Chapter 31

Emptiness is the thirty-first chapter of The Promised Neverland manga. It is adapted into episode 10 of the anime

Synopsis
After Norman is shipped-off, Emma goes into depression.

Plot
Looking around the halls of Grace Field, Emma stared in despair as she could no longer experience the happiness she once had with Norman. As she and Ray continued spending their remaining days in the orphanage whilst feeling depressed over the loss of their dear friend. As the younger orphans started to noticed Emma and Ray's unusual behaviors, Phil, Thoma and Lani reckoned how the two and Norman must be very close friends, thus the reason for them being so depressed.

Gilda and Don overheard the three's conversation from a distance, as they recalled the time when Ray gave up and excluded himself from aiding in the escape plan, as he gave Emma the tracker-disabling device. Gilda and Don discussed how Emma and Ray are completely different ever since Norman's departure, as they struggled in figuring out a way to help the two.

Some time passed as Emma slouched on the sickbed in the orphanage's medical room, still remembering the times she had spent with Norman. Out of the blue came Isabella, as she appeared right in front of Emma, frightening her in the process. With a threatening voice, Isabella hugged her foster daughter as she recommends her to follow the route of becoming one of the plantations' caretakers, and not losing her life as the demons' livestock once she is shipped out in future. Hearing no response from Emma, Isabella left the medical room, telling her to "writhe in agony and wait for [her] death" if she choose to not take her advice of becoming a caretaker. Isabella soon showed sad and concern on her face, as she thought of Emma as a foolish girl.

Under the orphanage's big tree where the depressed Emma lied, Anna, Phil, Thoma, Lani, Gilda, and Don went forward to comfort her. Elsewhere in the library, an equally depressed Ray sat among a pile of open books. Isabella witnessed the scene, but ignored and walked away, with a King chess piece lying among a pile of leaves, Isabella claimed that it was her "Checkmate", referencing how she won against Emma and her friends in preventing them to escape.

Two months later, on January 14, 2046, Emma headed dejectedly into the Dining Room, where she found Ray, who was leaving the house on his last night in it, for it was his birthday the next day. He asks Emma if she really gave up, she gives a smile in response.

Trivia

 * The designer who created The Promised Neverland logo created the three lines in the logo to represent Norman, Emma and Ray. When Norman was shipped out and separated from Emma and Ray in this chapter, the line which represents Norman is gone, leaving only the two lines of Emma and Ray.undefined
 * Nevertheless, the manga continues to use the logo with the three lines in the proceeding chapters.
 * This chapter takes place between November 4, 2045, and January 14, 2046.
 * The quote "the best way to avoid despair is to give up” came from Shirai's own experience, and he’s glad he could incorporate it in his work. Isabella’s side represents those who lost various ways in the world while Emma’s side represents those who try not to lose.
 * Shirai wanted to end the chapter with Emma’s smiling face. Sugita was opposed to the idea. He was worried; if the chapter ended with Emma’s smile, it would seem as if the despair before it were all an act and the readers would question if she was truly sad. But Shirai replied that the smile makes it interesting. The despair prior to this scene was established to be real with Emma’s exquisite expressions of sickness and vengefulness drawn by Posuka.