HC: Handyman | Ch. 215 - Incoming Call

Author's note: Hi everyone! Wishing you all a great week!

*

The first recipe he’d obtained from the crossover between bushcraft and brewing was for a type of yeast.

Recipe: [Wild Yeast]

Ingredients:
• 1x [Honey]
• 1x [Water]
• 1x [Fruit] or [Flower]
• 1x [Jar]

Instructions:
• Mix equal parts [Honey] and [Water] in a sterilized jar.
• Add an overripe [Fruit] or fresh [Flower].
• Stir the mixture a few times to oxygenate and prevent mold.
• Once bubbles appear and the scent is yeasty or slightly fruity, strain out solids.

Requirements:
• [Brew], lvl. 2
• [Foraging], lvl. 1

He thought back to the training he’d received from Gretchen. Hadn’t she added a little powder to the mead to make it ferment better? Kind of like when his mom added yeast to a cake before baking? Well, not exactly the same, but close enough. Gretchen had said that one day he’d make his own yeasts too. That day had come.

I wonder what kind of bonuses it gives.

He was hoping for something that would increase his aging success rate. The only things that helped so far were the amphorae, which gave bonuses of at least 5%, more if he crafted them well, then 1% from [Cellar Management], and his Luck attribute. Any boosts, really, would be welcome.

He moved on to the other recipe.

Recipe: [Melomel]

Ingredients:
• 3x [Honey]
• 1x [Yeast]
• 5x [Wild Berries]
• 4x [Water]

Instructions:
• Clean and mash [Wild Berries], removing any stems or leaves.
• Mix [Honey] and [Water].
• Add the mashed berries and [Wild Yeast].
• Stir well, then seal with an airlock to begin fermentation.
• Allow to ferment.
• Strain and transfer to another vessel for aging.

Requirements:
• [Brewing], lvl. 9
• [Foraging], lvl. 2

“Cool! Another brew!”

He loved the taste of mead, but it was exciting to branch out into other flavors—maybe even discover entirely new brews.

Hmmm. Melomel appears to be a variation of mead. I wonder if it sells better.

Just as he was about to open the auction website to check how rare or expensive it was, a notification flashed before him—and his heart skipped a beat.

Holly is calling you.

He froze. He hadn’t expected this—not tonight, not at all. He’d been trying so hard not to think about her. And just as he got back into a groove, she reached out, out of the blue.

Before he realized what he was doing, he accepted the call.

“Hi, Jack!”

“Hey, Holly. What a nice surprise!” He smiled reflexively, then glanced at her background. A cozy, well-lit room. Lots of pink, a soft-looking blanket draped over the back of her chair, and several books piled on a table behind her—some open, some bookmarked. Holly herself was sitting cross-legged on the floor, wearing a baggy hoodie. She tugged the hoodie on a little tighter, settling in.

“So… I just finished watching Amari’s latest video!” she said brightly.

“Oh, cool!” He cleared his throat. “Actually, I haven’t seen it yet. I don’t even know what Amari showed in that one.”

“It’s the bug quest,” she said, grinning. Then she giggled, as if a memory had just bubbled up. “My favorite part was when you were trying to get customers to visit your camp. The plates you used as signs? Hilarious.”

Jack forced a smile, rubbing the back of his neck. Inside, though, something cracked. It was as he feared. She thought of him as a clown. “I’m glad I got to make you laugh a little.”

“You did! And the way you overcame being stuck in the woods? So clever. You think like an engineer. Very resourceful. Well done.”

That threw him. Maybe… maybe she hadn’t been laughing at him after all.

“Thanks!”

A quiet moment passed—the kind of pause that usually meant someone was about to hang up. Jack blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“I’ve noticed you’re online every night. Do you use nights to study?”

Oh no. What have I just done?

His heart sank. That had sounded way creepier than it did in his head. Between this and bumping into her dorm, he was practically building a case against himself. She was going to think he was stalking her or something.

But Holly didn’t seem bothered. “I do. I work in the evenings, so late nights are the only time I get to study.”

Dad was right, Jack thought. She is hardworking.

“I like your virtual room. Looks cozy.”

“Right? I had to pay a little for the upgrades, but I think they’re worth it. Helps me focus. Sets the mood for studying, you know?”

Jack chuckled. “And is watching New Earth videos part of your studying routine?”

She laughed. “Haha. You got me. Yeah. It’s my guilty pleasure between study breaks.”

“Sounds like a nice way to unwind! Cool!”

“I heard the hammer blows, by the way,” she added with a mock frown. “I was tutoring nearby and had to scream at my student just to be heard. Thank you for the major headache, Handyman Jack.”

Jack winced. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m sure my dad would’ve done the job if it weren’t an emergency. But hey! A couple of noisy hours is better than a leaking ceiling, right?”

She laughed. “Right. Anyway, I should hit the books again. Just wanted to say hi.”

“Thanks for calling,” Jack said quickly.

“No problem. See ya.”

“See you.”

The screen faded to black. Jack sat for a moment, still staring at the empty space, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Part of him replayed the conversation, wincing at a few lines. But mostly, he just felt... warm.

She had called him. On her own. That had to mean something. Right?

For a moment, he considered pulling up Amari’s video, just to see how he’d come across.

But instead, he reached for the ocarina and began to play.

Not for XP.

Not to boost his Bard stats.

Just to let something out—something tangled and bright and too big to sit still.

She’d called.

She’d called.

*

After practicing every song in his repertoire, Jack finally set the ocarina down.

“I’m glad I took the time to go through those,” he murmured.

Eleven songs. He now knew enough to play a small concert.

The progress bar for the Bard profession had climbed significantly—he was already a third of the way to level 5 Journeyman. Next time, he’d make sure to use the Clay Dome and vase combo to boost his XP gains even more.

