"A Dungeon Exemption Card, huh…"
Yukino reached out to take it and whispered, "I understand."
Although she adhered to her principles and justice, she was not inflexible. If the quest truly couldn't be completed in the end, she would naturally use the exemption card to leave.
However…
Yukino turned her head to look at Yasui nearby.
As the quest time limit drew closer and Chika and others left the dungeon after their stay time ran out, the house became quiet again, and Ami became visibly anxious.
"There's more than one exemption card, right?"
Yukino asked in a low voice.
Haruno naturally knew what Yukino meant and softly asked in return, "Does Yukino know how much an exemption card costs?"
"It's priceless."
"I saw on a player forum before that an exemption card was being bought for hundreds of millions of Yen."
"…"
Yukino pursed her lips and said nothing.
Dungeon Exemption Cards were extremely rare to obtain, and at critical moments, they could save lives, making them truly priceless.
There was no shortage of truly wealthy people among the players, or rather, any experienced players who were somewhat powerful had already achieved financial freedom, and a Dungeon Exemption Card had been hyped up to hundreds of millions of Yen.
Even so, players who obtained Dungeon Exemption Cards rarely put them up for sale.
Compared to money, one's life was truly priceless.
Therefore.
Even though she knew Natsuki definitely had more exemption cards, Yukino couldn't bring herself to ask Natsuki to give an exemption card to Yasui.
It was fine to help out, but giving a life-saving item to a stranger was foolish.
If the exemption card was something she owned, giving her own possessions away for free to others would still be fine, but the ownership of the exemption card did not belong to her.
Not to mention that she wasn't dating Natsuki; even if they were officially dating, she wouldn't ask Natsuki to give valuable items to strangers.
Haruno looked at her sister and softly said, "As far as I know, Natsuki-kun should still have one Dungeon Exemption Card, but Tsubame is still here, and as long as the quest isn't completed, we can't say we're 100% safe… How will Yukino choose?"
"I choose…"
Yukino let out a soft breath, her slightly bewildered eyes quickly firming up as she softly said, "I choose not to give up until the very last moment."
"After clearing so many dungeons, there has never been an impossible, fatal quest."
"In other words, there must be a way to fulfill Mr. Hirata's last wish; we just haven't found the correct method yet."
Haruno's eyes showed a hint of admiration, and she said warmly, "Having ambition is a good thing, but reality is often cruel… We've tried so many methods, and we still don't know what Mr. Hirata's wish truly is."
Yukino's pretty face showed a hint of hesitation, and she whispered, "I have another idea…"
A moment later.
Natsuki had just finished dealing with a leaking problem at a resident's house and returned to the room, where he saw Tsubame waving and calling out, "Natsuki, come over, come over."
"Coming."
Natsuki walked over and saw Haruno, Yukino, Senpai, and Ami sitting together. With Chika and Kaguya having left the dungeon, this was everyone in the team.
"Senpai, what's wrong?"
Natsuki sat down beside Senpai.
Haruno softly said, "Yukino has thought of a possibility to complete the quest…"
Yukino's idea was simple.
Mr. Hirata and his girlfriend dated from high school until after college graduation, and their relationship was quite stable during that time. So, in Yukino's view, Mr. Hirata might have been a good man in the traditional sense, advocating for "one house, two people, three meals, four seasons."
Therefore, simply helping to arrange the house wouldn't fulfill Mr. Hirata's last wish, because besides the house, people were equally important.
"One house, two people, three meals, four seasons, huh?"
Natsuki looked at Yukino sitting on the opposite sofa and sighed inwardly.
This might not be Hirata's last wish, but it was definitely Yukino's standard for a partner—
In this era of fast-food love and widespread infidelity, it can be said that he is exceptionally 'old-fashioned'.
A person's character will inadvertently reveal itself.
For example, Chika.
Growing up in an environment of love and justice, she had never been exposed to the dark side of society, so it would be impossible for her to create dark, profound, and tragic works even if she were to write light novels or draw manga.
