Cozy Isekai Craftsman, ch 19

Joe had grown tired of the silence and solitude of his mansion, so he decided to pay a visit to The Rusty Nail. The cozy tavern was always bustling with people, and it gave him a sense of belonging that he couldn't find in his empty abode. The tantalizing aroma of the chef's cooking wafted through the air, making his mouth water in anticipation of the free meal he was about to enjoy.

Despite the luxurious amenities of his mansion, Joe relished the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and do some cleaning at the bar. It was a welcome break from the monotony of his wealthy lifestyle. And the added bonus of seeing his friends made it all the more worthwhile.

As he entered the bar, he noticed Ava finishing up a conversation with her grandfather. She handed Joe a delicate locket and remarked, "You look a little peeved." Joe vented about the hellhound situation, and Ava responded with a laugh that caught him off guard. It was the first time she had ever laughed at him, but it felt strangely liberating. The weight of his worries lifted, and he couldn't help but smile.

"At least somebody could find some humor in this," Joe said. "Hey, at least it's not trying to rip me apart, right?"

Ava agreed. "We'll talk more after I'm done with my shift."

There were still plenty of people eating their food. There were a couple of new faces that Joe hadn't seen before. They looked like travelers. A few of them had that mismatched armor that he had seen adventurers wear before. It was nice to know that this small town wasn't simply isolated from the rest of the world and that some people would come in to bring stories or information from the outside world.

Ava went back to work, while Caroline walked out from behind the bar, passing him the summer beer. She said, "Would you like to try our Golden Wheat beer, Mr. Johnson?"

Joe gave her a funny look and said, "Golden Wheat? Hmm, that's the name we settled on?"

She rolled her eyes in despair and said, "My husband was insistent on it. Neither I nor Ava liked it, but the kids ended up getting a vote."

Joe asked, "They don't seem to be of drinking age."

Caroline shook her head and said, "If it was just one of them trying to get a vote for the name, I don't think it would have mattered, but all three of them together at the same time, chiming 'Golden Wheat' over and over for five minutes straight does a number on you."

Joe thought about it and tried to imagine the kids singing in a singsong voice. He shivered and said, "I used to work with kids when I was younger, and I definitely know what you mean. Sometimes it's just better to let them..."

When Caroline seemed to agree, she nodded sagely and said, "We've done a little bit of testing for the beer, telling our customers that it's something that we would like to roll out officially every single year, but we'll start doing it on July first. What do you think?"

Joe shrugged and said, "Fine by me. It's not my business. I'm just doing the taste."

She gave him a stern look and said, "This whole thing is based off of your power. Without you, it doesn't work."

Joe shrugged and said, "I have some ideas about that, where we can make it happen without me here all the time. Although I do like dropping by."

She said, "Oh, do you know?"

Joe said, "I'd rather wait until I have it all set and ready. I don't even know if it's going to work. It's better to do something and then explain it afterward, rather than hype people up for it."

Caroline agreed, nodding. She passed a couple of dirty beer mugs to Joe after she drained them in the bar sink. He touched the mugs and transferred their dirtiness to a couple of pebbles, which he tossed to Caroline. She threw them in the sink and washed them off.

Joe savored the last few bites of his meal, relishing in the tangy flavor of the spicy sauce that coated his tongue. He watched as the other patrons finished their drinks and stumbled out of the tavern, leaving him alone with the remnants of their rowdy night. With a deep sigh, he resigned himself to his fate as the clean-up crew and waited for his turn to tackle the mess.

But cleaning was a breeze for Joe now, thanks to his newfound power. He could feel the energy humming through his veins, a surge of electricity that made him feel alive. With a flick of his wrist, the tables and chairs flew into place, and the sticky floors were spotless in seconds. It was like magic, and he couldn't imagine going back to his old, mundane life.

As he finished his task, he heard the soft footsteps of Ava approaching. Her smile was as bright as the moon outside, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. She held a small box in her hand, and Joe couldn't help but wonder what was inside.

Ava placed the box on the table, and Joe leaned in to get a better look. It was a beautiful little chest, intricately carved with delicate patterns that seemed to dance in the flickering candlelight. As Ava lifted the lid, Joe held his breath in anticipation.

"Thomas Smoke," he said. "Let me see. Let me see."

Joe leaned forward and asked Ava, "That looks like a dress, a bit?"

