Chapter 1: First Stream

It was another lively morning at Thimoria Academy. The sun cast a warm glow over the sprawling grounds as students filled the halls and courtyards, preparing for the day's lessons. The academy was divided into two main factions for the purpose of carrying the education: the Mages, robed in deep blue or green according to their proficiency, their mana stones and foci gleaming at their belts, and the Knight students, clad in lighter armor, practicing sword forms and combat maneuvers in the open training area.

In one corner of the schoolyard, a group of mages huddled together, murmuring in hushed voices as one of them attempted a minor igni spell. Colors swirled in the air above their hands before flickering out. Across the field, knights-in-training engaged in a mock duel, their wooden practice swords clashing as they exchanged grins.

A few feet away, a tall black-haired girl with a massive greatsword strapped to her back leaned against a tree, watching the knights sparring with a curious expression. Her eyes narrowed slightly every time someone made a sloppy move. "Come on, hold your stance!" she muttered under her breath, clearly unimpressed.

Nearby, two elven students chatted softly by the garden. One was a silver-haired elf, her posture graceful as she spoke, while her friend—a red-haired elf with bangs covering her eyes—nodded along shyly, avoiding eye contact with the passing crowd. They exchanged a few words, laughing softly before a sudden noise cut through the air.

"Morning! Morning! Morning!, students of Thimoria Academia!"

A loud, unfamiliar male voice echoed across the academy grounds, spilling out from the halls, the playground, and even some of the classrooms. The voice had a cheerful, almost mischievous tone. Everyone froze. The mages instinctively raised their hands, mana sparking to life in preparation for a possible threat, while the knights gripped their weapons, scanning the area.

It wasn't just the student that felt threatened by this encounter, rather the teachers and the professors everyone felt threatened by the sound of a man suddenly entering their ears.

The black-haired girl with the greatsword took a step forward, her hand resting on the hilt, her gaze darting around for the source of the voice. "Who's doing this?" she muttered, her eyes hardening with suspicion. Instead of focusing on the sound, she immeaditly knew finding the user would be more important for them.

In the central hall, Principal Eldra, a tall, middle-aged woman with streaks of gray in her dark hair and a piercing gaze, paused mid-step. She frowned, her brow furrowing as she listened while pushing her glasses in an elegant manner.

The voice continued, unfazed by the collective tension. "This is your friendly neighbourhood streamer ZeroVeil, coming to you live from Thimoria! Even though this is a short stream, expect more entertaining and long streams like this in the future. Don't forget to like and subscribe for the future streams!"

With those words, the crystals that kept resonanting the sound of the man broke.

A hush fell over the academy, the students exchanging confused looks. Some of the mages looked at each other, baffled, while the knights tightened their grips on their swords, clearly still suspicious.

Principal Eldra pressed her lips into a thin line, her gaze sweeping over the tense students in the main hall. She placed a hand on her hip, shaking her head slowly. "A... 'streamer,' is it?" she murmured to herself, a faintly exasperated smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "The things these students come up with…"

Meanwhile, the black-haired girl with the greatsword finally relaxed her stance, though her expression remained serious. "A prank," she muttered. "Not funny." She looked around, noting the few mages and knights who were still on edge, and rolled her eyes slightly.

The silver-haired elf by the garden tilted her head in curiosity, her ears twitching at the sound of the voice, while her red-haired friend peeked out from behind her bangs, looking more intrigued than alarmed. "A streamer...?" she whispered, as she looked around, hoping someone would explain, but everyone seemed just as puzzled as she was.

Finally, the voice faded, and a faint, awkward laughter spread through the crowd as students began to relax. Some muttered complaints about being startled, while others chuckled, amused by the sudden spectacle.

In her office, Principal Elda sighed and picked up a pen. Looks like I'll need to remind the faculty to keep an eye on student pranks. With one last bemused shake of her head, she returned to her morning tasks, without knowing it wouldn't be the last "entertainment" this so-called streamer would bring to their life.

***

Inside Classroom 1-B, an elven woman with sharp eyes and long, braided hair taught a lecture on "Mana Control and Its Consequences." Her voice was crisp and steady, perfectly suited for the delicate magic theories she wove for her students.

