As dawn's first light began to break, the group, consisting of a nymph, a human, a fmingo, and a slime, arrived at the farm. Martha and Bob, already awake and immersed in their daily farm tasks, welcomed them. The rhythmic ticking of the clockwork carriage announced their approach from alongside the stream.

  Bob and Martha's expressions turned to concern. The sight of Alex and Merumeru sleeping in the back of the cart further heightened their unease. The carriage being driven by the very nymph that enchanted Martha didn’t help the appearance of the situation either.

  Martha approached the nymph in the carriage. "Kaide, what did you do to Alex and Merumeru?"

  With a furrowed brow, Kaide grappled with her newfound memories from her time as Kyle, making this interaction emotionally challenging. Her parents no longer perceived her as their child. "Yesterday was hectic for them, so I pulled the cart to give them some rest," she expined, longing to address them as "mom" and "dad" but unsure of their reaction.

  "Is there something wrong with them?" Bob’s tone showed his fear of foul py.

  Kaide shook her head, "No. They are only sleeping. We’ve been pushing this cart for days and it just happened that they were asleep and it was my turn on the final stretch."

  Martha raised an eyebrow, "Maybe you used magic to put them to sleep?" She sounded skeptical, even angry.

  Fufi went straight to the elephant in the room. "Kaide, do you want me to tell them or should I let you? Take a closer look at Alex. She’s not a nymph anymore, that should be enough evidence that things went well."

  Kaide froze. Fufi gave her the opportunity to say what she wanted, but the nymph just couldn't spit it out.

  Martha gred at the nymph. "You're no better than the demons."

  "She's right," Bob turned towards the nymph, "I don't know what kind of sick joke is going on but the forest took our son and now you come back likely to rub it in our face that you took Alex and his friends as well. No, you are not welcome here."

  Kaide looked downwards in shame and embarrassment.

  Martha gave her one final gre before walking away.

  Fufi flew off the cart, nded next to the nymph and nudged Kaide with her wing. "You've got to tell them."

  With a deep inhale, Kaide nodded and spoke, "Mom, I'm sorry. I realize my actions were wrong. Yesterday, I regained my memories and discovered that before becoming a nymph, I was your son, Kyle."

  Martha turned back, her voice hushed, "What are you saying?" She couldn't help but think it was a cruel joke.

  Kaide stuttered, "I can expin everything, but first, I want you to know how much I love you and Dad. I'm incredibly grateful for the upbringing you provided. I owe you both so much for bringing me into this world. While I can't ask for your immediate forgiveness, I want to make amends. Please understand that what happened doesn't define who I am today. I'm truly sorry."

  Bob walked up behind his wife and put his hands gently on her shoulders, "We have always loved Kyle and never lost hope. Are you really him...er.. her? I'm not sure how this is supposed to work. Is that really our child Fufi?"

  The fmingo nodded. "Yes, Sakura took her memories."

  "Sakura?" Martha gaped.

  With a hand clutching her chest and eyes squeezed shut in evident anguish, Kaide spoke, "Yes, she's the spirit of the forest. I ck the full story, as some nymphs who had been with her longer possess more knowledge. However, she existed before all of this. When the demon queen's army devastated the city, reducing it to a desote wastend, it transformed her. The immense loss she endured made it impossible for her to trust anyone."

  Martha sat down heavily onto the cart and wrapped her arms around herself. Her mind felt like it might explode from trying to process too many new ideas at once. She looked down and saw Alex sleeping peacefully next to Merumeru. He looked completely human.

  "Bob, come see, Alex doesn't have leaf hair anymore. I think Kaide is telling the truth. I don't know is Alex still a girl? It is hard to tell." Martha pointed at the boy. Alex still wore the magical girl dress.

  Bob stared intently at Alex. He reached out and flicked bck-haired boy’s nose, "Alex, wake up."

  Alex opened his eyes and sleepily mumbled, "Dad?"

  Martha ruffled Alex’s hair. "That's just Bob, he's not your dad."

  Alex yawned, "Ugh, sorry I guess I was dreaming of being back home."

  "It would appear you were," Fufi’s cheerful tone rang through the morning. "You seem fine now though. How do you feel?"

  "A bit groggy but okay. How long have I been asleep?" Alex looked around in confusion.

  As the group continued catching up, the conversation eventually drifted towards Kaide's living arrangements with her parents. She presented them with a card featuring an aspen tree, symbolizing her desire to have one pnted. After careful consideration, they decided the ideal spot for her tree would be in the same walled-off area as the existing apple tree. With Alex's soul safely back in his body, the group no longer needed to exercise extreme caution. They contempted whether Alex might prefer to cut down the apple tree, but he expressed indifference. While it was unlikely he would consume apples in the near future, he had no objections to Kaide's grove incorporating an apple tree as long as she was comfortable with it.

  Kaide's parents welcomed her back to live at the farm.

  The party opened the pipe gate and Kaide pulled out her card and pced it in a spot that would get a lot of sun. An aspen tree sprung up from the ground with a rustling of leaves.

  Fufi smiled, "I'm gd love and justice prevailed in the end."

