I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

Chapter 644 644: Trip (2)

The mountain road wound through fields of wildflowers and forests of tall trees before opening up to a valley covered in peach blossoms as far as the eye could see. The trees were in full bloom, soft pink petals drifting through the air like snow, carpeting the ground in shades of rose and white. The whole place smelled sweet, like honey and spring and something almost magical.

The carriage stopped beside a big cottage with thick stone walls and a wide porch lined with wooden chairs. A small stream bubbled nearby, its water clear and cold, singing as it tumbled over smooth rocks. There were hammocks tied between the peach trees and a garden full of vegetables growing beside the house. A path led down to the stream, and another path wound up the mountain toward the orchards.

According to Vlad Jr., they could cultivate self-independence here. They could learn to take care of themselves. They could hunt for their own food or pick fruits from the trees. Peaches, apples, plums, whatever was in season. There were rabbits in the meadow, fish in the stream, and berries hidden in the bushes.

And this trip was without servants, guards, and parents. Just the children and the mountain.

The carriage door opened, and the children spilled out. Sable lifted Lilith down and set her on the grass, and her tiny feet touched the ground for the first time in the mountain valley.

She looked around with wide crimson eyes. The peach blossoms drifted down around her like pink snow, and one landed on her nose. She crossed her eyes trying to look at it, then sneezed.

"Dis is mou'ains?" she asked, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

Sable knelt beside her. "This is the mountain."

Lilith took a deep breath. The air smelled like peaches and flowers and fresh water, nothing like the stone corridors of the castle or the dusty training grounds. She tilted her head back and watched the pink blossoms falling from the branches above.

"Pretty," she whispered.

Then she spotted a rabbit in the grass, small and brown with twitching whiskers.

"BUNNY!" she shrieked, and took off running.

Her small legs pumped, her curls bounced, and her stuffed bunny trailed behind her by its ear, completely forgotten. The rabbit looked at her, twitched its nose, and disappeared into the bushes before she could get within ten feet.

Lilith stopped running and put her hands on her hips. "Come back, bunny! Wiwwy not eat you! Wiwwy just want to pet!"

The rabbit did not come back.

Lilith huffed. "Wude."

Sable caught up to her and scooped her back into his arms, laughing. "You can't chase the rabbits, Lily. They're scared of people."

Lilith crossed her arms, her lower lip pushing out in a pout. "Bunnies not scared. Bunnies wude."

Lucien walked past them toward the cottage, carrying his bag in one hand and Lilith's blanket in the other. "There will be more rabbits tomorrow. They're everywhere around here."

Lilith's face brightened instantly. "More bunnies?"

Lucien glanced back with a small smile. "More bunnies."

Lilith nodded seriously, her pout replaced by determination. "Okay. Wiwwy chase dem tomorrow."

Sable laughed and carried her toward the cottage. "That's the spirit."

Inside, Vlad Jr. was already waiting by the door for them. At eight years old, he looked tall and refined, his hands clasped behind his back. He wore elegant black and red clothing, a velvet vest over a silk shirt, and his dark hair was neatly combed. His red eyes gleamed bright, and his wings had grown bigger than before, folding gracefully behind him like a dark cape.

He smiled at them elegantly and gave a small bow. "Welcome, dear guests," Vlad Jr. said. "The others are already here."

He stepped aside and gestured for them to enter.

The cottage's main room was warm and inviting, filled with the sweet scent of peaches drifting through the open windows. Sable wasn't surprised to see nine-year-old Felix sitting in the corner, eating a peach with his usual quiet intensity. His fox form had grown bigger over the years, and he looked so furry now that his white fur seemed to take up the entire chair. His tail swished lazily behind him, and his sharp eyes watched everyone while he chewed.

Drake sat on a chair beside Felix, his wings grown much larger than before, stretching wide behind him even when folded. He had lost some weight and looked leaner, stronger, his dragon features more pronounced. He was also eating peaches, juice dripping down his chin, and he grinned when he saw Sable walk in.

At six years old, Luna looked up from where she was sitting on a cushion by the window. Her golden-brown eyes lit up immediately when she saw Lilith. She had grown too, her wolf features becoming more elegant, her ears slightly pointed beneath her dark hair. She smiled excitedly.

"You really brought the baby," Luna said softly as she looked at Sable and Lilith. "Teacher's baby."

Lilith narrowed her crimson eyes. "Wiwwy not baby. Wiwwy big two."

Luna's smile widened. "You're cute."

Lilith considered this for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Wiwwy cute."

Kelpie was standing near the window, the afternoon light catching his features. At seven years old, he had grown even more beautiful, with delicate features and luminous skin that seemed to glow. His blue eyes were bright, and water droplets still formed around him, but now they seemed to dance rather than fall. He smiled at the newcomers, his presence calming and warm.

Rocky stood beside Kelpie. He had grown tall at seven years old, taller than most of the others, and he looked stronger too. His stone-like skin seemed tougher, his shoulders broader. He nodded at Sable in greeting, his expression serious but friendly.

"Everyone's here," Rocky said. "We were waiting for you."

Lucien walked in behind Sable and surveyed the room. His red eyes moved from Vlad Jr.'s elegant posture to Felix's furry form to Drake's massive wings to Luna's bright eyes to Kelpie's glowing face to Rocky's tall frame. He nodded once, satisfied.

"Good," Lucien said. "Let's get settled."

Lilith wiggled in Sable's arms until he put her down. She stood in the middle of the room, surrounded by children much older and bigger than her, and she did not look scared at all. She looked like she owned the place.

She pointed at Luna. "You. Pway wif Wiwwy."

Luna blinked, then laughed. "Okay. I'll play with you."

Lilith pointed at Kelpie. "You. Show Wiwwy water."

Kelpie bowed his head gracefully. "It would be my honor."