Chapter Summaries

After Vincent condemned Louis to death, Subaru fled with her and was led to the star diviner Ubilk, who recited a prophecy about Subaru’s lonely heroism. The sky then turned dark and became a vast screen showing the Sage’s Tower, leaving Subaru and the world facing an unexplained spectacle.

• Al demanded that Subaru explain who Louis was, and Subaru revealed she was the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony.
• Vincent declared that anyone who worshipped the Witch or associated with Sin Archbishops would be sentenced to death, so Subaru fled with Louis.
• Subaru and Louis escaped the pursuing horned people and met Ubilk, who offered them refuge and a star reading.
• Ubilk recited a prophecy about Subaru bearing others’ hopes and wounds, and called him the loneliest hero.
• The sky plunged into darkness, then lit up as a vast screen displaying the Sage’s Tower.

A mysterious screen showed Emilia’s camp and others a vision of Subaru’s party reaching the Pleiades Watchtower, where a beam annihilated them. The shocked viewers questioned whether the scene was an unrealized future, while Emilia resolved to find Subaru and Priscilla refused to let him die.

• Otto, Emilia, Garfiel, Ram, Roswaal, and Priscilla reacted to the enormous screen appearing in the sky, and an electronic voice announced the Sage’s Tower arc.
• The screen showed Subaru’s party following a white bird through Sand Time and reaching a flower field of Courtesan Bears, where Meili distracted one of them.
• The screen showed a sudden roar triggering the witchbeasts to chase Subaru’s party toward the Pleiades Watchtower.
• A beam from the tower struck Subaru and annihilated the entire party, leaving Emilia and Otto horrified as the screen stopped.
• Emilia questioned whether the vision showed an unrealized future and said they had to find Subaru, while Priscilla declared that she would not let him die.

Subaru reached Olbart on the roof of Scarlet Lapis Castle with Louis and Night Weeping, but Olbart’s game erupted into a violent fight. Louis died while helping Subaru teleport, and Subaru was struck down as Night Weeping rushed toward them.

• Subaru learned from Ubilk that Olbart was at the top of Scarlet Lapis Castle and teleported there with Louis.
• Night Weeping agreed to help Subaru recover her retainer and demanded that Olbart end his game with the children.
• Olbart refused, insisting the match had to continue, and Night Weeping attacked him by cleaving the castle keep.
• Olbart set off bombs, and Subaru used Louis’s teleportation to try to save Night Weeping from Olbart’s attack.
• Subaru appeared beside Night Weeping as Louis was killed, then Olbart attacked Subaru and he lost consciousness.

The sky screen showed Subaru returning by death to the moment before the Courtesan Bears attacked, then dying while protecting Beatrice as a white beam struck them. The Emilia Camp watched the scene and resolved to find Subaru as quickly as possible.

• Subaru realized he had died and returned to the dragon carriage, but he could not explain what had caused his death or how to avoid it.
• Subaru ordered Ram to change course, and the group narrowly evaded a falling sandworm before a white beam from the watchtower struck toward them.
• Patrasche shielded Subaru from the beam, but Subaru was gravely wounded; Beatrice ran to him, and another beam pierced them both, causing Beatrice to vanish and Subaru to die.
• Beatrice woke in Emilia’s arms, distraught by the pain she had felt through her bond with Subaru, while Emilia and Ram worried over his suffering.
• Roswaal speculated about Subaru’s return by death, Petra mourned him, and Rem felt an inexplicable heartbreak despite having lost her memories; the Emilia Camp agreed to hurry and find Subaru.

After dying twice, Subaru returned to the demon beast flower field and used Invisible Providence to calm Joseph and help the group escape the Courtesan Bears. A deadly attack from the watchtower then triggered a spatial collapse, while Julius and Halibel watched the sky screen reveal that Subaru had been using Return by Death.

• Subaru returned to the flower field after his second death and realized Joseph would run wild unless someone calmed him.
• Subaru used Invisible Providence to stroke Joseph while Meili distracted the Courtesan Bear, allowing Julius to settle the ground dragon and the group to retreat.
• Subaru warned the others that the watchtower's light was dangerous, and Emilia and Julius protected him from its white needle-like beams.
• Beatrice cast the original nullification spell E M T, while Ram used Clairvoyance to try to contact the Sage in the tower.
• The spell disrupted the spatial distortion, and a fissure swallowed Subaru, his companions, and the dragon carriage.
• Julius watched the sky screen and wondered whether Subaru had saved everyone through repeated deaths, while Halibel identified the ability as Return by Death.

