F-Rank Soul Eater-Chapter 162: Sophia Is Cunning

Sophia smiled. "Now, if you don’t mind, Maybe something to eat, first?"

All six of them walked through the snow in silence.

Sophia and her two brothers in front, Soren, Bloodshine and Cynthia behind.

Bloodshine helped Soren walk. "I like them."

Soren nodded a bit. "Me too. I don’t like them. "

He gazed ahead a bit. "The condition she placed on herself. Is it truly binding?"

Bloodshine nodded, but added that neuralink runes were the foundation of souls.

That rune was binding with her life force. On that condition, they could at least trust her.

But her brothers was a totally different matter.

Cynthia’s helmet steamed water vapour in agreement.

Soren frowned slightly.

His gaze focused on Sophia in front. She was shorter than her brothers, smaller too. Barely looked like puberty had talen any effect in her body.

Yet, she was the one in charge.

This much showed her capability. As he observed, her, he noticed something.

Sophia kept moving her hands in strange directions, as if she was conjuring something from mid air.

"What are you doing?" Soren asked.

"Oh nothing..." she replied. "Just hand signs. Its how we communicate."

"Handsigns?"

She nodded.

"I was telling them why you decided to spare our lives. They are excited about it."

"Excited?" He raised a brow. However, when he looked at the two older boys, they were smiling—truly smiling.

One even bowed in Soren’s direction as if to thank him.

Soren could not understand these guys. Only a moment ago, he had ordered the breaking of their limbs.

And before that, their blades were headed for his neck.

How was it that they held no animosity towards him?

"Brother Bo and Brother Jo are simple people." Sophia replied, similarly smiling towards him.

However, this time around, he could sense the malice behind her smile.

They finally reached it.

The Second Year Dormitory.

Up close, it was even grander than it appeared from afar. Tall white arches. Frost-kissed stone. Glass windows reflecting the pale winter sun. It stood like an exotic island carved from marble in a sea of endless snow.

The ground floor lights glowed warmly through the windows.

The cafeteria.

Normally, first-years had no reason to step foot here.

But today—

They had been invited.

The moment they entered, warmth washed over them. The smell of cooked meat and fresh bread lingered in the air. Long wooden tables filled the expansive hall, sone already occupied by second-year cadets in black tunics.

Soren noticed that they were not a lot of them.

Conversations slowed and heads turned.

Eyes landed on Soren.

The reaction was immediate.

Disgust. Cold appraisal, and of course, whispers.

One group in particular. All of them had mohawk hair styles. They sneered openly.

Then the leader amongst them looked across, to another table, signalling to another cadet.

The cadet nodded.

A chair scraped loudly against the floor.

The second-year cadet stood up and walked toward them.

His tunic was immaculate, his posture proud, chin lifted slightly higher than necessary.

His gaze swept over Soren and the others dismissively.

"First years," he said, voice loud enough for the hall to hear. "You’re in the wrong building."

Before Soren could reply, Sophia stepped forward.

One hand planted firmly on her waist.

"I invited them. I do have the right to do that, don’t I?"

The second-year’s eyes shifted to her slowly.

"Little Sophia, suddenly having backbone after your last loss against me."

He snickered.

Her fist tightened, but she controlled herself. "that has nothing to do with this. Like I said. I..."

His gaze brightened—

"And who," he said, voice dropping, "told you—a commoner— she could speak while I was talking?"

Sophia’s expression tightened even more.

She opened her mouth—

Then froze.

A fierce wave of soul pressure rolled off him.

It wasn’t subtle.

Even her ponytail fluttered in the wind.

It pressed down like a physical weight.

Sophia’s shoulders tensed.

A bead of sweat slid down the side of her forehead despite the warmth of the hall.

She clenched her teeth.

Refused to bow.

And then—

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Heavy footsteps approached from behind her.

Cynthia stepped forward.

Slow.

Deliberate.

The floor seemed to echo under her weight.

She didn’t release her own pressure.

She didn’t need to.

Her presence alone shifted the air.

The second-year cadet’s words died in his throat. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

His gaze lifted—

To Cynthia. And then.

Past Her—

And landed on Soren who was standing behind, still leaning on Bloodshine for support.

He appeared weak. But those eyes.