And if a character created by an author is shameless and lewd, then they are certainly not a good person...
(That's right, that would be me.)
Natsuki mused, "So, what's the specific method?"
Tsubame said softly, "Role-playing, or rather, playing husband and wife in that unfinished building."
I see.
Natsuki looked at Yukino and immediately understood why she had only brought it up now.
Since it was husband and wife role-playing, they would at least have to refer to each other as such, and even hold a simple wedding. If the mission time wasn't nearing its end, Yukino definitely wouldn't have suggested it.
"That's a good idea, it's very likely the way to complete the mission." Natsuki nodded, "Without further ado, let's go verify it now."
Yasui was the first to agree, "I also think what Yukino said makes a lot of sense. Perhaps it's the correct way to complete the mission."
Haruno stood up and said, "Hurry up, while I can still stay in the instance for a while longer, I must witness Yukino's wedding with my own eyes."
...
The journey was silent.
Everyone left the residential area and arrived at the unfinished building.
In the night, the unfinished buildings stood silent and lifeless, carrying who knows how much sweat and hardship from countless people.
Thump thump thump.
Natsuki and his group walked upstairs and soon arrived at the unfinished building unit that Hirata had purchased before he died.
The originally cold room, filled with concrete and rebar, had undergone a dramatic transformation within two days.
Furniture, sofas, coffee tables, chairs... though old, were all present in the room.
The walls were not painted, but temporarily covered with wallpaper.
Even a bed had been squeezed into the bedroom.
In short, having money can really solve a lot of problems.
"Clap clap~"
Haruno clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention, and said with a smile, "Everyone, look at me."
"To play husband and wife, you can't just call each other 'husband' verbally, you need a corresponding sense of ritual." Haruno smiled, "Don't you agree?"
"That sounds very reasonable..." Tsubame pursed her lips, hesitating, "But time is very short, there's no time to prepare a wedding, right? And Chika-chan and the others have left, so we can't find that many guests..."
Haruno extended a slender finger and said with a smile, "Guests are easy to solve. Yukino and Natsuki-kun will verify the hypothesis, and we few can be the guests. Not many guests are needed, just someone to offer blessings is enough."
Tsubame said softly, "That should be fine."
Haruno continued, "However, to make it immediately recognizable as a wedding, a wedding dress is also needed."
"A wedding dress..."
Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this, looked at Yukino, and then took out a Skin Card.
It was precisely the Pure White Bride Skin Card.
This Skin Card has special effects and powerful attributes. It hasn't become someone's exclusive Skin Card, but has always been kept by Amamiya, to be used by whoever needs it.
Yukino's long eyelashes trembled slightly. She turned to look at Yasui and said calmly, "It doesn't necessarily have to be me to verify, it can also be..."
Natsuki tilted his head, looking at Yasui.
This bespectacled girl was not stupid; she immediately understood Amamiya's gaze and covered her stomach, saying, "Sorry, my stomach suddenly hurts a bit, I want to rest for a while."
Yukino: "..."
"Yukino." Natsuki smiled, "Please accept your Skin Card."
Taking a deep breath, Yukino bit her lip slightly and accepted the Pure White Bride Skin Card.
Yasui couldn't be relied on; now it could only be her. Haruno and Tsubame hadn't taken on the mission, so there was no way for them to substitute.
"Yukino, hurry up." Haruno said happily, urging her, "Time is short. If your hypothesis doesn't succeed, you can still conduct other verifications."
Natsuki said solemnly from the side, "It's all for the mission. Just keep a normal mindset, a normal mindset is fine."
...Use the Skin Card.
Yukino was silent for two seconds, closed her eyes, and silently willed to use it.
The next second.
A pure white holy light suddenly appeared in mid-air, accompanied by a melodious and joyful song. Then, countless petal effects floated down, a bouquet of fresh flowers quietly fell into Yukino's hand, and the clothes on her body quietly transformed into a sacred wedding dress.
"Eh eh eh, what is this?"
Yasui's eyes widened in shock, like a primitive person who had just entered the city.
