Valessa

Personal Info

She often wears a warm smile, yet something about her always feels just out of reach.
Whether dealing with civilians or fellow Explorers, she keeps a cautious distance, engaging only when necessary.
Even in temporary teams, her communication remains strictly functional.
Though undeniably skilled and experienced, few teams actively seek her out.
Of course, her silence about her own goals is also a significant reason why some teams are hesitant.

Chronicles

I've only worked with her once, but... well, how to put it? She's skilled and very efficient. A solid partner to have on a mission.
Too bad she's impossible to talk to. Even at the celebration party, when I brought her a drink, she just... shut me down.
— An Explorer

We all like her. She's strong, reliable, and even covers for our mistakes during missions.
But... she pushes herself too hard. She could lean on us a little more, but she never does and never will. She handles everything alone.
We've invited her out so many times, but she didn't nod even once.
— An Explorer Who Claims to be a Friend of Valessa

Valessa stayed at my inn when she first came to the Abyss. Back then, despite whatever she'd been through, she was still so lively and bright.
But she didn't stay long. Got scammed, robbed, or something like that, and suddenly couldn't afford lodging.
I offered the poor girl a free stay while she figured things out. But she was stubborn. sigh After all these years of running an inn, this is the first time I've met a girl who tugs at my heart like this.
Years later, when I saw her again, she was different.
Still smiled when she greeted me, but the warmth was gone. That smile of hers just looked lonely.
— An Innkeeper

Record

So far, Valessa has shown no desire to leave the Abyss. Perhaps she's grown accustomed to living here.
Lately, while still quiet, she's begun offering slightly longer replies to those who approach her.
By all measures, this is progress.

When not on a mission, she can often be found wandering near the Lighthouse or around the Ports.
Asked why, her answers are always something like "The view is better there" or "It's just a habit."
Yet these spots, well-trodden, noisy, utterly ordinary to any seasoned Explorer, hardly seem remarkable.
A few curious teammates went there, only to find nothing special.
But everyone has their secrets. Prying too soon risks pushing her further away.

Anecdote

There's a pendant Valessa holds dear, one she always keeps close to her, until the day she lost it rescuing a teammate.
"I'm sorry, Valessa. If not for me—"
"It's fine. Just a pendant." Her voice remained flat as ever.
"Priority now is getting back. Your wounds need treatment."

Once the injured companion was safe, Valessa returned to the battlefield.
She overturned every stone, combed through every patch of grass, but the pendant was nowhere to be found.
She was getting frantic. Tears threatened to break free.
Then, a shout from the distance:
"Found it! It was tangled in the wounded one's cloak!"
Valessa froze. The familiar mask of indifference slid back into place as she turned toward the voice.
But her steps, first hurried, then forcibly slowed, betrayed her.

"It was my parents' wedding token. The one thing they left me."
"When I was cheated of everything, when I was abandoned as a decoy... It reminded me to endure."
"If... if a miracle were to happen, they return and find I'd lost it... They'd be furious."
...