I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

Chapter 646 646: Trip (4)

The cottage had three rooms, each one warm and cozy with sunlight streaming through the windows. Multiple small beds had been prepared, their white sheets crisp and clean, with soft blankets folded at the foot of each one. The wooden floors creaked pleasantly underfoot, and the smell of peach blossoms drifted in through the open windows.

One room was for Lucien, Sable, Lilith, and Luna. Their beds were arranged in a small circle, with Lilith's tiny bed squeezed between her brothers so she wouldn't feel scared in the night. Luna's bed was in the corner, closest to the window, where moonlight would fall across her face while she slept. Boo had claimed the space above Lilith's bed, floating near the ceiling where he liked to drift while pretending to sleep.

Another room was for Rocky and Kelpie. Rocky had already claimed the bed nearest the door, his stone skin looking out of place against the soft white pillows. Kelpie had opened the window wide, letting in the sound of the nearby stream, which bubbled and sang even in the darkness. Boo sometimes drifted into their room at night, claiming he was "checking for ghosts," which made Rocky point out that Boo himself was a ghost.

The third room was for Felix, Vlad Jr., and Drake. Felix had curled up on his bed like a fox in a den, his furry tail wrapped around his body. Vlad Jr. had neatly folded his vampire clothes and placed them on a chair, his wings tucked carefully behind him. Drake had spread his large wings across his bed, taking up more space than he should, but no one complained. Boo floated through their wall one evening and got stuck halfway, which made everyone laugh for ten minutes straight.

Everyone was happy, truly happy, in a way they hadn't known they could be outside their own homes. There were no parents here, no teachers or masters, no rules except the ones they made for themselves. Boo floated from room to room, poking his head through walls and announcing the time every hour, even though no one had asked him to. They could stay up late and wake up whenever they wanted. They could eat peaches for breakfast and wade in the stream with their shoes off and shout as loud as they pleased without anyone telling them to be quiet.

But by the second day, a problem had emerged.

"Peaches again," Drake said, staring at the pile of fruit on the kitchen table. His wings drooped. "I can't eat another peach."

Kelpie nodded sadly. "My water droplets taste more exciting than peaches right now."

Rocky, who had eaten nothing but peaches for two days because he didn't know what else to do, looked slightly green. Even his stone face couldn't hide his misery.

Luna pushed a peach around her plate with her finger. "I miss meat."

"We don't have any meat," Sable said. "We have peaches. That's it."

"We have fish in the stream," Lucien pointed out.

"Fish requires cooking," Vlad Jr. said. His voice was quiet, almost embarrassed. He looked around at the others, his red eyes hesitant. "Does anyone know how to cook?"

The room went silent.

Felix looked at his paws. Kelpie examined his water droplets. Rocky studied the ceiling. Drake suddenly became very interested in his wings. Luna pushed her peach further around her plate. Sable scratched the back of his neck. Lucien crossed his arms and said nothing.

Boo floated upside down near the ceiling. "I know how to boil water," he offered. "If you want hot water. For... drinking."

"We need food, Boo," Luna said.

"Hot water is technically food."

"No, it's not."

"It's liquid food."

Luna stared at him. Boo smiled innocently.

Everyone shook their heads. No one knew how to cook.

Vlad Jr.'s face fell. "So we just... eat peaches forever?"

"If we're lucky," Drake mumbled.

Boo floated down and landed on a chair. "I could haunt the peaches. Make them more exciting?"

"No haunting the peaches," Sable said.

"You're no fun."

Then two hands shot up.

Felix raised his furry paw, his ears twitching. And Lilith raised her tiny hand, her fingers spread wide, bouncing on her chair.

"I know cooking," Felix said quietly.

"I know cooking too!" Lilith announced proudly.

Vlad Jr. turned to Lilith, his eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. "You know how to cook?"

Lilith nodded so hard her black curls bounced everywhere. "Yes yes! Wiwwy cook tomato in pot! Wiwwy put tomato in pot and fry fry fry! And den..." She made a sizzling sound with her mouth. "Psssssh! Done!"

Everyone stared at her.

Sable rubbed his forehead. "She's talking about her toy kitchen set. The wooden tomatoes. The little pot. The pretend frying."

Lilith looked offended. "Is not pretend! Is weal cooking!"

"You can't eat wooden tomatoes," Sable said.

Lilith crossed her arms. "You can if you weally want to."

"No, you can't."

"Watch me." Lilith ran and reached for a wooden block from the toy set and lifted it toward her mouth.

Lucien caught her hand before she could bite down. "No eating wood."

Lilith pouted. "Wiwwy was going to show you."

"Show us with real food," Lucien said. "Not with toys."

Boo floated beside Lilith. "I believe in you, Lily. You can cook anything. Even wood."

"You're not helping," Sable said.

Boo shrugged. "I'm supporting."

Lilith thought for a moment, then pointed at Felix. "Foxy cook! Foxy make food! Wiwwy help! Boo help too!"

Boo puffed out his chest. "I will be the official taste tester. Because ghosts don't get sick."

"Ghosts don't have stomachs," Vlad Jr. pointed out.

Boo waved his hand. "Details."

Felix's ears twitched. He looked around at all the hopeful faces staring at him. His fox form felt too big for the room suddenly, all that fur and those sharp eyes under the soft morning light.

"I know some simple dishes," he said slowly. "I made breakfast for my mom once. On her birthday. She was sick, so I wanted to surprise her."

Luna leaned forward. "What did you make?"

Felix's tail swished behind him. "Eggs and rice. And some fish. It wasn't very good, but my mom said it was the best meal she ever had."

"Because she loves you," Kelpie said softly.

Felix nodded. "Because she loves me."

Vlad Jr. stood up straighter, his elegant posture returning. "Then teach us. We can learn together. We have eggs from the chickens behind the cottage. We have rice in the cupboard. And we have fish in the stream."

"And peaches," Drake added miserably.

"We don't have to eat the peaches," Vlad Jr. said.

Drake's face lit up. "We don't?"

"We can eat something else. If Felix teaches us."

Everyone turned to look at Felix. His furry face was unreadable for a moment, his sharp fox eyes scanning each of them. Then he nodded once.

"Okay," he said. "But everyone helps. No one sits around watching except Lilith."

Lilith opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again, apparently deciding that being the exception was better than being excluded. She sat down on a chair, folded her tiny hands in her lap, and watched with wide crimson eyes.