Who's the best to raise?? Please tell me, kind souls 😭😭

Rather than 'the best,' Cordy, Merlin, and Florence are apparently essential, so if you have them, it's best to focus on strengthening them. I'm doing the same.

In the early game, Florence is strong for quests. As you progress and enemies get stronger defenses, Cordie becomes more useful due to her stronger debuffs. Merlin is strong just by placing her next to an attacker for buffs, but her exclusive weapon, which is unlocked later, isn't necessary for anyone other than attackers.