Tsubame's expression was subtle. She explained softly from the side, her voice slightly unusual: "That's a Pure White Bride Skin Card... You can imagine it as those character skins in mobile games, which allow for instant costume changes and also come with special effects..."
"How amazing!" Yasui exclaimed, "I've only heard of Skin Card as an item, this is my first time seeing one with my own eyes."
As she spoke, the Pure White Bride Skin Card's transformation effect ended. The holy light, the song, and the flowers floating in mid-air all disappeared, revealing Yukino in the candlelight.
Yasui clutched her chest and gasped again, "So cute... My heart just uncontrollably pounded."
...
Tsubame silently bit her lip.
Not happy.
The boy she likes got married, and the bride isn't her. How could she possibly be happy?!
Yasui quickly reacted and hurriedly whispered, "Sorry, I... I meant that wedding dress is very beautiful..."
"It's alright." Tsubame exhaled softly, raised her right hand, tucked the hair falling to her chest behind her ear, and then whispered, "The passive attribute of the Pure White Bride Skin Card can increase charm... Yukino is already very cute, so..."
She couldn't continue.
How could anyone in the world willingly praise their boyfriend's bride?!
At the same time.
Natsuki sighed silently in his heart.
Unlike girls, who mostly care about whether a wedding dress is flattering and beautiful when worn, boys' focus is on more... aspects.
So flat.
Flat as a board.
Poverty of chest, extreme evil.
Dragon's roar.
After equipping the Pure White Bride Skin Card, Yukino's charm became even more astonishing, but no matter what, it couldn't hide the ordinariness of her chest.
Natsuki stood opposite Yukino and could clearly see the Pure White Bride Yukino's snow-white, slender swan neck, and her delicate and beautiful collarbone, but his gaze continued downward... and there was nothing there.
Yukino raised her right hand, slightly covering her chest, and bit her silver teeth, saying, "People who judge by appearance are often super superficial and unreasonable."
Yukino could ignore the gaze of ordinary passersby, but the sigh of the boy she liked still mattered, after all.
"It's okay, don't be discouraged." Natsuki lowered his voice, "With Haruno-nee's example, you actually still have room for development."
Yukino's pretty face froze, saying, "Today is World Quiet Day, Garbage-kun, please zip your mouth."
"Yes, yes."
...
Haruno walked between the two with a smile, her voice joyful: "Ahem, next, I will officiate your wedding."
"Natsuki-kun~" Haruno turned her head to Natsuki and said solemnly, "Groom, can you promise that from now on, whether in poverty or wealth, sickness or health, you will love and respect each other, never leave or abandon, and always be with the bride in front of you?"
Natsuki said earnestly, "I can."
"Very good." Haruno turned her head to Yukino and smiled, "Bride, can you promise that whether in poverty or wealth, sickness or health, you will love and respect each other, never leave or abandon, and always be with the groom in front of you?"
...
Yukino turned her head, glanced at Tsubame with a complex expression, and Yasui with a face full of anticipation, took a deep breath, and said softly, "I do."
Haruno smiled, "Next, please exchange rings."
There were naturally no rings. Natsuki temporarily pinched two out of soda can tabs. At this moment, he took Yukino's finger and put the can tab ring on her.
Yukino pursed her lips and helped Natsuki put on the other can tab ring.
Go all the way.
There is no gender distinction before a doctor.
To complete the mission, before players, there is actually no gender distinction either.
"Very good." Haruno smiled, "I now pronounce, Yukino and Natsuki-kun, you are now officially husband and wife."
As Haruno's words fell, a translucent phantom suddenly appeared out of thin air in the room. It wore glasses, had a familiar appearance, and after a slight bow, the phantom quickly turned into countless specks of light and dissipated.
Tsubame was slightly startled and quickly said, "It seems to be Mr. Hirata?"
Natsuki said, "To be precise, it should be Hirata's obsession."
At the same time.
Yasui's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said in surprise, "I received a game notification! The mission is finally complete!"