Mona

A mysterious young astrologer who proclaims herself to be "Astrologist Mona Megistus," and who possesses abilities to match the title. Erudite, but prideful. Though she is often strapped for cash and lives a life of thrift, she is resolved to never use astrology for profit... It is this very resolution that has caused her to constantly fret about money. Mona is an astrologist who takes her passion seriously. She is very knowledgeable in this subject in part and respects, yet also fears Barbeloth, her master, at the same time. She combines her astrology skills with hydromancy, which makes her a well-known, if still growing astrologist. In part due to her astrology, Mona can tell whether or not a person is lying, can sense their intentions from a single glance, being capable of seeing their fate and is able to accurately deduce a person's traits just from knowing what their constellation is. Being obsessed with astrology gives Mona a sense of pride, but this also serves as a double-edged sword; any Mora she gets her hands on is immediately spent on astrology-related materials, regardless of its cost. She only realizes too late when she has run out of Mora to meet her daily needs, occasionally going without shelter or food for days on end. She is particularly picky when it comes to eating, as she prefers simple dishes when eating out; when she cooks, she makes the most out of whatever she can buy. She does not tolerate those who disrespect her. She also makes a lot of denials when someone is pointing out what she doesn't have. Mona is unique among astrologers — others may speak with great ostentation for money, but Mona has never done so. Nor does she dress up or mince her words, even if her results are unpleasant to hear: "You won't amount to anything even if you join the Adventurers' Guild." "You've got no chance with him. In fact, he will soon leave you" — such is the nature of her rejoinders. Her blunt nature has resulted in plummeting numbers of people coming to have their fortunes told. But Mona isn't one to complain, for that just leaves her with more time for her personal research. But when one speaks of research, one also speaks of the necessity of purchasing texts and research apparatus. Mona's only income comes from her contributions to The Steambird's "All Things Astrological" column. Every paycheck is spent first on her research. Books from Liyue, an astrolabe from Sumeru... all of these come with a hefty price tag, and by the time Mona regains her senses, there's only enough of her income left for her to scrape by each month. "It matters not. Astrologers must rid themselves of material desires. Only by ridding oneself of clutter can one see the true world around them." So says Mona, coughing loudly all the while to cover the sound of her growling stomach. Today, too, is another day Mona worries about Mora.