Building a Safe Zone with My Harem In The Post-Apocalyptic World-Chapter 118: Memory of a Small Family

Gideon and Delilah stood in a good distance from the bunker’s hatch, the remote detonator resting in her trembling hand. In the end, she didn’t take the photo with her.

She said Freya already had plenty of their family pictures, so there was no need to keep another one.

It sounded simple, but the way she said it made it clear, she was forcing herself to let go.

Her grip on the detonator wasn’t steady, her fingers tightening and loosening as if she couldn’t decide. Her eyes drifted, unfocused, and every breath she took came out heavier than the last.

The sun had already begun to lower, no longer as harsh as it was a few hours ago. Evening would come soon.

If she didn’t do it now, they would have to stay in Climber Rift overnight. He wouldn’t have minded that, but they didn’t have that kind of time.

A notification suddenly appeared in his system, pulling his attention away for a moment. Gideon blinked, slightly surprised. William had sent him a message directly through the pad, something he hadn’t realized was even possible.

It seemed the feature only worked between him and those made through the Specialist Ticket, but even so, it was useful.

The message read:

"Sir, the generators and water pumps have been installed successfully. Night operations can begin as early as tomorrow, or tonight if you approve temporary power cable installation along with floodlights in the construction zones."

"This will allow us to proceed with the communal bathhouse, water access points, and sanitation facilities without delay."

Gideon skimmed it once before replying. "Proceed as needed. Split the shifts so they can still function in the morning. Send me the budget for approval."

He approved the request right after, though a small part of him wondered if he should return and oversee things himself.

A quiet sound pulled him back. Delilah was crying again.

"Are you okay? I told you, you don’t have to do this."

"I’m not... there’s no way I’m okay." She wiped her tears, her voice shaking, but she didn’t look away from the bunker.

Gideon exhaled softly, then spoke again, his tone firmer this time. "Your husband isn’t the same person anymore. There’s no point holding on to him."

He knew it came out harsher than it should have. It was childish, and he was aware of it. But he couldn’t help the irritation that slipped through.

Delilah was too good for someone like that. So why was she still standing here, unable to let go?

"It’s not about him," she said after a moment, her voice quieter now.

"He was always running away, and I got tired of chasing him. Somewhere along the way... I think I stopped feeling anything for him. What was left was just responsibility."

Her fingers tightened around the detonator as she lowered her gaze.

"It’s just... I remember how relieved I was when he found this bunker and I could finally realize my daughters’ feelings."

She let out a breath that almost trembled.

"Back then, Freya was only ten. She had a bad fever, and I really thought she wouldn’t survive."

Her hands clenched slightly, the memory clearly pulling her back.

"I thought we had no hope left. Our group had already moved ahead, leaving us behind in the desert. We were close to another settlement... but for some reason, it felt like we would never make it there."

***

Delilah remembered that moment vividly.

She was the one holding Freya in her arms, her small body burning with heat yet frighteningly fragile. No matter how many times Delilah gently shook her or called her name, there was no response.

Beside her, Summer was panicking, tears streaming down her face as her voice trembled between fear and anger.

"Daddy! This is all your fault! We wouldn’t have been left behind if you didn’t waste time with Freya, and now she’s sick!" she cried, tugging at his robe. "If she dies, it’s your fault!"

Delilah, walking behind them, snapped, "Summer! Stop blaming your father. He needs to focus!"

Leon was ahead of them, forcing a path through the storm as the wind grew harsher, sand lashing against their bodies.

They were caught in a dust storm, and visibility was almost gone. The cane in his hand guided each step as he tapped the ground carefully, checking for traps hidden beneath the sand, whether from aberrants or hostile groups.

Then the sound changed. A dull metallic knock echoed beneath the cane.

Leon stopped immediately and turned slightly. "Did you hear that?"

Delilah nodded and he started digging. As more of it became visible, the shape was unmistakable, a hatch.

"Do you think it’s a trap?"

"We don’t know," Leon replied, "You check it first, give Freya to me. If something happens to me, you’ll be in even more danger."

