As my finger loomed over the call button I had second thoughts. I mean, it was the emergency line, only for emergencies. I was told it was a serious thing, such as to call when someone was dying. Though why would I do that? They’d be missing out on happiness if I saved them. Well, it was circumstance based, not everyone should die just because.

Well maybe? No, if people died just because then there’d be family that would miss them and be sad, so they’d need to die too! At the same time the dying ones would also feel despair while dying. Uh oh, it sounded like a never ending chain! That’d be no good…

I nodded to myself, realizing the importance of saving people. But still, was it really an emergency to be locked out of one’s house? I mean, arguably? Maybe? To be honest, it was hard to understand what was an emergency. I mean, if I remembered correctly it was.

A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action. Though, my situation didn’t really have the whole dangerous part. But! It was still serious and unexpected! I mean, I had just gotten a residence and suddenly I couldn’t enter. If that wasn’t serious then I don’t know what was, then again…

Emergencies in the Underworld were completely different. Human problems seemed… trivial in comparison. Needless to say, it was a hard decision.

As I mulled over whether it was an emergency I heard distant footsteps that caught my attention. A person is coming? Perfect! As I turned my head I saw a girl that was about my height walking to my direction, her auburn hair reflected with the sunlight in a fiery way. She wore a gray hoodie with ears atop her head, her eyes wandered with no objective until they landed on me.

“... What are you doing?” She asked as she made her way to me slowly, though she seemed… Dead? No, that wasn’t the right description, her emotions were just… dull. A vegetable had arrived?

“Ah, I was trying to get into my new apartment…” I mentioned feeling slightly uncomfortable under her gaze. Her presence reminded me of a skeleton rather than an actual person. Well I had regarded her as a vegetable…

“I see…” She spoke standing next to me, she held a plastic bag in her hand. “Hmm… Why is there blood on the door?” Her voice remained somewhat passive, though I could detect some… awkwardness?

“Well,” I paused. “I thought it was a calling card? Like⁠—

“Alright stop, I don’t want to hear about witchcraft right now.” She set her bag on the floor. “I’ll just call the landlord and see. If not, I'll just call the police.”

Eh? “Police?” That was trouble! No no⁠— it was the right apartment, if she called the landlord then everything would be resolved. That, I was certain. No point in stopping her then. Though, it was weird to be treated as a criminal on the first day here.

The girl pulled out her phone as she began examining the door, picking up the card from the ground as she analyzed it. That’s when I realized something weird, her outfit⁠— she wasn’t wearing a hoodie but a full body suit, it even had a tail. Who dresses like that? I thought it was just a fashion human thing, I mean I had seen it before, but not a full body version.

“Oh, it’s Sullivan’s business card,” she seemed to pause her mutter. “Ah! Sullivan, I have this girl standing in front of my apartment saying she was trying to get into her apartment.” Eh? Why did she suddenly sound cheerful? “Oh? New roommate? You forgot to give her the keys? Alright, I understand. Thanks!”

I gave her a weird look as she ended the call. Sullivan Dowel, the name on the card, and the name of the landlord. I believe he mentioned I had a roommate named Ash? I looked at the girl that was hanging up her phone. She was my roommate? I slightly frowned in confusion. Her outfit was unconventional, and she was also weird.

“Hmm, what’s wrong Kaiti?” She asked in confusion as she lifted her bag.

“How did you⁠—” I paused. Sullivan had probably told her. “I can’t feel emotions from you, yet you are suddenly making a call all excited? Isn’t that weird?”

She pondered for a second before she gave me a hollow chuckle. She was happy? “Aah, you must be an empath! Good for you, those are really, and I mean, really rare! Great to see you have such a talent, ha.”

Her cheerful voice made me pause. What the hell was an empath? Was it some type of beast in the Underworld? No this was the human world. I am going to ask the internet later.

“Well Kaiti, no matter. I am Ashley, or Ash, I am sure you already know that. So let’s get inside.” She paused with her key in hand. “Ah, do not worry about the blood. It doesn’t matter anyway, as for your key the landlord will come to drop it off sometime today.”

“I understand…” My roommate was weird. “Thanks.”

She — Ash ⁠— nodded at me as she inserted the key into the door, making it click open. She picked up her bag and held the door open for me with a small smile. Though, it just seemed like her passive resting face. I briefly glanced at her, grabbed my bag and made my way inside.

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The door closed from behind me and the lights came on from the flick of a switch. The first room was the living room, it was rather nice, with couches arranged in a half-square pattern along with a feathery carpet and a… what was it? Ah, a television. Though it was big. There was also a coffee table in the middle of the carpet.

To the left of everything there was a hall that went down somewhere ⁠— probably the living quarters.

