…why? Why did this have to happen? I was thinking this as I was still holding Claudia’s hand.

Would it have been better for me to never buy Claudia? Or should I have never even escaped from Rose?

No…going even further back than that, I should have never agreed to go with Rose to her home after I helped her. That way I would never have bought Claudia and I wouldn’t have awoken the Yandere in Rose.

…if I think about it, it was the same in my previous life.

I’d always do whatever I could to resist the Yanderes in my life. Because of this, everyone close to me would be the ones to suffer at the hands of the Yanderes.

Just so I could live an ordinary life….

"…did you say goodbye to Claudia, Yuzuki onii-san?"

A quiet voice could be heard from behind me. Looking back, I could see it was Rose.

"I’ve said goodbye…I’ve had enough already. Do whatever you want with me; I won’t act against you anymore."

I thought if I said this Rose would show a big smile now that she was finally able to get what she wanted. Instead, she showed me a cold, somewhat disappointed look.

"…Yuzuki onii-san, you’re just going to give up?"

"What are you saying…"

If she’s asking me if I’m giving up then the answer is obviously yes, but that’s because Claudia is dead and there’s nothing else I can do to save her….

No, Rose would know of other ways to save her. If she’s asking me that then there must be something I can do besides give up….

"You’re saying…there’s a way to save her?"

"Resurrection. A magic that brings people back to life…have you heard of it?"

"Yes…I’ve heard of it. But her curse…."

Just as I was about to say resurrection is impossible, Rose stopped me and covered my mouth.

"After she died, the curse should have been lifted from her body."

"…so you’re saying Claudia can be resurrected using Resurrection?"

"It’s possible to resurrect her using that but there is n.o.body that can use Resurrection on this island."

"Not a single person can use it…."

"Well, there’s probably only one person that I can think of that would be able to use it. The highest ranked priest in the royal capital should be able to use Resurrection."

"We can just ask this person to revive her?"

To my question, Rose just shook her head.

"How many people do you think die every day? Only a handful of people are ever revived by the priests. You need power and connections for them to revive someone for you — they’ll only revive special people."

"Special people…."

While muttering to myself I looked at Rose — the only daughter of the Brad family.

"Because it’s a request from you, Yuzuki onii-san, I want to help you, but…it’s impossible."

"I see…so I’ll have to manage on my own."

I was planning on making clothing in this world and I still have my knowledge from j.a.pan to help me do that and other things as well. I think it may be possible for me to utilize this knowledge to get the high priest to resurrect Claudia for me.

However —

"I said it was impossible for a reason."

"…what do you mean?"

"Well, of course, it’s true that you need connections to be able to revive someone, and, right now, it would be difficult for even the Brad family to make such a request, but, even more importantly than that, it will take weeks to be able to travel to the royal capital."

"That’s…impossible!"

I rushed to open my status window and checked the description of resurrection.

[Resurrection] – Required SP: 2000

It is possible to resurrect humans that have died within 24 hours.

"Within 24 hours." That means that if I don’t revive her in 24 hours, Claudia will truly be dead.

"It’s just 24 hours…how can I make it in time!?"

Even if there were a s.h.i.+p leaving the island soon, I doubt I’d be able to make it in time.

But I can learn new skills whenever I want.

Of course, this means I can learn Resurrection, but…the issue comes from the 2000 SP I’d need to learn it. Currently, I only have a single SP.

Right now, it’s just past 20 o’clock. So that means I need to earn almost 2000 SP by the same time tomorrow.

That rabbit-like creature — I think it was called a horn rabbit. To earn the required SP I’d need to kill around 40,000 of them. If I were doing it solo I’d probably earn more SP so it would only be 20,000…doing that in one night is impossible.

What if I were the leader of a raid the consisted of 400 people?

I’d a.s.sume that the stronger the enemy the more SP you’re rewarded for killing it. So that means the deeper I go in the dungeon, the more SP I’ll be able to earn.

If I were part of a large raiding party that could kill stronger enemies and earn 5 SP for each enemy killed by them, it should be possible to earn 2000 SP in one day.

"It looks like you’ve thought of something."

"Yes, there’s one possibility."

But I have the Feminist skill. I can never escape from Rose. If Rose tried to hold me captive, I’ll never be able to save Claudia, the slight hope I’ve created will disappear.

That’s why — please allow me to do this. I started to lower my head to Rose.

"Yuzuki onii-san, I've told you many times now, you don't need to worry about me holding you captive."

"…really?"

I want to believe her, but based off of every interaction with a Yandere I've ever had I really shouldn't…even worse is the fact that if Rose wanted to, she could easily cut off my arms and legs without any warning.

I really can't believe her so easily.

"I'm serious. Because I love you so, so, so much! I'll do anything I can to make you love me back. If I can get you to like me even just a little bit more by helping Claudia, I'll do whatever I can to help!"

"I-I see…."

Because she's a Yandere…that was a really unexpected answer, but that really is a convincing reason for me to trust her somewhat.

"Even when I confined you to the mansion when the promised day came, if Yuzuki onii-san's feelings still hadn't changed, I would've released you."

"…promised day?"

"Didn't you say you'd stay with us for a couple of days?"

"Ah…that's what you meant."

I'm a little — no, I'm really surprised hearing her say that. Every other Yandere I've known would just disregard my own feelings and try to forcefully make me her own.