Subaru endured a repeating ten-second cycle of deaths caused by Olbart’s attacks, then used Louis’s teleportation and a forced interpretation of their game’s rules to make Olbart concede defeat. Afterward, Subaru thanked Louis and accepted Night Weeping’s comfort, but he remained troubled by the cycle and what had happened to Return by Death.

• Night Weeping kissed Subaru and asked him to fall in love with her, but he refused because he already loved someone else; Olbart then killed him.
• Subaru repeatedly relived the same ten seconds of Olbart attacking Night Weeping and the others, until he began enduring the loop by asking what his companions would do.
• Subaru signaled Louis to teleport them away from the rooftop, but Olbart found them, killed Louis, and killed Subaru again.
• Subaru used Louis’s teleportation to appear beside Olbart and clung to him, claiming he had won their game of tag because Olbart had broken the rules first.
• Olbart admitted defeat, and Subaru cried with Louis as Night Weeping comforted them; Subaru then agreed to let Olbart turn him back to normal.
• Subaru wondered what had caused the repeating deaths and what had happened to the Authority of Return by Death within him.

In the Shadow Garden, Satella and Echidna discussed Satella’s escape from the seal, the mysterious screen, and Flugel’s plans from four hundred years ago. Satella then sensed her other self’s projection, left to find Subaru and eliminate a threat, while Echidna was left alone in the mindscape.

• Satella told Echidna that only her original self had broken free from the seal, while the Envy-corrupted personality remained sealed.
• Satella and Echidna discussed the sky screen, and Echidna explained that it contained power from several sources and originated from antique mirror fragments Flugel had found.
• Echidna revealed that Flugel had gathered the fragments four hundred years earlier and suggested Satella ask him about the rest of his plans.
• Satella said she would not seek a resurrected body and wanted only to stay by Subaru’s side and protect him.
• Satella sensed her other self’s projection, demanded to be taken to Subaru, and announced that she would clear the obstacles ahead of him and wipe out an old man.
• Satella vanished in a whirlwind, leaving Echidna alone at the ruined tea party.

Satella stopped the Witch of Envy’s destructive shadow, but Tanza sacrificed herself to save Chaosflame, and Satella took the unconscious Subaru away. On Sword Slave Island, Subaru awoke in Satella’s arms as she called herself his lover, while a blue-green streak of lightning moved among the stone houses.

• The Witch of Envy’s shadow consumed much of Scarlet Lapis Castle, and Vincent ordered everyone to rescue those inside.
• Satella confronted the shadow and restrained the Witch of Envy’s power, while Tanza charged into the darkness and used the Soul Marriage Technique to destroy it.
• Chaosflame survived, but Tanza disappeared; Satella also killed Olbart after catching up with him.
• Satella gathered the shadow’s remaining power and carried the unconscious Subaru away, leaving Night Weeping and the others on the castle ruins.
• On Sword Slave Island, Subaru woke in Satella’s arms and asked who she was, and she answered that she was his lover.
• A blue-green streak of lightning threaded between the island’s stone houses.

Subaru and Tanza arrived on Sword Slave Island, where Satella explained why she had come to him and the island’s curse rules trapped its inhabitants. After Cecilus described the death matches and the curse, Satella repaired Subaru’s Gate, and he discovered that he could accommodate several witch factors as he prepared to challenge the island.

• Subaru woke on Ginunhive beside the injured Tanza and learned that Satella had broken through the seal to reach him because she wanted to see him and stay by his side.
• Tanza identified the island as Sword Slave Island and explained that its curse marks prevented those branded from escaping.
• The governor Gustav ordered the two newcomers taken to the infirmary, while the child calling himself Cecilus put Subaru to sleep and took him there.
• After waking, Subaru gave his name to Cecilus, who explained the island’s death matches and Curse Rules trapping its sword slaves.
• Satella told Subaru she had repaired his Gate, and Subaru sensed the witch factors of Sloth, Greed, and Envy within himself before declaring himself a storm for the island.

After arriving on the gladiator island Ginunhive, Subaru tried to find a way back to his companions and promised Satella he would save her. The island’s administrator, Gustav Morello, ordered him to participate in Sparka, so Subaru resolved to become strong enough to survive.

• Subaru visited Tanza in the filthy infirmary and decided to escape Ginunhive with her and return her to Night Weeping.
• Subaru spoke with Satella, thanked her for supporting his Return by Death, and promised to save her while reaffirming his love for Emilia.
• Gustav Morello arrived and introduced himself as the emperor’s administrator of Ginunhive; Subaru gave him the false name Natsuki Schwarz.
• Subaru explained that he and Tanza had come from Chaosflame and asked to leave, but Gustav reminded him that their arrival was conditional.
• Gustav ordered Subaru to participate in Sparka and warned that disobeying his commands would bring punishment.
• Subaru cursed the Empire and declared that he would become the strongest man and clear the trial in one life.

