After Surviving the Apocalypse, I Built a City in Another World

The citizens had begun to adjust their schedules back to how they were before the disaster. Daily life had returned to normal, with the old habits and routines returning to how it once was.

The predominant working hours had returned to daylight, though it was to be implemented the next day, allowing for a bit of an adjustment period for everyone.

Basically, the first day after the Heat Wave had become an unofficial holiday before the production and operations geared up again the next day.

At the same time, there were also those whose lives had changed during the Heat Wave, and were now adjusting to a whole new normal.

For instance, Louie, Ramona’s ex, was going on an afternoon market trip with his new love. ”Ready?” he asked, standing patiently near the door of their apartment.

The woman appeared soon after, looking proper in her new sundress. Louie’s eyes softened at the sight of her.

Objectively, the woman didn’t have any striking features, but Louie loved staring at her face.

They had been in a relationship even before the heat wave, and they just got closer while it was happening. It got to the point that they began living together in Louie’s home.

His lover was a young woman named Eppa, a Mauin woman in her twenties. She was a new worker under Sassy in the Tanning Workshop, which was quite far from his normal route as a guide.

So how did they meet and fall in love? They actually met at the night school. During the Heat Wave, the children were not asked to go to school, but the adult classes were open.

The various specialization and skills classes were ongoing even during the night. The tuition was slightly cheaper as well, so the slots were taken up a day after the class enrollment was opened.

Eppa actually started as a cleaner in the tanning workshop. It wasn’t a job that everyone wanted, but she—along with most aborigines—didn’t mind it at all. She was already very happy, already satisfied with the fact that she had a proper paying job.

Now, she could buy her own things. Now, she could buy her own food—whenever she wanted. And now, she could live well—all using her own hard work, without depending on anyone else.

This was already far ahead of what her peers outside could even dream of achieving.

She had seen how women had the same jobs as men, and how it wasn’t frowned upon here. Some were even in higher positions! In fact, her ’boss’ was a woman herself!

No, she was more than a woman. She could order around the men to do whatever! It was so amazing to see how they all listened to her!

She couldn’t help but express this awe once and the woman looked at her with those sharp eyes of hers. Eppa was really intimidated and she thought she was going to get fired!

The older woman hadn’t even said anything; Sassy’s stare was just that scary!

To her surprise, the woman just asked her. ”Do you want to become a tanner?”

Eppa gaped at her, not entirely certain what the question was about. Sassy’s eyebrows rose and she crossed her arms. ”You’re pretty strong for a woman so such a job should be no problem to you. I would like to have some more meticulous eyes and hands with me.

”So… do you want to be one?”

Eppa gulped. Was this real? ”Y-Yes!” she just uttered what she wanted, regardless of what it implied.

Sassy nodded in approval. ”You are a resident, yes?”

”Yes, Miss Sassy,” she said.

”Temporary?”

”Permanent, Miss Sassy.”

Sassy nodded. ”Even better. You know, if you study Tanning at our Alterra School, I can hire you. You can also have your practicum here.”

It had to be noted that, at the time, Eppa was still very new to Alterra and their ideologies. She was still absorbing the fact that she could have such a well-paying job as a woman.

Now… she was asked to go to school?

”I can also help you with paying for the tuition. Salary deduction, of course,” Sassy continued, making Eppa just continue gaping at her. ”Because you’re a permanent resident, then it should be easy for you to gain a slot.”

Temporary Residents could enroll as well, but they were not the priority when the class had a quota. For example, many temporary residents were on the waitlist for certain popular classes while permanent residents practically had guaranteed slots.

Eppa would not be able to afford the permanent residency on her own, of course, not so quickly with her limited skills. However, she was the beneficiary of her cousin Meroun, a former Mauin citizen who died during the Fargo-Alterra war.

She had been reluctant to spend anything for a while. She felt uncomfortable with spending her beloved cousin’s hard-earned contribution points—something he had

died

trying to earn.

However, after a bit of convincing from the others, she realized that her cousin would’ve wanted her to use it to improve her life, so she did so. It was truly the best decision she had ever made.

The benefits of being a permanent resident really couldn’t be compared with anything else, not to mention the most concrete feeling of belonging and stability that came with it.

Anyway, Eppa was convinced and took Tanning classes with a nervous heart. The travel to the school, even each step she took inside the campus, was an exhilarating experience. She walked so slowly and shakily that, in retrospect, she must’ve looked like an idiot.

However, she later heard that it was a common occurrence so she didn’t look as silly as she thought she was.

She arrived to the class with just a minute to spare. There, she found that the teacher was no other than Sassy herself! She felt a bit embarrassed but also relieved. At least she didn’t have to readjust her bearings!

Eppa had many milestones in her life after stepping into Alterra, and that was the day she stepped into another one.