Calm.

Watching.

Everyone in the academy knew him now.

The first-year who humiliated Goldsworth.

The one who stood against Li.

The one whose name carried noise.

The second-year swallowed.

His earlier arrogance faltered.

"...For now," he said stiffly. "I’ll allow it."

The second year with the mohawk haircut frowned, the spoon in his hand bending inward slightly.

Sophia slowly turned. Her eyes met Soren’s.

They were bright.

Not playful.

Not calculating.

Just... bright.

There was gratitude there—clear and unhidden—but she didn’t say it aloud.

She simply held his gaze for half a second longer than necessary.

Then she spun around and hurried toward the serving counters.

The cafeteria staff stiffened slightly at the sudden movement, but Sophia paid them no mind. She grabbed a tray and began loading it with alarming efficiency.

Rice.

Roasted meat.

Stewed vegetables.

Bread.

More meat.

Her brothers followed immediately, piling food onto their plates with the same urgency.

Soren watched them for a moment before speaking.

"Are you really going to be able to pay for that?"

Sophia paused mid-scoop.

Then she turned slowly. A smirk curved her lips.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently. "You’re paying."

Silence.

Soren stared at her.

She stared back.

Bloodshine covered her mouth to hide a smile.

Cynthia’s helmet tilted slightly.

Soren exhaled through his nose.

Then he rolled his eyes and stepped forward to handle the payment without another word.

The second-years nearby watched the exchange carefully.

Whispers resumed.

Soren paid the points with his wristwatch.

Now that he thought about it, he had also told Pencil to eat what he wanted before cynthia and bloodshine took him to Doctor Kaya.

Soren hoped he had at least gotten enough to eat.

—

They chose a table near the far wall.

Sophia sat first, and her brothers followed.

And then—

They began eating.

Not politely.

Not carefully.

They stuffed their faces like starving wolves.

Rice disappeared in seconds. Meat vanished between bites. One of the brothers let out a choked sound midway through chewing.

Tears rolled down his face as he continued eating.

The other wasn’t far behind, blinking rapidly as he swallowed too fast.

Sophia tried to maintain composure at first.

She failed.

Her own shoulders trembled as she took bite after bite.

Soren watched quietly.

They must have had a terrible few weeks.

No one ate like that unless they’d gone without.

Still—

His eyes drifted.

Across the hall.

Too many so called seniors were watching.

And it was not casually. As if their gazes could drill a hole through his back.

The Second-years whispered behind raised hands. Some glanced at Sophia. Others looked directly at him.

Soren could not help but look at Sophia in a perculiar light.

He did not think it was a coincidence that she had suggested food.

As if she was trying to use him to make a statement.

"Does this count as offsetting your current predicament?" Soren asked.

She shook her head, mouth stuffed, "not even close," her eyes glittered mischievously.

Then she put down her plate. "They will still attack us in the hunting grounds. Not unless you help us stop it."

"And how I’m I supposed to do that?" Soren asked.

"Simple. All you have to do is beat Aegon." She gestured towards the leader with a mohawk hair cut sitting at a distance, gaze resting on them in obvious annoyance.

"Once you do, the others will stop putting pressure on us lowly Commoners."

Soren frowned. For some reason, her logic felt wrong.

Didn’t she say that it was all nobles making life miserable for her and other commoners?

Didn’t that mean that third years were also included?

Even if he managed to get rid of this Aegon fellow, what was to say the bullying would stop?

But he did not say his thoughts out loud.

Even though he knew something was coming.

Instead, soren spoke.

"I think you have made a mistake. I am in no condition to fight, as you can early see."

She passed mid take a drumstick to her mouth. "Yes, but clearly your friend can fight for you." She gazed towards Cynthia.

Vapour released from Cynthia’s helmet.

Soren frowned, "Cynthia is NOT a tool."

"Don’t get worked up. Its not like I am asking you to do it for free. On top of healing you, I’ll throw in a bonus."

Soren’s eyes curved with interest, "and what else can you offer me?"

He did not mean this as an insult. But it was true. Right now, he was even paying for their meal.

Sophia stopped mid bite."I can help you achieve your Black Tunic... After all, you need it of you want to hunt the Shade Stealer don’t you?"