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HC: Handyman | Ch. 4 - Dusty
🕑 Added 2024-02-24 09:15:14 +0000 UTC“Nice to meet you. Cough! Cough! Is it always this dusty here?” Jack asked as he covered his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt.
“Well, we make a lot of sawdust as we work.
“Sawdust?”
“Yes. When we sand or saw wood, inevitably, we make dust. We have to sweep the workshop a couple of times each day.”
“And do you always wear goggles and masks?”
“Of course. It’s so we don’t breathe the dust in.”
“Would I have to wear those?”
“Yes.”
"And would you have me sweep the floor, too?"
"Of course."
Jack looked around and studied the nearby players. Two took turns pushing and pulling a long saw through a log. He noticed how both wore masks and goggles. A girl, also wearing safety equipment, swept the dusty floor.
“Well… This isn’t for me. Thank you.”
“But don't you want to try it at least? I haven’t even given you a tour of our workshop,” she offered.
“Thank you, ma’am, but no can do.”
Jack was already running back to Ezekiel. He had once worked in a place that required him to wear a helmet. He had never gotten used to it. Something told him that the mask and goggles would be just as bad. Also, he hadn’t enjoyed seeing how dusty and dirty it looked in the workshop. Worst of all, did they expect him to clean? Wasn't this supposed to be a game?! Why would he pay the game developers to let him sweep the floor? No, thank you!
Having taken less time to complete the roundtrip this time, he recognized a few faces on the way back. If he had taken a little longer, they would probably have moved from the hills with bunnies and come to town, too. He wiggled through the crowd surrounding Ezekiel and talked to him again.
“Hey there!”
“You're back so soon again! What’s wrong? Did you not enjoy meeting Master Sawyer? Let me tell you, she's one of the finest carpenters in the land.”
“Carpentry is not for me. Can you guide me to something that is not so dusty? And something where they don't make you clean?”
“Well… I suppose that leatherworking isn’t hot or dusty. Maybe that would work?”
“Sweet. Where is it?”
A new pin appeared on his map.
“Thank you! I'll give that a go.”
“Okay, I hope this will be your calling, my friend. Don't forget to give it a try first. Who knows, maybe only after you feel the touch of the leather and experience the joy of creating your first piece of equipment, the craftsman in you will awaken and-”
“Thank you, bye.”
Jack left a slack-jawed Ezekiel behind him and ran back toward the city. He wasn’t trying to be rude, but whenever he stopped for a single second, memories of Lydia and his father’s earlier sermon crept in. He couldn’t think; he had to stay on the move.
*
“Did you like leatherworking?” Ezekiel asked, seeing Jack was back.
“Urgh. The place smells!”
“Oh, yes. Curing hides and working leather does involve using strong chemicals. However, it isn’t hot nor dusty,” he explained.
“Let’s try the next one. What else do you have?”
“Well, I suppose you could try tailoring.”
“Awesome. Please show me where to go.”
*
Ezekiel didn’t look surprised this time around, seeing Jack was back so soon. “What was it this time?”
“I have needle phobia. I forgot how tailoring could trigger it.”
“I see,” Ezekiel said drily.
“Is there anything else?”
Ezekiel sighed. “There’s only one more major they teach in town. Let’s hope this is the right one for you.”
“What is it?”
“Chemistry.”
A new set of coordinates appeared on Jack’s map, and he set off back toward town.
This time, the road he had to take required him to move straight ahead after the fountain.
Jack entered the chemist’s building. There were glass vials of different shapes and sizes filled with liquids of all colors. Many plants and flowers in vases and pots were scattered throughout the workshop. Even though some chemicals were kept boiling over a small flame, the temperature in the shop was pleasant. The place was clean, and there were no needles in sight. Best of all, the master chemist was a beautiful young lady.
“Hi,” she squeaked in a high pitch. “My name is Cassandra, and I’m the chief chemist. Are you here to learn the craft?”
“Maybe,” Jack answered, unsure. He looked around and found nothing that threw him off. It looked like he would become a chemist after all.
Just as he was about to ask Cassandra to learn more, the chemist caught sight of an apprentice making a mistake and rushed toward her. “No, dear. You don’t want the frog's spleen. You want its liver. That’s what can help you with the recipe I taught you earlier.”
Jack stretched his neck, stood on his tippy toes, and saw a girl dissecting a red frog.
“Urgh. That’s disgusting.”
“Excuse me?” Cassandra asked. “You mean the frog? You get used to it, dear. But some of the ingredients we use are harvested from beasts. I’m sure you can appreciate how doing this work can save lives.”
“Nope. Sorry!”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m out. I don’t want to become a chemist. Thank you for your time, lady.”
Jack left the chemist grossed out and disappointed. He had been almost sure this was it. It looked like the major meant for him couldn’t be learned in this small town. Or, perhaps crafting just wasn’t for him. Sighing, he decided to return to Ezekiel and complete the rest of the tutorial.
He’d been rushing to start making money, but maybe it had been wishful thinking. Despite hating to study, he would spend some time reading up on the game to find out what he would do.
For the fifth time today, he approached Ezekiel.
“Hi, Ezekiel.”
“Chemistry didn’t work for you either?!” the tutor asked, exasperated.
“I’m sorry. Dissecting things is too much for my stomach.”
