For a second, Dante didn’t respond. His crimson gaze rested on her, unreadable, his fingertips pressed together on the desk. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair. "So. You prefer to take them into the human world?" His tone was calm, but there was an edge of curiosity, almost testing.
Alina nodded lightly. "Yes, sir. There are safe places—parks, gardens, picnic spots where children can enjoy freely. I thought it might be easier for them... and educational, too."
There was silence. Gabriel glanced at her quickly, as though afraid she had overstepped. Miss Kelly folded her arms, waiting for Dante’s judgnt, while Professor Hobb scowled like the idea was already dood.
Then Dante’s lips curved, not into a smile, but into sothing sharper. "Forget the paperwork," he said at last, his voice deep enough to make the air stir. "I will prepare sothing myself." He inclined his head slightly, crimson eyes catching hers. "You may leave the arrangents to ."
Alina blinked, caught off guard. "Sir?"
"You needn’t trouble yourself over maps and lists. If you are unsure, I will take care of it. I’ll see to the details... and then I’ll tell you where we’re going."
Her lips parted slightly, a flush rising to her cheeks at his certainty. He had said it so casually, as if there was never any doubt he would take the lead. She nodded quickly, lowering her eyes. "Alright, sir... thank you."
And though she was still surprised, a small smile tugged at her lips. He had taken her idea seriously.
She felt it had been foolish to even ntion the human world—of course Dante would never allow them to take the children there, it was far too dangerous—she let the thought go as the eting ended. One by one, Gabriel, Miss Kelly, and Professor Hobb left the office, and she gathered her things, following behind them quietly.
Since tomorrow was Sunday, she had already decided to spend the night here at the kindergarten and then drive out early in the morning to visit her mother. The idea made her smile softly as she returned to her little house.
The night passed dreamlessly, and when dawn broke, she packed a small bag with only the essentials. She wasn’t planning to stay long, just a short visit. But as she walked toward her car, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
Dante was standing beside it.
"Miss Alina," he said, his voice smooth, deep, and startling in the quiet morning air.
Her eyes went wide. "S-sir? What are you doing here?"
He looked perfectly composed, his horns faintly glinting in the light, though his expression was calm, almost casual. "I want to purchase so things from that mall you took to before," he said. "If you don’t mind, can you take with you?"
For a mont, she simply stared at him. Dante. The demon lord principal of the kindergarten. Standing by her shabby little car, asking if she could give him a lift to the human mall.
"Uh... yes, of course, sir," she stamred, still trying to recover from her shock.
She quickly slipped into the driver’s seat, and Dante folded his tall fra into the passenger side. The car suddenly felt too small, the space between them filled with his quiet, commanding presence.
Dante had plenty of helpers who could go get anything he needed. But human stores were very different from the ones in his world. The last ti he was there, he noticed how neat, organized, and full of stuff they were. It interested him. This ti, he wanted to see for himself and really look around.
But there was another reason too. His crimson eyes softened as his thoughts shifted. He had seen the section filled with toys and small, stylish clothes for human children, and the image of Lucien ca to mind. His son’s birthday was approaching, and though Dante had never been one to indulge in sentintality, he found himself wanting to choose sothing special himself.
Alina, unaware of the turn in his thoughts, gripped the steering wheel tightly, still struggling to process the surreal reality of having Dante sitting beside her like an ordinary passenger.
"Sir... what exactly do you want to buy?" Alina asked carefully as she adjusted her grip on the steering wheel, sneaking a glance at the tall figure beside her.
Dante’s voice was calm, almost casual. "A birthday gift. For Lucien."
Alina’s eyes lit up instantly, the fatigue of the early morning vanishing. "Really? Lucien’s birthday? When is it, sir?"
"This Tuesday," he replied, and for the first ti, there was the faintest smile at the corner of his lips.
Her heart ward at the thought. "That’s so soon! Oh, I’ll definitely buy sothing for him too. He’ll be so happy!" she said brightly, already turning over ideas in her mind. Perhaps a soft toy, or maybe a book filled with illustrations... Lucien liked quiet, thoughtful things, didn’t he?
Dante gave a small nod, crimson eyes softening for a brief mont. "He deserves sothing special."
That one line made Alina smile. She could hear the genuine affection in his tone.
The car’s engine rumbled gently along the quiet road as they began to discuss ideas, their voices low but warm. Alina found herself laughing softly as she suggested, "What about a fluffy blanket? The children love curling up on those."
"He already has too many," Dante replied dryly.
"Okay, then... maybe a puzzle?" she tried again, thinking aloud.
"He would finish it in a few minutes," Dante said, but there was no harshness, only quiet pride in his son’s intelligence.
Alina grinned, her eyes brightening as another thought ca to her. "Then we need sothing that suits his patience... ah! Maybe a small model kit he can assemble himself. He’d love the quiet work of putting it together." Her voice carried a kind of certainty, as if she could already see Lucien bent over the pieces, his serious little face intent on making everything fit perfectly.
Dante didn’t dismiss the idea. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his expression thoughtful. "Perhaps," he said at last, the single word calm but not empty.
Her smile widened.
But then a thought struck her, and she sobered. "Sir... what about your... eyes and horns?" she asked hesitantly, lowering her voice. "You can’t walk into the human world like this. Soone might see you. And if it’s the wrong kind of person... they could try to capture you. To expose you."
Reviews
All reviews (0)