Dorothea's past

Dorothea sighs, ordering her thoughts. This was a big deal to her, and she definitely didn't want her professor or her idol to think poorly of her for it.

"I used to be poor." She started. "My mother was a lady-in-waiting, and because I was born without a crest, we were kicked out on the streets." She looked down at her hands. "Didn't take long for her to die of illness, leaving me a street urchin. Life is... not kind to urchins on the streets of the Empire. That's why I'm husband hunting here. I never want to live like that again, and there's only so much time before my looks and voice fade!" She said with a slight note of desperation in her voice, before sounding depressed. "Without those, no one would look at me twice..."

"Oh Dorothea..." Manuela promptly reached over and pulled the girl into a hug. "Don't worry about that, Professor Byleth is a good man. And I was right about Mittlefrank, wasn't I?" Dorothea nods, breathing deeply as she briefly hugs back as she recomposes herself.

"...So, how did you two meet before coming to the Monastery?" Byleth eventually asked. He had gotten curious after that conversation, while Sothis had been hovering above them to watch their breasts smoosh together in the hug.

"Well, while I was an... urchin..." Dorothea winces as she uses the word. "I learned to sing to keep my spirits up, and that's how Miss Manuela found me." "Oh, 'Miss'? Am I really that old?" Manuela interjects, startling Dorothea briefly before noticing her senior chuckling at that reaction. That was new. "Ahem, apologies. But, thanks to that, she introduced me to the Mittelfrank Opera Company, and got my title of 'Mystical Songstress'." The younger singer sighs. "I'm really grateful for that. And it's a big part of why I went through all the effort to enroll here - to see you again."

"Oh... Oh my. I... I don't know what to say..." Manuela responded, before noticing Sothis, who had started whispering 'kiss, kiss, kiss' into her ear. Pausing to take a moment to swat the goddess away, she recomposed herself and gave her a sincere smile. "Well, I'm flattered all the same. How did you manage that, by the way?" Manuela asked, curious.

"Well, it did require pulling some noble strings. But learning everything to pass the entrance exams? That was all me and very hard. Especially while I was still singing for the opera. but with the opportunity to see you again and all the eligible bachelors from every corner of Fodlan attending this year, how could I resist?" She let out a chuckle, having definitely perked up after having opened up to both of them. Byleth was definitely appreciating her circumstances a lot more after all of that.

"Dorothea, if you were wanting some help with your faith based magic, I am willing to have some late office hours available after dinner to discuss things." He said, giving her a knowing wink as he made a silent wish so that no one would interrupt their meeting, except for Manuela. Sothis was grinning excitedly as she snapped her fingers, looking very forward to that evening...