"Hey, Noah, what's the moral of this story?"
"You mean the one about the Big Bad Wolf?"
"Yeah! He's terrifying. But why is it that as soon as the hunter shows up, the wolf suddenly stops terrorizing everyone?"
Noah answered while wiping down the counter, glancing at Emma, who was sitting on a chair swinging her legs.
"That's the moral, Emma. When someone stronger steps in, even the worst bullies learn to behave. Not because they've become good people—but because they finally learn there are consequences."
This ten-year-old girl was the mixed-race daughter of Robert Kendo and his Japanese wife. She had a quiet, well-mannered demeanor, but underneath it was a surprisingly bold, adventurous streak. Noah couldn't help thinking Emma was his complete opposite. She'd inherited her mother's Japanese features, while he'd ended up with his father's American looks despite having a Japanese mother.
She was an easy kid to get along with. Always tagging along with her dad, she wasn't shy at all; in fact, she loved greeting people. When Noah first met Emma, he wondered why such a sociable kid needed looking after.
After working here for two days, he learned the truth. Emma's mother worked at an Umbrella laboratory on the outskirts. Due to the intense nature of her research, she could only come home once every month or two. Originally, Kendo had planned to sell the gun shop, let his wife be the breadwinner, and stay home to raise his daughter himself.
But then he thought about it—could a roughneck like him really raise a little girl on his own? He worried he'd make her too tomboyish, which might hurt her social life later. Besides, Emma was at school most of the time, so he didn't actually need to spend that much time and energy on childcare. He really only needed someone to watch her during the summer break in July and August. Giving up his passion just for two or three months felt like a bad trade.
Plus, in his daughter's eyes, a dad with no job might just look like a lazy bum. If he gave up the guns and weapons he loved just for her… if Emma ever found out, it would probably break her heart, right? After all, no kid wants to feel like a burden to their parents.
As for hiring Noah? When Kendo first saw him, he thought Noah's features looked a bit like his daughter's, which might make her feel more comfortable. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to let Noah babysit her during the holidays. Judging by his performance over the last two days, Noah had real skills. He wasn't just working hard to learn about firearms; he was also proactive with chores, all while taking excellent care of Emma. That really made Kendo warm up to the hardworking young man.
In reality, Noah was simply leaning into his "talent." People like him—no matter where they went or who they worked for—had an impeccable work ethic. They were steady and reliable, and they gave off the kind of reassurance that made a boss feel at ease. In short, they were the sort of workers who could outwork everyone else until there was nothing left to criticize. It felt like something innate, a drive that mere effort alone could never fully replicate.
So, Noah spent his days wiping counters and chatting with Emma. The last two days had been fulfilling. He worked from dawn till dusk, arriving at the shop before 8:00 AM and not leaving until after midnight. Actually, Kendo usually planned to close up around 6:00 PM, before it even got dark! But every time Kendo tried to send him home, Noah would claim he wanted to use the extra time to "study the firearms." And then he'd stay, guilt-free.
Since Noah was a bachelor with decent cooking skills, he even took over the cooking duties. The rest of the time, Kendo gave Noah free rein of the shop to explore on his own. Kendo was trusting—he wasn't afraid of Noah stealing weapons. If a gun was missing parts or couldn't fire the next day, he wouldn't need an investigation; he'd just blame Noah.
Fortunately, Noah had no intention of stealing. The temptation of a single gun versus the wealth of knowledge he could gain from Kendo… the choice was obvious. The reason Noah volunteered to stay so late every day was partly to learn about guns, partly to build a bond and trust with Emma and Kendo, and partly to gather more intel on Raccoon City through chatting with them.
But the most critical reason? Dodging his landlord when rent came due.
Now that he understood English, Noah realized what the landlord had been shouting on that first night. But even if he understood now, he couldn't pay. If he handed over his hard-earned travel money for rent, he'd be broke. And being broke increased his chances of dying in this hellhole.
The only interesting tidbit he got from Kendo was that the owner of his apartment building was named Lennox. He had a daughter named Cindy who worked as a waitress at a local bar. The father was supposedly rich, so why was his daughter waitressing?
Uh, probably because of tenants like me who don't pay rent.
Noah heard that the landlord had recently divorced his wife and used underhanded tactics to ensure she got nothing in the settlement. After seeing her father's true colors, the daughter chose to live with her mother. But since she was a medical student at Raccoon University, she had to work part-time at the bar to pay her tuition.
When Noah first heard about this self-reliant, inspirational girl, he wondered why she didn't just play the "good daughter," squeeze her father for cash, and then cut him off after graduation. He hadn't thought much else of it until it hit him—this woman, his "landlord-by-proxy," was actually a protagonist in the Resident Evil universe.
Noah slapped his forehead, sighing at the realization. Raccoon City wasn't big, but it was the kind of place where everyone's story tangled into everyone else's. If he wasn't careful, he might end up meeting every major character in the franchise within two weeks. Maybe he could even convince one or two of them to escape with him and partner up. If he was going to do that, he should pick the strong ones, the capable ones… or the hot ones. That would make life afterward much more interesting.
Back to Cindy Lennox. Noah knew this character! She was from the Outbreak series. Even though she was "just" a waitress, she had medical skills and successfully escaped Raccoon City. After hearing the gossip, Noah realized Cindy had that kind of backstory. She really was an inspiring girl. And recalling her character profile… she was also cute, agile, and beautiful.
Thinking about it, he could include her in his escape plan. Although she could probably escape on her own, she didn't appear in future games, and there was no lore about where she went. Meeting her again would be almost impossible. If he contacted her now, and maybe even had a chance to romance her… there was no downside, only benefits!
Sigh. So much to do. Noah mocked his own greed viciously. Do I have to try hard for every single good-looking female character?
Snapping back to reality, Noah continued telling stories to Emma. Having a deep reserve of stories was one of the keys to Noah's ability to build relationships quickly. As customers came and went, Noah's story for the day was nearing its end. As the sunlight faded, Kendo began listlessly wiping down guns.
But just then, a major figure appeared in Noah's line of sight.
"Kendo, I just can't get used to this Samurai Edge you made for S.T.A.R.S. Can you modify it for me again?"
A voice—steady, confident—reached Noah's ears. The woman had shoulder-length hair combed to one side. She wore a fitted short-sleeved top and a skirt-and-trouser combo built for movement. A pistol holster was strapped to her right thigh—though it was empty right now.
The outfit was practical and eye-catching, and it made Noah's pulse spike. He'd expected to run into her eventually, but meeting her at the gun shop after only two days left him thrilled—especially for someone like Noah, who had spent so much time seeing her through a screen.
Here she was. The legendary female lead from the original Resident Evil.
Jill Valentine.
Seeing Jill standing right in front of him in the flesh… Noah couldn't even describe how fired up he felt.
His excitement surged.
No, wait. He stood up and started walking toward Jill.