Chapter 255: Chapter 255 Ok-sigen
Alina laughed warmly, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she tapped the little plant she had drawn on the board. "Plants are very important for us because they give us oxygen," she explained patiently, "and they take in the carbon dioxide that we breathe out. It’s like a fair trade!"
Drake raised his hand, his brows furrowed. "What’s ok-sigen?" he asked loudly, the way he said it making a few of the babies giggle.
Vlad Jr. gave a long, suffering sigh, crossing his arms like a miniature prince. "It’s oxygen," he corrected, his tone calm but filled with elegant superiority.
Drake blinked at him, then repeated proudly, "Ok-sigen!"
Luna’s ears twitched as she tried to say it too, her tongue stumbling adorably. "Oksi-gen," she muttered with determination, glaring at the board as though the word itself was challenging her.
"Ok-sigen!" Boo shouted, spinning in the air like he was leading a cheer squad.
"Oksi-gen!" Rocky tried too, his voice tiny but full of effort.
Before long, the entire classroom was echoing with different versions of the same word—"Ok-sigen! Oksi-gen! Ogg-seen!"—each one more creative than the last.
Alina couldn’t help it; she burst into laughter, bending slightly as she covered her mouth. "Oh my, my little scientists!" she said between giggles. "The word is oxygen, but I think you all just invented ten new languages!"
The babies giggled too, proud of their own versions of the word. Even Dante, who was sitting quietly at the back, found a rare smile tugging at his lips as he watched the chaos unfold.
Alina straightened again, still smiling as she tapped the board gently. "Alright, geniuses, let’s try together. Say it with me—oxygen."
"Oxygen!" they all shouted in perfect unison this time.
She blinked, pretending to be amazed. "Wow, you all sound like a choir!"
Boo puffed up proudly, twirling once in mid-air. "See! We smart, Teacher! We breathing ok-sigen every day!"
The whole class erupted into laughter again, and Alina leaned against her desk, shaking her head fondly. Even Dante had to look away this time, his shoulders shaking faintly with amusement.
"But what’s carbon dioxide? And I didn’t give any plant carbon by breathing!" Drake said, puffing his cheeks and breathing a tiny stream of golden fire for proof.
Alina blinked, caught between laughter and disbelief. "Ah, that’s not quite how it works, Drake," she said, trying not to smile. "You don’t see it like fire—it’s invisible."
Drake frowned, looking at his small flame in confusion. "Then what’s the point of it? My fire is better!"
Before Alina could respond, Boo gasped dramatically and pointed at Drake. "Teacher! Maybe he’s secretly turning all the air into barbecue smoke! That’s why we can’t see it!"
Luna groaned, dragging her palm down her face. "That’s not how air works, Boo."
"Yes it does!" Boo insisted, flapping his little ghost arms. "Drake breathes fire, I breathe light, Kelpie breathes bubbles, and you breathe—uh—anger!"
"I do not breathe anger!" Luna growled, her tail fluffing up, which only made Boo giggle harder.
Alina pressed a hand to her forehead, her shoulders shaking from holding in her laughter. "Alright, alright! Listen carefully. Carbon dioxide is what everyone breathes out. It’s invisible, but plants love it! They take it in and give us oxygen back."
"Wait," Drake said, blinking. "So you’re saying plants eat my breath?"
"Yes," Alina replied patiently, "in a way."
Drake gasped dramatically. "So basically, plants are eating my leftovers!"
The class exploded with laughter. Boo rolled midair, clutching his stomach. "Hahaha, Teacher! The plants are eating Drake’s leftovers! Soon we’ll have Drake trees everywhere!"
Kelpie splashed little droplets of water from excitement. "Maybe they’ll grow fire fruits!"
Vlad Jr. sighed, elegant as ever. "The level of scientific understanding in this room is truly remarkable," he muttered under his breath.
Alina laughed softly, pointing at the board again. "Let’s just say, plants help you breathe, and you help them live. So in the end, it’s teamwork."
Drake puffed his chest proudly. "Then I’m a plant hero!"
Boo threw his hands in the air. "Plant Hero Drake! Savior of green leaves!"
Even Dante, seated quietly at the back, let out a soft, amused chuckle, the corners of his lips curving as he watched the joyful chaos. The sight of Alina laughing with the children, her eyes warm, her voice patient, made something deep inside him feel unexpectedly calm.
Alina continued her lesson, her voice gentle yet full of energy, making sure every little one understood. "Plants aren’t just here to look pretty," she said, smiling as she pointed to the picture she had drawn earlier. "They clean the air, give us food, wood for houses, and even shade when it’s hot. They’re like our quiet helpers, always taking care of us."
Boo tilted his head. "So... they’re like green teachers?"
Alina chuckled. "Exactly, Boo. They teach us how to give without asking for anything back."
Drake gasped. "So plants are good people?"
"They’re not people," Alina laughed softly, "but they’re alive, and they help everyone—animals, humans, and even you dragons."
Kelpie nodded, dripping little beads of water on his desk. "And they live near water too, like me!"
"Right, Kelpie," she said warmly. "That’s why water is important to plants. Without water, they get weak and can’t stand tall."
Rocky looked serious. "Teacher... if plants die, will the world break?"
The classroom grew quiet, and Alina’s smile softened. "In a way, yes. If there were no plants, there would be no clean air, no food, no balance. That’s why we must take care of them."
Lucien, who had been quietly listening, spoke softly. "Dad says the world always gives warnings before something big happens. Maybe when plants start dying, it’s the world asking for help."
Alina blinked, impressed. "That’s very wise, Lucien."
At the back, Dante’s expression softened, happiness flashing in his eyes. He was proud knowing his boy listened to every word he said.
Drake nodded with determination. "Then I will help plants! I’ll breathe my warm fire to keep them cozy!"
Boo burst out laughing. "No! You’ll make roasted plants!"
Luna rolled her eyes, muttering, "You’ll burn down the whole forest, dummy."
"Teacher, Luna called me dummy!" Drake shouted, pouting.
Alina sighed, trying not to laugh. "Alright, alright. No one’s burning anything, and no name-calling. Let’s just agree to take care of plants, not cook them."
The class erupted in giggles again.