"Retreat! Re-treaaaat!"
At the Saintess's cry, the human troops pulled back.
This battle ended in victory for the Demon King's army.
"Newbie, you're pretty good!"
The Skeleton Drill Sergeant was truly merit-based, so once he saw results, his attitude flipped.
It wasn't just him. Surrounded by many skeletons, SkeLich (Skeleton Lich) was praised as a key to victory.
So popular it was wild.
Skeletons packed so tightly to cheer that their ribs kept snagging on each other.
"Now, the battle is won! Time for pillage!"
* * *
They pillaged.
The Beastmen's village burned, bodies piled high.
"...We were too late."
Disguised as a skeleton, Lich dropped to one knee in shock.
Of course, when Demonkin won and reached a human village—pillage was the default.
"You lot! What are you doing!"
From the swarm of Ghosts came Alice, the blue-skinned voluptuous beauty.
Undead that had been happily burning houses and killing Beastmen straightened up and lined in formation.
Alice shouted in a fierce, angry voice.
"You lot! Why kill the Beastmen, why burn their village!?"
"Eh..."
"But we always do that..."
"They're humans, right?"
"Isn't victory and pillage a set?"
"...Well, that's true."
Yeah.
Alice glanced awkwardly at SkeLich.
This advance was supposed to secure a stable supply of Beastman fur.
For fur, they needed living Beastmen. But none survived.
Still, SkeLich was the strongest Necromancer.
"If they died, I'll just revive them."
Quick switch.
Yes, if lives were lost, just bring them back.
It wasn't impossible. With necromancy.
"...Revive them? Is human resurrection possible?"
Alice asked.
SkeLich gave a firm nod.
"Resurrection itself is doable. The problem is, few souls answer the call because of religion. In human faith, 'life is one and cannot be repeated.'"
"You sure know a lot about human religion for someone just revived."
"Becau—because skeleton."
While they talked, the surrounding Undead froze, just watching.
Undead were dumb. When tough talk started, they made themselves small so they wouldn't get dragged in.
Thus began SkeLich's forbidden ritual.
Thirty Beastmen would be attempted.
Skeletons shaved off parts of themselves into powder, drawing magic circles.
Around them, Ghosts began their ritual dances.
Undead had little brainpower, but they followed orders perfectly.
Ghosts danced, Skeletons shed, Zombies lurked outside.
In the center, SkeLich chanted.
It was ancient tongue. His natural muffled, curse-like voice made it impossible to catch the words, but the ominous air rose.
Soon, a black-particle wind swirled around him—
And suddenly.
In the sky appeared a huge blue translucent Something, scale beyond sense.
'Who calls back the dead?'
It was a man's voice, and a woman's voice.
An old man's, a child's.
The truth of the layered voice—
The merged consciousness of the slain Beastmen.
"This skeleton calls you back."
'Undead... vile monsters... the enemy who slew us...!'
"Killing you was wrong. So I'll take responsibility and revive you."
At times like this, words just flowed.
He talked his way through.
"Beastmen, as apology for killing you, I'll give you a comfy life with three meals and naps. So revive."
'Lies! We'll never be Undead... resurrection is blasphemy!'
"Humans don't become Undead just by reviving. You need a process for that."
'Troublesome Undead! We depart for the gods, praying for your ruin!'
"Did prayer ever mean anything?"
'...What?'
"You may be devout, but did your faith save you? You prayed, and still died."
'And you say that!?'
"Prayer won't save you."
'Then what saves humans?'
"I don't know what saves humans. But what saves you is this skeleton."
'...'
"Isn't salvation 'a healthy, happy, fulfilled life'? Did the gods provide that? In a frontline village, where you died in the flames? Did the gods save you!?"
'That was only because our prayers weren't enough.'
"Then throw away a god who chooses by prayer count."
'...'
"This skeleton will save you perfectly. You won't need to pray. You'll eat three meals, nap, live in clean rooms, blow off stress with fun and exercise. Sometimes you'll give hair, and maybe um (drug tests or such), but it's easy, painless, anyone can do it! So Beastmen, revive! And give me your healthy fur!"
'What do you gain from such kindness?'
"You're lab animals. Extra burdens skew the 'data'."
'...'
"Come, revive. Even if your god doesn't wish it, I do. Revive, revive. Quickly. Every second, my mana drains. Decide fast."
'But...'
"Countdown! Ten, nine, eight, seven..."
'Wait, wait—'
"Six, five, four, three, two..."
'We'll revive!'
"—O soul! Return to your rightful body!"
The blue mass broke apart, flowing back into Beastmen bodies.
They sat up. Healing was SkeLich's bonus service.
"Phew."
"Good work, Ske—Ske-sama."
Alice praised.
SkeLich nodded.
"Take them to Ske—Ske's lab. Treat them well. Stress makes fur fall."
"Understood. —Undead! Escort them gently! Back to the Demon King's land! To triumph!"
Cheers rose from the Undead.
Amid them, SkeLich muttered.
"This will secure stable Beastman fur."
He gazed with satisfaction at the source of the fur.
—The fading sunlight dyed the land red.
In that glow, the shine of their cuticles was the true glory of victory.