I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!-Chapter 545 Safe

Haron tried to recover the situation quickly, gesturing wildly at the pile of gifts surrounding Alina.

"We did not harm her. Not at all. We treated her well, as you can see. Gifts. A comfortable bed. Silk sheets. We even let her keep the bracelet—"

Dante’s gaze finally shifted toward them.

The look in his eyes made Haron stop mid-sentence, the rest of his words dying in his throat.

"Silence."

One word.

That was all it took. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The room obeyed instantly. Three ancient elders, powerful enough to have ruled courts and frightened kingdoms for decades, stood frozen like children caught stealing cookies.

Then Dante turned his attention back to the bed.

Back to Alina.

His voice softened slightly. Just enough that only she might notice.

"Come here."

The shadows around the elders tightened a little more, wrapping around their ankles like silent promises.

Alina stared at him, her red-rimmed eyes wide.

Slowly, carefully, she unfolded herself from the pile of gifts and slid off the bed.

Her bare feet touched the cold stone floor, but she barely felt it. All she could see was him standing in the doorway, shadows curling at his feet, dark eyes fixed on her like she was the only thing in the room that mattered.

Dante closed the distance between them in a few long, swift steps.

For a moment she simply stared up at him, her red eyes wide, as if her mind was still trying to understand what was happening.

He was here.

He had actually come.

The room, the elders, the gifts, all of it blurred into nothing.

Then her body reacted before her thoughts could.

She stumbled forward, her knees nearly buckling. Before she could fall, his arms closed around her firmly, pulling her against his chest with a strength that stole her breath. The sudden intensity of the embrace made her freeze for half a heartbeat, surprise flashing across her face, before she relaxed into it completely.

Her hands clutched at his coat, fingers twisting into the fabric like he might disappear if she let go.

Dante exhaled slowly, a deep breath leaving his chest as if he had been holding it for far too long. As if only now, with her in his arms, could he finally breathe again.

"I should not have let this happen," he murmured quietly, his voice low and rough near her hair. "I should have never allowed it. I should have been faster."

His hand moved to the back of her head, fingers threading gently through her hair, cradling her skull like something fragile. He held her steady against him, as if confirming she was truly there. Truly safe.

Alina pressed her face into his chest, breathing him in. He smelled like night air and something deeply masculine, something grounding.

For a moment, the terrifying darkness surrounding him eased.

The shadows stopped creeping.

The cold retreated.

There was only this.

Only her in his arms.

Then his gaze lifted, and the room grew cold again.

His eyes moved toward the elders standing several steps away, frozen in place like statues.

They looked uneasy, their shoulders stiff, their eyes darting nervously between him and the shadowy figures forming along the walls. Roman’s face was pale. Haron’s hands trembled visibly. Hellder looked like he was calculating the fastest route to the nearest exit.

"Lord Dante..." Roman began carefully, trying to regain some fragment of dignity despite the fear in his voice. "Allow us to explain the situation. There has been a misunderstanding—"

"I do not want to hear anything."

Dante’s voice cut through the room like a blade, sharp and final.

Roman fell silent immediately, his mouth snapping shut.

The shadows behind Dante thickened, rising like silent sentinels.

"Anyone involved in this crime will be removed from their position," Dante continued calmly, his voice carrying absolute authority. "The order has already been passed. Your titles. Your lands. Your influence. All of it is gone."

The elders stiffened as if struck.

"And approved by the Shadow Priest."

That sentence drained the last remaining color from Haron’s face.

"The Shadow Priest?" he whispered.

Dante’s lips curved faintly, though there was no warmth in the expression.

"Conveniently," he added in an almost conversational tone, "the Shadow Priest happens to be staying at my residence at the moment. Visiting. For tea."

His smirk carried no humor.

"Good things happen sometimes."

Roman’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly, like a fish gasping for air.

Haron took a step forward in alarm, his voice rising.

"You cannot make such a decision without council approval. There are procedures. Centuries of tradition—"

"It is already done," Dante interrupted without even looking at him, his attention still partly on the woman in his arms. "The paperwork is signed. The seals are placed. Your traditions mean nothing to me."

The finality in his tone left no room for argument.

No room for negotiation.

No room for hope.

Then he turned away from them completely, dismissing their existence with that single movement.

His arm slipped around Alina’s shoulders, strong and protective, as he gently pulled her closer to his side.

"We are leaving."

He did not wait for permission.

He did not wait for protests.

He simply began walking toward the door, guiding her with him, his body positioned slightly between her and the elders like a shield.

Behind them, the elders finally snapped out of their frozen shock.

"Lord Dante, wait!"

"You cannot do this!"

"This is unreasonable! We are elders! We have rights!"

They hurried after him, their voices echoing loudly through the stone hall as they followed in frantic protest, their dignity completely abandoned.

"You cannot remove elders without discussion! There must be a hearing!"

"You are acting rashly! You will regret this!"

"You must reconsider! We can negotiate! We have resources!"

Dante did not slow down.

He did not even turn his head.

His expression remained cold and unmoved as he guided Alina down the corridor, one hand resting protectively on her shoulder.

The elders followed several steps behind, shouting in outrage and desperation, their voices growing more panicked with every step.

Alina glanced back once, watching the three old men stumble after them, their faces red with fury and fear.

Then she looked up at Dante.

His jaw was tight. His eyes were forward.

But his hand on her shoulder was gentle.

She leaned into him slightly.

His arm tightened just a fraction in response.

Behind them, the shadows finally moved, sliding across the floor to block the elders’ path.

The shouting stopped abruptly.

Then there was only silence, the echo of footsteps, and the warmth of his hand resting protectively on her shoulder.