A Momentary Firework

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The Adventurer’s Guild was bustling with noise. Middle-aged adventurers clinked beer mugs and feasted on roasted Glacial Snow Pigeons—a local specialty of Holanda Town. Some tables even had poorly tuned lutes being strummed as their occupants swayed and sang. Though many weren’t locals, they seemed to relish celebrating the town’s festival. The entire guild radiated joy and prosperity.

“You didn’t want to come in because you dislike the current Adventurer’s Guild, right?”

“A bit.”

“Honestly, I don’t like it either.”

“Too commercialized? Like introducing ranking systems, encouraging adventurers to become stars, profiting off their dungeon loot while pushing them to reinvest their earnings back into the guild?” Will, rarely meeting someone who shared his disdain, spoke at length.

“I don’t overthink it like you. This is just how things are now. Maybe the next era will change things.”

“Fair. Then why?”

“Won’t tell you! Guess~?” The petite Leah led him past the drunken adventurers. When she stepped over chairs, some would shout, “No minors allowed in here now!”—only to be silenced by her crimson witch eyes glaring back.

They eventually went upstairs. The second floor of the guild, once reserved for meetings, had been repurposed into dining spaces under its commercialization—especially private dining rooms.

“Reservation under ‘Witch.’” Leah declared to the waiter.

“Wi-Witch, understood… miss. This way, please.” The waiter’s smile stiffened momentarily at the surname.

“Who has ‘Witch’ as a surname?” Will couldn’t help but comment.

“My full name is too long, and no one remembers it the first time anyway. Didn’t want to trouble the staff.”

“Flammeur Element.”

“…Alright, alright, I get it. You remember your teacher’s name perfectly.” Leah glanced back at Will, who had flawlessly recited her surname, then turned away, her twin-tails swaying slightly, their red-tipped ends twirling before him.

She stopped, pushing open a wooden door. Beyond it lay a balcony with a perfect view—the icy gate of the Abyss of the End framed by moonlit snow-capped mountains. Two chairs were placed there, confirming Leah had secured the best spot.

“Please, sit.”

Only when she gestured did Will realize—Leah had led him here without hesitation, unlike her old self who avoided human interaction. She had become a “witch” who could walk among humans and celebrate their festivals.

“Teacher Leah, this must’ve cost a fortune. Hmm… are you trying to ‘buy’ a reward with money this time?”

“No~pe.” Leah waved her hand. “Am I that shallow? It’s just…” She leaned in, her tone serious now—

“Will, after leaving the Hysterm household, you’re no longer the ‘young master,’ right? Now, you’re practically… ‘poor,’ aren’t you?”

“…” Will froze. Leah, beneath her tsundere surface, had always been perceptive to others’ struggles.

“Your place doesn’t even have a bed. You avoid towns, so you’ve been surviving on whatever you scavenge. How long has it been since you properly sat at a table for a meal?” As she spoke, their pre-ordered roasted Glacial Snow Pigeon arrived. The aroma of perfectly cooked meat was nostalgic.

“It’s fine. I don’t miss the luxuries of being a young master. Losing them just added some… financial inconveniences.” Will noticed the waiter filling his glass—a drink he hadn’t tasted in ages, one he used to share with Leah. He took a sip. The familiar flavor of his past life.

“And what you want to do… is take revenge on your father, isn’t it?”

Will’s glass halted mid-air.

“…How did you know?”

“I saw your notebook—the recent one. You really shouldn’t write about the future as if it’s predetermined. It’s super weird!” Leah laughed, sipping her drink. “Ugh, they gave me orange juice again. Told them I’m an adult. Do they not know witches?”

She set the glass down. “So, your ‘death’ was actually…”

“A story unfit for the Adventurer’s Guild’s second floor.”

“…Heh. Fair.” Leah chuckled, understanding immediately.

“Oh, wait—the main event!” She interrupted herself.

“What—”

Boom—

Halfway through his question, Will heard fireworks—an unfamiliar sound in this remote town. He turned to see a modest but dazzling display erupting between the dungeon’s gate and the moonlit peaks.

“Beautiful, right? The hotel receptionist mentioned this surprise show.”

“Yeah. Beautiful.” Their eyes—deep blue and fiery red—reflected the fleeting bursts, the sound lagging a second behind.

“But what surprises me is… a witch appreciating fireworks.”

“Wh-Why’s that surprising?”

“For witches, shouldn’t fleeting things be beneath your notice?”

“Mm-hmm. You misunderstand witches.”

“How?”

“A proper witch should sit under fireworks with her beloved. For her, even a moment can stretch into eternity with love.” Leah’s gaze locked onto Will, her meaning clear.

For a fleeting second, Will thought he saw a faint pink hue in her eyes—something impossible with her magic circuit depression. What Leah truly wanted him to see… was her change. The evolution of her heart since their reunion.

“Will. If you seek revenge, use me all you want.” She raised the wineglass the waiter had just replaced.

“Leah…” Will recalled leaving his notebook open before falling asleep.

“Isn’t that what witches are for? Some use us for vengeance, some for conquest, some for atrocities—our madness exists to serve.” She clinked her glass against his, spilling a few drops onto the table.

Her earlier prickliness had softened. Now, she was direct—a childlike figure exuding maternal protectiveness. She toyed with a strand of hair, using it to hide her blush.

“…I’ll help you. Even without your ‘control.’ Because I’m still your teacher. I’ll protect my pitiful little student.”

Awkwardly holding her glass, she rested her chin on her hand, striking an uncharacteristically coquettish pose.

“Anyway, after I get a good~ night’s sleep, your teacher will get you that Snow Woman.”

“Leah…” Will raised his glass in response, downing it in one go.

This version of Leah—free from the obsessive pursuit of physical euphoria, embracing emotions beyond witch blood—was closer to what he’d wanted.

“Trying to act like a seductive teacher?”

“N-No!”

“Want a ‘reward’? I can give it now~”

“In front of everyone?!”

“You could take the bottle home and enjoy it slowly~?”

“I…” Leah hesitated, then drained her glass. “No. Trading a meal for rewards? I’m not that kind of person.”

She turned toward the fireworks, her face illuminated by their glow—but her crimson eyes slid sideways to Will.

“A down-and-out former student came crawling back. Of course his teacher has to pamper him. And it’s not about bodily reactions.”

A mischievous smirk curled her lips.

“You’d better remember this!”

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