Chapter 4: The Scavengers for the Corpse

[At Isaac's Apartment]

Cuppiam was lounging in my bean bag, proudly wearing the new head massage hat I stupidly bought for him. He tilted his chin up, glaring at Shin with smug divinity.

"You really think you can steal from a god, mortal?" he muttered, adjusting the massager like it was a crown.

Shin crossed his arms, unimpressed.

"I can't steal from a god... but I can steal from a hobo."

Cupp shot up, veins popping on his forehead.

"I DARE YOU TRY, MORTAL! THIS RELIC OF COMFORT IS MINE!"

"Let's see about that, God of Poverty."

"I SHALT SHOW YOU WHO IS POOR!" Cupp barked, dramatically pointing a half-eaten instant noodle cup at Shin like it was Excalibur.

Amidst this chaos, I snapped.

"STOP! BOTH OF YOU!"

They froze.

"You're both leeches! Shin, you STILL haven't returned my 1450 yen! And Cupp—ever since I summoned you, you've done nothing but scam me!"

Cupp puffed his chest, offended.

"I did not scam you! You said you wanted to know why you're single—I answered. And I even gave you a bonus! Just look how cute she is!"

He pointed proudly at Elena... who was currently wearing my oversized shirt, neko ears, and posing on my futon like a cosplay catgirl.

"...Nyaa~ ♥"

I buried my face in my hands. "God save me. This is my life now."

Shaking it off, I turned to Shin.

"Anyway, the reason I called you over was simple—I want you to find Elena's body. Like Cupp said."

Shin blinked. "...I don't remember that part."

"But I do remember this hobo trying to steal my God of Death merch."

Cupp slammed his noodle cup on the table.

"I AM NOT A HOBO! And it's Goddess of Death, thank you very much. She's beautiful, radiant, magnificent—and WHY she chose YOU over me, you two-eyed wannabe mediator, I will never understand!"

Shin smirked, brushing his hair back like a smug anime rival.

"Maybe it's because I've got more rizz than you, hobo."

Cupp sputtered, clutching his bean bag dramatically.

"Y-You... you dare out-rizz a god!?

Elena, now dressed in a flowy sundress and neko ears (because of course), twirled her knife with a dangerously cute smile.
"...Sooo, how about you TWO stop flexing your tragic backstories and start finding my body already?"

She leaned closer, her ghostly figure hovering just above the futon, ears twitching as she tilted her head innocently.
"Or else ♥."

She raised the knife dramatically.
"...Also, look how cute I am. Nyaa~"

I screamed into my pillow.

[Flashback – 2 Hours Ago]

I had called Shin over, mostly because I needed his help... and also because he would definitely fold if I waved that cursed limited-edition tentacle manga at him.

When Shin entered the room, his eyes immediately landed on Cupp.

The air froze.

"Youuuuu... TWO-EYED PERVERT!" Cupp snarled, standing up so fast he nearly flipped my bean bag.

Shin's eyes widened, then narrowed into daggers.

"Youuuuu... GOD OF POVERTY!"

I nearly choked on my soda.

"...Wait, you guys know each other?!"

Cupp scoffed, arms crossed like a smug villain.

"We go way back."

Shin clicked his tongue, glaring.

"He's my love rival."

Elena gasped dramatically, like this was some shoujo manga revelation.

"W-What?!"

I spat out my soda. "LOVE RIVAL?!"

Cupp jabbed a finger at Shin, furious.

"His family is blessed by the Goddess of Death herself. And during his fifth life... her daughter, Grimia, fell in love with him! She even proposed to this idiot! Over ME!"

Shin scratched the back of his head, looking almost embarrassed.

"...Yeah, well. What can I say? I'm on my 69th life right now."

The room went dead silent.

"...Wait." I blinked. "You... have multiple lives?"

Elena whimpered softly, her ghostly figure trembling. "S-Still shocked..."

Shin sighed, like this was all a chore to explain.

"Yes. Because of the blessing, my family can resurrect ourselves into a new body within the same lineage. Eternal life, in a sense. But..."

He paused, gaze serious for the first time all day.

"...the price is steep. Our family members can never pass on to the afterlife. Nor can we reincarnate into another lineage. We're trapped in this endless cycle."

I stared at him, completely floored. Elena clutched her chest like she'd just learned the rules of a tragic romance.

Cupp, however, stomped his foot.

"AND THAT'S WHY I CALL HIM A PERVERT! HE STOLE MY GODDESS'S DAUGHTER!"

Shin smirked.

"...Or maybe she just had better taste, hobo."

Cupp howled like he'd been shot.

[Present Time – Apartment Planning]

Shin sighed, rubbing his temples like the weight of my stupidity was crushing him.

"Fine. I'll help with your little scavenger hunt... but just to be clear—grave digging is illegal. You guys remember that, right?"

I jabbed a thumb at Elena.

"But we got consent!"

Elena tilted her head, blinking innocently.

"Ehh...!? I never gave you that kind of consent! I'm still 18, you know—"

I facepalmed so hard my soul nearly left my body.

"NOT THAT CONSENT, you perv ghost! I meant consent to dig up your grave! And stop saying you're 18—you're the same age as me! You just look young because you died young!"

Elena pouted, puffing her cheeks like a spoiled cat.

Cupp suddenly raised a hand like some divine teacher.

"Actually, Isaac, even though you got consent from the owner of the body—" he gestured dramatically at Elena "—because she's a ghost, technically, we need consent from her parents too. Legal ghost regulations. Paperwork, red tape, divine clauses, you name it."

I glared at him. "You're literally making this up as you go."

But before I could roast him further, Elena spoke softly.

"...I know where my mom lives. But... my dad left me when I was a child. I don't know where he is now."

The room went silent.

Then, in unison, Shin and I pointed dramatically at her.

"Then it's decided! We'll find your mom first—then your corpse!"

Elena tilted her head, confused.

"...That... sounded way creepier than you intended."

"Thanks for reading chapter 4"

Henlo guys, Morris here.

This week it was hard to write the chap bc I was travelling, and I asked midnightxcross for help. She read my chap and said it was good, but I still haven't figured out publishing and all, so I need her help more. Also, I am broke as hell 😭.

In this chap I showed the backstory of Shin more and things about Cupp. It didn't come to my mind until today—in the prototypes Shin and Cupp were meant to be one character as support, but I really needed a divine human so I added him. And Grimmy is Shin's fiancée, and Cupp had a crush on her way back. Because of the depression from it, he became a hobo.

Also Cupp's name is from the Greek god of love, Cupid, and the female God of Death is because of Kali in Hindu mythology. I see Death as a female.

And I may not be able to keep up with per-week chapters bc I am in high school and gotta pass those final exams.

See you guys next week, bye.