Bethel/Background

When she first boarded the Colossus, Bethel asked us to provide her with two rooms, and before I could ask why, her assistant jumped out and explained that one of them was to be her office. I heard someone say that she needed a conference room too, but the only reason she didn't ask for one was that she wanted to avoid causing a stir. Luckily, Navigator's Colossus has plenty of rooms available.

Who could've guessed that Bethel would actually set up an office on the Colossus? Unless you have something vital to discuss with her, not even Navigator can make an appointment with Bethel... And even when you finally get a chance to see her, Bethel always seems so serious and unapproachable.

However, I was reading a book in the lounge one night when Bethel appeared behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. She then started talking all about her favorite novels and writers with the happiest look on her face! Although it was undoubtedly a very pleasant conversation, it raised a few suspicions in my mind, and I found myself wondering—was that Bethel really the same Bethel who spends all day working in her office?

—Vice
#### Her Story (I)

*Unlockable at Affinity Lv. 2*

So, the theme of our discussion today is life experience, is it? An interesting proposal, indeed. If we discuss only this topic, we will surely enhance our cooperation, and I am delighted to participate. Of course, I will not lie to you about anything.

I was born in... Well, it's rather embarrassing to admit... Ahem, I was born in Umbraton. My father ran a beverage business there, and my mother was a maid who worked for the Lumo nobles. In order to boost his profit margin, my father would mix strange ingredients into his drinks. The sales of these drinks skyrocketed, and even my father became addicted to those beverages. But there was a side effect of his concoctions—my father became very irritable and would treat my mother and me with utter disdain, then his attitude toward us changed completely. I don't know whether it was luck or misfortune, but he soon passed away. Mother returned to Lumopolis to continue earning money for a living, but she never came back.

#### Her Story (II)

*Unlockable at Affinity Lv. 4*

This is how I became an orphan. However, my parents didn't even leave half a Nightium for me, only the remaining stock of those drinks. In order to eke out a living, I continued the family business. Of course, I didn't add a single drop of those strange ingredients, but without them, business was terrible, and I was still a child at that time, so I was often the victim of bullying.

So, I gave up on being a merchant, put on a black cloak, and reinvented myself as a supplier familiar with aristocratic drinks. Of course, I must thank my mother for giving me a Lumopolis-style noble education. Although I was armed only with rudimentary knowledge of my supposed field, business was surprisingly good after donning that black cloak. After taking daily expenses into account, I actually managed to save up quite a lot. If mother only knew, I wonder if she would've regretted her decision to leave Umbraton?

However, there is one significant expense that still takes a toll on my finances—buying books. What kind of books, you ask? Those that can soothe people's hearts and take away their pain, of course... Romance novels.

#### Her Story (III)

*Unlockable at Affinity Lv. 6*

However, good times never seem to last very long. That year, Eclipsites attacked Umbraton. I was rescued by a group called the Istvan Gang, but when I returned to Umbraton, I found that all my goods had been lain to waste. Penniless again, I unexpectedly awakened my hidden ability, fueled by grief and anger... I discovered that I could summon Frankel, the protagonist's pet from my favorite novel!

Every cloud has a silver lining, and so, with Frankel at my side, I started up my business once more, mainly dependent on the Cloudrover Guild. But after getting back on track, I made a terrible mistake—I cut out the Cloudrover Guild and tried to work with their customers directly. It was only after the Cloudrover Guild cut off all ties with me that I realized my behavior had violated the trade laws of Umbraton.

Overcome with shame, I returned to the Cloudrover Guild to apologize. The guild master, Sheol, seemed surprised to see me take off my black cloak in humility. After carefully studying the trade laws, I earned Sheol's forgiveness and was allowed to work as a supplier once more.

#### Her Story (IV)

*Unlockable at Affinity Lv. 8*

I thought I would spend my whole life selling drinks and never suspected that earth-shaking changes were just around the corner.

One day, I unconsciously stepped into the world of black-market trading, stumbling into a dangerous underground trade. Outnumbered, gangsters knocked me out, but I found myself sleeping in a soft bed when I awakened. It turns out that after I was knocked out, the Istvan Gang rescued me. They swiftly put an end to the illicit trade I had been lured into and saved my life again. Istvan, the gang leader, came to me and told me that he had been impressed by my insight and courage. He then asked me if he could adopt me. He even said he would be willing to send me to study in Lumopolis... It sounds like the plot of a novel, but that's what really happened.

But I had only one thought in my heart—I now have a real family.