  Kaide took Fufi into one of her arms, "I'll always remember how you helped me."

  "Oh come now," Fufi winked, fluttering her wings.

  Kaide yawned, "I could use some sleep too. I've been up all night." She hopped up into the Aspen and reclined against a rge branch.

  Alex and Merumeru spent the rest of the morning resting as well.

  Bob and Martha kept to their routine around the farm.

  When Alex woke up Fufi was still beside him half-awake, he asked, "Are things really going to be okay like this? Some of the people that went back to being human are probably on their way back to those barbarians that we met in town. I'm a little worried about what might happen next and if we'll be safe here."

  Fufi blinked awake slowly then shook her head. "We have an advantage right now," she said in an airy voice. "Also, don't be so sure that they'll consider you an enemy. I think you took some of the bme for what Sakura had done. If they do send someone out here maybe it could just be to ask for forgiveness."

  Alex smiled, "You make it sound so simple but it isn't. That doesn't mean it won't work out though." He smiled up at Fufi who gave his nose a light flick with her wing.

  Alex gnced at Kaide sleeping in the tree and whispered, "Do you know how long we slept?"

  "No idea," Fufi replied softly as she began grooming herself.

  "Well, I was thinking. I'd like to try to take the cart apart and try to learn from it. If we are going to be traveling some more it'd be nice to improve it." Alex mused while inspecting the cart.

  "Oh, it needs improvement. You should make it look cuter. Right now it is much too pin." Fufi looked at the cart.

  "Maybe we could mount the water barrels higher and build a cover for it. I think the current interior would benefit from a few new designs." Alex suggested.

  Fufi thought about it for a second and nodded. "It could be fun. It could be our magical chariot."

  In the dimly lit workshop, Alex meticulously disassembled the intricate cart, his keen eyes examining every nut, bolt, and gear. With each component carefully set aside, he recorded detailed notes, chronicling how each piece fit together and contributed to the cart's overall functionality.

  However, amid the array of mechanical parts, one element stood out as particurly captivating: the main spring. Unlike anything he had ever seen before, it was adorned with shimmering gems that sparkled with an ethereal light. As Alex inspected it closer, he realized that the gems were not mere decorations but were imbued with a potent magical energy.

  The spring emanated a gentle glow, pulsating with a rhythmic heartbeat that seemed to resonate with the very essence of magic itself. Alex could sense that this was no ordinary spring; it held the key to unlocking the true potential of the cart.

  With a mix of awe and anticipation, Alex continued his work, carefully studying the spring's intricate patterns and runes. He felt as though he was on the cusp of a great discovery, a revetion that could change his understanding of magic and technology.

  When Merumeru woke up ter in the day she noticed what Alex was doing and brought out some additions of her own that Alex had thought were lost. She apparently had got the shower and the sink that they had left behind.

  "Where did you get these Merumeru?" Alex refrained from making a joke about taking the kitchen sink with her when she left.

  "Meru!" The slime girl cheerfully answered.

  During their journey, Alex realized that Fufi's insistence on making things cute wasn't just a magical girl familiar's silliness. Along with Merumeru, Kaide, and Bob's assistance, they transformed the ordinary cart into a noble-worthy carriage. With Alex's knowledge of clockwork dolls and old books, they modified the carriage, allowing control from the driver's bench. The carriage no longer required manual pulling to move, but the wheels could turn and adjust their speed, giving it tank-like maneuverability.

  Merumeru installed pipes and a shower drain, enabling them to take cold showers with water pressure aided by gravity, thanks to barrels on the roof. Gss windows and doors added to the carriage's elegance. Bob contributed his woodwork skills, while Alex crafted comfortable bench seats using wool stuffing and fabric, along with curtains.

  Kaide, with her pnt magic, grew wooden parts to precise specifications, creating intricate decorations for the carriage's exterior. Merumeru's slime powers came into py when she created a leaf spring suspension system, enhancing the carriage's comfort. Together, they transformed the cart into a remarkable carriage befitting nobility.

  The cart became more than a cart now, it was a magical carriage fit for a princess.

  When things finished up Alex admired the workmanship. "This is great! Thank you everyone!"

  Kaide poked him on his chest, "So, you're going to leave? Might as well leave in style."

  "Eventually, we still have the quest to defeat the demon queen." The ck of progress on the quest weighed heavily on the magical girl.

  "I see... So will you be coming back?" Kaide asked hopefully.

  "Yeah, you and your parents did a lot for us. They are good people." Alex nodded. “This has been the best pce in the world I’ve been to.”

  Everyone took turns driving the carriage around, an experience vastly different from driving a car. The controls consisted solely of levers that switched gears, as there was no steering wheel. It required some adjustment to get used to. Alex was keen on creating a second carriage for the farm, but it was challenging without another magical spring and hard-to-craft mechanical components. Nevertheless, they had an enjoyable afternoon. They not only had fun with the carriage but also got the chance to try out the shower and sink. Merumeru, in her zeal, made it her pet project to modify the well, creating an additional outlet that simplified the filling of water barrels.

  melchi