Part 3

As the night deepened, the soft crackle of the fire outside mingled with the gentle rustling of leaves swaying in the breeze. The newly built house, nestled within the heart of the mysterious clearing, offered shelter and warmth to its weary inhabitants. Within its wooden walls, the girls slept soundly—wrapped in silk bedding, bellies full, minds at ease after days of uncertainty.

But Flora lay awake, her eyes wide open. She stared at the ceiling, tracing patterns in the wooden beams, her thoughts drifting beyond the comfort of the room. Something tugged at her—a quiet, insistent pull she couldn't ignore. It gnawed gently at the edge of her heart, urging her toward the outside world.

Her thoughts turned to Hoshi. He sat out there, beyond the walls, he remained alone. She could feel it in her bones. He wasn't sleeping—he was awake, watching over them, thinking of their wellbeing even now. A stranger when they met, yet he had done everything for them. He had built them a home with his own hands, coaxed life from the soil to feed them, and offered calm reassurance when none of them knew what to do. Leaving him out there felt wrong.

He never asked for gratitude. Never asked for a place inside. He stayed outside not out of rejection, but out of selflessness—putting their comfort before his own.

With a quiet breath, Flora slipped from her bed and crept across the floor. She pushed the door open gently, careful not to wake the others, and stepped out into the cool night air. The stars glittered above like scattered gemstones across black velvet, and the fire still burned low, casting golden flickers across the clearing.

Her blue eyes landed on him. Hoshi sat by the fire, legs crossed, a small knife in one hand and a block of wood in the other. He was whittling—slow, deliberate strokes carving something from the shapeless grain. His expression was calm but distant, lost in thought, the firelight dancing across his face and catching in the green of his eyes.

Flora watched him for a moment, heart stirring. Then, quietly, she stepped forward. "You're still awake?" she asked softly.

Hoshi glanced up at her, then back to his work. "Yeah. Figured I'd make a few more skewers for cooking before turning in."

Flora hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. "Mind if I sit with you?"

He shook his head, shifting slightly to make room on the log beside him. She lowered herself onto the rough wood, pulling her knees close as she watched him work.

The way he handled the knife was precise, every stroke shaping the wood into a smooth, tapered point. It was simple work, but there was something admirable about the way he dedicated himself to it.

"You work a lot," she murmured, breaking the silence.

Hoshi gave a small shrug. "It keeps me busy. And it helps everyone. That's enough of a reason for me."

Flora tilted her head, studying his expression. "Even though you don't know us? Most people wouldn't go this far for strangers."

Hoshi paused for a moment, staring into the fire. Then, with a quiet chuckle, he resumed carving. "Maybe. But we're all stuck here together. Might as well make things a little easier for everyone."

Flora smiled softly, her gaze lingering on him a little longer than she intended. There was something steady about him, something reliable. And for the first time since arriving in this strange world, she felt at ease.

Once the skewers were finished, Hoshi set them aside and turned to Flora. "Still not sleepy?"

Flora shook her head, her silver hair shimmering in the firelight. "I'm a little worried about my sister. She acts calm, but deep down, I know she's anxious about her family—her husband and their baby boy."

Hoshi leaned back slightly, resting his hands on his knees. "I bet the little guy is cute."

Flora's expression instantly brightened, and she squirmed slightly where she sat. "Yeah! He's just too cute! I just want to kidnap him and keep him all for myself!"

The moment the words left her mouth, she froze, realizing how it sounded. Her face turned red, and she quickly looked away. "Sorry… That must've sounded weird."

Hoshi let out a warm laugh. "Not really. I get it."

Flora peeked at him curiously. "You do?"

He nodded. "Before I got sucked into this world, I saw a couple in my village with their newborn. They looked so happy together, and for a moment, I wondered if I'd ever have something like that."

Flora hesitated, then shifted a little closer. "Say… is there anyone special waiting for you back in your village?"

Hoshi blinked, caught off guard. A faint blush crept up his neck as he rubbed the back of his head. "No, not really. As the village elder, I stay pretty busy. I haven't had much time to think about things like that."

Flora's blue eyes widened. "Wait—you're the elder of your village? That's impressive!"

Hoshi shrugged. "It just kind of happened."

Flora studied him for a moment before smiling. "You actually remind me a little of my sister's husband."