Subaru entered the Sparka with three resentful sword slaves and defeated a Shadow Lion by combining the powers of his Witch Factors. The island’s gladiator slaves recognized him as a warrior, and Subaru declared that his fight was only the beginning.

• Gustav explained that Subaru and three other men would face the Sparka together because their fifth Gou member remained unconscious.
• The four men entered the arena and found a Shadow Lion waiting for them, while the island’s sword slaves watched from the stands.
• Subaru used Invisible Providence, Greed’s enhancement, Shamak, and Envy’s power to kill the Shadow Lion alone.
• The lizardman leader clasped Subaru’s hand, and the sword slaves applauded and welcomed him as a mighty warrior.
• Gustav declared the survivors members of Sword Slave Island, while Cecilus expressed interest in sparring with Subaru.
• Satella praised Subaru, and he resolved that this was only the beginning.

Rem stayed in Guaral with Priscilla, struggling to understand her own uncertain place while learning from her temporary mistress. As Rem and Schult prepared Priscilla’s bath, flying dragons appeared over the city as the Great Disaster emerged in the distance.

• Rem joined Schult in answering Priscilla’s summons and discussed Guaral’s occupation, her uncertain allegiance, and her desire to understand Natsuki Subaru.
• Priscilla warned Rem and Heinkel that major changes could soon occur, while Heinkel went to speak with Medium at city hall.
• Priscilla told Rem that she should be herself rather than expect the world to obey her wishes, then ordered a bath prepared.
• Schult struggled with the bath preparations and told Flop that he wanted to become more useful to Priscilla.
• Flop and Schult spotted flying dragons approaching Guaral as the Great Disaster rose from the ground in the distance.

Heinkel, Flop, Schult, and Utaka-ta faced a sudden attack on Guaral by hundreds of flying dragons led by the Nine Divine Generals’ Madelyn Eschart. After Madelyn knocked Heinkel unconscious, she raised her wingblade to kill Schult, who had thrown himself over him.

• Mizelda spotted the approaching flying dragons, and Medium rang the alarm as the city prepared for an attack.
• Heinkel leaped to the western wall and killed several flying dragons, while Flop and Schult fled through the streets with Utaka-ta.
• Heinkel met Flop and the others, but refused to help defend the city and began escorting Schult toward Priscilla.
• Madelyn Eschart confronted them, identified herself as one of the Nine Divine Generals, and challenged Heinkel for killing a dragon.
• Heinkel dropped his sword and Madelyn beat him unconscious before turning her wingblade on him.
• Schult rushed to shield Heinkel, and Madelyn brought the wingblade down toward Schult’s head.

As flying dragons and the Divine General Madelyn ravaged the walled city, Rem helped treat the wounded while Priscilla fought to protect the residents. Priscilla confronted Madelyn as the Yang Sword weakened, and a silver-haired girl arrived with heavy snow, furious and searching for her missing knight.

• Rem treated the wounded at Priscilla’s mansion, where Kuna and Holly arrived to protect her.
• Priscilla killed flying dragons with the weakened Yang Sword and left to face the enemy’s main force, a Nine Divine General.
• Madelyn repeatedly struck Schult, whose body endured the attacks and whose eyes began to burn; Priscilla arrived and saved Schult, Flop, Utakata, and Heinkel from her.
• Priscilla and Madelyn resumed their fight, while Madelyn’s attacks devastated the southern district and roused the flying dragons into a rampage.
• Heavy snow began falling over the city, and a silver-haired girl arrived, angry and searching for her missing knight.

Emilia and Priscilla fought Madelyn Eschart in a snowbound Vollachian city while trying to stop her wyverns from attacking its people. After Madelyn was buried in the rubble, she called out to Mezoreia, and a dragon’s roar unleashed destruction from the clouds.

• Emilia entered Vollachia with Beatrice, Ram, Anastasia’s group, and their companions, using Otto’s connections in Picoutatte to smuggle across the border.
• Emilia cast Ice Age over a besieged city, hoping the cold would weaken the attacking wyverns, and reunited with Priscilla there.
• Madelyn Eschart attacked Emilia and Priscilla with her flying wing blade after Emilia asked her to stop the wyverns.
• Emilia and Priscilla fought together, using ice weapons and coordinated attacks to knock Madelyn into a pile of rubble.
• As Emilia dug Madelyn out, Madelyn called the name Mezoreia, and a dragon’s roar poured destruction down from the clouds.