She nodded. "It is. It's a gift for my sister, a summer gift."

Joe blinked. "Is that a common thing? Everybody gives each other gifts during the summer?"

Ava replied, "Yes. We have a high summer day, which is July 16. On that day, we exchange gifts with our family members. And if we don't have family, we exchange gifts with our neighbors or our friends."

Joe suddenly felt the pressure to think of a couple of ideas he could give to his friends since he didn't have any family in town. A few of the ideas he liked would need more money and time, but luckily, it was the middle of June, and he had plenty of time to make the gifts for them.

Ava seemed to read his mind and leaned forward, saying, "You're new to town. You don't have to do anything."

Joe felt himself blush and replied, "Yeah, you got me. But, you know, I just like giving gifts. It's fun, you know?"

He then thought about who she was giving the dress to and asked, "Are you sure Emily would like a dress? She seems more like a tomboy."

Ava chuckled and replied, "Emily may seem like she's all gruff, but if she has the occasion, she loves to wear a good dress."

Thomas added, "As she does. I remember when she was a wee little girl. She would twirl around and pretend she was a princess, joke and imagine the blacksmith doing anything traditionally girly."

Joe said, "Wow. It's hard to imagine."

Ava nodded and said, "Emily seems rough on the outside, but once you get to know her, she's kind of a softy. Anyway, I brought this here not just to show you, but I was hoping you could help me out."

Joe asked, "How?" She pushed the box towards him and pulled out the cloth. It was a pretty cream-colored dress, and she pulled out a blue flower that was robin's egg blue, almost powdery blue.

She asked, "Can you transfer the color of this flower onto a dress?"

Joe thought about it for a little bit. He had reservations about dyeing clothing artificially with his ability. If anyone saw colors on the dress that were more vibrant than normal, it would be natural to ask where that person had gotten the dress and what color it was. Joe didn't want to put anyone in a position to lie for him. And if they did tell the truth, it could cause a ruckus.

Joe said, "You know I have a deal with the local merchant guilds, including the different craftsman guilds." They looked worried.

She said, "I know, I just thought I'd ask. She really likes blue."

Joe sighed and said, "Just for you though. Okay. If I make a habit of this, it can be a real problem. I guess this is me paying you back for the towel, soap, and slippers for the bath. So it's an even exchange, okay?"

Ava's expression brightened. She said, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She leaned forward and hugged them. Thomas was yelling under her embrace since he was pinned between the two of them.

Joe returned the hug and they let go.

Ava cleared her throat, looking away for a second. Then she looked back to the dress, handing it to Joe. She said, "Okay, here's the flower."

Thomas said, "Please never do that again. At least take the locket off before you squish me between two people."

Joe chuckled. He said, "Sorry about that."

Ava apologized, "I didn't mean to, grandfather."

Thomas sighed, "No worries, dear."

Joe's fingers gingerly clasped the delicate flower, marveling at the intricate details of its petals. With a sense of curiosity that was almost childlike, he pried open the properties of the flower, eager to unlock its secrets. His eyes hungrily scanned the screen, devouring the information as if it were a juicy novel.

But there it was, that pesky question mark, taunting him with its mysteriousness. Joe's brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to decipher what it meant. And then, like a beam of sunlight cutting through the clouds, he spotted it - the word "blue" - a specific kind of blue that was unique to this flower. He had never seen a question mark on the same line as the property. It meant that his ability recognized that it was a color blue but didn't know exactly the name of it. As long as he could see it and understand the color, he could transfer it.

Gently cradling the dress in his large, calloused hand, he made sure to hold it with utmost care, not wanting to ruin the intricate design that Ava had worked so hard to create for Emily. He couldn't bear the thought of damaging it, not after seeing how much love had been poured into every stitch.

With a determined expression, he began to concentrate on transferring the color to the dress. But on his first attempt, he fell short, only managing to transfer eighty percent of the beautiful blue hue. He cursed himself silently, feeling frustrated that he couldn't get it right on the first try. Maybe it was because he didn't truly understand the precise shade of blue that Ava had used.

Before he could apologize to Ava for his failure, she snatched the dress from his hand with a mischievous glint in her eye. Holding it up to the light, she examined it carefully before grinning from ear to ear. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she turned to him, her mouth opening in a wide, toothy smile.

