Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo stood still.
He had just decided to interfere.
Finally.
But…
Then the soldiers did something unexpected.
They didn't attack.
They didn't strike the Mirror.
Instead, the tall spy raised his hand sharply.
"Careful."
The soldiers paused.
One of them frowned. "Why?"
The spy spoke quietly, but firmly.
"Because the reports said the artifact reacts to attacks."
Eunwoo froze.
Oh.
Right.
That.
The Dermouth kingdom had clearly done their research.
They knew that when someone struck the Mirror, something strange happened.
Earlier spies had already learned that lesson the hard way.
So this time—
They simply didn't attack it.
No strikes.
No damage.
Just careful hands reaching for the frame.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo slowly lowered his hands.
"…you've got to be kidding me."
His power had always been reactive.
It responded when someone attacked the Mirror.
It protected itself.
But if no one attacked—
Then nothing happened.
And Eunwoo had never learned how to use it actively.
Because until today…
He had never needed to.
Now an entire squad of enemy soldiers stood around the pedestal.
And he couldn't do a thing.
"Wow," he muttered weakly.
"That's… really inconvenient."
Outside the Mirror, the soldiers lifted it slightly from the pedestal.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Testing its weight.
The tall spy nodded.
"Good. Don't strike it."
"Just carry it."
Two soldiers adjusted their grip.
Another prepared a cloth wrapping.
Everything was calm.
Controlled.
Planned.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo felt something cold settle in his stomach.
They were actually doing it.
They were going to take the Mirror.
And he couldn't stop them.
Behind the soldiers, Constance heard everything.
Every movement.
Every shifting step.
Every piece of metal touching the frame.
Her heart began beating faster.
"They're lifting it…"
Her hands tightened around her walking stick.
The temple guard who had tried to stop her earlier was gone now.
Either fighting in the courtyard—
Or worse.
Which meant there was no one left between the soldiers and the Mirror.
Except her.
She stepped forward again.
Step.
Tap.
Step.
Tap.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo saw her reflection move.
His eyes widened.
"…don't."
But she couldn't hear him.
She moved closer to the pedestal.
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Please stop."
The soldiers barely glanced at her.
"We're leaving," one of them said.
Constance stepped closer.
Her walking stick struck the stone floor firmly.
"You cannot take it."
The tall spy looked annoyed now.
"We don't have time for this."
He nodded toward one of the soldiers.
The man stepped forward.
"Move."
Constance shook her head.
She stood directly between them and the doorway.
The Mirror was already lifted slightly from the pedestal.
But they couldn't carry it out while she blocked the path.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo's heart started pounding.
"…Constance."
Something in his chest twisted painfully.
He tried again.
He focused on the Mirror.
Tried to force the power to respond.
Nothing happened.
"Come on…"
Still nothing.
The Mirror only reacted to attacks.
And the soldiers were being careful.
Too careful.
Eunwoo clenched his fists.
"Move her," the spy said impatiently.
The soldier grabbed Constance's arm.
She struggled immediately.
"Stop!"
Her walking stick swung blindly, hitting the soldier's shoulder.
Not hard.
But enough to anger him.
"Enough," he snapped.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo's breath caught.
"Wait—"
The soldier drew his blade.
Just one quick motion.
A flash of steel.
Constance didn't even see it.
She only heard the sound of metal leaving its sheath.
Her head turned toward it—
Then the blade struck.
Inside the hall, everything went quiet.
Constance collapsed to the stone floor.
Her walking stick rolled away with a hollow clatter.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo stopped breathing.
"No."
The word came out as a whisper.
Outside, the soldiers barely hesitated.
"Leave her," the spy said.
"Take the Mirror."
But Eunwoo wasn't watching them anymore.
His eyes were locked on the still figure on the floor.
Her braid spread across the stone.
Her hands unmoving.
The hall that had once been filled with her soft humming was suddenly silent.
Completely silent.
Inside the Mirror world, something broke.
Not physically.
Not yet.
But something inside Eunwoo collapsed all at once.
For years he had watched humans like distant figures.
Background noise.
Temporary visitors.
But Constance had been different.
She talked to him.
She greeted him every day.
She protected the Mirror even though she couldn't see it.
And he had just stood there.
Unable to do anything.
The soldiers lifted the Mirror again.
But the surface had begun to tremble.
A thin crack appeared at the corner of the glass.
The spy froze.
"…what?"
Another crack followed.
Then another.
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo had dropped to his knees.
His hands trembled.
His breathing was uneven.
The lake around him began to ripple violently.
"No…"
The cracks spread slowly across the Mirror's surface.
Thin lines crawling like lightning across the glass.
Outside, the soldiers stared in alarm.
"What's happening?"
Inside the Mirror world, Eunwoo's voice came out broken.
"…I told you…"
His eyes were filled with something dark now.
Something raw.
Something furious.
"…not to touch it."
The Mirror cracked again.
And this time—
Everyone in the hall heard it.