A Garden for the Future
By early April, the mansion's frame stood tall against the awakening forest. Where machines once thundered, softer sounds now joined—the chatter of gardeners, the trickle of pipes, the careful planting of saplings.
The MC had insisted: this place must breathe. Not just walls of glass and stone, but living, growing veins of green.
Rows of imported oak saplings were lined at the drive, while Himalayan rhododendrons were planted along the slopes. A glass-domed greenhouse began to take shape beside the main wing. Unlike the mansion, which masked itself as "modern luxury," the greenhouse was unapologetically advanced—solar-embedded panels, climate-regulation systems, and nutrient-infused irrigation designed by Aarya.
Inside, he planned to grow everything from exotic orchids to staple crops. A fusion of beauty and practicality.
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The Boy at the Fence – Side POV
Rahul, a skinny twelve-year-old from the nearby village, pressed his face against the wire fence. His schoolbag dangled loosely from one shoulder, half-forgotten.
To him, the construction site was magic. He had never seen glass panels so big, or machines that carved the earth like butter. And now, men were bringing in plants—plants so green, they seemed to glow.
In his diary (scribbled on old school notebooks), Rahul wrote:
> April 9, 2015
Today I saw a tree that looked like the ones in my drawing book, not like the dry bushes near our house. They are planting them inside the big walls. I think the rich man wants to build a forest of his own. Sometimes I imagine sneaking in to smell the flowers.
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The Greenhouse Vision
The MC walked through the half-completed greenhouse one afternoon. Transparent panels curved overhead like a giant crystal shell. Inside, rows of soil beds had already been laid.
He paused before one section, kneeling to run his fingers through the damp earth. Aarya's voice flowed through discreet earpieces.
"Soil enriched. Microbial balance optimal. I recommend adding nitrogen-fixing flora to stabilize future crops."
He nodded. "Do it. This place isn't just a garden. It's insurance. A vault of life."
Already, he imagined future years: fruits ripening on vines, medicinal herbs cultivated in controlled corners, rare seeds preserved long after they vanished from the outside world.
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Villagers' Whispers
While workers busied themselves with planting, the villagers speculated.
One old farmer remarked, "This man is not just building a house. He is growing a kingdom. You'll see—one day we will all be working inside those walls."
Another scoffed. "Kingdom? It is only a garden for the rich. What does it matter to us?"
But when children like Rahul ran home with eyes wide, describing glowing greenhouses and unheard-of flowers, even the skeptics grew curious.
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MC's Inner Resolve
On the night of April 15, after a long day of overseeing, the MC sat on the edge of the unfinished balcony. Below him, the greenhouse lights glowed softly, fireflies dancing around them.
He whispered to himself: "A house without a garden is only stone. A nation without green is only dust. If I am to build an empire, it must feed, heal, and breathe."
For a fleeting moment, he thought of his childhood again—the small courtyard where his mother kept tulsi plants, the way she believed that green life protected the home. Perhaps, unconsciously, he was recreating that same belief on a monumental scale.
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Side POV – Rahul Sneaks In
One evening, unable to resist, Rahul slipped past the inattentive guard near a side fence. His bare feet padded silently across gravel until he reached the edge of the greenhouse.
Through the glass, he saw orchids blooming under artificial light, their petals shining like jewels. He pressed his palm to the cool surface, eyes wide.
A worker noticed him and shouted. Rahul fled, heart racing, not stopping until he reached the village. But in his mind, the image burned—a secret garden, alive in the middle of concrete and machines.
That night, under his blanket, he whispered: "One day, I'll go back. Maybe he will let me in."
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📌 By April 25, 2015, the mansion no longer looked like just a construction project. It had roots, leaves, and color. For outsiders, it was extravagance. For the MC, it was the first step in building a sustainable, living sanctuary.
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