To Gideon's surprise, the moment he stepped into the bunker, he saw nothing.
It was just an empty room. No furniture, no decoration, nothing but darkness swallowing the space. He barely had time to process it before he heard someone rummaging around behind him.
"Freya?"
"Yeah?" she answered, her voice slightly strained. "I'm looking for the flashlight. Damn, it's too dark in here." The rummaging continued.
"Flashlight?" he asked. "But didn't you say this place still has electricity?"
"Of course," she replied casually. "Most of us use solar panels. That's why there's a big boulder outside. We put the panels on top of it."
Something clicked, and the room lit up dimly. Gideon blinked as her silhouette became clearer.
"As for the AAA batteries," she added, holding something up, "we just dry them out."
She walked over to him and stopped in front of him. "Make sure you follow me, okay? We set up some traps here."
"Traps?"
"For defense," she said simply.
"Ah," Gideon nodded. "That explains why it's empty."
"Yup." Freya smiled, then reached out and grabbed his hand. "Now take my hand. It's still too dark."
Gideon smiled back and let her pull him along as they moved into a narrow hallway, her voice guiding him step by step.
"Don't touch that spot. Careful, there's a thin wire there."
The bunker stretched far deeper than he expected. Even in the dim lighting, it was obvious the structure was solid and well-built. The walls and floors were strong, though deliberately dirtied to avoid reflecting light or looking maintained.
"How did you set up the solar panels like that?" he asked.
Freya did not answer right away.
When she finally spoke, her expression had changed. "They were already here. It looks like the government knew something was coming."
She paused before continuing quietly. "My father moved the panels onto that boulder later. It was too eye-catching otherwise."
Gideon understood immediately and did not ask anything further.
They stopped in front of a heavy metal door. Freya reached for the handwheel, turned it clockwise, and the door slowly opened.
Light flooded out.
Gideon had to blink rapidly and raise his hand to shield his eyes, but he followed her inside anyway. As his vision adjusted, the smell of food hit him, rich and warm enough to make his stomach grumble.
"Mom!" Freya called out brightly. "Are you cooking? I brought someone!"
The room was clearly meant to be a living space. Concrete walls and floor, white turning almost gray with age, giving it a gloomy atmosphere.
Still, the air circulation was surprisingly good. There was no mold, no damp smell, and it was not even hot.
A worn-out sofa sat facing an old television. On one side of the room were stacked boxes and crates that Gideon initially assumed were food supplies.
When he got closer, he realized they were not.
They were full of weapons, ammunition, and even grenades.
"Goddamn," he muttered under his breath.
It made sense. This was a government bunker, after all.
Even so, it was obvious Freya and her family had done their best to turn it into something resembling a home.
"What? I can't hear you, Freya. You brought what?"
A gentle but startled voice echoed from another room as Freya hurried forward and replied quickly, "A man… he saved me."
CRASH!
Something fell, followed by a panicked voice. "Are you insane?! You can't bring a man here?!"
"But I told you he saved me," Freya shot back. "And he lost his memories. I can't just leave him outside like that."
"Of course you can! A thank you is more than enough!" the voice snapped. "Where is he now?"
"Ugh, Mom, don't embarrass me like that!" Freya groaned as footsteps approached.
She reappeared moments later, followed by a woman who immediately caught Gideon's attention.
She was beautiful, with long blonde hair and the same dark blue eyes as Freya. A tight apron clung to her curvy figure, barely restraining her chest, and sweat glistened on her pale skin where her hair was tied up neatly.
In her hand was a gun, held low but ready, her expression complicated and wary.
"I know this is rude," she said calmly, "but I don't think you can stay here. It's not safe for us."
"Mom!" Freya protested. "Is that how you treat my savior? That's so cruel! And whether you like it or not, we need a man to protect us!"
"Freya," her mother replied sharply, "try to understand the situation. Not everyone is as kind as you."
The two of them continued arguing back and forth, their voices overlapping, while Gideon stood there unsure of what to do. Too many thoughts crowded his mind at once.
The system kept pestering him about marking harem members. He also knew he needed to prove he would not do anything strange, especially without consent.
That said, he was not exactly opposed to the idea of building a future with them either.
'Just look at them,' he thought. 'Beautiful, sexy… just need a bath and new clothes.'
Before the argument could escalate further, a loud bang came from a room beside the kitchen, making everyone flinch.
"Damn it, can you all stop arguing?" an annoyed voice called out. "I was sleeping, you know."
The door opened, and a woman stepped out.
She was taller than the other two, with tanned skin, short blonde hair, and sharp green eyes.
A tank top hugged her figure perfectly, paired with short black pants that showed off long legs. She looked straight at Gideon and grinned.
"Oh?" she said teasingly. "So we finally let a man join us? Planning to have some fun now?"
There was unmistakable interest in her gaze.
Gideon swallowed hard.
All eyes were on him now, each carrying a different emotion. One looked at him like a predator eyeing its prey. Another was too embarrassed to meet his gaze, her face flushed red. The last was filled with suspicion and shock, fingers still tight around a gun.
This situation was quickly slipping out of his control.