Chapter 68

"**I am the God of Light, Sanon. Yumiera Dolkness, I will eliminate you.**"

Sanon's voice was mechanical and flat, but an unfathomable passion could be felt. She was furious with me.

There is a reason for the God of Light to be angry... I did break the barrier magic item passed down in the church, after all. And then there's the Alicia-related matter.

But why now? If she appeared at this timing, it must have something to do with Remun. As I pondered this, Sanon turned her gaze from me to Remun.

"**Remun, what are you doing?**"

"Hehe, just some errands. What about you, Sanon?"

"**What do you mean, 'what about me'? I must eliminate Yumiera Dolkness at all costs!**"

Huh? Are their purposes unrelated?

While I was confused, the situation progressed. Sanon, who turned back to face me, pierced me with a sharp gaze.

"**Yumiera Dolkness, are you prepared?**"

"**What do you mean by 'prepared'? I don't even know why you're angry. Did I do something?**"

"**Don't be so naive!**"

As Sanon raised her voice, her exposed forehead glowed.

Bathed in that light...

"**Ouch! It hurts so much! It's super painful!**"

My face and hands, which were exposed, ached as if they were being burned. I didn't expect her forehead's light to be a weapon.

Unable to bear the pain I had never felt before, I fell to the ground and rolled around. This much pain... the last time I felt this was when Alicia stabbed me. It hurts more than when I punched the light barrier.

Patrick's face, rushing to my aid, seemed blurry.

"**Yumiera!? Are you okay? What happened!?**"

"**I think I'm done for... Patrick, please...**"

"**Yumiera!**"

Patrick's voice, holding my shoulder, gradually faded away. Ah, I'm glad he's safe... but why is Patrick unaffected by that light? It's really bothering me.

I stood up, brushed the dirt off my clothes, and said,

"**Patrick, didn't it hurt you? That... light from her forehead?**"

"**You seem pretty calm.**"

I'm not calm at all. That was seriously painful. Luckily, the intense pain subsided quickly, but I wouldn't want to be hit by it continuously.

What was that forehead beam? Was it a pinpoint light magic aimed only at me?

Just as I was about to speak to her, who was still glaring at me, a groan came from the side. I saw Remun, who had collapsed on the ground, becoming slightly transparent, as if he was about to disappear.

"**I can't take it anymore, I'm going to die.**"

He might be the one most affected by this.

Patrick was unaffected, I took some damage, and Remun is about to vanish. This seems to be the effect of light attributes. For the forehead to glow with such extreme light attributes, it's no wonder she's the God of Light.

Before the second forehead beam hit, I hid behind Patrick. I peeked out and asked Sanon,

"**I really don't know what you're talking about... Could it be a misunderstanding?**"

"**Are you serious!? After making a decision that could change someone's life!**"

Sanon's forehead glowed again.

I was too slow to hide, and the light hit my face directly.

"**Ouch! It only hurts my face.**"

It seems that when Sanon's emotions rise, her forehead glows.

Let's try to resolve this peacefully. I'll talk to her in a friendly manner, like a classmate, to understand her situation. I used to be a high school girl, so I can dig up those memories!

"**Deco-chan, what's wrong? Are you super angry? Let's have some tapioca and make up? ...Deco-chan?**"

"**Deco-chan!? Are you talking about me!?**"

Deco's forehead glowed again, but this time I managed to hide behind Patrick. That was the brightest one yet. If I had been hit by that, it would have been bad.

The gal strategy failed. Well, I'm not that type of person, and I've never even had tapioca.

As I was thinking of the next plan, Patrick worriedly asked in a serious tone,

"**Yumiera, what's wrong? Did the light make you even more crazy?**"

"**That was part of the plan... What do you mean by 'even more'?**"

"**What are you going to do? Should we retreat for now?**"

He suggested retreating without answering my question.

I think retreating is an option, but Sanon must have a precise lock on our location. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint us in such a remote place.

If we run, she'll catch up quickly. We have no choice but to face her.

"**Running won't solve anything. Don't worry, leave it to me.**"

"**I expected you to say that... Be careful. What should I do?**"

"**Just watch from here.**"

After a whispered strategy session, I leaped out from behind Patrick.

I approached Sanon with slow, steady steps, holding back Patrick, who tried to follow.

"**Have you finished saying goodbye to him? Well, at least you didn't run.**"

"**Deco-chan, do I look like someone who would sit and wait for death?**"

"**Deco... again with that name!**"

Sanon's forehead glowed again. I continued to approach her, even as the light hit me.

Patrick, standing behind me, exclaimed in shock.

"**Why is Yumiera unaffected by that light!?**"

Sanon didn't show any surprise, but I hope she's surprised inside. I need her to be surprised.

I continued walking, pretending to be calm. It hurts, though. It really hurts.

