HC: Handyman | Ch. 109 - Suburbs

Jack sat in his bedroom, holding the sleek VRX helmet fresh out of the box. Its black frame gleamed under the light, accented with blue overlays. As he slipped it on, he sighed in relief. The fit was perfect—not like the clunky, battered helmet he’d been renting. Looking at the old one beside him on the bed, he couldn’t believe how many hours he had spent playing with such a piece of junk.

He glanced at the receipt in the box. His parents hadn’t bought the cheapest model, nor the most expensive—they’d gone for something mid-range. 1,400 credits. That was how much they believed in him and this new career. Jack clenched his fists, a knot tightening in his chest. For all the things he’d complained about regarding his father, he had to admit his dad was willing to invest in him. Maybe more than he deserved.

The progress bar for the VRX helmet's installation blinked on the screen. Jack watched it crawl along, feeling the helmet’s weight in his hands. Despite being lighter than the one he’d been using, it somehow felt heavier now. This time, it wasn’t just a piece of gear—it carried the weight of his parents’ and cousin’s faith in him. His parents had chosen to believe this wasn’t another one of his lazy, get-rich-quick jobs. And Rob had vouched for him under the scrutinizing questions of his skeptical uncle and aunt. That couldn’t have been easy.

He couldn’t let any of them down.

Bling!

The installation was finally complete. Jack wasted no time. He put on the helmet and lay back on his bed. It was so light it almost felt like he wasn’t wearing anything at all. His neck, stiff from days of using the old helmet, practically sighed in relief as his bedroom melted away.

When he opened his eyes again, Jack stood just outside the Pottery Association. The sun was rising, casting a warm glow across the landscape. He blinked, adjusting to the brightness. A few notifications scrolled across his vision, but Jack ignored them for a moment, focusing instead on how everything looked… better. Sharper. The new VRX helmet promised 95% realism, a significant upgrade from the 90% he’d been used to. He hadn’t expected it to make such a difference, but now it felt like the world had finally come into focus.

It’s like I’ve been wearing fogged glasses this whole time, Jack thought, flexing his hands in front of him. The details in his gloves, the texture of the earth beneath his boots—it all seemed more vivid, more real. The sounds, too, felt crisper. The faint breeze, the distant rustling of leaves, even the hum of players chatting in the distance—it all blended seamlessly.

Satisfied, Jack turned to his notifications. Two more ocarinas had sold at the auction. He smiled and swiped them away, opening his messages. One was from Rob.

"Jack, I’m sure by now you’ve talked to your parents. We had an interesting conversation, and I just want to say that I think you did well by telling them the truth. I should be free today and around EmbersGate. I’ll message you in a few hours so we can meet."

Jack grinned and quickly typed back.

"Thanks for speaking up for me. Looking forward to finally seeing you in-game."

It was hard to believe that he still hadn't seen his cousin face-to-face after a week and a half in the game. He moved on to his next message. It was from Amari.

"Hey Jack, we’re almost done with our mission and then we’ll be heading back to the city. Where are you?"

"I’m at the Pottery Association," Jack replied.

Amari’s response was quick. "Cool, we’ll be there in a couple of hours. We’re currently at the Between Ring, about half an hour east of Embersgate."

Jack scratched his chin, thinking. He needed to gather some materials anyway. He typed back: "I actually need to head in that direction. Maybe we can meet halfway?"

Amari sent him a thumbs-up emoji in response.

Jack nodded and summoned his faithful companion. With a puff of smoke, Snowy appeared, yawning as usual. Compared to before, Snowy’s saddlebags were now stuffed with pot hives, all in emerald green to match Jack’s own pot hive backpack. With the four hives in Snowy’s saddlebags and the one Jack carried, he could now bring five hives with him at all times. The only thing left was to level up beekeeping so that he could start splitting the hives.

He glanced at his XP bar. Still 20% of level 8 to go. It wasn’t much. Jack gave Snowy a pat on the head. "Snowy, ready to get a new saddle made from grass that doesn’t itch so much?" he asked with a grin.

Snowy’s eyes widened at the mention of something less itchy, and he fidgeted in place, clearly ready to go. Jack chuckled, mounting his companion as a few passersby gave him curious looks.

Since he wasn’t planning on venturing into the jungle, Jack figured he wouldn’t need the usual stamina boost. He skipped a visit to the museum and the food market, confident he could eat honey or cook something quick if he needed it later. He pulled up the coordinates for the grass fields he’d researched online, plotted them on the map, and set off.

Jack was used to running errands near the wall and adventuring in Embersgate’s bustling center. But this was his first time heading in the opposite direction. As he ventured farther from the wall, the towering cityscape began to change. The grand, two-story buildings that dominated the city center slowly gave way to smaller, humbler structures. At first, the stone buildings still looked solid, though far less impressive. Soon enough, even the skeletal frames and arches that defined Embersgate’s architecture were replaced by simpler wooden beams.

The farther he traveled, the more the landscape shifted. Wooden houses took over from stone, and the signature skeletal columns and intricate designs vanished entirely. The bustling marketplaces and food stalls that crowded every corner of the city center were nowhere to be seen. With each block, fewer players crossed his path, and many of the houses stood dark, their windows empty like hollow eyes. Jack glanced around at the deserted streets, a sense of strangeness settling over him.

“It’s so much quieter here,” he muttered, more to himself than to Snowy.

Turning in his saddle, Jack could still spot the faint symbol above Embersgate’s gate and the distant tip of the pyramid rising over the rooftops. It was incredible how quickly the city had transformed. After only a short ride, he felt like he’d entered a different world entirely. Here, NPCs sat on corners, rattling tin cups, their faces shadowed by dirt-stained clothes. Others huddled together in small groups, casting furtive glances at passersby.

