Kiwako Kobayashi was impossible to read. Only she ever truly knew what she was thinking, where she was going at any given moment. Even to those who knew her best, it seemed like she didn’t even fully know, herself, what she was going to do next. As she, Cecilia and the Birds gathered under an overpass, rain lightly falling around them, she let out a little sigh. For once, she wasn’t saying anything, and Rio and Riko exchanged a concerned, knowing glance.

Riko: …Kiwa-chan, I… I think you know what we’re about to say, but…

Rio: …It’s becoming quickly undeniable, Kiwa-chan.

Kiwako: (In her lower, serious tone) …I know.

Cecilia: Huh?

Riko: Ah, right… you knew her history, but there was a piece missing.

Rio: The identity of High—

Riko: R-Rio, Kiwa-chan is right there!

Kiwako: (She calmly shakes her head, stepping back towards the group) It’s okay, Riko. It was only a matter of time before I had to face the truth. 

Rio: Kiwa-chan…

Cecilia: What are you—

Kiwako: Our killer. I know who she is. I knew, back when I became a Witch, what kind of person she was when she founded the original Coven. And I really didn’t wanna be right, but the more we find evidence of these murders, the more it becomes impossible to deny anymore.

Cecilia: …You mean…?

Kiwako: …We’re going, Cecilia. You might not like it, but we’re gonna have to go back to New Eden. There’s something I need to tell Yui. Something I wanted to tell her before, but I wanted to be sure, first.

Cecilia: W-Wait, but… you know what Yui will do when she sees me, right?

Kiwako: Yes. Nothing. Her heart is calm now. When I went to New Eden a while back, I felt it. The tension in the clinic and training center is all but gone now. She won’t fight you. And even if she does, I’ll stand by you. Her pupils won’t take that fight blindly. Besides, Yui’s too proud to let someone else fight on her behalf. 

Cecilia: I… I still need time.

Kiwako: …That’s fine. If we were the only ones following the killer’s trail, I’d argue that time is something we don’t have. But I can feel it. Things are gonna work out. Probably. But it’s just as well. …Come come, Cecilia. We’ll walk, and I’ll talk. And I’ll tell you about…

She hesitates. Her steeling herself was bravado, and a facade. The Birds knew this, of course. But before anyone else could say anything, Kiwako balled her fists tightly, taking a couple deep breaths.

Kiwako: …I’ll tell you all about High Priestess Caelum. And Kamihama City’s Balancing.