Max followed Seraphine through the castle corridors with almost childlike excitement shining in his eyes.

His imagination was already working overtime.

Floating books.

Enchanted crystals.

Forbidden relics locked beneath magical seals.

Legendary weapons displayed inside glass cases.

Maybe even some cursed grimoire whispering horrible things from a corner.

It was exactly the kind of tourist experience he needed.

Seraphine walked ahead of him with complete calm, as if she weren’t leading him towards what Max personally considered a historical site of international importance.

"I’m fairly certain this is about to change my life," Max commented.

Seraphine glanced back over her shoulder.

"That seems a little dramatic."

"You’re underestimating the scale of this."

Max pointed at her.

"You are literally the most powerful mage in this world."

Then he pointed at himself.

"I am basically a fanatic for everything related to this world."

Seraphine let out a small laugh.

"That explains quite a lot."

They turned a corner.

And arrived at a corridor that ended in a stone wall.

There were several paintings hanging up, mirrors of different sizes, and décor that looked slightly older than the rest of the castle.

Max stopped immediately. His eyes lit up.

"Oh."

He looked around as if he had just entered an escape room.

"I knew it."

He approached one of the mirrors and inspected it with absolute intensity.

"So this is where the interesting part begins."

Seraphine crossed her arms.

"What part?"

Max gestured dramatically at the entire area.

"The secret passage."

He tapped lightly on one wall.

Then examined a painting.

Then a mirror.

"Is there a hidden lever somewhere?"

He looked at Seraphine.

"Or are you going to open some magical portal?"

The mage stared at him for a few seconds.

Then laughed.

"Max."

She placed a hand on her face.

"No."

He blinked.

"No?"

Seraphine shook her head, still smiling.

"We simply turned into the wrong corridor."

Max stopped inspecting the mirror.

"...What?"

Seraphine casually pointed behind them.

"It’s around the next corner."

Max stared at her in complete disappointment.

"Oh."

He slowly stood upright.

"Well."

He adjusted his clothes as though nothing had happened.

"That is also reasonable."

Seraphine was still clearly amused.

They continued walking.

Turned another corner.

And Max immediately regained some enthusiasm.

"Okay, then your actual door has to be impressive."

Seraphine raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because it’s yours."

Max spread his hands.

"Maybe a giant door covered in runes."

Pause.

"Or a dimensional entrance."

Another pause.

"Perhaps a statue that only opens after recognising your magical aura?"

Seraphine laughed again.

"Your expectations are absurdly high."

"My expectations are completely justified."

They finally reached the supposed destination.

Max stopped dead in his tracks.

He stared at it.

There was a door.

A single door. Wooden. Slightly worn.

Looking mildly rotten.

Surrounded by ordinary torches.

More paintings.

More mirrors.

And a cabinet to the side stacked with books in a dangerously unstable manner.

Max stood completely still.

"...No."

Seraphine smiled faintly.

"Yes."

Max pointed at the cabinet.

"I understand."

He nodded slowly.

"So we move that aside and the real entrance appears."

"No."

Seraphine shook her head patiently.

"That is literally the door."

Max looked back at the aged wood.

Then at Seraphine.

Then at the door again.

His expression was that of a man watching a fantasy die in real time.

"Wow."

He muttered.

"This was unexpected."

Seraphine let out a small laugh.

"Sorry to disappoint you."

Max crossed his arms.

Looked at the door again.

"I’m just confused."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Although..."

He paused thoughtfully.

"Perhaps it makes sense."

Seraphine pulled out a key.

"Hm?"

"The best way to hide magical things."

Max pointed at the door.

"Is making the place look disappointing."

Seraphine smiled.

"That logic is surprisingly valid."

She inserted the key and opened the door.

The hinges made a horrible noise.

The moment it cracked open, a wave of damp air blasted towards them.

Max instinctively stepped backwards.

"Whoa."

He covered his nose.

"Did someone die in here?"

Seraphine walked inside as if nothing was wrong.

"Probably not."

Max cautiously peeked his head inside.

The interior was an absolute disaster.

Clothes were scattered everywhere.

Books lay open and stacked in piles.

Rolled-up scrolls were shoved beneath a chair.

More books on top of one table.

More books underneath another table.

A suspiciously large bucket filled with remnants of fried food.

A mug stuck to a pile of papers.

Max looked around in complete horror.

"No."

He stepped inside.

"No."

Another step.

"This cannot be real."

Seraphine shut the door behind them.

"My apologies."

She shrugged slightly.

"I’m a little messy."

"A little?"

Max lifted a sock using two fingers as though handling radioactive material.

"This looks like the aftermath of a war."

Seraphine laughed.

"I don’t usually sleep here."

She vaguely gestured around.

"I mostly use it as storage."

Max was still staring at the chaos.

Seraphine walked over to one of the crooked shelves.

"Besides..."

Her tone softened slightly.

"I spent quite a bit of time locked in here after my relationship with Neros ended."

Max slowly lowered the sock.

"Oh."

Seraphine smiled faintly.

"I was not exactly in my best state."

She looked around.

"And after that, I never really got around to cleaning it properly."

Max stared at a pile of books threatening to collapse.

"It doesn’t show."

Seraphine laughed again.

"Thank you."

She turned towards him.

"I’m going to need your help looking for the map."

Max blinked.

"In here?"

"Yes."

"Do you at least know where it is?"

Seraphine paused thoughtfully.

"Not particularly."

Max stared at her as though he had just been sentenced.

"Fantastic."

He took a deep breath.

"I am going to make a serious effort to survive this."

He paused.

There is no way this is really the room of the most powerful mage in the world.

He simply refused to accept it.

He had imagined something between arcane library and mystical sanctuary.

Not this.

Max moved carefully between piles of objects.

Picked up a book.

Inspected it.

Dust.

He immediately put it back down.

Picked up another object.

It looked like a bent spoon.

He chose not to ask.

Seraphine was already rummaging through shelves that looked seconds away from collapse.

Max stared at her in horror.

"Those shelves are going to kill you."

"They’ve survived for years."

"That does not inspire confidence."

Seraphine kept searching.

"It should be somewhere around here."

Max picked up a jar.

Something was floating inside.

He immediately set it back down.

"No."

He stepped backwards.

"No, I do not want to know."

Seraphine was clearly enjoying this far too much.

"You seem quite affected."

Max looked offended.

"I am trying to remain functional."

He gestured at the entire room.

"But this place is biologically aggressive."

Seraphine laughed again.

Max opened a drawer.

Found more books.

Closed the drawer.

Opened another.

Inside were candles, glowing stones, and what appeared to be a deeply concerning dagger.

He shut it again.

"I sincerely hope we find that map quickly."

He looked at Seraphine with complete honesty.

"Because I’m going to be sick."

Seraphine nearly doubled over laughing.

"You’re so dramatic."

"There is visible moisture."

"That just gives the place character."

Max stared at her in genuine horror.

"I do not want to know how you define an actual problem."

Seraphine smiled as she kept rummaging through her small leaning shelves, which creaked ominously.

Max immediately pointed.

"That sound was a threat."

"Stop being dramatic."

Max sighed deeply. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Rolled up his sleeves a little.

And picked up another book with resignation.

Maybe he hadn’t found the secret chamber of legendary artefacts he had imagined.

But technically, he was still searching for a magical map inside the most chaotic room in Eldoria.

Which, in some absurd way, was still a memorable adventure.