But Rose seems to be different.

Because she truly wants me to love her, she'll consider my own feelings before deciding anything.

Rose is a good Yandere.

"Thank you. I don't like Yanderes, but…I'm grateful for you, Rose."

"Fufu, does that mean you could fall in love with me?"

"Don't get carried away. I really do hate Yanderes."

"You don't need to be so cold…but I still love you, Yuzuki onii-san. That's why, if you're not back in 24 hours, I'll find you."

"You'll…you'll find me?"

So she's telling me she'll give me a 24-hour window to do whatever I can to save Claudia and after that, I'll be her prisoner again.

Rose let out a small laugh.

"No matter where you hide, no matter where you run to, I'll find you. You'll never escape from me again. I'll chase you until you no longer want to escape from me."

"Rose…."

That's a rather scary speech…but she's also showing me mercy in her own way.

…well, that may just be her plan to get me to come back even if I fail.

"I'm just checking, but you don't plan on forcing me to stay with you by making Claudia a hostage once I revive her, right?"

"No way. I'd never do something like that…ah, right. If Yuzuki onii-san wishes, I'll even allow Claudia to stay in the mansion as your mistress. That's how much you mean to me."

"…it's not like I'd ever want that anyway."

Anyway, I don't have any more time to waste. I stood up to leave.

"Claudia's…body, what should we do with it?"

"Ah, that's right."

I opened my item box.

The maximum capacity at rank D is 50 kilos. The item box doesn't allow living creatures to enter, but, right now, Claudia isn't alive. I tried to put her body in and…it entered.

I was concerned about the weight limit but it seems fine.

"Well, then — I'll be going!"

When I said this, Rose opened her eyes wide as if she were surprised.

"…is something wrong?"

"No, not at all. Go ahead, Yuzuki onii-san."

I immediately ran to the guild, grabbed whatever equipment and food I thought I might need, and made my way to the entrance of the dungeon. When I arrived it was 20:30.

I have about twenty-three and a half hours until I can no longer resurrect Claudia.

"Ah, you're that rookie that came in here earlier today. What are you doing back here?"

The lookout guard — a kind looking old man that was nice enough to teach me about the dungeon spoke to me.

"To be honest, I really don't have time to explain everything. Right now, I'm trying to go deeper into the dungeon. I've heard that there are maps to the deeper floors sold here."

"Sorry, those maps are actually out of stock right now. There should be more arriving around noon tomorrow."

Noon…."

Based on what I saw when I was there earlier, the dungeon can be quite large. Given that I could easily get lost on the first floor, I'd definitely want a map for the deeper floors…but I really can't wait until tomorrow.

"Is there any way you can get me one now? I'll pay up to seven gold coins for it!"

"Seven gold coins…you realize if you wait until tomorrow it won't even cost a single silver coin, right?"

"Even so, I need it now."

"…why are you in such a hurry? And what happened to that girl you were with earlier today?"

"That's…."

Claudia is dead and I need to earn SP to resurrect her. There's no way I can say that.

However —

"…did that young woman die?"

"–Eh!?"

I'm surprised after hearing his words.

"…I'm guessing I'm right. So, you hope to dive into the dungeon in order to learn a skill?"

It's impossible for an ordinary person to use their SP and learn new skills manually, so I was surprised to find out that he knew about that.

I could see the sympathy in this old man's eyes as he stared at me.

"I stand guard here all day long. I've seen people like you from time to time. People with that same desperate look on their face."

"…and they come here to learn skills?"

"Yes. Basically, you're able to learn skills by performing an action related to a specific skill, but in some cases, you are able to learn unexpected skills by fighting strong enemies, so…someone loses a loved one and they come here as their last, desperate hope of bringing them back."

"…that's what you meant."

I've already decided. I can learn whatever skill I wish as long as I have the required SP. Even if I did learn skills at random, I'd be willing to do whatever I can to save Claudia.

"It doesn't seem like I can stop you. I'll help you out."

"…you'll help me?"

"I told you before, didn't I? I'm a former adventurer. I've gone down to the fifth floor with my old group and I have the paths roughly memorized. I'll act as your guide in place of a map."

"I appreciate that, but…can you just leave?"

"It's time for the guards to change anyway so it's fine."

I was hesitant to involve another person in this, but Claudia's life is at stake. I bowed my head and asked for his help.

"Well then, I'll go get my equipment. You'll be on your own for a little bit."

The second part of that sentence was directed at the second guard. After receiving the permission of the second guard, he ran off to the guild to grab his equipment.

"He's the same as ever."

While looking at the back of the guard running to the guild, the second guard muttered to himself.

"…I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

"No, I'm not blaming you, but this isn't the first time he's done this. He's always looking for some way to help people in need."

"…he's a very kind person isn't he?"

"Well…that's true. He also does this for the same reason he retired from being an adventurer. He lost someone he loved while adventuring."

"…really?"

In this world, you can recover lost limbs and resurrect people that have died, but there are still people dying on a daily basis.

Realizing that made the situation feel even more dire.

"I understand your feelings but don't push yourself too hard. I've seen many people in your position before and almost none of them have acquired the skill they wanted. The vast majority were forced to return home in despair. It's almost impossible…so don't throw your life away for a pointless cause."

"…I'll keep that in mind."