Long story short, I had been asked to join the force as a hired armed civilian.
I was reluctant at first, but I accepted because I wanted to keep an eye on them. I had an inkling that the Umbrella was somehow connected to the military.
However, it didn't mean that the US military as a whole was bad. General Adams seemed to be an okay guy, and so were the soldiers around here.
I was hired as a part of their elite group, and my salary was paid in rations and food.
Usually the ration would be divided by the number of people in the family, so if someone lived alone then they would get fewer rations compared to those who live together.
In the beginning, our food supplies were very low due to lack of resources. The soldiers were the first ones to get food since they had to protect everyone, and then came civilians.
As a result, we only got one meal per day, and even that was barely enough to sustain lives.
Of course I didn't need to worry about my own food because I still had my system to feed myself and the girls. I also gave a few rations to Miss Shizuka and Saya to make up for the lack of supply, though it was barely noticeable to my stockpile of supplies.
Anyway, General Adams had been kind to me by increasing the ration for us, even though he knew I could take care of myself. I already planned to get involved in the army, so it's better for me to have a strong relationship with him.
Also, it seemed like the supply chain was restored because of our move here.
And thanks to the increased food ration, we were eating three times a day now.
When I explained it to the girls, Saeko and Miss Shizuka didn't really react much but Saya had a different reaction.
"Are you crazy?" The genius pinkette asked incredulously. She then continued, "You're joining the military now? Do you want to die?!"
"Hey, it's not that bad." I tried to explain but she wasn't listening anymore.
She just sighed deeply and turned away, crossing her arms angrily.
"Just for food? I don't care if we only eat once a day." Saya said in a low tone. "What matters is our safety. We need to survive first. If you put your life on the line, then that defeats our purpose of going here!"
I wanted to reply to her but I knew she was right. We didn't have the luxury to eat three meals a day. Our priority is to stay alive.
"Well, you have a point." I admitted defeat and smiled bitterly.
She looked at me and raised her eyebrow.
"So? What do you think?"
I shrugged my shoulders and said honestly, "I don't know."
"You're not helping." Saya sighed again. "I'm just worried about you. What if something bad happens to us? What if you die out there? How am I supposed to survive without you? How are we supposed to live on?"
She sounded scared and lonely. Her eyes were filled with sadness and she hugged herself tightly as if trying to stop shaking from fear.
Seeing her like that, I could only hug her and try my best to calm her down. She buried her face into my chest, and I felt warm tears wetting my shirt.
What a fool I was. I only thought about myself, not considering the feelings of the girls around me. They would be very lonely if something bad were to happen to me.
"Don't go..." She murmured in a low tone. "I don't want you to leave us behind."
"Okay, I promise that I'll be fine. I won't die or leave you all."
"Please." She pleaded in a weak voice, sounding like a little child.
My hand stroked her head lovingly, trying to reassure her. I whispered into her ear, telling her that I wouldn't let anything happen to us no matter what, and I promised that I'd keep her safe and happy.
A few moments later, she stopped crying. Her sobs subsided and she lifted her face to look up at me, traces of tears still visible in her eyes. They sparkled brightly and she gave me a faint smile.
She was still sniffling but at least she stopped crying now. I gently wiped the tears on her cheek and gave her a kiss on her forehead.
"You can stop now. I hope you understand how important you are to us," she said softly. "I don't know why but I felt scared thinking you would die. That's not good at all."
"I'm sorry."
I felt like an idiot for not thinking of the consequences of my actions. I had to make sure I would survive, even if it meant that I would have to work harder. For the girls.
She looked away with a pout and muttered, "Hmph, I bet you won't listen to me anyway. But I can't really stop you from doing stupid things."
"I'll be more careful."
"Please do."
She pulled back and walked away, leaving me alone in the room. I stared at the closed door behind her and sighed. She really was worried about me.
I didn't want to disappoint her by getting myself killed.
However, I was in a dilemma now.
What Saya said to me was true, and I didn't know whether joining the military force was a wise decision or not.
I could always quit later if things went wrong.
My danger sense, the unreliable choice system, never showed up since I returned from Raccoon City. Which meant that everything was normal for now.
No danger yet, and I was pretty safe.
There was no reason to decline this offer. I could use the extra rations to buy some stuff or even trade for some valuable goods. It's better than just staying here and doing nothing. Besides, the money could come in handy when I decided to leave the military later on.
And I also needed to know what they were doing in the quarantine zone, especially about their connection with the Umbrella Corporation.
Civilians wouldn't get information needed, so this was a chance. A chance for me to learn about the truth behind all these.
"Saya, respecting a man's wish is a must for a girl." Saeko's voice rang from the side. She had listened to the entire exchange and decided to give us some advice. "And brother has his own plan, too. If he wants to join the military force then he has his own reasons for that."
Saya turned to Saeko, glaring at her.
"I know that! It's just..." She paused for a moment before continuing, "I'm worried about him."
I nodded and added, "Yes, and we need the extra rations to survive. If we stay here, we will eventually die from starvation or disease. There's no guarantee of survival, even with my ability."
I wanted to help everyone as much as I could, but I also needed to protect myself.
Saya sighed once more, shaking her head in exasperation. "Well, whatever. Just make sure to tell me what happens out there every day."
I nodded again. "Sure, I'll keep you all updated. It's not like I will leave you girls too. And I might need your help later."
She seemed satisfied with my answer and nodded. "Good enough. As long as I get to see you alive."
Saeko chuckled, amused by Saya's behavior.
"You really care about brother, huh?" she said teasingly.
"Shut up!" Saya shouted, her face flushed red. "I just don't want him to die like an idiot! That's it! Don't get any wrong ideas!"
Saeko giggled. "You don't have to be embarrassed. We all know you like him a lot. I can tell that much."
"I said it's not like that!"
Saeko laughed again.
The atmosphere inside our room was lively, but I was still worried about my situation. I had no idea what I should do next, and I didn't know what kind of things would happen to me in the future.
The only thing I was sure of was that I would never abandon the girls and that I needed to stay safe myself.
And the choice to join the army seemed to be a good one, especially if it meant getting information from within.
However...
[Make your choice!]
I might have underestimated it too much.