The scattered pieces of the puzzle finally come together, and Subaru realizes for certain that the shaman who cursed him is in the village at the foot of the mountains. He heads there with Ram and Rem and makes sure all the villagers touch him so that he can find out, with Beatrice’s help, who cast the curse. But the truth he finds is not what he expected, and he finds himself rushing toward the village again…

Upon returning to Roswaal’s mansion, Subaru is greeted by an unbelievable sight and wails that this was not what he wanted to happen. Stricken with despair, everything before Subaru starts to go white as, finally, he hears a voice: “You were too late.”

Subaru has devoted everything he had, and done all he could do. His passion has captured Crusch’s heart, as well as Anastasia’s cooperation, and they all enter into the battle against the White Whale together.

After concluding their talks with Crusch, Subaru and Emilia return to the village of Arlam, intending to report to Roswaal and discuss what to do next. But they find Arlam deserted and learn that the villagers who had taken refuge in the Sanctuary with Ram have not yet returned. When Subaru and Emilia arrive back at Roswaal’s mansion to find out where the Sanctuary is, they are greeted by Frederica, a young woman who used to work as one of Roswaal’s maids.

Subaru had reached for the door, determined to save Rem from harm even if his current world would soon end. But instead of Rem, he found himself staring at Beatrice’s library. Beatrice had remained silent throughout Elsa’s attack and saved Subaru’s life just moments before Elsa could claim it. Subaru shouts at Beatrice, demanding to know why she didn’t help before everyone else was killed, and an intense argument ensues. Then Subaru catches sight of a familiar-looking book…

After being eaten alive by a herd of unknown creatures resembling rabbits, Subaru awakens in a half-maddened state next to Emilia in the graveyard. As he pounds his head against the rocky ground over and over in anguish, he finds himself invited once again to a witch’s tea party. There, he tells Echidna about his Return by Death ability, something he has never been able to tell anyone before. Echidna then begins to tell Subaru about the witch who gave him this power and set him on this agonizing path.

Subaru awakens in the graveyard with Emilia lying nearby. This time, he makes up his mind to save not only Emilia, but everyone in the Sanctuary and Roswaal’s mansion from the threats that hang over them. Roswaal makes it clear that he will use Subaru’s power to keep starting over by force if he has to, if it will allow him to achieve his own goal. What is driving Roswaal to go to such lengths? In search of the answer to this and many other questions, Subaru goes to see Echidna once again.

Tragedy strikes the Sanctuary, and Elsa takes aim at both Roswaal’s mansion and the village of Arlam. After being told that all these threats are cruel traps, Subaru can’t help but give in to despair. While he’s stuck questioning himself and unable to come up with a way out of the dilemma closing in on him, Otto shows up and punches him. Thanks to the many feelings packed in Otto’s fist, Subaru finds his hope again.

Pandora, the Witch of Vanity, stands before Geuse and Fortuna. They both face her with all the strength they have. Meanwhile, young Emilia runs toward the place where the seal is, believing that everyone will be saved if she gives Pandora what she wants. But when she arrives, Pandora is already there, insisting that she hand over the key to opening the seal.

Frederica is gradually backed into a corner by Elsa’s attacks. Then Garfiel rushes to the scene with a silver shield on each arm. The siblings’ reunion after so many years is cut short when Elsa’s knife violently clashes against Garfiel’s shield. Meanwhile, Subaru heads to the forbidden library where Beatrice is. She’s surprised when he enters the library and tells her that, after she spent 400 years there under a contract that might as well have been a curse, he’s going to get her out.