" he asked suspiciously.
"Then you get your access to the advanced texts, and I'll publicly apologize for wasting your time," Min-jun replied. "But if I succeed in teaching you things you didn't know, you agree to follow proper procedures for accessing restricted materials in the future."
Princess Seraphina was looking at Min-jun with obvious admiration. "What a clever solution," she murmured.
Lady Cecilia nodded approvingly. "Much better than a pointless duel."
Scholar Beatrice looked hopeful. If this strange foreign lord could actually teach Prince Roderick some discipline and proper study habits, it would solve a major ongoing problem for the library.
Roderick, meanwhile, was trapped by his own arrogance. He had boasted about his magical abilities, so refusing tutoring would suggest he didn't think he could learn anything new.
"Fine," he said finally. "One week. But when you fail to teach me anything I don't already know, I want a full apology in front of the entire court."
"Agreed," Min-jun said, extending his hand.
As they shook hands, Min-jun felt his System pulse again, and a new notification appeared:
[QUEST ACCEPTED: Humble the Arrogant Prince]Objective: Successfully tutor Prince Roderick and his companionsReward: Teaching Skill unlocked, Experience bonus, Social standing increaseFailure Penalty: Public embarrassment, Reduced social standing
"When do we start?" one of Roderick's friends asked eagerly.
"Tomorrow morning," Min-jun replied. "Meet me in the palace training courtyard at dawn. Wear comfortable clothes and bring basic practice weapons."
"Practice weapons?" Roderick asked with confusion.
"You want to learn advanced magic," Min-jun explained. "But magic and combat are interconnected. You can't master one without understanding the other."
As the group dispersed, Princess Seraphina and Lady Cecilia approached Min-jun with expressions of curiosity and concern.
"That was brilliantly handled," Lady Cecilia said, "but are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into? Roderick is notoriously difficult to work with."
"And his friends aren't much better," Princess Seraphina added. "They're all spoiled noble children who think the world owes them everything."
Min-jun smiled confidently. "Don't worry. I have some experience dealing with difficult students."
That wasn't technically true - he'd never been a teacher in either of his lives. But he had spent countless hours in online games helping newer players learn complex systems and strategies. How different could it be?
"Would you like us to observe?" Princess Seraphina asked hopefully. "I'd love to see your teaching methods."
"That would be wonderful," Min-jun replied. "Your perspectives might be helpful."
As they returned to the restricted archives to continue their research, Min-jun found himself looking forward to the teaching challenge. It would be a chance to explore his abilities in a new way, and perhaps gain some insights into how the System worked for other people.
Plus, he had to admit, the idea of taking an arrogant prince down a peg or two was quite appealing.
"This is going to be interesting," he murmured to himself as he opened another ancient text about the Whispering Mountains.
Bounce, who had been quietly exploring the archives, bounced over to him with obvious excitement. "Master teach bad prince? Make him nice?"
"We'll see, Bounce," Min-jun replied with a grin. "We'll see."