But then, in a moment of self-consciousness, she quickly closed her mouth, her tongue flickering briefly in that unmistakably prehensile way. He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, his frustration fading away as Ava's infectious energy lifted his spirits.

She quickly grabbed the club, the dress, and held it up. Her eyes seemed to sparkle. Her mouth opened up, and her tongue flickered in that prehensile way. She seemed embarrassed by that and closed her mouth immediately.

She sighed with a gasp of surprise and wonder, "Joe? It's perfect."

Joe said, "There's a bit more of blue that I can transfer over."

She shook her head. "She said, 'No. I'm serious. This is perfect. I was a little concerned because I couldn't find the exact blue that she wanted. I'm not a painter, so I don't know the different kinds of blues that there are. But this is the exact kind of blue that she likes."

Joe looked at it and the light, the fire, including the moonlight spilling through the windows through the Terran, that was less of a robin's egg blue and more of a pastel, an idea came to Joe. He said, "I'm glad I get help, but I think I can make it better."

Ava blinked at him. She said, "How?"

Joe said, "Hey, just wait a second." He walked over to Caroline, who was busy talking to her husband Rick with finished day's work. Rick had looked a little worn down from guarding, and he was eating a meal with his wife.

Caroline asked, "How can I help you, Joe?"

Joe said, "Do you have any extra cloth that I could tear up? I'll have to throw it out after. I don't know. It'll be pretty much useless after I'm done with it."

Caroline talked about it for a little bit longer than that. She said, "Here, give me a second." She went upstairs, and a couple of minutes later, she came back with a long strip of cloth. She gave it to Joe, who said, "Thanks. This is perfect."

He left the couple alone, went back to Ava, and said, "Here," handing over the dress.

Ava stood patiently, watching him. Joe cut the piece of cloth that Caroline had given him a couple of times with his knife before shooting the knife. If he had just used a single cloth, his idea would have worked but nowhere nearly as effective if it asked, "What are you doing?"

Joe said, "Just watch. Bill will definitely like it. I promise."

Ava looked a little concerned, but she trusted Joe, which Joe appreciated. He held the first piece of cloth and the dress, one in each hand. Then he opened the screen for properties for the strip of cloth. The very bottom was the property 'soft.'

This Joe asked her, "Do you like the texture for this? Do you think Emily will?"

Ava said, "I do, but Emily likes her dresses a little bit more comfortable."

Joe said, "Perfect." He transferred the softness of the cloth to the dress. The dress's window opened up, and it said, "Softness +2." It definitely felt softer in his hands.

He said to Ava, "Here, touch it. Let me know what you think."

She did, and her eyebrows shot up. He said, "Well, I think she would like it a little bit softer." Joe did the same thing with the other strips of cloth, about three more times. When he was finished, Ava said, "Perfect."

Joe said, "Okay, great. Now I can do the rest."

Joe held the delicate pieces of cloth in his calloused hands, examining each strip with a practiced eye. He gazed out the window, the sun shining brightly on his face, as he took in the familiar sights of his surroundings. If it had been a mere month earlier, Joe knew he wouldn't have had the confidence to even attempt this task. But now, after honing his skills and transferring countless properties from one material to another, he felt invincible.

With a sly smile, Joe began the process of transferring properties to the dress. He started with the easiest one, stain resistance +0.5. As he focused his mind, the cloth strip began to shimmer with a faint glow before the property was successfully transferred to the dress. Joe then moved on to the next strip, this time transferring tear resistance +1. With each successful transfer, Joe's confidence grew until he had used up every last point.

Finally, he looked at the dress's property window. It said tear resistance +10. Joe felt himself smile from cheek to cheek. Ava looked at the dress, cocking her head to the side.

She said, "I don't get it. What did you do?" Joe tossed her the dress and said, "Try to rip it."

She looked flabbergasted. She said, "I don't think that's a good idea. I spent a good amount of money on this dress."

Joe gave her a reassuring smile. "Please trust me. Look."

Luckily, Thomas defended him. He said, "Granddaughter, has the boy led you astray so far?"

Ava thought about it, and she said, "No, grandfather, you’re right."

As Ava reached for the dress, Joe couldn't help but think about Emily's incredible strength. She had been a force to be reckoned with, a veritable powerhouse of muscle and sinew. He had always been amazed by her sheer physical prowess, but now, as Ava struggled to tear the delicate fabric, he began to realize just how extraordinary she truly was.

