13. Army of the Dead

（Who the hell are you.）

The sword, while I picked up the ticket. Still trying to take me.

Failing. Hence the sulk.

「Kakeru Yuuki.」

（I did not ask your name! Who are you. Why can I not take you.）

「Even if you ask, I do not know…」

I wondered too.

（I have never failed. Mu. Bastard. The color of your soul.）

「Eh?」

（What is that color. You are not a normal human.）

「I am just human…」

Maybe not just. Otherworld might sit different.

（This color… like the Supreme Lord Rodotos…? No. More like…）

She muttered.

「So. What do I do with you.」

（Mu?）

「Smash you? Hmm.」

（Do not underestimate me, human. I can kill you without taking the body.）

「Eh.」

Caught off guard. I set myself.

The blade lit. Dark. Ugly light.

Then they came up from the ground.

Robed ghosts. Armored skeletons. Moaning zombies.

Just like that.

（The army of dead that once ruined the Letoria Empire. Dead. Kill him!）

「Damn. I left an opening.」

（AAa hahahahaha）

High laugh in the skull.

They came all at once.

I was going to hit her — then I remembered. Palm.

Magic sword. She called them. Still a sword.

「……」

I swung it to test. Down on the lead skeleton.

Helmet split. Skull down through.

「Whoa. That works.」

（What are you doing. Using me on my own!）

I ignored it and kept swinging.

Caught a skeleton blade. Broke bone.

Blew ghost-magic and cut the robe.

Zombies I burned from a step back. Fluids. No thanks.

I put down what came.

（Ignore me, will you. Then this!）

The sword went heavy. I almost dropped it.

It punched the dirt like a knife into tofu.

（How is that. Fuhaahahaha. I weigh as much as a giant dragon now.）

「Giant dragon. What about conservation of mass.」

Not a line for this world. It still came out.

（What now. Let go? Fine. The army takes me from you…）

「Fu-nu!」

Hips. Pull.

Heavy. Not unmanageable.

I spun it. Hammer throw.

They went down again.

（That is bullshit! Why are you swinging me. Am I not heavy.）

「You are heavy. You can see that.」

If it were not, I would not be swinging like this.

（Not this heavy!）

More noise.

After another skeleton — I had lost count — a light through the bones on the ground.

Familiar. Lottery ticket.

So they drop off kills too.

That helped. I sped up.

When the army was gone my back was wet.

I walked the field and picked tickets.

After a count, about one per hundred. Drop rate, I guess.

（Bastard. What are you doing.）

「Picking these up.」

I showed a ticket. Sword still in the other hand.

No words. Distress in the head.

…She cannot see it?

Maybe only I can. I would ask at the lottery.

「Next time」 came fast.

With the earlier ones I had exactly ten.

Ten tickets. Eleven draws.

Sooner was better.

How to get there. Walk at random?

I want to go there. Forest. Sword in hand.

The scene changed.

Dim trees to that room.

Lottery room. Staff at the post.

So that is how.

I went to the drum.

「Hey. I am here to draw.」

「Sir. I do not like it when you bring people who have no business here.」

Frown.

「Eh? I did not bring anyone.」

「Then who is that.」

He pointed behind me.

I turned. A little girl.

About five. Dress. Staring at her own palms.

「This is what I looked like as a human…」

「I?」

The pronoun. The tone. That.

I do not know how. I can deal with this. You are done.

She rushed. I stopped her easy.

Hand out. Held her head.

Spoiled-brat punches.

Cute. Not scary at all.

Misses. Tears.

She jumped back.

「Damn! Hundreds of years without a body. Fine. Without me as a sword, the dead will take you.」

「Mu.」

「Come forth! Army of the Dead.」

Hand up. I set myself.

The scene.

Nothing.

「Why?! Why is nothing coming!」

「……」

I dropped the guard. I had the shape of it.

Not why she looked like this. Why she could do nothing now.

So I put it off.

「Excuse me. Ten tickets. Let me draw.」

「Do not ignore me every tiiime—」

Slaps from behind.

Poka poka. Poka poka.

Damn. Cute. I wanted to turn and pat her head.

Most dangerous thing so far.