Chapter 47: 'Magical house'
Chapter 47: 'Magical house'
"What the fuck are you doing? Drop that beer and get back to fucking work!"
Surrounded by something that could only be described as chaos, I had no other choice to but to accept how wicked the reality was.
No matter where I would look, nearly the entire area where my house used to be, was now under a full-scale renovation. Right at this moment, the number of machines, men and tools that Baskar family organised made it seem as if this place would house the greatest shopping centre in the entire city instead of just a modest mansion.
But obviously, no matter how powerful that family was, they couldn't do anything about the culture of the builders in this damned country.
"But sir, how can we work without our fuel?"
Fearlessly standing up against the foreman of his company, one of the workers protested. So far, I knew about this reality only from the online memes that spread around the local networks, but now I had no other choice but to suffer through its existence on my own.
"I don't give a fuck. Get to work or forget about your pay."
Instead of bothering with the workers, the foreman simply threatened them before moving to the next group of workers under him. Even though I, the main contractor of the entire project, was right on the spot, not a single person in the entire mess that surrounded me seemed to care about this.
In fact, it wouldn't be an overstatement to say that there was a lot of hostility in the glances that the workers would steal on me from time to time. Given the great economical depression that followed the apocalypse and was only now starting to recede, it would be no wonder if the project of rebuilding my home would be the very first huge investment that would happen in the entire area.
And just like one could expect from a country where entire intelligence was killed off during the insanely turbulent period of the last two centuries, instead of being happy that someone finally provided them with work, the workers on the site seemed to be more jealous about the fact that I could afford it rather than happy they could earn a bit themselves!
Quite obviously, the fact that the area directly surrounding the premises of the basement was a no-go zone for absolutely anyone only served to increase my alienation from the workers, making it even easier and more convenient to hate me for some imaginary reasons.
"Sir, at our current rate, we should be done within a week. For now, we prepared some mobile housing in the areas that will be developed last. Once we are done with the housing part, we will have to ask you to move to your new home though, sir."
With several foremen rushing their people everywhere in the area, the supervisor of the company that held the prim over this investment orderly reported the progress of the work to me.
"Good. I will be leaving for now. Do I need some sort of keys or anything?"
It was quite easy to notice what this supervisor was talking about. In the place where my mom used to cultivate her little garden, three long trailer houses stood. As much of a scar to that place they were right now, given how the workers were only starting to dig out space for the foundations of the future mansion, it was still a better alternative over living in some hotel nearby.
After all, it was better for me to stay as close to the system as possible so that I could react to any danger if it were to arise!
"Have safe travels, sir!"
Contrary to the underlings that did the actual job, both the supervisor that I just finished talking with and all the architects, engineers and the other more advanced workers were pretty nice to me. Compared to the simple workers that could only think about the neck of the new flask they would soon empty out, those people who lost their jobs due to the apocalypse couldn't be any happier that their skills now found use again.
"Oh, before you go sir"
Just as I was about to leave, the supervisor I was talking with called after me.
"Yes?"
Turning around, I could see the man rushing towards me.
"I'm sorry for holding you up, sir, but the official contractor attempted to contact you some time ago. Given how we were told not to disturb your prayers"
This was the one bullshit that Baskar family themselves were ordered to spread amongst the workers. With how I was going to present this place as the new, local centre of the Boruta cult I had to play my part properly.
That's why, the area of my basement was named a crypt, where the bodies of the heroic acolytes would find their rest. This was the official reason why I was so stern with not allowing anyone anywhere close to the basement.
"Sure. I will make the call right away."
Contacting the young master that was responsible for any dealings with my side was the reason why I left my 'praying' spot in the first place. But instead of doing it right away as I told, I would to the supervisor, I actually pulled out my phone only after leaving the area.
"Hello?"
Only when I made this call did I realise that although I knew the young master of the Baskar family, I have yet to learn his name.
"Christ? Great, I tried to call you before but you didn't pick up. Quick question, would you like the house to have the new, magical smart house function? It's expensive as heck, but I believe we might find some middle ground to deal with the matter of the costs"
At this point, I already stopped listening. No matter what else this new friend of mine would say, it wouldn't matter at all.
After all, 'magical house' phrase was something that was agreed to as a message calling for an urgent meeting.
And I wasn't willing to take any chances.