By the time they reached the town, Miyuki picked a moderately famous ramen house. They sat around a round table, and all of them ordered ramen. As they ate, they chatted.
Morvathos got to know the three girls, and they got to know him in return, though what Morvathos told them was mostly fragments of his past life. He couldn't exactly tell them he was the God of Death.
They would only think he was insane.
Still, the talk was merry, filled with laughter. Their table even attracted a few sneaky glances from other diners.
Once finished, they left. Miyuki paid the bill, just as she had promised. The night air was warm with the arrival of summer.
Cars buzzed past, neon signs flashed, and the streets bustled with people some heading to after-work dinners, some returning home after long, tiring days.
Morvathos, Miyuki, Maya, and Shiraishi walked side by side, chatting, until they slipped into a quieter alley to avoid the overcrowded main road.
"That one time, Maya and I went on an adventure where we thought we'd see an actual ghost, It was an abandoned house… but what we found was something else. Something very interesting."
Miyuki had been explaining her fascination with ghost hunting, why she developed such an unusual interest.
The supernatural intrigued her. She wanted to understand: Why do they exist? What are they really? Are they as folklore describes? Are some good and some evil, or are they all the same?
These questions haunted her, driving her curiosity.
Morvathos quietly concluded that Miyuki was the type of curious cat who might one day get herself killed because of it.
But he didn't say anything. He only listened carefully, sensing that whatever she was about to reveal might not be entirely appropriate.
"Do you remember, Maya? That house we thought was a haunted house?"
Miyuki pressed.
"Which one are you talking about?"
"The one in our old neighborhood, the one where, at night, you could hear the sound of a woman's strange crying."
Maya blinked, then her cheeks reddened as memory surfaced.
"Oh… I remember."
Seeing Maya's reaction, Morvathos was certain Miyuki was up to no good, though he didn't stop her.
"Well, we thought that house was haunted because of that woman's crying. From the outside, it looked fine, but we suspected something strange was happening inside."
"Not we,"
Maya shot back sharply.
"You. You dragged me there! I didn't want to go."
Shiraishi gave Maya a puzzled look, not understanding her reaction, while Miyuki only smiled cheekily.
"Hehe~ anyway!"
Miyuki's grin widened.
"Let me tell you what we found!"
She leaned in as though delivering the climax of her story.
"We unlocked the door with a hairpin and sneaked inside. The crying was still echoing from upstairs. We followed it to the room, and when we peeped through the door—"
*Meow!~*
A high-pitched meow rang out.
The group's attention snapped away from Miyuki's dramatic revelation and onto the small kitten sitting in the alleyway.
Morvathos felt a quiet relief. He didn't want the conversation to grow any more awkward. Shiraishi looked similarly relieved, realizing where Miyuki had been leading.
Miyuki and Maya crouched down instantly, their attention stolen.
"Aww~, how cute!!"
Maya cooed.
"Right, Miyuki?"
"Yeah! She's adorable."
Shiraishi and Morvathos approached more slowly. Shiraishi stared intently at the kitten, which sat in the shadows looking miserable, its pitiful cries tugging for sympathy. Morvathos, however, watched with sharp suspicion, his gaze cold.
'Hmm~. Interesting…'
Something was off.
This cat wasn't normal. It hadn't attacked, so it was likely harmless, but still… Morvathos activated Hell Inspection. Nothing. The ability failed, meaning the creature wasn't related to Hell or the Underworld.
Yet his instincts told him he was looking at something larger, something beyond the image of a kitten, though it was vague, like a half-seen silhouette.
His Eyes of Death didn't work as well. There was either no Karma or it was too long for his current self to read.
The kitten locked eyes with him, its irises gold, vertical pupils reflecting Morvathos's glare. It meowed toward him. Morvathos didn't move.
"Hey, Shiraishi, wanna cuddle this kitten?"
Maya asked, holding it out.
Shiraishi hesitated but finally gave in, lightly patting its head. The kitten purred.
"I think we should go home,"
Morvathos suddenly said.
