The moment Leon stepped into the high-ceilinged building called Merchants' Mall, the thick aroma of spices, freshly stacked hay, and oiled leather washed over him. Rows of shelves crammed with everything from beans to blacksmith tongs lined the place. A single lantern hung near the entrance, barely dispelling the dusty glow.

  At first glance, no one appeared to be around. Then, a small figure with oversized glasses popped up from behind the counter. She wore a floral-patterned dress—something a grown woman might flaunt at a summer festival—but on this slight, childlike frame, it looked almost comedic. Her entire presence radiated efficiency, from the neat stack of ledgers at her elbow to the quill pen perched behind her ear.

  Suzie Redwood adjusted her glasses sternly. "Good afternoon, Leon," she chirped, voice pitched higher than her grown-up attire would suggest.

  Leon cleared his throat, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Suzie Redwood, daughter of the wealthiest merchants in town—though "daughter" didn't quite capture the effect she had. More like a mini-proprietress ruling over the entire store with a calculating gaze and an uncanny ability to wring the last coin out of any transaction.

  "Suzie," he greeted, tugging at the straps of his satchel. "I, uh... need your help. With... something."

  She lifted a brow. "Something involving money, I presume?" She hopped off the stool and walked around the counter with a ledger in hand. "We have a sale on gardening implements, if that's your question, but I suspect you're here for something else."

  Leon swallowed. "Right. Actually, I need your... talent." He lowered his voice, glancing around as though the crates of potatoes might be eavesdropping.

  Suzie's eyes flashed behind the thick lenses. "Fire magic?" she asked sweetly. "You want me to burn something? Or just heat it? There's an extra fee for turning anything to ash, you know."

  Leon grimaced. "It's about these." He pulled a small leather pouch from his satchel and opened it, revealing the red crystal. Well, red-ish—still mostly translucent with a faint hue inside.

  She leaned in, adjusting her glasses. "Very pretty." Suddenly, she blinked, then pouted. "Could these be a gift for someone?"

  He set the pouch on the counter. "No, and I'm not interested in selling them. I just... need you to produce a fire spell while holding one. In exchange," he added hastily, "I'll, uh, do... something for you.

  For a fleeting moment, Suzie's gaze flicked up to Leon's face, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She pushed her glasses higher. "I see. So you came to me." She pretended to jot a note. "That means you need me more than I need you." She glanced up again. "Interesting. I'm listening."

  Leon inhaled slowly to keep from snapping at her. "What'll it cost?" he managed.

  "Hmm." Suzie tapped the ledger's page with her quill. "I could ask for coin, but that's boring. Let's do something more... personal. Maybe a... dinner invitation?" Her tone remained perfectly businesslike, but there was the tiniest waver in her voice.

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  Leon, oblivious to her underlying motive, shrugged. "Dinner? That's all? Seems easy enough."

  "Yes," she said quickly, then realized her tone was overly eager. She coughed, schooling her features back into bland professionalism. "Certainly. That's all. Oh—and you also have to leave behind everything you brought with you to trade. You know, to cover overhead costs."

  Leon's eyes widened. "But that's half my workshop gear."

  She shrugged, unimpressed. "Half your workshop gear in exchange for a demonstration of the divine art of flame manipulation. Do you have any idea of the risk involved? This market could go up in flames if I lose control." She paused, folding her arms. "Costs. Overhead. Insurance. I'm sure you understand, Leon."

  He could already feel the headache coming on. "Fine, but I need to see results." He held out the red crystal. "This one's special."

  Suzie stared at it. "Special how?"

  Leon lifted the shard into the lamplight. "According to my father, the last owner used it to cast intense fire magic. Over time, it lost color. I think it's meant to store or amplify flame. My guess is that if you do your usual trick, the crystal might store the energy in the same way that your mall stores goods."

  Suzie wrinkled her nose. "And you want me to...?"

  "Channel flame into it," Leon finished. "Or at least try."

  She took the crystal gingerly. For a moment, she frowned, as though expecting it to scald her. "It's cold," she said, then squared her shoulders. "All right. Stand back. And no whining if it breaks."

  He retreated a few steps, raising an eyebrow. "Just... be careful."

  Suzie closed her eyes, a little dramatic, if Leon was honest. She exhaled, muttered something faintly—maybe an incantation, or maybe just "Here goes nothing"—and sparks flickered around her fingertips. Almost immediately, the shard brightened from a mild pinkish hue to a darker red. A swirl of faint embers coalesced around Suzie's hands, yet no open flame erupted. It all just... sank into the crystal, like a sponge soaking up water.

  Leon could hardly breathe. "You didn't set anything on fire. Are you actually—?"

  Suzie opened her eyes, equally surprised. The store remained perfectly intact: no smoke, no flames—just the crystal, glowing a deeper, blood-red color. She lifted it experimentally. It felt noticeably heavier in her hand.

  "It's... heavier," she remarked, eyebrows shooting up. "My flames aren't coming out at all. It's just—" She moved her hand in a small circle, but no flame emerged, only a few lingering sparks. "That's weird. This never happens." Sweat began to bead around her forehead as she visibly strained to produce flames.

  Leon hopped forward, eyes wide behind his own set of goggles. "So it's storing your magic," he breathed. "It's literally pulling the flames inside."

  "Seems so." Suzie blinked at him. "Well, that's a new one." A faint grin curved her lips. "So I guess I was actually useful, huh?"

  For once, Leon forgot to filter his words. "Y-Yeah, you were." Then he cleared his throat. "Thank you."

  Suzie gave the crystal a careful glance. "It's really heavy now. You may want to be careful carrying it around. Also, I think it's still hungry for more, if that makes sense."

  Leon nodded eagerly. "We can test how much it can hold another day. You did more than enough for now."

  She raised an eyebrow. "Another day? So you'll be back?"

  He shrugged, stuffing the crystal into a small satchel. "Probably. To, uh, do further experiments," he added quickly.

  A small, entirely too-pleased smile crept onto Suzie's face. "Don't forget dinner," she reminded him. "And you're leaving all those trade goods, right?"

  Leon let out a resigned sigh. "Yeah... I guess so."

  Suzie smirked. "Good. This was a pleasure, Leon. Let's do it again soon."

  As he trudged back home, he couldn't help wondering if he'd somehow ended up losing more than he gained. Yet behind him, Suzie Redwood—small merchant magnate, unlikely flame-wielder, and unabashed admirer—watched Leon's retreat through the store's window, her smirk lingering long after he vanished from sight.