Sofia Verdi
- Name: Sofia Verdi (pronounced Sophia)
- Year of birth: 1864
- Age (in 1880): 16
- Species: mixed breed Abyssinian cat.
Sofia is the secondborn child and the eldest daughter of the Verdi family. Growing up, she shared an exceptionally close bond with her older brother Antonio, and his tragic end broke her heart more than anyone else's in the household. As a young girl, Sofia was practically a tomboy, always striving to follow in her brother's footsteps so she could play alongside him. Antonio, however, preferred the company of other boys, prompting Sofia to stay home and learn her first lessons in womanhood from her mother and grandmother.
In truth, Antonio was deeply protective and jealous regarding his sister, constantly keeping a watchful eye on her to ensure local boys would not mock her or look at her with romantic interest. When they were at home, however, the two spent endless hours together, talking and sharing household chores. Sofia was always eager to prove how strong and helpful she could be, serving as an irreplaceable companion and emotional support for her brother.
When Antonio met his end, Sofia was shattered. Having always been a guiding light and a beacon of strength for her younger sisters, she made the sudden decision to withdraw from the outside world, refusing to leave the house. She vowed that she would be the very last of the siblings to marry, choosing to sacrifice her own youth and desires to care for her family until every single one of her brothers and sisters grew up and settled down. By her own choice, she voluntarily wore black mourning clothes for many years, taking on a burden her mother had chosen to set aside.
Sofia was always Arancino's absolute favorite sister. On the heartbreaking day of Antonio's loss, young Arancino witnessed Sofia weeping for the very first time in his life, an image that shocked him to his core. That traumatizing moment left a permanent scar on his innocent heart: from that day forward, Arancino could never bear to see a girl cry without feeling genuinely sick and deeply sorrowful, as every tear brought back the agonizing memory of Sofia's heartbreak, accompanied by the haunting, silent feeling that it might have somehow been his fault.