"It's getting late."
They checked the time. It really was late, though the girls were reluctant to let the kitten go.
"Miyuki, how about we take it home?"
Maya suggested.
"I can't. My mom's allergic,"
Miyuki said with a frown.
"She wouldn't tolerate it at all. What about you? Why don't you take it?"
"My father hates animals,"
Maya admitted.
"He'd be furious."
Both girls turned to Shiraishi with expectant gazes. Shiraishi faltered under their stares, but before she could answer, Morvathos interrupted.
"How about I take the cat?"
He lifted the kitten gently by the scruff and held it before him, searching its eyes for intelligence. All he received was a plaintive meow. He sighed and pulled it close to his chest.
"Are you sure, Morvathos-kun?"
Miyuki asked.
He nodded.
"That's great! Then… can we come visit sometimes? To see the cat?"
Miyuki asked brightly.
Morvathos smiled faintly.
"Of course. Whenever you like. Let's go, it's getting late."
They resumed their walk, the girls cuddling the kitten between them. A few minutes later, they reached a crossroads where the girls split off toward their homes. Morvathos offered to escort them, but they refused. They lived close by, so it wasn't an issue.
Morvathos turned down his own path, kitten in hand. When he arrived home, he glanced at the renovation progress. Only cleaning and furniture adjustments remained. Everything else was complete.
He unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing it calmly behind him.
The kitten's wide eyes roamed curiously, taking in the new surroundings. Before it could settle, Morvathos hurled it against the wall.
The kitten yowled in pain.
Morvathos's boot came down hard, pinning it in place. His gaze burned.
"What are you?"
The kitten whimpered pitifully, feigning innocence, but Morvathos wasn't convinced. He summoned his scythe from the Authority Seal, its crimson edge gleaming.
"Playing dumb, huh? Fine. Let's play."
He rested the blade against its tiny neck.
"I'll ask you three times. Tell me who you are, or you're dead."
The kitten trembled, staring at the bloodstained edge, but still only meowed.
Any normal animal would have fled by now. This one hadn't moved.
He pressed again.
"What are you?"
The kitten meowed. Nothing changed.
"Second time: what are you?"
Again, nothing.
"Third and last time."
His scythe lifted high, ready to sever its spiritual node.
"What are you?"
The kitten's body shook. Its golden pupils dilated with fear.
Just as the blade was about to fall,
"Wait!"
A feminine voice cried out.
"Please don't kill me! I'll talk!"
With a puff of white smoke, the kitten transformed into a beautiful young woman.
She had the same golden cat eyes and vertical pupils, her human form adorned with twitching ears and a long, swaying tail.
Her fair skin glowed, her features stunning enough to put most mortals to shame, and her body rivaled the perfection of sculpted idols. She was completely naked, but none of it stirred Morvathos.
"You should have done that from the start,"
Morvathos said flatly, dismissing his scythe back into the seal. He removed his shoes and walked deeper into the house.
"Follow me."
The woman hesitated but obeyed. She understood one thing, running from him was impossible. Not that she wanted.
Her tail swayed, ears flicking nervously as she followed him upstairs. Morvathos pulled the curtains shut before sitting on the bed and gesturing for her to sit. She lowered herself onto the floor, tail twitching cautiously.
"What are you?"
He asked directly.
"I'm… a cat spirit."
Morvathos raised a brow but stayed silent.
"I am one of the twelve animal spirits of this world."
Recognition struck him. His gaze sharpened.
"Don't tell me… the twelve Zodiac Spirits?"
Her golden eyes widened, ears flicking eagerly. She nodded.
"Yes, yes! I'm one of them!"
Morvathos sighed, massaging his temple. A headache bloomed. The Zodiac Spirits were said to be tied to Heaven. If she truly was one, her presence here could only mean complications.
"So what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Heaven? Don't tell me there's some stupid competition for the next zodiac animal."
"No, no!"
She shook her head.