For a moment, he felt a pang of guilt, wondering if he had made a grave mistake in assuming that all desert kin were as weak as he was. But then, to his immense relief, Ava looked up at him with surprise and frustration etched on her face. She had tried a tentative pull at first, testing the fabric's resilience, but as she realized that it wouldn't budge, she began to tug and yank with all her might, her muscles straining against the stubborn cloth.

It was at this point Joe decided to ask more about the lizard kin.

He asked, "Is everyone in your race stronger than the average human?"

Ava was straining, and she seemed to be half enjoying herself and half frustrated trying to pull the dress apart. She was a little out of breath and said with a strained voice, "Yes, we're all stronger."

When she finished, she let out a heavy breath and gave Joe a thankful grin.

She said, "This is beyond perfect, Joe. I never would have expected that you could use your powers like this."

Joe looked away and sipped his beer, hiding behind his mug, trying not to look embarrassed. He wanted to keep up his persona and reputation as the wise and powerful super wizard, but he couldn't hide his big smile.

"It's good to have a beautiful thing," he said. "But it's also good to have a beautiful and sturdy one. I think she would appreciate it."

Ava reached out to hug Joe again, and he turned to embrace her. He knew it was a friendly hug, and even though there had been a bit of joking between Caroline, Thomas, and Rick about Ava and Joe being attracted to each other, Joe was just happy to have a friend. She gave him a hug. This time it was much deeper, more intimate. He felt something wet press against his cheek when Ava pulled away. For a brief moment, their eyes locked for less than half a second. It was such a short amount of time in reality, but Joe felt time had slowed down considerably. It was in that moment he realized that despite having worked there all day, maybe picked up some sweat and grease from the kitchen, she smelled great.

The two pulled apart, a little bit embarrassed. But this time when she said thank you, her voice was quieter. She said seriously, "Thank you, Joe. You don't know how much this means to me."

Joe sighed and said, "Don't worry about it. You can repay me by trying to think of a better name for our autumn beer. And if you have any ideas for winter or spring beer.

Ava gave him a thumbs up. "You got it," she said, and then she asked, "What are you going to do about your hellhound situation?"

Joe had thought about it while eating dinner. "I was thinking about making her a shed. I think it's a she, at least.”

Thomas said, "Yep, definitely a girl hellhound."

Joe had no idea how Thomas knew that, but the man hadn't lied to him so far.

Ava suggested, "I don't think that's a good idea."

Joe asked, "In my original world, dogs had dog houses outside. Of course, some of them stayed inside, but I thought it would be nice for her to have her own space."

Ava shook her head. "If it was a normal dog, maybe. But grandfather told me that this hellhound is very smart, as smart as us, maybe even smarter. There's a reason why I chose not just a bedroom, but your bedroom."

Joe asked, "Oh, how do you know?"

She gave him a look like he was an idiot. She said, "There are some days where it seems like you're a genius, especially when it comes to your magic. When it comes to people, you're kind of thick”

Thomas cackled in agreement.

Joe felt a bit embarrassed, but he said, "Could you explain, please, for the big old dummy like me?" He didn't feel insulted. He knew she was just joking around.

Ava explained, "This bloodhound, she's as smart as a person. You told me that they can recognize your smell. The reason why I didn't eat the meat right away is because it smelled like you. But once it learned that I could trust you, it went to the first place in the entire house that smells like you the most."

Joe thought about her words, and then understanding dawned on him. "How could you be so stupid?" He said. "The bedroom! I am dumb."

She raised her knuckle on his head lightly, playfully. "Just said Wow. You're right. So what do I just transfer my scent to a bunch of clothing and put in the shed outside?" Emerald rolled her eyes. She said, "No. Still not a good idea. I think you just let her have the bedroom."

Joe's heart sank as he let out a heavy sigh, his worst fears coming to fruition. The thought of losing his beloved bedroom was almost too much to bear. The room held a special place in his heart with its breathtaking view of the backyard, a sleek mirror that always made him look like a million bucks, and an expansive layout that made him feel like a king.

But then again, he couldn't blame the hellhound for seeking solace in the confines of the room. Perhaps it had suffered through some harrowing experience, trapped and injured in the attic until it found a safe haven in Joe's bedroom. It was as if the hellhound had claimed the space as its own, making it feel comfortable and secure in a world that could often be cruel and unforgiving.

