I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

Alina's heart warmed at the sight. She placed a gentle hand on Luna's head, stroking her braid. "That was so kind of you, Luna. You made Rocky feel better. Teacher is proud of you."

Luna's ears went red as she turned her head away, muttering, "Hmph… I just don't like when my classmates cry, that's all."

Boo, of course, couldn't resist ruining the soft moment. He floated upside down, his arms dangling dramatically as he muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, "If you have more candy, give Boo too! Boo also part of pack!"

The tension broke instantly. The babies burst into giggles.

"Teacher… I'm sleepy," Drake mumbled next, his wings drooping as he leaned heavily against Vlad Jr. His chubby cheek squished against the vampire boy's elegant sleeve, and Vlad Jr., though pretending to be annoyed, quietly patted his friend's cheek with surprising gentleness.

"I can make you a bed!" Felix suddenly declared, his ears twitching with excitement. He walked toward a nearby tree and Alina blinked in shock as she watched him stretch out his hands. Roots trembled, a trunk shimmered with his energy, and before she could even stop him, half of it bent and reshaped into something new. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest, afraid it might fall, but to her amazement, the towering trunk shortened, its branches smoothing until an uneven but solid bed appeared on the grass. It was big enough for four babies to climb onto comfortably.

Felix's cheeks flushed a rosy pink. He fidgeted with his sleeves, muttering, "I don't know how to make it clearly. I only learned from my mom."

Alina pressed a hand to her chest, relief and pride rushing through her. She walked toward him and crouched beside him, smiling warmly. "Not bad at all, Felix. This is so good… you should be proud."

Hearing that, Felix's tails flicked with visible happiness, though he tried to hide it by turning his head.

"I can sleep now," Drake announced, wobbling toward the bed. He clambered up with all the seriousness of a king claiming his throne, plopping down in the middle. Luna huffed but quickly joined him, flopping beside him with her braid bouncing. Vlad Jr., after one elegant sigh, climbed up too, choosing the corner as if claiming the most dignified spot.

Seeing it was working, Felix concentrated again and shaped two more beds. One by one, the children curled up, finding their spots. Alina stroked their heads, tucking stray strands of hair behind little ears, whispering soothing words until their breathing slowed.

"I'll be fine," she reassured when a few of them asked if she would sleep too. Her smile was tender as she gazed at their peaceful faces. "Teacher will stay awake and watch over you."

Her heart swelled with pride at how far they'd come, pride at their innocence even in danger, and pride at seeing them bond with one another like a true little family.

Boo, however, was still hovering at her side, stubbornly refusing to lie down. His pale face glowed faintly in the firelight as he crossed his arms and whispered dramatically, "Boo isn't sleepy. Boo will guard teacher from scary monsters."

Alina chuckled softly, brushing her hair behind her ear as she looked at him. "Then I'll count on you, Boo," she whispered back. For once, the mischievous ghost gave a proud little nod, puffing his chest as if the duty were his greatest honor.

Alina was glad to see that all the babies were finally asleep. Their little faces looked tired yet peaceful, their breaths slow and even after such a long, exhausting day. Her heart softened just watching them.

"…Teacher… you can sleep," Boo whispered suddenly, floating closer to her face. His cold little fingers brushed against her eyelids as if trying to push them closed; Alina shivered at the chill but smiled anyway.

"No, Boo," she whispered back gently, "I want to make sure everyone stays safe."

Boo nodded proudly, as if he had been entrusted with a great secret. "Teacher strong," he said with satisfaction before drifting just above her head. Within moments, his body turned sideways in the air as he mumbled nonsense in his half-sleep, rambling about old ghost elders, how tired they always looked, and how much they scolded him. His muttering made Alina chuckle softly, even as she tried to keep her eyes open.

A quiet rustle pulled her attention to the side. Lucien, who had been lying still pretending to be asleep, slowly climbed down from the wooden bed Felix had made. His small feet padded softly over the grass until he sat beside her. His crimson eyes glowed faintly in the firelight, filled with worry.

Alina stroked his hair gently, her voice warm. "I know you're worried about your dad. But he will be okay. I believe in him… and you should believe too, right?"

Lucien's eyes widened, the glow brightening as he looked at her. He wanted to believe—she could see it in the way his lips pressed together.

"Principal is powerful!" Boo suddenly declared from above, his voice ringing out as if he had been waiting to shout it. "No one can defeat evil, Principal!"

Lucien blinked, startled, then finally smiled faintly. "Thank you, Boo," he whispered. His gaze returned to Alina. "And… thank you, teacher."

"You're such a well-mannered boy," she murmured, rubbing his head again. "You've been so brave today, handling everything so well."

Lucien hesitated, then confessed quietly, "Teacher… I can't sleep."

Alina smiled softly. "That's fine. You can sleep on me if you want." She patted her thigh, and Lucien's eyes lit up with a sparkle of childish hope. He carefully lay his head down on her lap, closing his eyes at last with a faint sigh of relief. His lips curved into a small, content smile as her hand rested gently on his hair.

Boo peeked down from above, his expression turning envious. "Teacher, can I also sleep on you?" His voice was bright with longing, his round eyes shining.