It was one of the favourite class of the male students, since they got to learn about magic from an hot elven teacher. Her garb was tightly wrapped around her erotic body, which was enough for most of the student to pay attention to her. Was it on purpose? It is not something students knew.

"Mana is both a gift and a burden. Remember, to exhaust it fully is to weaken yourself—now, moving on to..." She paused, narrowing her gaze at a dark-haired boy slouched over his desk, his head nodding as he drifted in and out of sleep.

"Dilhan Londor!"

Dilhan jolted upright, his dark hair falling into his eyes as he blinked himself awake, only to see the entire class staring at him.

"Do you find my lessons so dreadfully boring, Dilhan?" The elf woman's voice was sharp. "If so, feel free to take your nap outside, where others who are here to learn won't be disturbed by your... lack of interest."

The class snickered, and Dilhan flushed, rubbing his eyes as he sat up straighter. "Apologies, Professor Erelian. I'm just... I'll pay attention," he mumbled, trying to shake off the drowsiness.

Next to him sat the same red-haired elf girl, her bangs covering her eyes. She sighed softly, shaking her head at him. How predictable, she thought. She remembered the day she was assigned to sit beside Dilhan. Her initial impression of him hadn't been great—he'd seemed lazy, unmotivated. But as time passed, she noticed there was more to him than met the eye. He's not all bad. If only he'd pay more attention...

'This boy! Why is he always like this? If only he pay more attention, teachers wouldn't bother him.'

She thought, as she looked at Dilhan, who was nodding off again, and she had a feeling he wouldn't last through the lesson. Just as she predicted, his head dipped and this time hit the desk with a loud thud. The entire class erupted in laughter as Dilhan slumped off his chair, sprawled on the floor with a groggy expression.

"Haha! Serves him right!"

"It sounded empty!"

"What an idiot!"

Other students started to make fun of him, and some of them even looking annoyed. Among them was a girl who was one of the most popular girl in the class.

The red-haired girl jumped up, her face slightly flushed from the second hand embarassment. "Professor, may I... may I take him to the healthcare room?" she asked, her voice a bit shaky.

Professor Erelian sighed, eyeing Dilhan with disappointment. "Yes, do whatever you must. Clearly, Dilhan finds his education too demanding." She waved her hand dismissively, and the girl hurried to help Dilhan up, ignoring the curious looks and whispers of the other students.

As she lifted him onto her back, she was surprised by how light he felt. Does he even eat? she wondered, carrying him carefully through the halls. Heads turned, and a few students whispered as they passed.

"Look at her carrying him! Isn't that the brother of the famous Ember Knight, Mesuna Londor?" one student whispered.

"I heard there family is supposed to be really talented... what a waste," another muttered.

The red-haired girl frowned, keeping her gaze fixed forward. If they only they knew... she thought.

She finally reached the healthcare room and knocked. The door opened to reveal the school nurse, who took one look at them and sighed. "Again?" She gestured for them to come inside.

Setting Dilhan down gently on one of the cots, the red-haired girl stood by his side, watching as the nurse examined him. The nurse shook her head, looking at Dilhan's pale look and his ragged breath.

"High mana usage. He's draining himself. What on earth has he been doing?" she murmured, glancing at the girl. "Do you know?"

The red-haired girl shook her head. "He... never shows us anything he does with magic. It's like he doesn't want anyone to know," she replied quietly, watching him with a mix of worry and confusion. "I don't know what he does to drain his mana like this. Maybe it is a condition?"

The nurse clicked her tongue. "I don't have any idea, but I can confirm this is not an condition because I've never heard about something like this." She muttered and looked at his mana pool using a device that helped her. "What an amazing amount of mana! What a waste he doesn't use it for something useful.

The girl nodded. "Yes... after all, he is from the famous Londor family." she added softly.

The nurse gave her a sympathetic smile. "It must be hard for you both. Well, you two can stay here until he's recovered. Don't worry; I'll keep an eye on him." She patted the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "He's lucky to have a girlfriend like you looking after him."

The girl's face flushed deep red, and she shook her head quickly. "I-I'm not his girlfriend!" she stammered, looking away.