Event Year: 2016

On the way to the Sanctuary, Subaru unwittingly finds himself invited to a witch’s tea party, where the hostess introduces herself as Echidna, the Witch of Greed. Subaru is alarmed, but Echidna encourages him to sit and drink his tea before it gets cold. When he somehow makes it back outside after a conversation with Echidna, he finds Otto lying on the ground, battered and beaten. Then, before he even has a moment to assess the situation, Subaru himself is attacked.

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.

Emilia is hurriedly ushered to the capital along with the villagers under the orders of a mysterious benefactor while escorted by a rag-tag group of individuals from various and opposing factions. She has but one question on her mind: who could this man be and why would he go so far? Meanwhile, Subaru and Julius face off against the Archbishop of Sin Betelgeuse for the ultimate time. Unfortunately, he is very persistent even beyond death, belying his nature of Sloth. Subaru is relentlessly chased while he catches up to Emilia to save her one last time and answer her question.

Subaru and Rem are at a loss for words. The battle against the White Whale, which seemed to be going in their favor through attrition, suddenly took on completely different proportions. With their tactical superiority and advantage quickly dwindling, the combined forces all but get tangled up in the threads of despair. That’s when Subaru decides to yell out his next move…