0. Oh, hey. On your way back from training? It's admirable of you to keep at it so late.
1. Yeah, well, I like to get in a little bit of practice [cdb]whenever I can.
2. Can't afford to fall behind with everyone else getting [cdb]so strong on the battlefield.
3. It's a little late for me today, but I could join you [cdb]tomorrow. If that's OK, of course.
4. Really? That'd be great.
5. A desire to get stronger's not a bad thing in my book.
6. While we're on the subject, can I ask you something? Why do you want to get stronger? No, wait...
7. Let me start with a different question. What made [cdb]you originally decide to become a mercenary?
8. Give her an answer.
9. Evade the question.
10. It's not really much of a story. This is kinda just [cdb]where I ended up.
11. It's not really much of a story. Not like there's some [cdb]big reason behind it or anything.
12. Well, now I'm even more curious. But hey, if you [cdb]don't want to talk about it, I won't push you.
13. I didn't really have a specific goal in mind. It just [cdb]kinda...happened.
14. After my mom died, I left the village we'd been living [cdb]in, but I had no idea what I was gonna do.
15. I eventually ran out of money and fell in with a [cdb]mercenary group. Then I worked my way up from [cdb]doing their laundry to fighting.
16. You don't say. Well, I guess your story's a pretty [cdb]common one, actually. How'd mercenary life [cdb]treat you?
17. Awful at first. But once I met some folks that I got [cdb]along with it wasn't so bad.
18. Anyway, the plan was to keep fighting alongside [cdb]my friends, make a name for myself as a merc, [cdb]and eventually run out of luck and die.
19. But somehow, I've suddenly found myself in charge of [cdb]the king's private army, leading soldiers into battle. Not really what I expected, I'll tell you that much.
20. That's how life is. You never know what tomorrow [cdb]will bring.
21. When I was a kid, I never imagined I'd be wielding [cdb]some holy relic as a Knight of Seiros.
22. I thought my destiny was to follow in my father's [cdb]footsteps and become the next Count Charon.
23. But then the incident with Lord Lonato happened...
24. It seems like you've been through a lot. I heard you [cdb]were a fugitive at one point.
25. Yes, well... Something happened. My best friend [cdb]lost his way and I couldn't set him right. Eventually [cdb]it cost him his life, and I let it happen.
26. I couldn't stay in my hometown after something [cdb]like that.
27. But despite all that pain and sadness, I have no regrets [cdb]about the choices I've made in my life.
28. Not many can say that. So you've succeeded in [cdb]making your past self proud, huh?
29. That's right. My past has made me who I am today.
30. I'm going to keep moving forward, no matter what [cdb]hardships lie ahead.
31. You're a strong person, Catherine. I think I could [cdb]learn a lot from you.
32. Hearing your story and what you said about making [cdb]yourself proud gives me so much to think about.
33. No matter how hard we try, there'll always be times [cdb]when we have to make tough choices, right?
34. My past self fought hard to get me here. Am I gonna make the choice that past me [cdb]would've approved of?
35. The tough part isn't making the right choice, though. It's what you do after.
36. You must try your best to make whatever decision [cdb]you land on into the right one in the end.
37. You make it sound so easy, but the more I think about [cdb]it, the harder it seems.
38. Then don't think about it. Just keep trying your best, [cdb]day after day.
39. Put one foot in front of the other, and eventually, [cdb]you'll look back and realize how far you've come.
40. That's all I've gotta do, huh?
41. That's all. You could even start right now. If anything I said struck a chord, that is.
42. I, for one, look forward to seeing you carve your own [cdb]path, wherever it may lead.