I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

"Aunt, you have to believe me," Alina said desperately. "Look, I even have photos of the kids!" She quickly unlocked her phone and pulled up the pictures she had taken in class. She showed Lyla the images—babies proudly holding the glittered flower art they had made, their faces glowing with joy.

"See? This is Class D. Look at them. They're just little kids. We even had a costume party and They made this pretty flower by answering questions together!" Alina pushed the phone closer, her voice trembling with urgency. She had made up the part about the costume party, hoping it would explain away the horns and unusual hair colours in the pictures. "Maybe the kindergarten isn't showing up in the business listings online because it's still new. That doesn't mean it isn't real!"

Lyla stared at the photos, her lips trembling. "Are you… telling the truth?" she whispered. But then her eyes hardened again, clinging to the doubt in her chest. "Then what about that tall man??"

Alina exhaled shakily. "He's the principal of the kindergarten," she said truthfully, her voice steady but her heart racing.

"Then why were you shopping with him?" Lyla asked, her eyes narrowing as suspicion burned through her tears.

Alina swallowed hard. "Aunt, it was kindergarten material shopping. For the children, not for me." She lifted her phone again, determination flaring in her eyes. "If you don't believe me, I'll call him right now."

"Alina—wait!" Lyla reached out, panicked. But it was too late. Alina had already pressed the call button.

The line rang once. Twice. Then—

"Miss Alina," Dante's voice came through, smooth and cold, echoing into the small hospital room from the speaker.

Lyla stiffened, her breath catching. Just the tone of his voice alone carried authority.

"Sir," Alina said carefully, her own voice soft but urgent. "Do you remember Riccardo? The man we met outside the mall?"

"That weakling? Yes," Dante replied without hesitation, his voice laced with disdain.

Alina bit her lip. "Sir, he… he told my aunt misinformation about our relationship. He's trying to ruin my image. If you have time… could you come here? To the hospital? I know you're busy shopping for Lucien's birthday, and I'm so sorry to disturb you, but—"

"Miss Alina," Dante cut her off smoothly, his voice steady, leaving no room for argument. "It's fine. Send me the address. I'll come."

Alina quickly typed out the location and sent it before lowering her phone.

"Lina…" Lyla's eyes widened, guilt rising in her chest. "You—you disturbed him! That man sounded so… important. You shouldn't—"

"I had to, Aunt," Alina said sadly, putting her phone aside. "I wasn't dating anyone. That man—Riccardo—he's the one. I rejected him, and since then, he's been holding a grudge. He wants to ruin me." Her voice cracked, the sadness in her eyes clear.

Lyla's chest clenched with pain as she reached forward and hugged her tightly, finally softening. "Oh, Lina…"

Alina smiled faintly, though her eyes burned with unshed tears. 'Aunt… I wasn't lying to you. Not about the kindergarten, not about the children. The only thing I'm hiding…' she thought bitterly but didn't say, '…is a truth I can never tell you.'

When Dante arrived outside the ward, the hallway itself seemed to still. His tall frame filled the doorway, his sharp presence commanding every eye without him even trying. The nurse who had guided him there nearly stumbled when he turned his head slightly to thank her with a small nod; her cheeks flushed crimson before she hurried away, unable to handle the weight of his gaze.

Lyla froze. Her breath caught the moment she saw him. She had seen some celebrities in person before—actors, models, men considered the pinnacle of human charm. But none of them compared to this. The man before her wasn't merely handsome; he was striking, devastating in a way that pulled the air right out of her lungs. His dark hair gleamed under the hospital light, thick and silky, framing a face that looked sculpted with impossible precision. His green eyes, deep and rich like moss on a forest floor after rain, flicked toward her with quiet authority. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, his tailored clothes emphasizing the lean strength of his body. He didn't need introductions—he radiated power.

"Miss Alina," Dante said, his voice a velvet baritone that slid like silk but carried the weight of command.

Alina nodded, relief flashing in her red eyes. "Thank you, sir, for coming here." Her voice was small, touched with gratitude.

Lyla forced herself to speak, though her throat felt dry. "H-hello, I'm Lyla, Alina's aunt." She extended her hand, but her fingers trembled slightly, her body betraying the pressure she felt under his piercing gaze.

Dante didn't take her hand. Instead, he studied her with a cool intensity that made her shrink back ever so slightly. "I came here to clarify some things," he said, his words cutting clean through the air. His eyes shifted briefly to Alina's—softened, for only a fraction of a second, at the sight of her red-rimmed gaze—before he composed himself again, masking whatever emotion had threatened to surface.

"Miss Alina is a teacher under my care, employed at my kindergarten. Our relationship is strictly professional," His gaze sharpened like a blade, daring Lyla to question him further.

Lyla blinked rapidly, overwhelmed. The way he spoke left no room for argument, no chance to even doubt him.

"And the kindergarten where she works is not ordinary," Dante continued, his voice dropping lower, carrying a dangerous weight. "It is the Royal Kindergarten, a place reserved for the children of certain… hidden, powerful families. That is why its location is not public. That is why her salary is higher than most. And that is why she could not tell you the full truth."

Alina had already messaged him on his way here, explaining her aunt's doubts. He had come prepared.

"Royal?" Lyla breathed, her voice barely a whisper. The word itself made her heart race.

"Yes. Royal," Dante repeated firmly, locking his moss-green eyes onto hers. There was something in his stare that felt like a command written into her very soul. "Which is exactly why you must never speak of it to anyone. For her safety. For yours. Do you understand me?"

Lyla nodded at once, dazed, almost hypnotized. "Y-yes…"