Hoshi raised a brow. "Really? How so?"

Flora leaned back, gazing up at the starry sky as she reminisced. "He was the one who founded Great Tree Village and became the mayor when we officially named it. My sister was the first person to move there, and over time, they fell in love and got married. When I first met him, I was amazed by how hardworking and kind he was. He cared for everyone, and even when kings tried to marry off their daughters to him, he never wavered—he only ever loved my sister." She let out a small sigh, her voice tinged with admiration. "Watching them together, I kept telling myself… when will I meet someone like that?"

She turned her gaze back to Hoshi, her expression thoughtful. And for a brief moment, an unspoken question lingered between them.

As their gazes lingered on each other, Flora's eyes flickered to the basket beside Hoshi. She noticed a cluster of grapes, now shriveled from the sun. "Hey, what are those?"

Hoshi followed her gaze, reaching into the basket and picking up the dried fruit. "I originally bought these to make wine back home. But since I've been stuck here, I figured I'd just let them dry out and turn them into raisins for a snack."

Curious, Flora plucked one from the bunch and rolled it between her fingers, feeling the small seed inside. Suddenly, an idea sparked in her mind. Her eyes lit up with excitement. "I know how we can get home!"

Hoshi sat up straighter, his full attention on her. "Really? How?"

Flora grinned. "Back in Great Tree Village, we have dragons that love wine. One of our strongest allies, Hakuren, is absolutely obsessed with it. If we make a batch of wine here, even though we're in a different world, she might be able to smell it. And if she does—"

"She might come looking for it." Hoshi finished her thought, realization dawning on him.

Flora nodded eagerly. "Exactly! Hakuren is a powerful dragon. If anyone has the strength to force the gate open and bring us back home, it's her."

Hoshi rubbed his chin, considering the plan. "It's a long shot, but at this point, anything is worth trying." He glanced toward the house where the others were sleeping, then back at Flora. "Let's tell everyone in the morning."

A spark of hope flickered between them, and for the first time since they arrived in this strange world, the possibility of returning home felt real.

By morning, as the sun cast golden light over their small camp, Hoshi and Flora gathered the others to explain their plan. The moment Hoshi finished, Loo crossed her arms, skepticism clear on her face.

"Seriously? Even if this could work, it takes years for grapes to bear fruit. I don't have time for that—I need to see my husband and child now!"

Hoshi met her frustrated gaze with calm determination. "I get it, I really do. But this is the only lead we have." He then stepped forward, gripping his magical hoe. "Just watch."

With precise, practiced movements, he tilled the soil into neat, even rows. Then, taking the seeds from the dried grapes, he planted them carefully in the freshly turned earth. The others watched with doubtful curiosity as he grabbed his watering can and poured a steady stream over the seeds.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, to their astonishment, tiny green shoots burst through the soil, growing slowly but much faster than normal. Within minutes, delicate vines began weaving their way up looking for some supports, their leaves broad and vibrant.

The women gasped. "No way…" Ria breathed, stepping closer to examine the miraculous growth.

Tier placed a hand on her hip, nodding approvingly. "I should've guessed. If potatoes can grow in a day here, why not grapes?"

Loo blinked, still processing what she had just witnessed. Flora, standing beside Hoshi, clasped her hands together, excitement in her voice. "If everything grows this fast, maybe fermentation will be quick too. That means…"

Hoshi nodded. "If we're lucky, we'll have wine ready soon."

A spark of renewed hope flickered in their eyes. Maybe—just maybe—they had found their way home. Hoshi rushed over to the pile of scrap wood, rolling up his sleeves with renewed energy. "Alright, first things first—I'm going to build some trellises. After that, we'll need a proper setup to press the grapes into juice and some barrels for fermentation. We've got a lot of work ahead of us!" The determination in his voice was infectious.

The women exchanged eager glances before breaking into excited cheers. "Let's do this!" Tier summoned her golems to help with construction, Ria used her elven instincts to organize the materials efficiently, and Loo and Flora prepared the workspace, clearing debris with their magic.

As they set to work, the air buzzed with purpose—this wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about going home.

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity. With the vines growing at an astonishing pace, it wasn't long before clusters of green fruit hung heavily from the trellises, on the verge of ripening into deep purple jewels.

