| Synopsis |
|---|
| While Death the Kid struggles to identify the being known as Eibon, Crona must decide whether to be loyal to the DWMA or to Medusa. |
The Corner of the Room is the thirty-second serialized chapter of the manga Soul Eater. It was reprinted in tankōbon form in Volume 9. It was adapted as two episodes of the anime Soul Eater: "The Red Hot Runaway Express – A Magic Tool Left Behind by the Great Wizard?" and "Drying Happiness! Whose Tears Sparkle in the Moonlight?"
Featured Appearances[]
Characters
DWMA Students
- Maka Albarn
- Soul Eater
- Black Star
- Tsubaki Nakatsukasa
- Death the Kid
- Liz Thompson
- Patty Thompson
- Crona
- Ragnarok
- Kim Diehl
- Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupré
DWMA Staff
- Death
- Spirit Albarn
- Marie Mjolnir
- Justin Law
- Franken Stein (voice only)
- Librarian (first appearance)
Locations
- Death City
- Death Weapon Meister Academy
- Library
- Death Room
- Crona's Overnight Room
- Patchwork Laboratory
- Death Weapon Meister Academy
Plot[]
Death Weapon Meister Academy, Library[]
It is May 22.[1] Having returned from the Sahara Desert, Death the Kid is still troubled by the mystery of Eibon, the person identified by the now deceased Fisher King as being “the same as the Shinigami.” Realizing that his father likely will not tell him directly, especially when Lord Death had been so abstruse when referring to the Kishin Asura earlier, Kid uses his status as Lord Death’s son to gain access to Level 4 books at the DWMA library.
As the Librarian informs Kid, there actually is only one book in the Level 4 category, and it just happens to refer to Eibon himself. Unfortunately, someone checked out the book two months prior without returning the volume, and the identity listed on the check-out card is referred to by only one letter: “M.” Kid realizes that this Book of Eibon was checked out around April 1, the day of the DWMA Anniversary Celebration and the release of Asura. Kid therefore surmises that the book was stolen by “M,” namely, Medusa.
Death Weapon Meister Academy[]
Meanwhile, in the hallways, Soul Eater is approached by his friends, who are keen to hear him play the piano. Despite encouragement from Maka Albarn, Soul says he is “not good enough to play in front of people” and distracts his friends by mocking Maka’s low “music IQ.” Maka argues that her musical tastes are not bad and turns to Crona for support, yet her friend is distracted. Crona excuses him/herself to return to the room downstairs within the DWMA, yet Maka is worried by Crona’s seeming sadness.
Death Room[]
Justin awaits instructions from Lord Death--because the Death Scythe cannot read the Shinigami's lips.
Elsewhere, in the Death Room, Lord Death, with the assistance of Spirit Albarn, gives instructions to the lip-reading Justin Law: the Death Scythe must force Asura into the open so that it will be easier for Azusa Yumi to locate the Kishin. Justin accepts the mission.
Death Weapon Meister Academy, Underground[]
Upon descending the stairs to the room, Crona is conflicted, remembering how Medusa, using her role as Crona’s mother, asked for help in locating the secret vault inside the DWMA. Crona is worried about being caught in restricted area downstairs and is discovered by Marie Mjolnir. Ragnarok intervenes, pretending that he and Crona are lost finding their bedroom. Marie sympathizes, because she herself is lost downstairs, and offers to help the two find their way back to their room—which takes two hours thanks to Marie’s inability to navigate the DWMA. Unable to get away from Marie, and as it is now evening, Crona and Ragnarok returns to their room rather than try to find the secret vault for Medusa.
Crona's Overnight Room[]
When Crona returns to the room, Eruka, disguised in her frog form, arrives at the window. Through one of the snakes implanted in Eruka, Medusa speaks to Crona, communicating how happy she is with Crona’s performance and that she has a new mission for her child. Learning that Stein is now partnered with Marie, Medusa has an idea to “exploit [Marie's] kindness.” Medusa orders Eruka to hand Crona a pen, which contains within it “a bug” to plant into Stein’s lab.
Death Weapon Meister Academy[]
The next day, May 23, Crona meets with Marie in the hallway. Sensing Crona’s nervousness, Marie offers to host tea at Stein’s lab so that the two can speak, teacher to student.
Patchwork Laboratory[]
Crona and Ragnarok watch as Marie drinks the snake-infected tea.
Marie sets tea for herself and Crona, but Ragnarok voices his displeasure, as no tea was served to him. As Marie leaves to prepare a beverage for Ragnarok, Crona is able to plant the bug. When Marie returns, Crona has left the pen hidden among Stein’s beakers. Crona and Ragnarok watch in anticipation as Marie drinks her tea. Crona and Ragnarok concludes their meeting with Marie, but as they leave, Marie stops them to return the pen that they left behind. Nervous, Crona accepts the returned pen and departs.
Death City[]
Crona enters an alley where Eruka waits with a radio. Upon turning on the radio, Eruka can hear inside Patchwork Lab, as Marie welcomes Stein home. Ragnarok confirms that the mission was successful: Crona opened the pen, which contained inside it a tiny snake containing within itself a listening device, which not only can listen to Marie’s conversations with others, but also can negate her healing wavelength and in fact augment the madness within Stein. While Eruka is pleased with the successful operation, Crona listens as Marie tells Stein how happy she is to teach such good students like Crona and that Crona is making friends at the DWMA. Conflicted upon hearing Marie’s remarks through the radio, Crona excuses themselves, but not before Eruka reminds them how proud Medusa will be of Crona. Crona says nothing and departs back to their room.
Crona's Overnight Room[]
Crona cries to sleep.
Upon returning to their room, Crona takes a pillow from the bed and crawls into the corner of the room. Feeling the presence of madness around them, the pressure from Medusa, and the guilt for infecting Marie, Crona, despite wearing a crazed smile, cries.
Manga and Anime Differences[]
Trivia[]
- In Chapter 38, Azusa Yumi informs Joe Buttataki that she received notification on May 22 that Justin would join her in locating the Kishin. She also states that the mission to retrieve the Eternal Spring from the Sahara Desert was the day before.
- Eruka's radio looks like a frog, in keeping with her animal theme.
- The boy who Marie greets on the stairs appears to have the kanji "悪" for "bad" on his shirt.
References[]
- ↑ Soul Eater Chapter 38: Yen Press English Translation, Volume 10, Page 108