I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!-Chapter 537 Shedding phase

"That word is scary," Drake said flatly. "When adults say ’interesting’ about children, it is always scary." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Madame Thistle chuckled again. "You are a perceptive one."

She straightened up and looked at Alina.

"I need to check something," she said calmly. "It will take a few minutes. You can wait outside if you prefer."

Alina hesitated, looking at Drake.

Drake looked back at her with wide eyes.

"Stay," he said quietly. Then immediately looked embarrassed. "I mean, you can stay. If you want. I do not care either way. But staying is allowed."

Alina smiled softly. "I will stay."

Drake nodded once, looking relieved but pretending not to.

Madame Thistle moved to her cabinet, pulling out instruments and bottles with practiced efficiency.

Alina settled into the chair beside the bed, ready to wait as long as needed.

After checking him with various instruments, some that glowed faintly and others that looked suspiciously like normal spoons, Madame Thistle adjusted her glasses on her nose. Then she gave a soft, knowing chuckle that made the tiny bells hanging near her shelf tremble lightly with the vibration.

"Alright, little one," she said warmly, placing her hands on her hips with the satisfaction of someone who had solved a puzzle. "Nothing is wrong with you. You are simply entering your shedding phase."

Drake blinked rapidly, processing this information.

"My... what phase?" he asked slowly, as if the words might make more sense the second time.

"Shedding," she repeated patiently, enunciating clearly. "Your scales will begin to loosen. Some may fall today. Some in the next day or two. Then new scales will grow in their place. Stronger. Shinier. More impressive."

Drake stared at her in complete silence.

His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

Then his eyes widened in absolute horror, his pupils dilating dramatically.

"Oh my dragon fire," he gasped, clutching his arms protectively. "Will I become a bald dragon for some days? Like a plucked chicken? Like a naked lizard?"

Alina choked on her own breath, turning away quickly and pressing her hand to her mouth as her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.

"Bald?" Madame Thistle repeated, clearly amused by this interpretation. "No, no. You will not become a bald dragon. That is not how shedding works."

"But you said fall out!" Drake insisted, touching his arms anxiously. "If they all fall out... then what? Smooth dragon? Naked dragon? Skin dragon? I cannot go to class like that! Everyone will stare! Boo will never stop commenting!"

"You will not lose all of them at once," she reassured him calmly, holding up a soothing hand. "It is gradual. A few here, a few there. New ones begin forming underneath before the old ones fully leave. You will never be without scales."

Drake looked deeply suspicious, his eyes narrowing.

"So I will not wake up one morning and look like a boiled egg? Completely smooth and pale and vulnerable?"

Alina turned fully away now, her whole body shaking with silent laughter. Tears were forming in her eyes.

Madame Thistle covered her smile with one hand, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "No boiled egg dragon. I guarantee it."

Drake hesitated, still not entirely convinced. He leaned closer to her and whispered urgently, as if sharing a top-secret concern, "But what if only my head scales fall and I look like a monk dragon? Bald on top, scales on bottom? That would be even worse. That would be ridiculous. I would have to wear a hat forever."

Alina let out a small helpless laugh that escaped despite her best efforts.

Madame Thistle maintained her composure admirably. "That will not happen either," she said with great patience, patting his knee reassuringly. "And even if a few patches look uneven for a day or two, it will only last a short time. Soon you will have brand new scales, better than before."

Drake looked at his arms again, turning them back and forth dramatically.

"So this is why I am tired?" he asked, putting the pieces together. "This is why I feel slow and weird?"

"Yes," she nodded sagely. "Growing new scales requires a lot of energy. Your body is busy working behind the scenes, using your strength to build better armor."

He puffed up slightly at that, his chest expanding with pride.

"My body is working secretly," he said, impressed with himself. "Building upgrades without telling me. Stealth construction."

"Very secretly," she agreed solemnly. "Very stealthy."

Drake stood straighter on the bed, his earlier fear completely forgotten and replaced by something else entirely.

"So this means... I am upgrading?" he asked, his eyes sparkling. "Like evolving? Like becoming a stronger version of myself?"

Madame Thistle smiled knowingly, adjusting her glasses again. "You could call it that. New scales are always stronger than old ones. Shinier too."

His face lit up like sunrise.

"I knew something big was happening," he declared proudly, striking a pose on the bed. "I felt mysterious. I felt important. I knew I was not just tired. I was transforming."

Alina finally turned back, wiping her eyes, her smile still wide.

"Very mysterious," she agreed.

Drake hopped off the bed, landing with a thump, and immediately began examining himself again, but this time with excitement instead of fear.

"How long until new scales? Will they be gold? Gold would be good. Or red like my current scales? Red is classic. I am bored of it. But gold says ’I am special.’"

"Patience," Madame Thistle chuckled. "They will come when they are ready."

Drake nodded seriously, then looked up at Alina with new energy.

"Teacher! I am not sick! I am upgrading! This is the best news!"

Alina reached down and ruffled his hair gently. "I am glad it is nothing serious."

"Serious?" Drake laughed. "This is the opposite of serious! This is exciting! Wait until I tell everyone! Boo thought I was cursed! Luna thought I was faking! Wait until they see my new scales!"

He was already moving toward the door, his earlier exhaustion seemingly forgotten in his excitement.

Madame Thistle called after him, "Rest is still important! Your body needs energy to build!"

"I will rest later!" Drake shouted back, already halfway through the door. "First I must announce my upgrade!"

The door swung shut behind him.

Alina looked at Madame Thistle, still smiling.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

The old nurse waved her hand dismissively. "Simple case. He will be fine. Just make sure he does not overdo it. Growing takes energy."

Alina nodded and turned to follow her excited dragon.

Down the hallway, she could already hear him shouting.

"EVERYONE! I AM UPGRADING! NEW SCALES COMING SOON! I AM EVOLVING!"

She sighed happily and walked a little faster.