He stood up and stretched, taking in the scene around him.

Esther had just sat down, clearly exhausted after mixing mead nonstop for the last few hours. She wiped her hands on her apron and called over her shoulder, “Riku, don’t stray too far, honey.”

Jack glanced at her with a half-smile. She’d filled every amphora to the brim, pushing his Brewing skill closer to the Journeyman tier.

I’ll need to decide whether to craft more amphorae now, he thought, or wait until some of the older brews spoil. Then Esther can empty and refill those. Either way, amphora durability wasn’t infinite. He’d need to get back to crafting more soon.

Riku was nearby, stacking pebbles again, trying to form a little pyramid. The moment Jack looked over, it collapsed, and Riku let out a dramatic sigh as if the world had just ended.

All the soldiers were now fully equipped with armor sets. The only pieces they still lacked were rings and capes. Jack couldn’t help with either—he didn’t have a single ring himself, and those were the last two gear slots left to fill on his own character sheet. As for capes, the only one he could craft was a [Moss Cape], and that only granted Stealth—a stat the soldiers had no use for.

It had been hours since he’d seen any of his companions. They were all making the most of their break from the Breach. They’d probably be returning soon. Wave 40 was about 25 minutes away.

Time to go prepare a proper dish, Jack decided.

Jack grabbed the ingredient he’d saved for the incoming boss wave.

Shagrat Royal Cut (Rare)

A rich, marbled slice taken from the shoulder and upper back of a well-fed shagrat, prized for its deep flavor and high fat content.

Durability: 43

He laid the pieces carefully over the sizzling oil. The meat hissed and popped as the fat began to render, curling the edges into crisp ridges. A savory aroma filled the air, thick and mouthwatering.

“Hmmm. This is going to be tasty.”

He also got started with a lite version of the plate for the soldiers. 

As Jack cooked, Marie and Horace arrived.

Horace glanced around the courtyard. When he spotted Riku goofing around instead of helping Jack, he let out a visible sigh of relief. Jack chuckled. It looked like Grandmaster Horace would rather have Riku do nothing than work under Jack.

The two took a seat near the pot.

“Hi, Jack!” they called.

“Hey, guys! What’s up?”

“We brought more grass for you, just as you asked,” Horace said. Horace wants to transfer you 200x [Stone-Reed Grass].

Marie mimicked the motion.

Marie wants to transfer you 200x [Stone-Reed Grass].

“Thanks, guys! That will come in handy!”

Marie gave a quick nod toward the soldiers. “Looks like you were busy. You gave the troops some new gear.”

“I guess I did.”

“Nice!” Horace praised.

“So—what about you two? What were you up to?”

“Well... first of all, I have double the points you do right now,” Horace said with a dramatic groan. “So you’re no fun to compete against.”

“Didn’t you hear?” Jack cut in. “Since I stay back at the Fortress handling logistics, I get to collect a 20% tax from everyone. That means for every five points you guys earn, I pocket one.”

“That means he’s actually winning,” Marie said with a devilish grin.

“That’s cheating!” Horace shot back, all signs of boredom gone. “But fine. Since that’s the only way you can stay in the game, I’ll accept your challenge and still win.”

Jack laughed and gave the pot a quick stir, releasing a fresh wave of savory aroma. “What kind of packages did you find? Anything good?”

“Haven’t you been reading the notifications?” Horace asked.

“Nope. I was practicing my bard skills, so I muted them to stay focused.”

“Alright, then. Let’s catch you up.”

Horace grinned and handed Jack a small box with a lens attached.

“What is this?” Jack asked.

“Try it.”

He looked through it. The world fractured into shifting panels of vivid color, each shape edged in sharp, crystalline lines. Triangles spun and reassembled with every slight movement.

“What does it do?”

“Point it at one of the carcasses.”

Jack turned toward the nearest shagrat body and looked through the lens.

Species: Brown Shagrat

Diet: Omnivore

Level: 20

Wild: A stocky, tusked rodent the size of a small boar, shagrats are known for their aggressive temperament and relentless scavenging. Covered in coarse, bristled fur and sporting oversized front teeth, they travel in packs and emit shrill screeches when threatened.

You’ve learned more about Brown Shagrats. You’ve received a buff: [Brown Shagrat Insight] — 24 hours.

+5% damage against shagrats

+1 HP every 5 seconds

“What? Isn’t this—?”

“Yeah!” Horace said. “It works just like a taxidermy exhibit. Point the kaleidoscope at a carcass, and it gives you a buff. Pretty neat, huh?”

“Cool!”

“We also found two medicine bottles that completely refill HP and stamina, a package that boosts Breach points, and one that can delay a wave for 30 minutes if we need it,” Marie added.

Jack nodded, clearly impressed. “Those are all solid. What about the others?”

Horace and Marie exchanged a look.

“We don’t know, really. The only news we got from them was that Amari found a quiver with arrows. Some kind of upgrade for Christoff’s damage, but other than that... they haven’t found anything.”

“What? 10 waves and not a single package?” Jack asked, frowning.

“They haven’t been answering messages either,” Marie added.

“That’s... strange.”

“Maybe they’re just wrapped up in a quest,” Horace said. “They shouldn’t be long.”

Even so, the minutes dragged.

Jack glanced toward the gate. Nothing. Just the same empty stretch of dark beyond the torches.

He forced himself into motion, serving meals to the NPCs. It was something to do—something to keep his hands busy while the rest of him paced inside. The waiting was starting to gnaw at him. 

Where were the two rogues?

And what could possibly be keeping them this close to a boss wave?

Ch. 214 - Dozing Off

INDEX

Ch. 216 - Pushed