Seraphine kept her hand resting on the tile protruding from the floor while magical energy lightly flowed through her fingers.

The mage smiled faintly.

"So..."

She looked up at Max, Dorian, and Don.

"...the hidden room should be underneath this."

Don slowly nodded, still somewhat shaken after watching half the carpet get destroyed.

"Correct."

Then he raised a finger.

"But before opening it..."

He looked directly at Seraphine.

"...you should fulfill your part of the deal first."

Max let out a small laugh.

"That’s true."

He looked at the mage.

"You promised to teach him a magic trick so he wouldn’t rat us out."

Seraphine crossed her arms while thinking for a few seconds.

Dorian looked expectant.

"Are you going to teach him a fireball?"

"Or beams of light?" Max asked.

Seraphine completely ignored them.

Then, slowly, she removed one of the rings from her right hand.

It was silver, with a small blue gem embedded in it.

She handed it to Don.

"This ring contains very powerful magic."

Don immediately grabbed it with both hands, utterly fascinated.

"Really?"

Seraphine nodded solemnly.

"You don’t need to understand magic to use it."

Dorian’s eyes widened.

"Is it a magical artifact?"

"It’s extremely dangerous," Seraphine added with complete seriousness.

Don swallowed nervously while staring at the ring as if they had just handed him a legendary treasure.

"...What does it do?"

Seraphine smiled faintly.

"Put it on."

The butler obeyed immediately.

But the moment he slipped it onto his finger, he frowned.

"Why is it slippery?"

He turned it slightly.

And read something engraved on the inside.

"...’soap’?"

Seraphine smiled proudly.

"It automatically dispenses soap when touched."

Max blinked.

Dorian did too.

The mage elegantly raised one hand.

"I use it to clean any surface I touch and keep my hands perfectly clean at all times."

Max burst out laughing first.

"THAT was the powerful magic?!"

Dorian started laughing too.

"I expected something more impressive."

He made exaggerated gestures with his hands.

"Like a fireball!"

"Or lightning!" Max added.

Don, meanwhile, looked completely amazed.

He rubbed his hands together in the air and, indeed, soapy foam magically appeared between his fingers.

His eyes sparkled.

"This is incredible..."

He started washing his hands excitedly like a small child with a new toy.

"I’ll never have kitchen grease stuck on me again!"

Max was still laughing.

"I can’t believe he likes it this much."

"It’s practical," Seraphine replied proudly.

Don continued staring at the magical soap in fascination.

"I promise I won’t tell anyone anything."

He bowed slightly toward the mage.

"Thank you very much, Miss Wand of Eldoria."

Seraphine let out a small laugh.

"It’s nothing."

Then she pointed at the ring.

"But use it carefully."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"...What could possibly happen?"

"One time I accidentally filled my entire room with foam."

Dorian exhaled through his nose.

"That explains way too many things about your room."

Max slowly shook his head while turning back toward the tile.

"Well."

He rolled up his sleeves slightly.

"Now then."

He pointed at the floor.

"We need to lift this thing."

Don immediately lost part of his enthusiasm.

"...That thing weighs a ton."

"Perfect," Max replied.

"Then help us."

Together, Max, Dorian, and Don began straining against the tile.

Seraphine used a bit of magic to help move it.

The stone slowly scraped against the floor.

And after several seconds of effort...

CLACK.

The tile finally shifted.

Underneath was a dark square opening.

A very short staircase descended only a few meters.

And below...

There was a small hidden room.

Max was the first to lean over and look inside.

"What the hell...?"

The space was tiny.

So small that probably only a dwarf could stand comfortably inside it.

A faint blue light illuminated the place.

And the strangest part...

It smelled fresh.

As if someone had cleaned recently.

There was no dust.

No cobwebs.

No dampness.

Dorian frowned.

"That’s definitely creepy."

Don slowly nodded.

"This place should’ve been abandoned decades ago."

Seraphine descended first, using magic to brighten the room further.

Max and Dorian followed while crouching down.

Don hesitated for a few seconds before climbing in as well.

And then they saw it.

An enormous mirror taking up almost the entire back wall.

But something about it was wrong.

It reflected nothing.

Not the light.

Not their faces.

It was like staring into a black, opaque surface.

Seraphine narrowed her eyes.

"I thought so..."

"It’s a mirror portal," Max interrupted immediately.

The mage slowly turned toward him.

"...You know far more than I thought."

Max felt a slight chill run down his spine.

Because he knew those portals perfectly well.

In the game, countless hidden dungeons were connected through mirrors like that.

He quickly improvised an answer.

"I... read about them in a library book."

Seraphine continued staring at him for a few seconds.

Then she smiled faintly.

"Of course."

Dorian stepped closer to the dark mirror.

"I crossed through one years ago."

His expression became nostalgic.

"A mission with my old party."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"And what was inside?"

"Horrible creatures," Dorian replied immediately.

"And a tavern floating in the middle of nowhere."

Max blinked.

"...What?"

"Mirror dimensions are strange," Seraphine explained.

Don was still staring at the portal in complete confusion.

"I think I’m the only person here who has no idea what’s going on."

He pointed at the mirror.

"Is that literally a portal?"

"Yes," Max replied.

"And the fact that it’s hidden here is extremely suspicious."

Don looked again at the clean little room.

"Especially because this place should be covered in dust."

Seraphine slowly nodded.

"Someone has been using this place."

Dorian smiled faintly.

"And probably recently."

Max took a step toward the opaque mirror.

Up close, the surface looked liquid.

Dark.

Deep.

"If we want answers..."

He turned toward the others.

"...we’re going to have to cross through."

Don immediately raised both hands.

"Well, I’ve already helped enough."

He slowly began backing toward the stairs.

"I think I should return to my duties now."

Seraphine immediately pointed at him.

"Oh no."

Don froze.

"...Hm?"

"You’re coming with us now."

The butler’s eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

Dorian started laughing.

"Congratulations."

He patted Don on the shoulder.

"You’re part of the group now."

"I only wanted the magic ring!"

"Too late," Max replied, amused.

Don stared at the black mirror with absolute terror.

"...What if we die?"

Seraphine smiled faintly.

"We’ll try not to."

"THAT DOES NOT COMFORT ME."

The mage raised one hand and her grimoire began floating once again.

"The mirror dimension works differently from this world."

She looked seriously at the group.

"So be careful."

Max nodded.

"No problem."

Dorian smiled too.

"I’ve crossed through one before."

Don looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"...One time I walked through a revolving door and almost fell over."

Max couldn’t help laughing.

Then he took a deep breath.

And placed one hand against the black surface of the mirror.

The surface rippled like water.

Seraphine took the first step.

Her body slowly passed through the mirror and disappeared into the darkness.

Dorian immediately followed after her.

Max looked at Don.

"Come on."

The butler swallowed nervously.

"If I die, tell Arwen I love her."

"Dramatic," Dorian replied from the other side.

Max smiled faintly.

And finally, the four of them crossed through the mirror portal, crouching as they entered that strange unknown dimension.