A devastating blast wrecked Guaral, where Flop was gravely wounded protecting Rem from Madelyn Eschart. Rem used Flop’s life to bargain for the flying dragons’ retreat, while Emilia and Priscilla survived the blast; afterward, Madelyn, Flop, and Rem disappeared.

• Emilia raised layers of ice canopies against the white light while Priscilla struck it with the Yang Sword, but the blast swept through Guaral and buried Emilia and Priscilla in rubble.
• After the shock wave struck the mansion, Rem rushed to help an injured girl, who attacked her; Flop shoved Rem aside and took the girl’s claws, leaving him gravely wounded.
• The girl recognized the dragon fang on Flop as Kariyu’s tooth and demanded answers, while Rem used healing arts to stabilize him.
• Rem stopped short of fully healing Flop and demanded that Madelyn Eschart order the flying dragons to retreat; Madelyn identified herself as the Empire’s First General and confronted Rem.
• Emilia found Priscilla alive and saw the flying dragons withdrawing; Priscilla speculated that Madelyn had found something more important than her orders.
• After the attack ended, Madelyn and her flock left Guaral, and Rem and Flop disappeared as well.

Flop remembered how Miles freed him and Medium from an abusive orphanage, and how he later met Balleroy at Earl Serena’s estate. After the battle, Decker’s forces assessed the damage as Otto Suwen arrived seeking a friend and his friend’s younger sister.

• Miles broke into the orphanage, bound the adults, and let the children take revenge before offering them the choice to leave with him.
• Every child, including Flop and Medium, left the orphanage, and Flop cried with relief as he realized he was free.
• Decker watched the flying dragons retreat and considered the snowfall, the destruction of the southern city, and the city’s weakened defenses.
• Otto Suwen entered the command post, received Mizelda’s support, and asked permission to help with the aftermath while searching for a friend and his friend’s younger sister.
• Earl Serena welcomed Flop and the other children into her domain, where Flop met Balleroy as he cared for a flying dragon’s egg.

Rem was held at Berstetz Fondalfon’s manor in the imperial capital, where he explained his rebellion against Abel and the empire’s lack of an heir. After Flop woke from his wounds, Madelyn revealed her connection to Balleroy and her desire for revenge, leading Flop to identify Emperor Vincent Vollachia as Balleroy’s enemy.

• Rem questioned Berstetz, who admitted he was rebelling against Abel and said the emperor’s lack of an heir threatened the empire.
• Berstetz told Rem that he wanted to recruit her as a healer and an oni, then left her under observation in Lupgana.
• Flop woke under Madelyn’s care and learned that Guaral had not been completely destroyed and that Rem had been brought back too.
• Madelyn recognized the dragon tooth Flop carried as Kariyu’s and learned that Flop and Medium had been close to Balleroy.
• Madelyn said she had become one of the Nine Divine Generals to avenge Balleroy, and Flop concluded that his killer was Emperor Vincent Vollachia.

Emilia and Otto reviewed the destruction in Guaral and prepared for talks about the canopy and the search for Subaru and Rem. While waiting for Subaru’s return, Garfiel confronted Heinkel, then rushed to meet an approaching convoy and found Al in the lead carriage instead.

• Otto told Emilia that the group could not have prevented the flying dragon disaster, and Emilia, Petra, Otto, and Garfiel’s efforts to help the city were acknowledged.
• Emilia and Otto looked forward to discussions with Guaral’s leaders about the canopy and finding Subaru and Rem.
• Garfiel argued with Heinkel on the damaged city wall, then heard Heinkel reveal that his wife was the source of his despair.
• Heinkel spotted an approaching convoy and told Garfiel to welcome the expected hero, while warning him not to miss his chance.
• Garfiel sprinted toward the convoy expecting Subaru, but stopped in confusion as it arrived and Al called him the city’s messenger.

Frederica and Emilia’s group learned that Subaru was missing again after the returning carriages from Chaosflame arrived without him, while Rem had already been taken hostage. Medium returned shrunken alongside Abel, and Emilia comforted the distressed little girl traveling with her as the group faced another search for Subaru.

• Frederica spoke with Decker about the search for Subaru and Rem, learning that Rem had been abducted during the flying dragon disaster after negotiating with a Divine General.
• Decker’s subordinate reported that carriages had arrived from Chaosflame, but Natsumi Schwarz was missing after disappearing there.
• Emilia rushed to the city hall with Beatrice and learned from Frederica that Subaru was not among the returning travelers.
• Medium arrived with Abel and explained that Olbart Dunkelkenn’s technique had shrunk her; she asked what had happened to Subaru and Rem.
• Emilia spoke gently with the distressed little girl beside Medium, who reacted sadly to Subaru’s name.