Building a Safe Zone with My Harem In The Post-Apocalyptic World-Chapter 104: Delilah’s Problem

Delilah had already sighed more times than she could count since morning.

From driving to Climber Rift to drop Elaine off at work, to moving her daughters’ belongings, her research data, and even crates filled with ammunition and guns, she hadn’t had a moment to rest, and yet the sighs kept coming.

Her daughters clearly noticed something was wrong, but they didn’t ask, as if they already understood the reason.

They did question Gideon’s behavior, though, wondering why he suddenly acted that way, but Delilah couldn’t bring herself to tell them that his coldness was directed only at her and not at them.

After dropping her daughters off at Climber Rift and finally getting some time to continue her research paper on the Verdant Devourer’s behavior, updating the work left behind by her late husband, she went to the Freebound headquarters to submit the data.

While waiting for Elaine to finish her work, she ended up in a pub, sitting alone with a glass of beer in front of her.

It was called Stag Brew, made from aberrant gut bacteria capable of producing yeast, combined with a mutated grain known as Cervigrain, a hybrid of wheat and deer that only appeared during winter and summer.

It was expensive, but money didn’t matter to her right now as she took another long gulp.

The taste was nothing like the beer from the old world. The first sip carried a grassy flavor, followed by a sour bite, and then a metallic aftertaste that lingered unpleasantly, with an oddly oily texture coating her tongue.

It was awful. But it worked, it still numbed the mind, still made people drunk, and more importantly, it warmed the body quickly in winter. That alone was enough for people to accept it.

Still, anything derived from aberrants came with a cost. Even if the creature itself wasn’t poisonous, prolonged consumption would slowly harm the body.

It was like microplastics in the old world. Harmless in small amounts, but can cause health issues over time as it accumulates.

Cervigrain, for example, contained traces of mycotoxins, toxic compounds produced by fungi. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Adults could process the grain in moderation, their livers managing to break it down, but children couldn’t. For them, it was far more dangerous.

That was one of the reasons human life expectancy had dropped so drastically. The very food they relied on to survive was also slowly poisoning them.

Delilah knew that better than anyone. And yet, she still fed that same food to her daughters every day.

Of course, not everyone suffered immediate consequences. Some people seemed perfectly fine. But the number of individuals developing health problems far too early in their lives was enough to be alarming.

As a researcher and ecologist, the remnants of the old government had warned them to keep it hidden. It was better for people to live in ignorance than in constant fear.

Delilah agreed.

She didn’t want to end up like her foolish husband. She still had her daughters to protect.

She tightened her grip around the glass before letting out another quiet sigh.

"I just hope... even if Gideon hates me, he’ll keep the storage full for my daughters."

"Wow, so Gideon really managed to get the ice queen, who’s been rejecting every man that comes near her, to start thinking about him, huh?"

The voice made Delilah jolt. Before she could even turn, the speaker had already slid into the seat beside her.

It was Elaine. A second later, Jade dropped into the seat on her other side, effectively trapping her between them.

Elaine looked... different. Fresh, relaxed, with a faint smile that refused to leave her lips. Delilah had never seen her like that before, and it felt unsettling.

Jade, on the other hand, looked exhausted, dark circles under her eyes, her head slightly lowered as if she was already half-drunk.

"What’s wrong with both of you? Why are you switching personalities like this?" Delilah asked, frowning.

"Don’t change the topic," Elaine cut in smoothly, gesturing for the bartender to bring two more drinks.

"We’re talking about Gideon. What happened between you two? He usually acts like an idiot around you, always grinning."

"Nothing..." Delilah hesitated, then looked away and took a quick sip of her drink. "I mean, maybe he’s just... angry with you."

"I’m pretty sure he’s not angry with me," Elaine said with a groan. "He asked me to sleep with him."

"WHAT?!"

Both Delilah and Jade shouted at the same time, drawing attention from everyone nearby. Jade immediately clicked her tongue and waved at the bartender.

"VIP room. Now."

She stood up without waiting and motioned for them to follow.

***

The VIP room was simple but quiet, with sofas arranged around a low table. A television sat unused in the corner, and a cabinet displayed bottles of real alcohol from the old world.

It was of course only a decoration, but people were still able to order those alcohol with a really high price.

As soon as they sat down and the drinks were placed on the table, Jade spoke first.

"What do you mean he asked you that? He rejected my proposal to marry him."

"Why would you even want to marry him?" Delilah asked, her voice sharper than she intended.

She paused, realizing it herself. That reaction was... strange.

Jade narrowed her eyes. "Why are you reacting like that?"

"Li-like what?" Delilah stammered, then frowned. "Anyway, you two can’t just... agree to something like that. You can’t just give yourselves away so easily."

"Well, he offered to pay my debt and build me a proper hospital," Elaine said, completely unfazed. "It’s a good deal. I get a place to stay and more patients to treat."

Jade turned to her with a raised brow. "Then why are you rejecting my offer to rebuild your clinic?"

"Because Gideon wants something simple," Elaine replied, taking a sip of her drink before flinching at the taste.

"You, on the other hand... sent me into an enemy faction as ’exchange personnel’ during the last expedition. I almost got killed and ended up separated from my team."

"And you found that caldera because of it. You’re welcome," Jade shot back, crossing her arms.

"They were still allies during that expedition, and they needed a doctor. I didn’t have a choice, that fox from the mercenary guild kept pushing it."

"In the end, working with Gideon is safer and more beneficial," Elaine said calmly. "I’ll still work at your hospital, so relax."

She took another sip and grimaced again. "It still tastes awful."

Jade let out a quiet scoff, then turned to Delilah. "So what about you? What’s your problem with him?"

Delilah went quiet. They had known each other for years. They were the only people she was truly close to. If anyone could understand this, it would be them.

But the words felt heavy, stuck somewhere deep in her chest.

The thought had been circling in her mind all day, building pressure, refusing to fade.

If she didn’t say it now, it would only get worse.

Her grip tightened slightly around the glass and finally said the thing that keep disturbing her.

"...I saw Gideon have sex with my daughters."