The group is making its way in the Mathers domain when suddenly everyone but Subaru disappears and a strange, suffocating atmosphere seeps through the forest. He quickly figures out it is nothing but an illusion, and with help from Julius on the other side, dispels the barrier for everyone caught in it. However, arriving at the village doesn't make convincing the residents to evacuate easy. Time is running out, and the invisible hand of sloth makes its presence at the back of Subaru's mind more and more nefarious.

Subaru devises a new plan to correct the mistake of the blank letter sent to the manor, encourage the evacuation of the villagers and move Emilia away from her current location. With these preparations complete, he enacts the second part of his plan designed to cut off the Fingers before severing the Unseen Hand once and for all.