That was what she hated about him. He was a coward, and she knew that if things went wrong, he would abandon them without hesitation.

Instead of arguing, she passed Freya to Summer, who struggled to hold her sister with trembling arms. "Take care of her," Delilah said before turning to the hatch.

She opened it, and darkness greeted her. For a brief moment, fear tightened her chest, but she forced it down.

She didn’t have the luxury to hesitate. She was the only one who could do this, the only one who could find them shelter, the only one who could save Freya.

She climbed down slowly until her feet touched solid ground. She reached out to feel her surroundings, her hand struck something behind her.

A dull thud echoed, followed by the sound of something rolling across the floor. She crouched and followed it with her hands until her fingers closed around an object. A flashlight.

When she turned it on, the beam flickered before stabilizing. She scanned the hallway carefully, her heart still racing.

The structure seemed intact, and while an emergency alarm suddenly began to blare, nothing else moved. No threats, no signs of anything alive.

After making sure it was safe, she climbed back up and looked at them. "It’s safe, It’s a bunker."

Her family believed in her, and in the end, she managed to find medicine in the storage room and give it to Freya.

"Mom..." Freya murmured weakly after taking a sip of water.

"Yes, sweetie. Are you okay? Do you feel better?"

Freya nodded slightly, her gaze wandering around the room. "Where are we? Did we finally arrive?"

"No... but this is going to be our new home. You won’t be disappointed, right? We can’t keep traveling anymore."

She knew both of her daughters loved traveling. They had never stayed in one place for long, always eager to move, to see something new.

"Are you kidding, Mom? I hate traveling," Summer suddenly said from above. She was lying on the top bunk, her head hanging over the edge as she looked down at them.

"You should be sleeping, Summer. It’s already late," Delilah scolded before frowning slightly.

"And what do you mean you hate it? You were always the one asking us to move."

Summer turned her face away for a second before answering, her voice quieter than usual. "That’s because it’s scary to stay in one place."

Delilah blinked, surprised.

"You know what the leader always says... monsters can smell us, and they’ll come eat us if we stay too long or if we’re not careful. Isn’t it better to keep moving?"

Freya nodded weakly from Delilah’s arms. "We didn’t want to get eaten..."

Delilah had never thought about it that way. She always assumed they were just being children, excited to travel, happy to see different places.

A quiet breath left her lips as guilt settled in her chest.

"Come here, Summer."

Summer hesitated. "Really? You’re not going to punish me?"

"Of course not. Why would I punish you?"

"Mom... you keep making that face. It’s scary."

Even so, she climbed down and walked over, sitting close to her. Delilah pulled her into a hug while gently stroking Freya’s hair.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t realize how scary it was for both of you. I promise I’ll take better care of you from now on."

She smiled, though her chest still felt heavy. "We’re staying here. This is our home now, and you’ll be safe."

That night, something changed in her.

For so long, most of her attention had been on Leon. He was reckless, always putting himself in danger, and taking care of him often felt like managing a stubborn child.

Because of that, she rarely gave the same attention to Summer and Freya unless they caused trouble themselves.

Now she understood. Maybe they keep getting in trouble because they want her attention... and their father’s.

That night, she made a decision. From that moment on, her daughters would come first.

***

"That night is still so clear in my memory," Delilah said, her eyes distant yet soft with nostalgia. "It was also the night I realized I didn’t love Leon anymore."

She paused, her grip on the detonator tightening slightly. "But... I’m more afraid of destroying this place because of them. Do you think they would forgive me for this?"

Gideon knew what she was really asking.

He could have said they wouldn’t be angry, that they would understand, but he had once been in their position too, even if the situation was different. It wasn’t that simple.

So instead, he placed a hand on her back, steady and grounding.

"They’ll get angry," he said honestly. "And then they’ll move on. They already have a place they call home now."

Delilah blinked, then let out a small breath as a faint smile formed on her lips. "You’re right... we already have a new home."

With that, she pressed the button.

The ground trembled instantly, the buried structure collapsing in on itself as sand swallowed it whole, along with the memories of the small family that once lived there.