Catherine (Hela)/Side Tale 2

Shadow Member: Lady Catherine. Master Hall is waiting for you in the lobby.

 Catherine: Hall? What does he want?
Catherine. Hela. Shadow Guard.
Shadow Member: Master Hall didn't say. He only sent me to ask you to come to the lobby.

 Catherine: Tell Hall that if he intends to ask me to spend a meaningless dinner with him, he'll have to excuse me as I do not have the time.
Shadow Member: Milady, I believe it's best if you accept Master Hall's invitation. It seems that he has prepared something for you.

 Catherine: Prepared something? Does it concern vital intel about the Union?
Shadow Member: it's... Apologies, Milady. I promised Master Hall to be discreet.

 Catherine: Well, on account of how "loyal" you are, I suppose I shall go see what this "surprise" is.
Shadow Decree. Lobby.

 Hall: Catherine! Happy Birthday!
Hall. Hodur. Shadow Guard, Joined Shadow Decree Because of Catherine.

 Catherine: My birthday?

 Hall: I believe you did mention once that it is today.

 Hall: Hopefully, you'll like these ribbons and balloons...

 Catherine: What makes you think that I like these things?

 Hall: I merely...wanted to celebrate your birthday.

 Catherine: I don't feel that being born into this awful world is something to celebrate.

 Hall: ...I'm sorry, I...didn't mean to make you angry...
Catherine sighs and fixes Hall with a serious look.

 Catherine: I'm not angry. I just don't want to celebrate a birthday.

 Catherine: My birth was full of abandonment and curses, so I don't fancy anything related to birthdays.

 Catherine: Don't waste your energy on me, and focus more on your missions.

 Hall: Even so... I still hope you can accept my gift.

 Hall: I selected a book of fairy tales for you... You mentioned that someone once shredded your favorite fairy tale book.

 Hall: And so I've been meaning to gift you a new one...

 Catherine: ...

 Hall: I never thought this would make you unhappy. I just want to make you happy... I...
Looking at Hall's increasing forlorn face, Catherine suddenly approaches him and takes the fairy tale book out of his hands.

 Hall: ...Catherine?

 Catherine: Don't take this the wrong way. I'm just curious as to what kind of fairy tale book you've bought.

 Hall: The bookstore owner told me that this book is highly rated... So I bought this one.

 Catherine: Did that stupid owner remind you that it's "for children of ages 3-7"?

 Hall: I'm sorry... I didn't know...

 Catherine: "Happy Birthday to Catherine", did you write these crooked words yourself?

 Hall: I did. I practiced for a long time before writing it, but it still ended up being no good.

 Hall: If you don't like it-

 Catherine: I'll keep it.

 Hall: You will?

 Catherine: If you say one more word, I'm giving it back.

 Hall: ...I'm delighted.

 Catherine: What are you delighted about?

 Hall: This is actually...also blessing-Sorry, you don't want to hear this.

 Hall: I'll give you a pass for today. Don't do it again.
Shadow Decree. Training Ground.

 Hall: This is...the book that I gifted to Catherine? Why is it here?

 Hall: ...I suppose she didn't like it in the end... What is this scrap of paper?
Just as Hall is fumbling with the piece of paper clipped in the book, Catherine walks in.

 Catherine: From the moment you gave this book to me, I believed that this book was meant for me.

 Hall: And here I thought you didn't want it anymore... What it this piece of paper inside?

 Catherine: Just some notes regarding these fanciful stories done on a whim. Some of the overly-artificial good endings bothered me.

 Hall: You didn't only read it. You wrote down your thoughts?

 Catherine: Have you had wool stuffed in your ears? When did I ever say that those are my thoughts?

 Hall: Sorry. But I'm delighted that you liked the book.

 Catherine: I just happened to flip through it. It wasn't too bad.

 Hall: That's good. Next year, I'll send you a birthday present as well... No, it will simply be a present to you.

 Catherine: I repeat, I don't want a birthday or any presents.

 Hall: Next year, I'll carefully select a good fairy tale book, and I'll avoid your birthday.

 Catherine: I said... Never mind. Since it's you... You can do whatever you like.