I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

Chapter 647 647: Trip (5)

"Okay... so we are going to make rice first," Felix said, looking around at the group. His tail swished behind him, brushing against the wooden floor. "Someone needs to get eggs from the chicken coop. The chickens are behind the cottage. They lay eggs every morning."

Drake immediately raised his hand, his massive wings rustling with excitement. "I'll go! I'm fast! I can fly there and back before anyone finishes counting to ten!"

Boo floated up from his spot near the ceiling, his silver eyes bright. "I want to go too! I'll scare the chickens! They'll lay eggs faster if they're scared!"

"No scaring the chickens," Felix said flatly.

"Gentle scaring?"

"No scaring at all."

Boo sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll just... observe. From a distance. With my eyes. Not my ghostly presence."

"That's still scaring."

"Chickens can't see ghosts."

"Chickens can see everything."

Boo opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. He had learned long ago that arguing with Felix was like arguing with a wall. A very furry, very stubborn wall.

Lucien stood up from his chair, brushing a few stray peach blossoms from his shirt. "I'll go with them," he said. "Someone needs to make sure Drake doesn't eat the eggs before we cook them."

Drake looked offended. "I would never!"

"You ate three raw eggs last week."

"They were... protein."

"You cracked them into your mouth like a lizard."

"I'm a dragon. Dragons can eat anything."

Lucien raised an eyebrow. Drake looked away.

"Fine," Drake muttered. "I'll bring the eggs. Uncracked. Uneaten."

Lucien nodded and walked toward the door. Drake followed, his wings dragging slightly behind him. Boo floated after them.

"Chickens, here we come!" Boo announced. "Prepare to be observed!"

The door closed behind them.

Felix turned back to the remaining group. "Okay. So we have ten people..." He looked at the bags of rice sitting on the counter. "I think four or five cups should be enough. But considering how much everyone eats—" He glanced at Drake's empty chair. "—especially some people, we should probably make six cups."

Vlad Jr. nodded seriously. "We are all in our growth phases. Our bodies need fuel."

"My mom says I'm growing like a weed," Rocky said.

"You're made of stone," Kelpie pointed out. "Stones don't grow like weeds."

"My mom says it anyway."

Luna walked over to the counter and picked up the large pot. It was heavy, almost too heavy for her, but she carried it to the sink without complaining. "I'll help with the rice," she said.

Sable grabbed the bag of rice and carried it over to her. "I'll help too."

Felix watched them, his ears twitching. "Good. We need to wash the rice first. It has to be cleaned before we cook it."

Luna poured the rice into the pot. The grains made a soft sound, like tiny pebbles falling on stone. Sable added more rice from the bag, then more, until the pot was about a third full.

"Six cups," Felix said, peering into the pot. "That looks right."

Vlad Jr. brought over a bowl of water and poured it into the pot. The water turned cloudy, white with rice dust.

"Now we wash it," Felix said. "Two or three times. Until the water runs clear."

Luna stuck her hand into the pot and swirled the rice around. The water turned cloudier. She poured it out carefully, making sure not to spill any rice, then added fresh water.

Sable took a turn, his smaller hands working the rice gently. "It's like playing in mud," he said. "But cleaner."

"Much cleaner," Felix agreed.

Rocky stepped forward. "Can I try?"

He knelt beside the pot and reached in with his stone hands. The water swirled around his fingers, and he moved the rice with surprising gentleness. His stone face was serious, focused.

"Good," Felix said. "You're a natural."

Rocky smiled.

Kelpie splashed a small stream of water into the pot. "Water helps."

"Water helps everything," Luna said.

The children took turns washing the rice, each one adding their own touch. Vlad Jr. was methodical, counting each swirl of his hand. Kelpie's water droplets made the rice shine. Luna was efficient, quick and sure. Sable was careful, afraid of spilling. Rocky was steady, his stone hands never rushing.

Felix watched them all, his fox eyes soft. "This is good," he said quietly. "We're working together."

---

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Lilith sat on her small bed, her legs dangling over the edge.

She had been watching the cooking for a while, but her attention had drifted. The sounds of the others—the clinking of pots, the chatter about rice, the splash of water—faded into background noise.

She was bored.

She swung her legs back and forth and looked around the room. The sunlight streamed through the window, making the dust motes dance. The beds were neatly made, the pillows fluffed, the blankets folded.

Her eyes landed on her small bag, sitting at the foot of her bed.

She slid off the mattress and walked over to it. Her bare feet were cold on the wooden floor, but she didn't mind. She unzipped the bag and reached inside, her small fingers searching.

She found it.

Her family photo.

She pulled it out carefully, holding it with both hands. The edges were slightly bent from being carried around so much, and there was a small smudge in the corner from where she had spilled juice last week.

But the faces were still clear.

Her mama. Her daddy. Her brothers.

She climbed back onto the bed and sat cross-legged, the photo resting on her lap. She looked at it for a long time, studying every detail.

Mama was smiling. Her hazel eyes were warm, her hair falling over her shoulders. She looked happy. She always looked happy in photos.

Daddy was standing beside her, his crimson eyes soft, his hand resting on Mama's shoulder. He was smiling too.

Lucien stood on one side of them. Sable stood on the other side, grinning at the camera brightly.

And Lilith herself was sitting on Daddy's shoulders, her tiny hands gripping his hair, her face lit up with laughter.

She traced her finger over Mama's nose. Then over Daddy's nose.

Then over her own nose.

"Wiwwy misses you," she whispered.

The room was quiet. The sounds from the kitchen seemed very far away.