The cemetery was still humming with leftover energy from the cursed grave. The air hung heavy—until the wooden statue twitched again.
Its neck turned slowly toward Shin, and its wooden smile creaked wider, eyes glinting in the dark.
Shin sighed, utterly unimpressed.
"Alright, enough of that creepy puppet act. Stop it, Grim."
At the sound of the name, the statue froze. A ripple of darkness shimmered around it—and in a swirl of black petals and soft laughter, the air rippled open like silk being cut.
Out stepped a beautiful woman, pale as moonlight, in a flowing black dress that hugged her figure, a hood half-concealing her smirk. A silver scythe rested lazily on her shoulder, gleaming in the dim light.
"Well, well," she purred, "caught me again, darling."
Shin rubbed his temples, exhaling through his nose.
"Grim, for the last time, can you not use cursed dolls as your dramatic entrance?"
Cupp's eyes widened before crossing his arms with a pout.
"Oh, sure, it's her. Of course. The goddess of death herself, pretending to be a haunted statue. Totally normal date night stuff."
Grim twirled her scythe and gave him a teasing grin.
"Aww, don't sulk, little god of love. I didn't want to steal your thunder—just your attention."
Cupp's cheeks puffed. "Tch. I already knew it was you! I was just… testing Shin's loyalty! Yeah, that's it!"
Shin shot him a look. "You're such a liar, you nearly screamed 'poltergeist DLC' five minutes ago."
Issac blinked between them, completely lost. "Hold on—your fiancée is the goddess of death?"
Grim slid up beside Shin, looping her arm around his.
"Mhmm~ he's my lovely little mortal-toy-turned-demigod fiancé. Isn't he cute when he tries to act tough?"
Shin's face went red. "Grim. Stop flirting in front of the humans."
Elena hovered beside Issac, eyes wide with awe. "She's… beautiful… but also terrifying."
Grim giggled, turning her attention to her. "Oh, you're the wandering spirit! Classic case—uncertain soul tethered by regret and unspoken love. Mmm, I see so many of you around this time of year."
Elena frowned. "Wandering spirit? Uncertain soul? You make it sound like I'm some lost keychain."
Grim tapped her chin, amused. "Well, aren't you? Lost, but still shining?"
Cupp dramatically pointed at Grim. "See! That's why you two shouldn't date. You talk in riddles and chaos! Shin needs stability, not… poetic doom!"
Shin muttered, "I need a nap."
Grim laughed softly, her hood sliding back just enough to reveal dark violet eyes glowing faintly. "Relax, my dear ones. I'm not here to claim anyone… tonight."
The wind stilled. Even the crows quieted.
Then Grim leaned close, her expression shifting—serious for just a heartbeat.
"But I did sense something strange in that grave. Something old. Something that shouldn't have woken. You're meddling with threads even I hesitate to touch."
Cupp's usual grin faltered.
"…You mean it's not your doing?"
Grim's scythe pulsed with faint black light. "No. That wasn't death's touch—it was rebirth twisted wrong."
Issac frowned. "Then who—or what—made that statue move?"
Grim's smile returned, soft and eerie.
"Oh, that, dear mortals… is for you to find out. I'm just here to tease my fiancé and deliver a warning: don't dig deeper unless you're ready for the earth to bite back."
Then she vanished into a swirl of black petals, her laughter lingering in the chill night air.
Cupp sighed. "Great. Now we've got undead dolls and Shin's ex-fiancée who's literally Death herself."
Shin corrected him flatly. "Current fiancée."
Cupp blinked. "…That somehow makes it worse."
Elena clung to Issac's sleeve, her ghostly form flickering faintly.
"She called me… a wandering spirit. Does that mean… I'm fading?"
Issac met her gaze and smiled faintly. "Not while I'm here."
"Thanks for reading chapter 9"