As they waited for the final transformation, Hoshi and the girls worked tirelessly. They built a sturdy platform for stomping the grapes, ensuring it was high enough to allow the juice to flow easily into their makeshift barrels. The barrels themselves, crafted from wooden planks and bound together by Zanbuton's incredibly strong silk, were airtight and ready to hold the precious liquid as it fermented.

Finally, the day arrived. The grapes, now rich and purple, were ripe for juicing. The group stood before the vines, their hard work culminating in this moment. The air was thick with the scent of sweet fruit, and the excitement was palpable. Soon, they would begin the winemaking process—the first step toward calling out to Hakuren and finding their way home.

They worked tirelessly, moving in sync as they harvested the plump, ripe grapes from the vines. Basket after basket was filled and carried over to the large wooden stomping vat, where they wasted no time taking turns crushing the fruit beneath their feet. The juice flowed freely, trickling into the barrels one by one, each carefully sealed to begin the fermentation process.

When Flora's turn came, she suddenly grabbed Hoshi's arm with a playful grin. "Come on, you should join me!"

Before he could protest, she pulled him into the vat. Hoshi chuckled, making sure his feet were clean before stepping in beside her. At first, their movements were clumsy, bumping into each other as they tried to find a rhythm. But when their eyes met, they couldn't help but laugh.

Flora took the lead, twirling gracefully atop the grapes. Hoshi, caught up in the moment, followed suit, matching her steps as they turned their task into an impromptu dance. Their laughter echoed through the air as they stomped, spun, and splashed grape juice around like carefree children.

The other girls, watching from the sidelines, exchanged knowing glances. They had all seen Flora's joy before, but never quite like this. There was something different about the way she looked at Hoshi—something warm and unspoken. And as the barrels filled and the sun dipped lower in the sky, an unspoken thought settled in their minds: What will happen when it's time to return home?

The warm glow of the magic casted by the girls glowed inside the cozy wooden house as Hoshi and the girls gathered around a low table, cards in hand. The sound of shuffling echoed through the room as they prepared for a friendly yet competitive game of Profiteer—a popular game Hoshi and his friends played in Keimonomimi Village.

Hoshi explained the rules one last time, ensuring everyone understood. "Alright, remember—the player who draws the Profiteer card is out. If you have an Expel card, you can discard it to shuffle the Profiteer card back into the deck. Other cards lets players draw, skip turns, or even swap hands. Ready?"

The group nodded, their competitive spirits igniting as the game began. Loo went first, drawing her card with a smirk. "Alright, let's spice things up. Hoshi, I manipulate you to play two turns!"

Hoshi groaned as he took two extra cards. "Starting strong, huh?"

Tier grinned as she took her turn. She showed the swap card and said, "Let's make things even more interesting. Flora, swap hands with me."

Flora sighed, reluctantly handing over her carefully curated hand while receiving Tier's in return. "I hope you didn't leave me with a disaster…"

Tier giggled. "No promises."

Ria, observing the chaos, played a Skip card, passing her turn to Hoshi.

Hoshi, now wary, drew a card. Relief washed over his face—it wasn't the Profiteer card.

Loo, seeing an opportunity, played a Swap card. "Hoshi, let's trade."

Hoshi reluctantly handed his hand over, now stuck with whatever Loo had been hoarding.

As the game continued, the tension built. Each turn, the players carefully avoided the dreaded Profiteer card. Then, disaster struck—Tier drew it.

"No!" she gasped. "Wait! I have an Expel card!" She quickly discarded it, shuffling the Profiteer card back into the deck.

The game pressed on, nerves high, until only two players remained—Flora and Hoshi.

It was Hoshi's turn. He hesitated, feeling the weight of the moment. Slowly, he reached for a card and flipped it over. There was silence as he started at his card. "NOOO!" Hoshi groaned, slapping the card down on the table. It was the Profiteer card.

Flora clapped her hands together, laughing in triumph. "Looks like I win!"

Hoshi sighed, leaning back with a defeated smile. "I can't believe I lost at my own village's game."

Loo patted his shoulder. "Just so you know, we play a ton of games in Great Tree Village. You had no chance. Better luck next time, elder."

As laughter filled the room, the tension of the past few days melted away. For a moment, they weren't stuck in an unknown world. They were just friends, enjoying a simple game on a peaceful night.