Joe said, "Well, I guess it's one of the side rooms for me. Maybe I'll make it a better bedroom, and the master bedroom won't be nearly as big, but the bed will be fluffier, more comfortable, smell better, and whatever else I can do."

Ava chuckled. She said, "I think if you do that, it might entice the bloodhound to take that bed instead."

Joe shrugged. "At this point," he said, "whatever I do, I'm gonna lose. But, you know, it's not that big of a deal. At the end of the day, the bloodhound had gone through a lot of things." He said, "But it's here, it's safe, and I have a pet now, and I named her."

Ava blinked. She said, "You named her?"

Joe nodded. "I named her Isabella."

Ava thought about it for a second. She said, "It's a human name. And it's a very nice human name. Does she like it?"

Joe nodded. "So far. I tried dog names, but she barked at me every single time. Definitely a very smart animal. Maybe sentient as much as you and I are. What do you think, Thomas?"

Thomas said, "I don't know, boy. Again, we don't know too much about hellhounds. This may be the perfect time to learn more about them, add to my knowledge."

Joe got up and stretched. He cleaned the beer mugs, including his own, and said to everyone, "I would like to make an announcement."

Ava, Caroline, and Rick looked at Joe with a startled look. Like threw his hands up and said, "It was life. See, I told you it's gonna leave us for the big city. This pond is too small for

Caroline slapped him lightly in the back of the head. She said, "You big old, let them talk."

Joe beamed. He said, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. In fact, I was actually going to ask everyone here to come to my house on July 1 for the afternoon. I know that's a couple of hours where you won't be making money from the tavern, but I promise you, it'll be worth it. I can compensate you for the money that's lost."

Ava looked surprised, and then she said, "Oh, I really thought you were leaving. You said it so suddenly. But it's gonna have to come down to the boss lady."

Both Rick and Ava looked to Caroline.

The owner of the establishment did not hesitate and immediately replied, "Of course we can. You said it's just for a couple of hours, right?"

Joe said, "Yes. I want to show you guys something, and I think it'll be important."

Rick said, "You're going to show us some amazing invention that'll kill a dragon or trap a demon inside of a box?"

Joe chuckled. He said, "No, nothing like that. But it's something I've been working on for a little bit, and it has to do with my business idea."

Ricksaid, "Oh, great. Are you gonna tell us what it is?"

Joe shook his head. "No, not yet. It's better to show, and I need to maintain my air of mystique."

Caroline said, "July 1, then we'll be there."

Joe packed it in for the night and headed home guided by the light of the moon and the several torches lit around the paths. Joe touched one of the torches to review its properties. Every single one of the properties was a question mark.

Joe blinked at it. He told Thomas, who replied, "That's probably sorcery, my boy. And since you don't know much or anything about sorcery, there's a good chance that you won't have any access to the properties."

Joe let go of the torch, and the window disappeared. He kept walking back towards his mansion. He said, "That makes sense. There's still so much more about the world I need to learn, not just to gain access to the properties, but just to learn for learning's sake."

Thomas said, "That's a noble goal, boy."

Joe tiptoed into his room, his heart pounding with anticipation as he approached his bed. He couldn't wait to see Isabella, the hellhound, who had taken up residence on his former bed. As he peered into the room, his eyes fell upon her sleeping form, her body stretched out lazily across the sheets.

She seemed so peaceful, so content in her slumber, that Joe hesitated to disturb her. But as he took a step closer, her eyes flickered open, and she gazed up at him with a look of pure adoration. Joe's heart swelled with emotion as he realized how much she had come to trust him, how much she had come to see his home as her own safe haven.

With a gentle smile, he tiptoed away, leaving her to rest and recover from her ordeal. He didn't mind if she stayed for a night or a week, for he knew that she was where she belonged - with him.

As he retreated to a guest room, he collapsed onto the bed with a deep sigh, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up with him. He slammed his head against the pillow, wishing it were as soft as the one in his master bedroom. But despite its roughness, sleep came easily and swiftly, enveloping him in a warm, comforting embrace.

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Okay, that's the last chapter for today. :)

I'll post that last 6 chapters of the story tomorrow.

So any thoughts if you've read up to this point?