In the city center, every NPC seemed to have a purpose: chefs in pristine white coats, scholars with arms full of books and scrolls, soldiers in gleaming armor. Each one moved with direction and energy. But here, in the forgotten corners of Embersgate, the NPCs looked idle, bored—like they’d been left to waste away.

There’s gotta be a reason the developers made this place, Jack thought, his gaze lingering on the ragged groups. What kind of quests or secrets are hiding here?

As he pondered, a door creaked open from a nearby wooden house. A player emerged, his tall boots clicking against the stone steps. His chainmail caught the light, glinting under the morning sun. With a click, he turned the key in the door, locking it.

Jack’s eyes widened; the player had to be at least level 40. Such high-end gear made him stick out like a sore thumb here. The player must have noticed Jack’s surprise because he gave him a friendly smile. “Good morning!”

Jack cleared his throat, embarrassed to be caught staring. “Hi!” He glanced around, still feeling out of place. “It’s… really quiet here.”

The player chuckled. “First time in the suburbs, huh?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah…”

“Don’t let the shabbiness fool you. There are some great quests out here. Especially for rogues,” the player added with pride.

Why is he so proud of this place? He isn’t even a rogue, Jack thought, puzzled. And why is he so chatty?

Finally, Jack pieced it together. “This is your house, isn’t it?”

The player grinned. “Sure is. They’re way cheaper here than in the city center. Only 300 gold for rent. Some people don’t like it, but I love it here.”

And judging by how proud you look, you must have just bought it, Jack thought, noting the player’s excitement. The way he talked reminded Jack of himself whenever he got his hands on a new piece of gear. This player was clearly thrilled to show off his recent progress.

Jack grimaced. After converting the gold to credits, he realized the rent was nearly 250 credits per month—almost half of what he paid his father. Yikes. “That’s considered cheap?”

The player laughed again. “In the city center? Houses go for 1k to 2k easy. Depends on the location.”

Jack whistled low, shaking his head.

“Well, nice meeting you. Take care!”

With a friendly wave, the player summoned a horse and rode off toward Embersgate, leaving Jack to continue his journey. As he traveled deeper into the suburbs, his thoughts lingered on the encounter. He no longer looked at the buildings with the eyes of someone who’d taken a wrong turn into a shady neighborhood. Instead, he found himself studying the houses like a potential buyer might, curious about what they offered.

For players to invest that much in real estate, the buffs must be something special. And if Felix could afford this rent… The old man had to be rich! He kept saying he had to make statuettes to auction off just to pay his bills, and Jack had actually believed him. He sure has big bills to pay.

As Snowy ambled along, the buildings shrank even further. Shacks and huts replaced the wooden houses, and here, the city’s infrastructure had clearly fallen into disrepair. Cracked walls were overgrown with weeds and vines, and the roads became dirt paths lined with patches of wild grass. Open sewers reeked nearby, and rats scurried in the shadows, their tiny eyes glinting.

Jack’s eyes fell on a movement to his right. An NPC shuffled toward him—a beggar, gaunt and hollow-eyed, his hand trembling as he stretched it out toward Jack.

“Spare some coin, sir?” the beggar rasped, his voice cracked and weak with desperation.

Jack froze, gripping Snowy’s reins. The beggar’s eyes locked onto his, and for a moment, it felt too real—the grime on the man’s face, the desperation in his voice. This is just a game, right? Jack thought, a chill crawling up his spine. For the first time, he found himself resenting the improved graphics of his new helmet. 

“I… I’m sorry… I-I-” Jack stammered, his voice shaky as he urged Snowy to move forward.

The beggar’s voice followed him, rough and pleading. “Please, chief. Help me. I’ve got three hungry children back home.”

Jack grimaced, his heart pounding as he pressed Snowy onward, refusing to look back. As usual, the sloth took his time, ambling down the road. Jack cast a final glance over his shoulder. The beggar had already shuffled back to his corner, his outstretched hand falling limp by his side. The encounter gnawed at Jack’s conscience.

He really looked hungry. Jack didn’t have any food on him; he’d sold out all his honey earlier, and the bees hadn’t made more yet. It’s just a game, he told himself, but the unease clung to him like a shadow. This part of the city felt… wrong, somehow. Neglected, uncomfortable. As if the developers had designed it to unsettle him.

A small part of him was curious. What would happen if I gave the beggars something to eat? And what was the purpose of these slums? “I just need to get out of here,” he muttered, pulling Snowy’s reins again. As usual, the sloth refused to be rushed.

After being approached by two more beggars and what felt like hours of wandering, the crumbling shacks and quiet streets finally gave way to the open countryside.

The rolling plains and gentle hills stretched endlessly toward the horizon, a vast sea of green under the wide sky. The once-massive structures of Embersgate now blended faintly into the line of the wall behind him.

The wind rustled softly through the tall grass, carrying a fresh, earthy scent. Windmills turned lazily in the distance, their wooden frames creaking as they stood sentinel over scattered farmhouses. The landscape felt open, free, and unburdened by the weight of stone and steel.

Jack exhaled, feeling the last traces of tension from the city slip from his shoulders. He reached for his ocarina, letting the familiar, smooth weight settle in his hands. Lifting it to his lips, he began to play the gentle notes of the [Morning of Spring]. The melody drifted over the fields, each note blending with the soft sounds of the countryside. Jack could feel his mind clearing, the music helping him find his center. It felt good—almost as if he were playing for the world itself.

You’ve played [A Morning of Spring].

+200 bard XP.

Your bees work harder!

The bees began to stir.

Come out, come out, my beauties! It’s time to level up! I’ve got four pot hives that need tenants!

Ch. 108 – Childhood Story

INDEX

Ch. 110 - Pond