This is my secret plan: stubborn endurance.

It's not that reckless of a plan. That forehead beam only hurts; it doesn't reduce my combat ability. As long as I endure, I can ignore it.

I passed by Remun, who was now semi-transparent, and got even closer to Sanon.

I am the hidden boss, the strongest character in the story. I won't lose to a late-game addition like her.

I rallied myself and said confidently,

"**That light doesn't work on me. Do you really think you can defeat me in combat?**"

"**...Yumiera Dolkness, you are mistaken.**"

Sanon looked at me with a deeply disappointed expression and continued,

"**This light is a manifestation of my immaturity. It's light that leaks out when I relax. It's just a small amount of my true power that has escaped.**"

"**Huh?**"

"**Do you really think you can defeat me, someone who can cause you pain with this?**"

"**...Can you use even stronger light magic?**"

Wait, is this the biggest crisis I've ever faced?

I'm known for being invulnerable to both physical and magical attacks, but I'm extremely weak to light attributes. It's not just a fourfold weakness; it's much worse.

"**The light so far hasn't even been magic. Let me show you a fraction of my power. ...Light!**"

This is bad. A freezing sensation swept over my body. My instincts told me I would die if this continued.

I looked up, sensing something was wrong. But there was only the sun in the sky... no, there were two suns. One of them must be...

"**Oh no!**"

I kicked the ground and leaped backward.

A dense beam of light descended almost simultaneously. The highly concentrated light looked like a pillar piercing the sky from a distance.

Even the aftereffects would be dangerous.

Even if it's like pouring water on a hot stone, I thought about creating a large number of Shadow Lances to act as a shield... but there were no suitable shadows. Who led me to a place with no cover or shadows?

I'm done for. I'll die from the aftereffects of the light pillar. I might not die, but it will definitely hurt.

To reduce the area of impact, I fell to the ground while still moving backward.

I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes. Just do it. Amen.

"**...Huh?**"

A few seconds passed, but no pain came.

Did I ascend to heaven before I could feel the pain?

I cautiously opened my eyes to darkness. I moved my hands and felt the cool sensation of dirt.

I must have been buried and thought to be dead.

Since I'm here, I'll pretend to be a zombie. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I want to make the most of it.

I rose with my hands stretched out in front of me. The burial spot was shallow, and I could emerge just by sitting up.

"**Ugh...**"

I squinted against the brightness and looked around. It wasn't a cemetery.

Patrick and Sanon were facing each other with a tense atmosphere. Remun was even more transparent than a ghost. Yeah, not much time has passed.

Patrick glanced at me for a moment as I emerged from the ground, then immediately turned back to Sanon.

"**Why did you come out!**"

So, he used earth magic to protect me. And he's standing in front of the God of Light, protecting me.

I can't pretend to be a zombie now. But please, let me say this.

"**Itchy... yummy...**"

"**What?**"

"**I'm fine, I just needed to get that out.**"

I moved to Patrick's side, still covered in dirt.

However, he stepped in front of me protectively and said,

"**Yumiera is too weak against light. Run.**"

"**If her target is me, should Patrick run alone...?**"

"**I won't run.**"

"**That's what I thought.**"

Sanon is my nemesis, but I can't leave everything to Patrick.

The light pillar seemed to contain high-purity energy, and a red circle had formed between us and Sanon. The stones and sand were beginning to melt.

Even Patrick, who was unaffected by the forehead beam, wouldn't survive that heat.

He sighed deeply.

"**I knew you wouldn't run... There's no choice.**"

"**What should we do? Will Patrick's magic work?**"

"**I don't know. But Yumiera's dark magic will probably be ineffective.**"

"**Then I'll be the front-line fighter.**"

"**Alright. I'll support you with magic. Land a heavy blow.**"

If magic doesn't work, physical attacks are the only option. I'll get close while Patrick creates cover, and then engage in close combat.

Will it work? I need one more advantage.

Something to distract Sanon. Like rocks falling from the sky... but that's impossible.

She narrowed her golden eyes and raised her hands toward us.

"**Don't think you can defeat me. If you give up—**"

"**Aaaaaah!**"

A scream interrupted Sanon's words. It was a familiar voice.

Surprisingly, Sanon was the first to react to the scream.

"**This voice!**"

She looked up at the sky, taking us out of her line of sight.

This is our chance. But just as I was about to move, Sanon turned back to us.

"**Yumiera Dolkness! You must intercept it! Elenora is descending.**"

I wanted to create a sense of despair with Sanon being too strong, but Yumiera keeps joking around.

Next chapter: "08 Clear, with a Chance of Elenora" — Elenora has descended, so the serious battle part (?) is over. We'll return to the usual comedy.

Today, the book version of Volume 2 is released!

I've uploaded the bonus information and illustrations to my activity report. This time, there are bonuses for the e-book version as well.