Ash passed by me. She just didn’t care? No matter. I looked further into the apartment immediately seeing the kitchen at the end of the hall as well as a window. Kitchen and living room together? Well, I couldn’t complain, perhaps it was common for humans. Though…

Upon further inspection. Whether it was the coffee table, or the dinning table at the kitchen, it all had crumbs on them. The entire apartment was a crumb mess. I could see Ash doing things in the kitchen with her bag, but I noticed something peculiar, she was just grabbing packaged goods such as chips and cookies but no actual, well, food.

I had seen restaurants. So I knew that humans ate actual food and not whatever she was grabbing. I sighed and tried to make myself at home, I put down my bag behind the couch and simply sat there, ignoring the television. I had other things to do such as trying to figure out why death was bad, and what was an empath.

Something just told me that I needed to know the meaning of it. Thankfully, humans had a basically all-knowing encyclopedia of information known as the internet. The Underworld could actually take this concept. Though it was something to think about for later. Not like I missed the place too much, but I did miss dad.

Probably the only thing I missed, actually.

I sighed as I pulled out my smartphone, its glass screen making me feel rather unsure. It’s just so fragile. Tapping at the screen, I quickly opened the internet browser. I had something called unlimited data, well I didn’t really understand it, but I could use the internet everywhere there was a signal.

The browser opened and the screen showed what was known as a search engine, it read in colorful words ⁠— Red Panda ⁠— there was a box to ask things in. I had used it before during practice, but it was still slightly mysterious to me⁠—

“Ah, Kat, is it alright if I call you Kat? Actually, I’ll just call you Kat.” Huh? Ash sat next to me. “I have no food for you, but you can take some of my chips I suppose.” As she nonchalantly said that, she threw a bag of chips, soda and a bunch of other things on the table. I didn’t think those things existed here either.

“What’s with that look?” She looked at me weirdly. “Did my emotions trigger you? Or do you dislike chips?”

I scoffed. “You have no emotions.” My response, however, seemed to trigger a smile from her, she was… happy? Soon it vanished.

“Anyway, I always sit here, so if you need me for anything. Well I’ll be here. I sleep here, I live here.” She pondered for a second. “Going to my room is too troublesome, feel free to claim any of the two free rooms. Brand new, untouched, completely spotless.” Her words came apathetic, but fast. What was with her?

“Thanks…” She was too weird. I gave her a side glance as she picked a black book and opened it⁠— It was a laptop. She booted it up, but I lost interest. I had better things to research.

Tapping on my phone I began typing. ‘What is an empath’. I tapped on the search button and soon a myriad of results popped up. Though the biggest result appeared in a bright definition at the very top.

◇ em·path /ˈempaTH/ noun 1. (In science fiction) a person with the paranormal ability to sense the mental state or emotions of another individual.

I tilted my head. Paranormal? So, it wasn’t a thing only exclusive to Grim Reapers or their offspring. No, wait, it said ‘science fiction’. I looked at more definitions to make sure.

◇ An empath is a person highly attuned to the feelings and emotions of those around them.

I tilted my head. Weren’t emotions and feelings the same thing? Well it didn’t matter. I guess I was an empath? I mean, that did make things convenient.

“After looking it up, I guess I am an empath.” I off-handedly mentioned it to my roommate. The person to my side.

“Eh? Empaths don’t exist, it was just a joke.” She waved her hand while looking at the screen. “Ah, I do understand that you’re into witchcraft but do not throw blood around the house.” She added as she typed something on the keyboard.

Witchcraft, blood? Ah! She must’ve been talking about the calling card, or rather business card. Strange, why didn’t it summon the landlord? Must’ve been faulty.

“Right, I won’t do it around the apartment, but why didn’t the calling card summon the landlord?” I asked, but my roommate’s hand stopped typing, freezing mid air. Her emotions were… Huh?

“Kaiti, it’s a business card. It won’t be summoning anyone or anything, it has contact information so you can give him a call.” Her voice remained neutral, and she began typing again. “Though, you gave me a great idea for my post, thanks.” She giggled with a wide smile. Suddenly happy?

I looked at the ceiling. So it wasn’t a calling card⁠; magic wasn’t a thing here in spite of how impressive everything was. It was all in the form of electricity. Right, even if it takes mana from my blood, there isn’t a way for it to actually use it… And then there was something else. Ash, my roommate is weird. I gave her a quick glance. She munched on chips, and cookies, occasionally drinking soda.

Was she a shut-in? Someone who does nothing all day? Those were a thing in the Underworld too. I sighed. Arriving at the unavoidable conclusion. My roommate was someone that provided zero value towards life or society, in short. A useless person. Though I was unsure if her diet was good, it seemed questionable to me.