F-Rank Soul Eater-Chapter 74: Kanta Family Sees You.

Chapter 74: Kanta Family Sees You.
"How long does she have?" Soren asked.
Vinegar sniffed, rubbing her nose as she counted under her breath.
"...Oh."
She looked up at him.
"A week."
Soren’s eyes widened. "A week!?"
Buzz Buzz Buzz...
An alarm was heard.
"We have to leave." Vinegar advised. "They are about to close the Glass."
She showed him the way, and they came out the exit.
By now, Vinegar had wiped properly, putting on that playful, mischievous face again.
"I can’t believe I only met you yesterday, and I have already told you so much about me..." She gave a side smile. "... It kind of feels like I have known you longer."
"Me too." He added...
meaningfully.
The moment was good, but he could not stop thinking about what he had just heard.
And then he looked up.
Just ahead, the prisoners were packing up their stuff and returning to the prison.
However, Soren’s eyes landed on the retreating figure of a person similarly returning.
Cynthia.
Vinegar noticed it. Her mood fell again.
"There is nothing you can do about it, you know." She added.
"Vinegar!" Handler called.
She turned to Soren. "It seems today’s mining exercise has been cancelled. I’ll see you tomorrow?"
She winked at him and then hurried to meet her daddies. "Coming, Handler."
However, even as she left, Soren still saw her eyes moist.
He frowned.
Vinegar tried to lighten the mood, but it was just too heavy. The hard memories in the cave had opened the door to a reality she long tried to drown.
Cynthia was dying.
It was an irrefutable fact.
Honestly, he did not blame her for keeping her distance from Cynthia even though they were old-time friends.
Who wouldn’t?
After all the people she had lost, seeing another slowly wash away like eroded soil was just too much for a teenager.
The only way to protect her heart from any more pain was to simply stay away from the source.
But at the same time, this left Cynthia lonely.
Even now, Soren remembered the bread she served him that night.
She must have been so lonely for a long time and definitely wanted basic human connection.
Especially now. In her last days.
One more week!
He gritted his teeth hard.
There was no reason for him to get involved.
He wasn’t a hero.
But he had already chosen.
Cynthia was one of his people.
And once something was yours, abandoning it was the same as betraying yourself.
Besides, Soren had already gone so far to secure her life once before.
It’s not like I have anything better to do.
He added in his mind, a smile at the corner of his lips.
He walked through the glass, back into the prison.
Prisoners submitted the molds of human flesh containing their Shades, as Red Swords at the side cut the connection between Soul Warrior and Shade.
Some prisoners cried and rolled on the ground when the connection was broken, and some others acted like addicts denied their favorite drug.
It was a sight he was used to by now. Soren submitted his Glassheart, and the red sword swung his sword.
The man frowned. But Soren could care less. It’s not like they knew his Glassheart no longer carried Chronovore.
He saw Sausage Neck ahead. But the big fella did not signal any threats his way.
This surprised Soren. After all, it was not like he had beaten him up already
today.
However, just before he made it to the elevator that would take them back to the prison proper, a guard approached him, handing him a letter.
Before he could ask, it was shoved in his hand, and the messenger was out of sight.
He turned it around. There was a seal. From the looks of it, a crest. As best he knew, only noble families had crests.
This one was of two arrows crossed over the head of a Soul Mecha.
Gently, he opened it.
From: The Kanta Noble Family.
Message: We Owe You.
To: Soren.
That was the entire letter. Soren did not think much of it. In his opinion, they could have at least said, ’Thank you.’
Soren did not know it yet, but he had won the favor of one of the most influential noble houses within the empire.
He returned to his cell. As expected, meals were served in the cells, as the cafeteria was still under construction.
Soren had not won any ore stones. But Cynthia was kind enough to pay for his Dinner.
After which he had a nice time conversing with Cynthia. And he ensured throughout their time together that he made her smile as much as possible.
A good time drives away bad memories.
At night, Soren did not sleep early. He waited and waited for them to come.
But no intruders showed up.
He was right after all; Cynthia was the target.
However, this raised another question.
Medically speaking, Cynthia would probably not last another week. Why couldn’t the person just wait for her to die?
Soren was sure the people or person that wanted her dead knew about her condition. After all, they found her weak point and knew to strike when she was weak.
So how was it that they could not wait until she died?
Soren stared at the ceiling, mind in constant contemplation.
Was it revenge, maybe?
After all, she did kill some people in the cafeteria that day.
No...
He shook his head. Prisoners might not have much respect for authority, but the one thing they respected was
strength.
The strongest fist was always feared.
No one would want to risk their lives that much.
Cynthia was no joke.
Then again, people only tried to kill stronger people when they had something worth the risk.
But what did a girl like Cynthia have?
Soren looked in her direction as she snored, folding herself to fit her smaller bed.
To others, he had been here for a day, but he had been here for months now.
If she had something precious hidden, he should have found hints to it.
Then it couldn’t be something she had.
Suddenly, it clicked.
It wasn’t what she had.
It was what she would reach.
Big Mama’s Crowned Jewel.