F-Rank Soul Eater-Chapter 36: Here We Go Again.

Chapter 36: Here We Go Again.
~Tummy grumbled.
But this time, Soren jolted awake.
His breath came heavy and uneven. He was drenched in so much sweat that the dagger plastered to his face slid down on its own.
Large beads rolled down his skin, soaking his clothes and bedsheets.
His heart hammered fast and hard. For a moment, Soren thought it might burst out of his chest.
Judging by how he was hyperventilating, that fear wasn’t entirely without backing.
After a while of just lying down, staring at the ceiling, his body finally calmed down.
His breath smoothened, and the tingling in his fingers ceased.
Soren swallowed; his throat was dry—thirsty.
There was only one thing on his mind.
A very scary woman.
That thought alone made his stomach tighten like a knot.
It was almost ridiculous. He had faced an Eldritch that killed him in many ways, yet Instructor Ivory unsettled him more than that monster ever did.
How was he supposed to fight against someone like that?
Even with a badly wounded Shade, she had been overwhelming. She was at a power level beyond his reach.
This realization ought to fill him with dread.
However, Soren raised a hand to the air above him. His fingers still shook a bit, but slowly, he molded them into a fist.
"So this is it." He murmured. This is what it means to be a Soul Mecha Pilot. Such strength. No wonder everyone looks up to them."
Soren’s eyes brightened. A kind of crazy sparkle in them.
He had seen the battle prowess of Boyed and thought it was amazing. But back then, that was all it was—admiration.
However, Ivory was different.
A mountain he had to overcome before he could conquer ’today.’
"Yes!"
"Erm... Soren," Tommy looked at him strangely, "why are you talking to yourself?"
Before Soren could respond—
Ring~
"This is to inform all cadets to be present in the lecture area by 18:00 this evening for evaluation of their First Form technique."
"Don’t worry, it’s nothing." Soren replied.
He hopped off the bed and hurried outside.
"Hey... where are you going?"
"To see Instructor Ivory," Soren replied without turning back.
Tommy was shocked by the answer. "Damn! He must be really into her."
His gaze drifted to the chocolate cake still sitting on Soren’s bed. He smiled. "I’ll just take a small bite. He won’t mind."
As Soren rushed to the Instructor’s lounge, he met instructor Marcus just about to go in.
"Wait... erm. Instructor Marcus." Soren called to him.
The stern older man paused. He turned to Soren with a disapproving look. "Yes, cadet?"
"I... I’d like to see Instructor Ivory, please." Soren spoke up, faking the best smile he could summon.
Marcus groaned a bit, "She is a bit busy. Come back ano—"
"But not at the moment, I’m not." She glided smoothly out the door, that perfect smooth smile on her face.
—for a brief second, it overlapped with that grin she had, face bloodied and stained with Polystar’s innards.
Soren smiled back.
....
Moments later, they sat across from each other in the training area, both in lotus position.
Ivory’s posture was relaxed.
Soren looked at her. Still that smile. He swallowed.
Coming to see her had been an impulse. Now that he was actually here, a bit of doubt crept in.
Soren had discovered something in his previous battle, and it was not just that he was lacking.
It was this.
He knew nothing—absolutely nothing about his enemy. This enemy.
A person of such superior strength and capabilities that she alone took down him and his friends, as prepared as they were.
He did not even know what abilities her shade gifted her. This was really poor planning.
Knowing one’s enemy was a rule the last death had hammered into him.
Soren could have asked around, but what if the information was wrong? After all, she was able to fool even the other Soulbound knights, making them believe that she was on their side.
The best way to know the enemy was to really ask—to know from the horse’s mouth.
"So," Ivory said lightly, folding her arms beneath her chest. "You wanted to see me?"
"Well... yes, I did. But... uh." Soren felt tongue-tied.
How do I even ask this?
’Can you tell me the best and easiest way to kill you?’
Soren facepalmed.
What am I doing?
"Is this about getting the First Form technique?" She asked
,
brow raised
.
Soren nodded.
"Yes... I... I wanted to know how such a pretty lady like you was able to get it." He looked away from her embarrassed by his choice of words.
However, he did not see the way her smile broadened.
"You know, maybe I could use the same method," he added hurriedly. "I heard from the other cadets that without the first form, I won’t be able to get into the academy."
She tilted her head slightly, blonde hair slipping loose. "You know, asking about someone’s Shade is considered very rude among Soulbound Knights."
She paused, allowing the words to settle in.
Soren fidgeted a bit. "I didn’t mean to offend—"
"But," she interrupted, "since you are asking so cutely, even calling me pretty, I’ll let it slide."
She rose to her feet, hands clasped adorably behind her back.
If Soren had not seen this woman burst Polystar’s head like a squashed watermelon, he might have thought that she was a simple, gentle person.
She walked around the room, stopping at the wall, as if contemplating where to start.
"Since you want to know, then I guess it’s only right to start from the beginning."
Beginning?
Soren thought to himself.
But listened attentively.
"Nobles don’t bond with Shades the same way commoners do," Ivory continued. "You’re a smart boy. You’ve probably heard the rumors."
She glanced at him.
"Souls from the Glass are drawn to negative emotions. That’s why the Empire keeps pressure on the common people."
Her eyes gleamed faintly.
"But tell me, Soren... What about nobles?"
Soren’s brows creased a bit. This was a question he had definitely not thought of.
He remembered when they were entering the train and some of the cadets came with a lot of luggage. He remembered Goldsworth’s mannerism and all that.
Surely, they all came from homes that fed and clothed them well. Practically, they were born with silver spoons and should have no worries in their lives.
A life free of questions like, Where do I find food today?
What will my family eat?
Who can I collect old clothes from and patch together to cover my nakedness?
Where do I get money to treat my sick mother?
These were just some of the problems of the common man—the tip of the iceberg.
Of course, such a struggle to survive bred a lot of negative emotions in people.
But for the nobles, it was different. So how did they get to bond with Souls?