“I was chatting with the masters I referred you to,” he said, leaving Jack confused. How had he talked to them? Had Ezekiel left the hill and come to town while he wasn’t looking? “They tell me you didn’t even try crafting anything. You gave up before they could tell you anything about the majors. Is this true?”
“Yes.”
“My, my. This is not good, my friend. Crafting requires patience; you’re the most impatient adventurer I’ve ever seen.”
What a day. Even the game’s NPCs were criticizing him. Ezekiel continued.
“However, this might indicate that you’re meant for a different path. Maybe it just means you’re supposed to become a jack of all trades and a master of none,” he said thoughtfully. “There’s one last place you could try.”
You’ve received a new quest: [Jack of All Trades].
Jack of All Trades (Rare)
Despite Ezekiel’s best efforts, none of the majors available in town seems to suit you. He suggests you visit Mr. Kevin. He might be able to point you toward a better path.
Coordinates added to your world map.
Requirements:
To quit every major in town without trying them first. {complete}
It was his very first quest on New Earth! He might not have much experience with full-dive games, but he had played plenty of games on his phone, and quests were a good way to get precious items.
Jack noticed the NPC he would visit was not named ‘Master Kevin,’ but ‘Mister Kevin.’ What did that mean?
“Thank you, Tutor Ezekiel.
“Just try it. OK?
“Excuse me?”
“At least try this one. Please. Remember, impatience isn’t good for a craftsman!”
“I-I will,” stammered Jack. He left the hill in a daze. Was it his impression, or was the game criticizing his attitude? Lydia had accused him of not trying hard enough and not having a plan. His father had scolded him for being irresponsible and inconsequential. And now, even Tutor Ezekiel sounded exasperated and had criticized him for his impatience.
Even though Jack felt the impulse to run off and complete his quest, he forced himself to sit down and stop for a few moments. First came the gnawing memories of guilt and embarrassment from being dumped by Lydia and scolded by his father. He held himself down, letting the pain and negative emotions pass through him. Then came clarity.
Jack reviewed his moves in the game today. He had skimmed through one article on the internet and came running to the game unprepared, skipping every dialogue and rushing to become a craftsman without any prior research. He felt his ears getting hot and his cheeks flush.
Not trying? Check. Not having a plan? Check. Irresponsible? Maybe. Inconsequential? Strong possibility. Impatient? Definitely. Jack dug his face into his hands. What was wrong with him?
“My dad’s right. Lydia’s right. Ezekiel’s right. I’ve just—” It was hard to form the words and say them aloud, but he made himself say them anyway: “I’m lazy.”
Just like his legs had brought him from Lydia’s cafe to his house on auto-pilot, his lazy self had taken the wheel from the moment he arrived in the game. Even how he rudely parted with each NPC was like what he did to his bosses in the real world. Getting a quest despite his carelessness had been sheer luck!
He slapped his face a few times. “Enough fooling around, Jack! You’re going to finish this quest, no matter what. You’re better than this. Come on. You have to win Lydia back.”
With newfound determination, Jack marched toward the destination marked on his map.
*
Jack studied the old, run-down shack Ezekiel had directed him to. It was the last house at the end of one of the stretches. Whereas all other houses in town were made of black stone and had red roofs, this shack was a mismatch of construction materials. He supposed it was impressive that someone could glue and nail together tin sheets, mud, stone, brick, and wood into a house like this.
What kind of major could he learn here? This was the first locked door he found in the game, and Jack knocked carefully, afraid that it would bring the whole shack down. He did so gently the first few times and then more vigorously, seeing that the structure didn’t budge.
“Who?!” came the voice from the other side.
"Hello, Mr. Kevin. Tutor Ezekiel told me to come here and that you might help me find my path.”
“Hmmm…” came the pensive sound from the other side. “What can you do?”
“Excuse me?”
“If Ezekiel sent you here, you want to become a craftsman. Yes?”
“Yeah.”
“What can you do?”
“I have no major,” Jack explained, guessing this was what the man on the other side wanted to know. Why wasn’t he opening the door?
“No, no, no! I’m asking about minors. Do you have any minors yet?”
“I don’t have those either,” Jack said, annoyed.
“Come back after you learn [Pottery].”
[Jack of All Trades] has been updated.
Jack of All Trades (Rare)
Mr. Kevin has shown himself willing to guide you and show you a path that might suit you. He asks you to return after learning [Pottery].
Visit Mr. Kevin {completed}
Learn [Pottery] {ongoing}
“Where do I do that?” asked Jack, seeing that no coordinates appeared on the map.
The man issued a few complaints, and his voice became fainter as if he had disappeared into the back of a big house.
“What in the world?” Jack circled the building in a few steps. Where had the man gone to if the shack was this small? He knocked on the door again. “Mr. Kevin! Where can I learn [Pottery]?”
Hearing no response, Jack took a few steps back and considered what to do. Why had the man not given him the coordinates for this task? Was it a fluke? Maybe he meant to make his job harder. And why did Mr. Kevin want him to learn pottery? Hadn’t Ezekiel told him it was better to obtain a major first?
Jack heard a whining whisper in his ear. This is stupid. Let’s just try something else, Jack. However, Jack held his ground. This was a rare quest. That meant that it was worth something. Hadn’t he just decided to see it through to the end? This time, he decided to take a different approach.
