Cecilia wanders around a liminal cityscape meant to emulate the streets upon which she spent her human life. Her youth. But it isn’t perfect. Years of being the Oracle, on top of years of being dead, her soul scattered, made her memory imperfect. Which is ironic, considering Cecilia’s memory only being imperfect due to her reliance on her sight, when she was still the Oracle. Only now does she realize that without that power, there is nothing to which Cecilia can cling to as an identity.

The Libretto isn’t a solid mask, either. It fell and shattered when Yui lost her way, and the two fought. But Cecilia is also still not an Oracle. Try as she might, she cannot conjure the vision she needs right now. Not without serious strain to her soul, at least.

Try as she might, Cecilia cannot help Yui, not in her current condition.

Her wandering leads her to a familiar sight, sitting by the water.

Cecilia: …You’re still here, Punisher?

Gazing idly at the water below her feet, a hefty tome lying by her side, Liu Fei doesn’t look up as Cecilia approaches.

Fei: I used to watch people drown from up here.

Cecilia: You used to drown people. …I can’t argue the effectiveness of harnessing a Witch in a hurry, as messed up as that is to admit. Less effective in killing a Puella, but the instinctual panic during drowning…

Fei: Killing is a means to an end. It’s not definitive in our case, but — as you implied — dying still does a number on the soul.

Cecilia: I see. …I’m not here to judge you for what you used to be. I would be a hypocrite. But I am curious as to why you are still here in my domain.

Fei: Because I don’t know what I am now.

Cecilia: (She sits beside Liu Fei, but with a little distance) …You and I are more alike than either of us would like to admit.

Fei: You are not accepted.

Cecilia: …Yui would swear up and down she did accept me. And yet, when the time came, I almost let her die.

Fei: You want to help. But you cannot help those who refuse to be helped.

Cecilia: I don’t have the power to help… not anymore. Or do you refer to the me who had the sight?

Fei: You do not have the sight, but you do have knowledge, and years of experience. And conviction.

Cecilia: …From where are you speaking? Are you suggesting I insert myself even more into their lives than I did as an Oracle?

Fei: I don’t know how to suggest. I am telling you to seize the chance to redeem yourself. Don’t resign yourself to your fate. Or the fate others have laid out for you. Believing there is nothing better you can be than what you are, is the way of the Balancer.

Cecilia: …I can’t say for sure that I would have made a good Balancer or not. I do know, however, that mindset of yours is what led you into hiding out in a domain that is not your own. Not that I mind the company, truth be told.

Fei: I have a lot of it ahead of me… but I am learning. (her hand grazes the book lying next to her)

Cecilia: (Her eye lands on the book) …What is that?