Toaru Majutsu no Index II Episode 15

Synopsis
Touma gets the surprise of his life upon seeing Agnese in front of him, and what's more surprising for him is how he was punched by Agnese upon seeing him. Fortunately, Orsola manages to stop Agnese from continuing on her assault. Agnese admits that she is part of the team tasked with searching for the intruders; she did not know that it was Orsola and Touma who are the intruders.

Agnese decides to use the opportunity to propose a deal with the two intruders. However, it requires the two to follow Agnese's demands, or risk being exposed. Although Touma is doubtful of the deal, Orsola decides to go with her demands.

After Agnese closes the room, she answers Orsola's questions regarding the ship they boarded. According to Agnese, the fleet of ships, called as The Queen's Fleet, is used for surveillance purposes in the Adriatic Sea. Touma, however, questions the real purpose of the fleet, as one of the alleged members of the Roman Catholic Church attacked him and Orsola earlier. Agnese responds with a reminder that her plans were thwarted by none other than Touma himself, and so he is a viable target by the Roman Catholics.

She also confirms that the surveillance function of the fleet is actually a front; criminals like Agnese are forced to work to repay certain debts. Likewise, the 250 nuns under her command are also put under the same treatment. Agnese then asks Touma and Orsola to rescue two of those - Sisters Lucia and Angelene - in exchange for allowing them to escape.

The owner of the Lotus Wand explains that Lucia and Angelene once utilized a spell to confuse the security systems and fled, but her new attire foiled their plans, and they risk being in more trouble than the rest. Agnese assumes that Lucia and Angelene are to be put into a certain procedure that alters brain patterns, which troubles her deeply.

Agnese asks them to locate Lucia and Angelene to save them soon, while she heads to the flagship to plan a distraction; she wants the two to utilize the opportunity while the fleet's crew are busy with lots of tasks. Although Touma plans of taking Agnese with him, she advises him that she enjoys the privileges she currently have and it will be better if she stays.

Touma accepts her decision, and Agnese lends her hand. Unfortunately the Imagine Breaker in Touma's hand causes Agnese's clothes to fall off, and he and Orsola are forced to cover Agnese's mouth upon trying to scream.

Meanwhile, Index realizes that she might be facing The Queen's Fleet and runs off, looking for some way to gain reinforcements.

Back inside the ship, Touma and Orsola approach the room where Lucia and Angelene are kept inside. Touma realizes that it is guarded with a figure made of ice and uses his right hand to destroy it.

Upon entering the room, they discover that there are three people guarding the nuns; Orsola then uses their lack of information about the Imagine Breaker to bluff the guards into surrendering.

Orsola then explains their purpose to Lucia; she is doubtful at first, but Touma tells her and Angelene that they are requested by Agnese to do this in exchange for escaping the ship. Lucia is still thinking twice about trusting Touma and Orsola, whom she knew were their enemies, but Orsola points out that they do not use Agnese's name in vain.

Lucia eventually accepts their help, and demonstrates a spell they created to escape, which consists of Lucia and Angelene clasping each other's hand and pointing to a desired location. According to Lucia, they managed to modify the spell which creates the ice ships, allowing them to create portals with ease; likewise, it can be used to create escape pods from seawater.

However, Lucia and Angelene feels the effect of the counterspell added on their clothes. Touma thinks that the Imagine Breaker can be handy at their current state, but Orsola does not think that it is such a good idea.

As Agnese recollects from her memories while traveling between ships using a magical bridge, Touma breaks the bad news to Lucia and Angelene: Agnese might not be coming, as she prefers to act as a diversion as they make the escape. Lucia is alarmed by what she heard, especially she knows that the flagship is the place where a spell called La Regina del Mare Adriatico is activated.

Also, the flagship is needed for a spell related to the La Regina del Mare Adriatico spell: the Rosary of the Appointed Time spell... in which Agnese is to be sacrificed. According to Lucia, the Rosary of the Appointed Time will completely destroy Agnese's brain, leaving her heart beating as she dies; this alarms Touma as he realized what Agnese has been planning all along.

Then, in a split second, they are attacked in all directions by neighboring ships.

Meanwhile, the rumbling sound of cannons fired reached the place where Agnese entered. Also, a voice that emerges from the cross worn by a man in front of him began to report about a destroyed ship, one which he shrugs aside. The man wearing the clothes of a high-ranking clergy, identified as Bishop Biagio, comments on the irony of Agnese's compatibility with the Rosary of the Appointed Time despite being tagged as a heretic.

Then, Biagio suddenly receives another message: the ship recently destroyed is being salvaged by a large construct directly beneath it. Meanwhile, at the ruins of the ship bombarded by The Queen's Fleet, Touma sinks to the ocean floor, thinking that he is in severe peril, before he loses consciousness...

When he comes to, he sees Index and Tatemiya Saiji. A certain Amakusa girl hands out a rolled towel for Touma to use.

Then, it hit him: "Why are you here?!"

Saiji assures Touma and tells him that they have managed to rescue everyone, with the others being interrogated. Touma then asks about where they currently are. Saiji describes their whereabouts as "a ship that can float or sink" and tells Touma that naval combat is their specialty.

