Kaito, now hailed as a hero within the walls of Aethelgard, followed the solemn-faced royal guards through the grand corridors of the castle. They led him to the Royal Library, a chamber that exuded an aura of ancient knowledge and quiet contemplation. Sunlight streamed through towering arched windows, illuminating rows upon rows of meticulously organized scrolls and bound tomes. The air hummed with a faint magical energy, a byproduct of the countless enchantments woven into the very fabric of the books. The scent of aged parchment and arcane ink filled his nostrils, a stark contrast to the digital tang of his old life.
King Theron, looking much healthier and radiating regal authority once more, addressed the assembled royal scholars. His voice, though still carrying a hint of its recent weakness, held a firm command. "These are the royal archives. Their knowledge is the foundation of our kingdom's understanding. Assist Sir Kaito in any way he requires. He seeks insight into the fundamental workings of our world, its history of magical disturbances, and any records of systemic anomalies."
The scholars, a collection of wizened men and women with spectacles perched on their noses and an air of profound intellect about them, bowed their heads in respectful acknowledgment. They regarded Kaito with a mixture of curiosity and deference. Whispers rippled through their ranks – tales of his swift healing of the king and his vanquishing of the corrupted mage had already spread like wildfire within the castle walls.
Kaito, feeling a strange mix of awe and analytical curiosity, surveyed the vast collection. It was like stepping into a physical database, each book a record of events, theories, and histories meticulously preserved over centuries. He knew his Debug Mode could grant him rapid access to this information, allowing him to perceive the underlying code woven into the narratives and descriptions.
He explained to the lead scholar, a venerable man named Master Eldrin, what he was looking for. "I seek knowledge of the foundational principles that govern Elysian Fields. Any accounts of significant magical disruptions, unusual phenomena, or documented instances that deviate from the established norms. I am particularly interested in understanding the underlying mechanisms that cause these deviations."
Master Eldrin, his brow furrowed in thought, nodded slowly. "Indeed. While we often attribute such events to fate, divine intervention, or the whims of chaotic magic, your inquiry suggests a more… systematic approach. We have records of what some might call 'curses,' periods of instability, and the emergence of strange powers in individuals. These were often seen as isolated incidents, but perhaps a broader pattern exists."
The scholars set to work, their hushed voices filling the library as they retrieved ancient texts and rolled out brittle scrolls. Kaito, meanwhile, activated his Debug Mode, his vision overlaying the physical words with lines of shimmering code. He could absorb information at an incredible rate, the essence of each text flowing directly into his understanding. He saw the historical accounts not just as stories, but as logs of system events, chronicling periods of stability and instances of critical errors.
He learned of epochs where the very laws of magic seemed to fluctuate, leading to unpredictable outcomes. He read of individuals who spontaneously developed abilities far exceeding the normal limits, often viewed with fear and suspicion. The term "glitch" didn't exist in their lexicon, but the phenomena they described were eerily familiar to his understanding of corrupted code and system malfunctions.
He also delved into the lore surrounding the Administrators. The texts painted them as celestial beings, guardians of the world's equilibrium, intervening only in times of great crisis to restore balance. Their methods were often described as mysterious and awe-inspiring, their power seemingly limitless. Kaito's forced deactivation of one of these entities now weighed heavily on his mind. He had disrupted the system's self-correction mechanism, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there would be consequences.
As hours turned into a quiet hum of turning pages and whispered consultations, a small figure approached Kaito. It was Princess Lyra, her youthful face alight with curiosity. She clutched a small, leather-bound book in her hands.
"Sir Kaito," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "The head librarian said you were reading about how the world works. Is it like a very big story?"
Kaito smiled, his gaze softening. "In a way, yes. But it's also like a set of rules, hidden beneath the story. Rules that sometimes get broken."
Lyra's eyes widened. "Broken rules? Like when I'm not supposed to eat cookies before dinner?"
Kaito chuckled. "A little more complicated than that. These broken rules can make bad things happen, like the magic that made my father sick."
Lyra's expression turned serious. "Did you fix the broken rule?"
"I tried," Kaito said. "But there are still many I don't understand."
Lyra sat down beside him, her small book open on her lap. "Can I learn too? About the broken rules?"
Kaito was taken aback. He hadn't considered teaching someone else about his unique perspective. But looking at Lyra's earnest face, her genuine desire to understand, he felt a flicker of possibility.
"It's not easy," Kaito cautioned. "It's like seeing the world in a way that most people don't. It can be confusing."
"But you understand it," Lyra persisted. "And you helped Papa. Maybe I can help too."
Kaito considered her offer. A sharp mind unburdened by the traditional understanding of their world might see things he had missed. And perhaps, sharing his knowledge wouldn't make him feel so utterly alone in his understanding of Elysian Fields' true nature.
"Alright, Princess," Kaito said, a small smile gracing his lips. "I can show you some things. But you have to be very patient and ask lots of questions."
And so, amidst the towering shelves and ancient texts, Kaito began to tutor Princess Lyra in the fundamentals of his unique "code-sight." He showed her how to perceive the subtle flows of mana, the underlying structures of spells, and the faint glitches that sometimes flickered at the edges of reality. Lyra proved to be an astute student, her young mind surprisingly adept at grasping the abstract concepts he presented.
As they delved deeper into their studies, a subtle shift began to occur in Kaito's perception. He started noticing anomalies that had previously escaped his notice – a slight stutter in the flow of mana in a nearby enchanted tapestry, a barely perceptible flicker in the light cast by a magical lamp. It was as if his focus on the system was causing it to react, the underlying code subtly warping around him.
Suddenly, the heavy oak doors of the library burst open with a resounding crash. A breathless royal guard stood silhouetted in the doorway, his armor slightly askew, his face pale with urgency.
"Sir Kaito! Princess Lyra!" the guard exclaimed, his voice strained. "There's… there's trouble at the city gates! The guards… they say something… strange is happening! Something they've never seen before!"
Kaito and Lyra exchanged a look of concern. Their quiet exploration of the system's secrets had been abruptly interrupted. The broken code, it seemed, was not content to remain hidden in dusty tomes. It was manifesting in the real world, and it was drawing their attention once more. The lessons in broken rules were about to become a dangerous reality.