Thimoria's Market District buzzed with life. Stalls crowded the streets, overflowing with goods and trinkets from all over the continent. A year had flown by since Cali first set foot in academy area leaving the market district, yet it still felt as grand and chaotic as ever.
The district itself was enormous—larger than some of the small nations that had pooled their resources to build Thimoria Academy, the most prestigious institution for humans, elves, and dwarves alike. Thimoria wasn't just a district; it was a nation of its own, filled with every amenity a student could want, but there were resident in this area as it was supposed to be a district that was the living proof of willingness of human, dwarfes and elves to end their racism and stand together against the common threats.
Thimoria had a complex political structure, but to Cali it wasn't a concern since her mother had a little travern in market district of Thimoria.
She walked briskly down the cobbled streets, soaking in the scent of fresh bread and the sound of shopkeepers bargaining. She glanced to her side, watching Dilhan, who seemed to be scanning every nook and cranny with a look of intense concentration.
"What are you looking for?" she asked, smirking. "You look like a cat who's lost its salmon."
Dilhan shrugged, barely glancing at her. "I'm just… uh, looking. You know how crowded it gets here."
Even though he said that, to Calin it was rather obviousthat he was searching for something. "You know it is important to keep and eye out in places like this,"
Cali chuckled, nudging his arm. "Maybe if you ate a bit more, you wouldn't have to worry about people so much. You're looking rather thin these days, you know."
Dilhan clicked his tongue. "Blame my body, not me. It burns up everything I eat."
"Then eat more!" Cali insisted. "You should come by our shop more often. Mom won't let you leave until you've put on a few pounds."
Dilhan gulped, a nervous smile spreading across his face. "I… can't say no to Aunty Rani's cooking."
They continued down the bustling streets, chatting as they passed by familiar shops and lively vendors. The aroma of spices filled the air, and Cali found herself admiring the vibrant fabrics displayed at a merchant's stand, only to be pulled back to reality by Dilhan's distracted stare.
"Hey, over here," she said, grabbing his arm as they approached a familiar building. The back entrance led to her mother's tavern, where they slipped inside quietly.
The moment they entered, Cali spotted her mother, Rani, busy cooking over a large pot. The scent was heavenly. Cali grinned and called out, "We're home!"
Rani turned around, a wide smile spreading across her face as she wiped her hands on her apron and rushed over to hug her daughter. "Cali! You're just in time. I was hoping you would come quickly."
Then her gaze shifted to Dilhan, and her smile grew even warmer. "Well, look who finally decided to show up! Dilhan, where have you been? I barely see you these days!"
Dilhan scratched his head, giving a sheepish grin. "Academy keeps me busy, Aunty. But I wouldn't miss a chance to come here."
Cali watched the two of them, a fond smile creeping up on her face. Her mother treated Dilhan like family, almost like the son she'd never had. They'd known each other ever since Cali became friends with Dilhan, and it warmed Cali's heart to see them together.
"Come on, then," Rani said, shooing them both further into the kitchen. "Make yourselves useful while I finish up. We'll close up shop soon, and I don't want any complaints about hungry stomachs."
They spent the next hour helping Rani with the customers who filtered in, laughing and chatting as they worked. Dilhan even tried his hand at cooking some delicious meal and found it to be little challenging than he thought it would be, and Cali couldn't help but giggle at his earnest attempts.
"Haha! Don't worry, I will teach you everything you need to know about cooking. It will be useful for you someday," She said in a tone, that didn't feel like mocking rather she was genuinely trying to help him.
Finally, as the sun set, they closed the shop, and Rani set a table at the back with an assortment of dishes.
The sight of the spread made Dilhan's eyes go wide with excitement, and he nearly bounced in his seat. "Aunty, you really outdid yourself!"
Cali laughed, nudging him playfully. "Look at you! You're like a kid in a seeing sweets for the first time."
Dilhan ignored her, too focused on the steaming plates of food, and started piling his plate high. Cali shook her head with a soft smile, watching him dig in.
"He's cute when he eats like that," she murmured under her breath, though a faint blush crept up her cheeks when she realized her mother was looking at her with a knowing smile. Her gaze was already embarrassing enough, but when she gave a little wink, Cali knew her mother misunderstood what she was trying to do.
As they ate, Rani looked at the two of them thoughtfully. "So, how are things at the academy these days?"
Cali turned to Dilhan, expecting him to answer, but he was too engrossed in his food, barely noticing the question. For a second, he looked like squirrel stuffing his mouth with several different food.
She chuckled, shaking her head. "Busy, as always. There's never a dull moment."
Rani arched an eyebrow. "Busy, you say? Anything in particular?"
Cali paused, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well, have you heard of ZeroVeil?"
Rani tapped her chin, thinking. "Hmm, I've heard a few of the customers mention that name. Who is he, exactly? That name is becoming rather popular these days."
Cali leaned forward, lowering her voice dramatically. "It's a long story, Mom. But let's just say he's this… mysterious figure who keeps popping up at the academy and Thimoria. No one knows who he is or how he's doing it, but he seems to be broadcasting himself across the district in these strange illusions, calling himself a 'streamer.'"
Rani's eyes widened, clearly intrigued. "And he hasn't been caught?"
"Not yet," Cali replied, shaking her head. "He's crafty. Whoever he is, he's got skill. The teachers are all riled up about it, though Principal Eldra hasn't done much more than raise the security. I think they can't capture him, or... like most people suspect they don't want to."
Rani laughed softly, shaking her head. "Things were simpler when I was your age. Now there are mysterious 'streamers' sneaking around. But it sounds like things are… exciting."
Dilhan, having finally slowed down with his meal, looked up, catching the tail end of their conversation. He wiped his mouth with a his shirt and gave a little shrug. "Well, there's no reason to catch him, since he is not harming anyone. He just want to get more fans by doing his own thing. I think people should watch him more and support him since he is not doing anything bad,"
Rani tilted her head, smirking. "So, Dilhan, can we safely say that you watch this ZeroVeil?"
Dilhan laughed, scratching his head. "Not really. But I know he is a good guy. Believe me, he will do big things that will be rather entertaining.."
Cali snorted, giving him a playful jab. "Haha! You're talking as if you know him personally. Where is this trust coming from?."
His face suddenly changed, as if he was guilty of something. He started tosweat knowing he said something he shouldn't have. "I...I don't have any idea what you're talking about. I just said that because I saw his stream...haha! There's no way I know him personally,"
"Woah! Woah! Calm down son," Rani patted him on the back and gave him a cup of water, as he started to choke on his own food while Cali look at him with a curious look. "Well, look like we have a die hard fan of ZeroVeil here,"
She thought to herself, but she couldn't deny herself that his streams were not interesting because most of the people in Thimoria, even though they were hesitant to come forward, most of them have been watching and enjoying the streams of this person called ZeroVeil.
They all laughed, the warmth of the moment filling the room. Rani reached over and patted his shoulder fondly. "Well, just remember that if you get too thin again, you're always welcome here, alright?"
"Yes, Aunty," Dilhan said with a sincere smile.
As they continued eating and chatting, Cali watched her mother and Dilhan with a content heart. Despite the chaos of the academy, these little moments made everything worthwhile. For a moment, she forgot about all her struggle, but she knew things won't stay like this for long, as the time was coming for them to get serious about their education.