Before Alina could explain, his gaze shifted to Dante behind her. "Good afternoon, sir," Gabriel greeted politely.
"Good afternoon, sir," Miss Kelly greeted, while Professor Hobb, though looking slightly grumpy as always, gave a curt nod and repeated the sa words.
Dante inclined his head once in acknowledgent, his presence filling the staffroom in a way that made the others instinctively lower their voices.
Alina quickly mouthed at Gabriel, "I’ll tell you later," her lips forming the words silently but clearly enough for him to understand. He blinked and nodded, though his curious eyes lingered on the strange, glimring bags on her desk.
Without lingering further, Alina gathered her schedule papers and motioned toward the door. Dante followed her without a word, his tall figure shadowing hers as they headed down the hall toward Class D.
When they stepped into Class D together, the room felt unusually quiet. Dante looked around with the air of soone observing a foreign land, his sharp crimson eyes softening slightly when they fell on the tiny chairs and desks.
"So..." he began, his deep voice breaking the silence, "how are you planning this makeover?"
Alina exhaled, pressing the her own bag down on her desk before tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Sir, I want to arrange everything properly. We’ll need to move so of the cabinets to the sides, push the desks closer together, and clear that corner for the new nap mats. It will take so shifting." Her brows knitted with a little stress as she explained.
Dante nodded once, then let his gaze sweep across the room again. He lingered on the short desks and chairs as though the sight tugged at sothing softer in him. "How do you want to help you?" he asked.
Alina blinked, slightly startled. For a mont she wondered if he was truly offering, but the sincerity in his crimson eyes was undeniable. "Alright then... sir, could you help move those cabinets to the back wall? I’ll handle the smaller desks and supplies."
She pointed, and Dante followed her line of direction. But when she turned back, she realised with a start how close he had co. His tall figure towered right beside her, his broad shoulder almost brushing hers as he looked with deep concentration at where she was pointing. Alina’s breath caught for a second—his presence always carried weight, like standing too near a storm. Yet his focus was purely on her words, not on her.
Trying to ignore her racing heart, she quickly stepped aside. "Y-you can just move those cabinets there."
Without another word, Dante raised his hand. The air around him shifted, dark shadows curling from the corners of the room like smoke. In seconds, two horned figures erged and stood waiting for his command.
"Bring in everything we purchased," he ordered, his voice low and commanding.
"Yes, my lord," they intoned before disappearing.
Alina’s eyes widened in amazent. She still hadn’t quite gotten used to seeing such magic up close. "You... can just call them anyti?" she whispered, almost to herself.
He glanced at her, amused. "They serve . Isn’t that what helpers are for?"
Before she could think of a reply, he stepped toward the nearest cabinet. With one hand—just one—he pushed it aside as though it weighed nothing more than a cardboard box. The heavy wood scraped across the floor in seconds.
Alina blinked again, utterly stunned. "Oh my... that’s..." She couldn’t even finish the sentence. Her human strength felt laughable next to his. Still, she refused to stand idle. Gritting her teeth, she bent down and began carefully moving the smaller desks, dragging them one by one toward the corners where she wanted them.
From the corner of her eye, she could feel his gaze flicker toward her now and then, as if silently noting her determination.
By the ti she had pushed two desks, the shadows returned, carrying the bags and boxes from their shopping trip. The classroom began to fill with colourful mats, rolls of bunting, and the rainbow chairs she had chosen.
Alina brushed her hands against her skirt, cheeks flushed both from effort and from the strange tension of working so near him. "This is going to take a while, sir."
Dante’s lips curved, not quite a smile but close. "Then we’ll finish it together."
Her heart gave a small, unsteady thump at those words.
The classroom slowly began to transform under their hands. With Dante’s strength, the heavy cabinets were shifted smoothly against the back wall, creating both order and a sense of space. Alina carefully asured the distance between them so that a wide nook remained near the tall windows—perfect for the nap corner she had imagined.
She rolled out the colourful mats one by one, their soft edges brightening the polished floor, then plumped the small pillows and lined them up neatly. In the middle she placed the oversized fruit-shaped plushies she had bought—an orange slice, a banana, even a waterlon pillow that looked so soft she couldn’t help patting it twice. The corner looked like a little paradise, glowing with sunlight through the window. She could already picture Sable curling up with his blanket, Boo floating lazily above the cushions, and Luna claiming the waterlon pillow with a triumphant grin.
"Good idea," Dante murmured, his deep voice low as he paused by the window, watching her adjust the mats. "It’s quiet here. They’ll sleep well."
Alina smiled, her cheeks warming. "Yes, and the light feels softer here. They’ll be happy."
Next, she directed him to the opposite side where the large flower-shaped table was placed by another window. Dante lifted it as though it weighed nothing, and she hurried behind him arranging the small rainbow chairs around its petals. Each seat looked welcoming, like a spot in a blooming garden. "Perfect for circle activities," she said happily, stepping back to admire it.
Dante moved with quiet efficiency, yet his eyes followed her with interest, as though curious about each choice she made. She climbed onto a low stool and began pressing the wallpaper stickers to the walls—bright suns, clouds, and stars that trailed across the once plain surfaces. Dante, without a word, held the stool steady with one large hand as she leaned forward to smooth out a wrinkle. She glanced down briefly, her chest tightening at how effortlessly he supported her without being asked.
When she was arranging supplies inside the cabinets, her fingers brushed against sothing crinkly. Pulling it out, she chuckled—a half-eaten snack bag, hidden away like a secret treasure.
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