Chapter 4

"Optimal" is the fourth chapter of The Promised Neverland.

Synopsis
Emma and Norman get a new ally who will contribute much to their escape plans.

Plot
In a flashback, Emma and Norman enter the warehouse in search of a rope, essential item for their escape. In real time, Ray notes that the two of them ran into the forest. Returning to the memory, Emma finds a tablecloth and forehead, deciding that this would be her rope. Returning to the real time, Emma hides the ropes in a tree inside the forest. As they head towards the orphanage, Emma asks if it's time to tell Ray the truth, Norman agrees, because his intelligence would be of the utmost importance, and says he'll speak to Ray directly. At this point, Ray reveals to be beside them and forces them to tell him everything, explaining that he had noticed their strange expression and that they returned empty-handed even after saying that they could not, Near the house, Mama, while playing with the children, looks at the tree and realizes that Ray was not there. After telling him everything, Ray is surprised to hear all this, understanding the reason for the windows to have grills, surprising Emma once again to have understood everything. However, she asks if he was not doubting anything, Ray says that Norman would never create such a stupid lie, unlike Emma, ​​frustrating her because Ray did not have faith in her. He says that the only problem with the escape is the number of people, and it is impossible to escape with everyone with such a large number of people, but Emma tells him that they will run away with everyone. Ray asks if this was a joke, remembering that there are more than 37 children, the majority under 6 years old, that would be an additional problem, She asked if she wanted to make things even more difficult. Annoyed, Emma says there must be another way, Ray explains that they will not just run away, they did not know the outside world and that there would be a nation of demons there, with no safe place for humans, so children would be a hindrance And that they should abandon them, being the best solution. But Emma ignores everything he said.

Then Emma makes it clear that she does not want anyone to die and that she wanted Conny to be the last dead child, stating that if there was no safe place, they would create one, they would be the ones that will change the world, stating Ray That this would be the escape of prisoners that they would orchestrate. Ray is speechless about the situation, thinking that Emma is crazy. She says she will not cry or back off, ordering Ray to stop complaining and cooperating. Ray, visibly angry, takes Norman the force away from Emma and tells him to "fix that idiot" to get her ideas out of her head. Norman says that night she saw Emma cry for fear of her family dying, unlike him that she was afraid of her death, considering her thought about the family as unbelievable. Ray says that this does not mean that she was right and that they should not sell themselves to the devil, for the perfect escape would be only with the three, asking him not to put his emotions on reason. Norman says he would not mind if he had to sell himself to the devil. Annoyed, Ray holds Norman by the blouse and asks why this, in which he replies that he cares for Emma and would do anything to make her happy. Ray gets scared and asks if Norman is crazy, he replies that he will not let her die and that he would use himself if necessary for anything, Ray calls him ridiculous, Norman says he and Emma went crazy, asking if Ray would leave someone In this state, in which he responds with a laugh. Asking him not to put his emotions on reason. Norman says he would not mind if he had to sell himself to the devil. Annoyed, Ray holds Norman by the blouse and asks why this, in which he replies that he cares for Emma and would do anything to make her happy. Ray gets scared and asks if Norman is crazy, he replies that he will not let her die and that he would use himself if necessary for anything, Ray calls him ridiculous, Norman says he and Emma went crazy, asking if Ray would leave someone In this state, in which he responds with a laugh. Asking him not to put his emotions on reason. Norman says he would not mind if he had to sell himself to the devil. Annoyed, Ray holds Norman by the blouse and asks why this, in which he replies that he cares for Emma and would do anything to make her happy. Ray gets scared and asks if Norman is crazy, he replies that he will not let her die and that he would use himself if necessary for anything, Ray calls him ridiculous, Norman says he and Emma went crazy, asking if Ray would leave someone In this state, in which he responds with a laugh. Near the house, Mama looks on her radar for the location of the three. Ray gives them both a title book "Mechanical Engineering and the History of Humans," pointing out that the book had been published in 2015, 30 years ago, and the book with the most recent publication he found. Although 30 years have passed, Ray believes there is still a human society in the outside world, but before they act hastily, they should gather information, stating that they should successfully escape at any price, receiving Emma's support and Norman.

Research Elements
In this chapter we have the following Research Elements:
 * 4.1 - Mama has a room for Storage that she never allows children to access;
 * 4.2 Ray seems to have accepted the whole situation revealed too quickly;
 * 4.3 - One of the last books published in the world in a normal way dates from the year 2015;

Trivia

 * Ray shows the latest book at the orphanage is a machinery book entitled "Mechanical Engineering and the History of Humans" by Alex Mikhaylov from 2015.
 * In the chronological order of the series, this chapter takes place on October 15, 2045.