"There's no such thing. You see… the Heaven of this world is practically non-existent. People believe in gods, but there are no native deities. This world has been without its own true god for thousands of years. Guarding an empty throne is boring, so we Zodiac Spirits descended to the mortal world to enjoy life instead."
Morvathos narrowed his eyes, suspicion still in his gaze. Her explanation aligned with what he knew , Heaven existed on Earth too, but without a true god, it was an empty throne.
The gods she mentioned — Zeus, Buddha, others — belonged to vast domains beyond. They were apex predators. A newborn god like him could only look up at such beings.
"…What's your name?"
Morvathos finally asked.
"I can't just keep calling you 'cat.'"
Her ears perked, tail swaying with excitement.
"My name is Nana."
"Nana?"
Morvathos leaned forward.
"Are you the Ninth Zodiac Spirit?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
He exhaled sharply, then fixed her with a serious look.
"Alright, cat. Let me ask straight: what do you plan to do from now on?"
"What do you mean? And didn't you just ask me my name? Why are calling me cat again?"
Nana asked confused.
"You talk too much. But anyway, If you just want to wander and enjoy life, fine. But if you disturb the mortal world more than it already is, I'll step in since Heaven is in no position to do that. By now, you probably know who I am."
Nana's eyes widened, but she nodded with gravity.
"I know. You're the new God of Death. Just like us… you're trying to enjoy mortal life, aren't you?"
Her words made him pause. She had misinterpreted his existence here. He didn't bother to correct her.
"Alright. Now leave."
"Eh? Why should I leave? Didn't you agree to take care of me?"
She asked, confused.
Morvathos stared at her like she was insane.
"Take care of you? You're a spirit who's probably lived thousands of years. Why would I waste my time pampering some old hag older than civilizations? And besides, do you think you can stay rent-free in my house? Ridiculous."
He stood, but Nana clung to his leg, rubbing against it.
"No, please! I have nowhere else to go. With you being the God of Death, I feel safe."
He tried shaking her off, irritated.
"Safe from what? You can take care of yourself."
"No, I can't! Without a God in Heaven, there's no Divine Energy produced! People no longer believe in us! We've grown weak! Many can threaten us spirits now!"
Morvathos paused, considering her words. She wasn't wrong. Heaven's state was dire. Still…
Then he remembered — he'd promised the girls they could visit the kitten.
"…Fine. But since you're a cat, you'll act like one. Got it?"
"Yes!"
Nana nodded eagerly.
At that moment, Selene appeared. She was crouching on the open window.
Her expression froze at the sight: a naked cat- costumed woman clinging to Morvathos's leg.
She had been wrestling with fear since yesterday's encounter, unable to forget Morvathos's wrath. When he gave her his address, she had been uncertain, but tonight she'd worked up the nerve to sneak over and visit.
She expected to find him brooding or doing something strange… but not this.
Her face was utterly deadpan.
"… Please continue with what you're doing. I'll come back another time."
She turned to leave.
But Morvathos's hand caught her shoulder.
"Wait. It's not what it looks like. I can explain."
Selene froze under his piercing gaze. With the strange woman still wrapped around his leg, she reluctantly nodded and stepped inside.
Morvathos explained everything he had learned. To prove it, Nana shifted into her cat form, then back into a woman again.
Still, Selene frowned.
"But don't you think it's wrong for a healthy young man and woman to live under the same roof?"
Morvathos looked at her as if she had lost her mind.
"What are you talking about? That 'woman' is probably older than most civilizations. Young? Out of your mind. But you're right about one thing — I am young and healthy. Doesn't matter though, as long as nothing happens."
He shifted the topic.
"Anyway, there are a few things I wanted to ask you."
Selene's expression grew serious.
"I wanted to ask a few things too."
Morvathos glanced at Nana, who had started licking herself in her half-human form. His lip curled with disgust. He threw her a set of clothes.
"Get out."
Nana left reluctantly, dressed in his spare shirt and pants.
Morvathos sat back on his bed and turned to Selene, who had settled into a chair.
"Alright,"
He said.
"Let's begin."