Soon Touma wonders if Sisters Lucia and Angelene are alright, causing Index to feel insecure. What makes things worse is when the two nuns are taken to him with Orsola. Saiji tells him that they used his right hand to destroy the spell that binds the two nuns' clothing - causing them to suffer a fate same as Index's - and this causes Index to bite Touma in retaliation.

As Touma is chased by Index, Angelene tries to remind everyone of their current mission. However, she is overwhelmed by the mess Touma is attracting, especially knocking over Itsuwa and being the center of attention by everyone.

Because of this, Angelene is forced do something she has not done to Lucia in public: lifting her skirt.

At a nearby port, the Amakusa prepare a hearty dinner for Touma and the others. Touma receives yet another towel from Itsuwa (which appears to be part of the Amakusa's plan to put her close to Touma), and he begins to ask the Roman Catholic nuns about the La Regina del Mare Adriatico spell.

According to Orsola, the name is derived from one of the nicknames of Venice, and at a time when the churches of Venice and Rome are at a conflict, the spell is designed to annihilate Venice in one strike, including its history and culture. Angelene is surprised about what the spell can do, and is alarmed by her inability to act immediately. Saiji sees the need to interrupt the spell's activation as soon as possible; however he admits that it is not an easy task.

Lucia and Angelene reveals their eagerness to save Agnese, however, they are warned by Saiji for their naivete for thinking of simple solutions to a difficult challenge ahead. Touma thinks that Saiji's laxity in handling the situation is unacceptable, but Saiji assures him that he just wants to see if Touma has the resolve to proceed. He also tells him that a plan has already been prepared.

As they sail forth again, everyone prepares, with Index handing Agnese's Lotus Wand to Orsola. Saiji then initiates his attack to The Queen's Fleet by summoning a fleet of wooden boats. Meanwhile, Saiji's attack is detected by the enemy and is countered by enemy cannon fire.

However, the boats are not attacking, and instead, are designed to explode on impact. This slightly impairs the fleet while the Amakusa also activate underwater attacks on the ship's hull. Meanwhile, the Amakusa, Orsola, Touma, Lucia and Angelene board one of the ships of The Queen's Fleet while fending off the enemy forces.

Facing fellow Roman Catholics is a challenge for Lucia and Angelene, but soon, the ships around them began to fire indisciminately, causing even the enemy to be alarmed of being killed alongside the intruders. Lucia and Angelene decide to help their fellow sisters, using their magic to protect them.

However, Angelene is forced to put her lives at risk, and in her attempt to deflect incoming debris, she becomes hurt in the process.

Adapted From
Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 11

Major events

 * The Queen of the Adriatic Sea and it's fleet continue their mobilization.
 * Amakusa begin their attack on the the Queen's Fleet.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Agnese Sanctis
 * Orsola Aquinas
 * Lucia
 * Angelene
 * Roman Catholic Church
 * Index
 * Tatemiya Saiji
 * Itsuwa
 * Amakusa-Style Remix of Church
 * Kanzaki Kaori (referenced only)
 * Agnese Forces

New Characters

 * Biagio Busoni
 * Agata

Abilities

 * Imagine Breaker - Kamijou Touma, level 0
 * St. Catherine's Wheel - Lucia
 * Unnamed magic revolving around bags that can be used as projectiles - Angelene

New Abilities

 * Ice golem - Roman Catholic Church
 * Water portal - Lucia and Angelene
 * Restrictive robes - Roman Catholic Church, applied on Agnese Sanctis, Lucia and Angelene
 * Rosary of the Appointed Time - Roman Catholic Church (referenced only)
 * Cross-related magic - Biagio Busoni
 * Magic boats - Amakusa-Style Remix of Church
 * Magic bridges - Amakusa-Style Remix of Church
 * Saint Barbara's Holy Cannon - Roman Catholic Church, Ships of The Queen's Fleet

Locations

 * Adriatic Sea
 * Chioggia, Venice

New Locations

 * La Regina del Mare Adriatico
 * Roman Catholic Church Orphanage (flashback only)

Trivia

 * This episode would mark the fourth time Touma destroyed girls' clothes using the Imagine Breaker. The first time would be that of Index in the first episode of the first season and Agnese, Lucia and Angelene during this episode. As the result of Touma destroying their restrictive robes, Lucia and Angelene are forced to use pins to hold their clothes together, similar to that of Index.

Referbacks

 * The incident where Touma confront Agnese and her forces alone, is referenced by Agnese herself during the episode.

Cultural References

 * Just like it's fleet, the La Regina del Mare Adriatico is a barque-type sailing vessel although much larger and features two gun decks and a figurehead.
 * The Amakusa's sailing vessel resembles that of a simple cog ship, with only one mast and using a single square-rigged sail.
 * The age-old strategy of using fire ships or ships to attack other vessels is featured in this episode, used by the Amakusas.
 * St. Barbara, the patron saint of artillerymen and military engineers, is referenced during this episode and is fittingly named after a cannon.
 * Venice being an enemy of the Roman Catholic Church is referenced during this episode.

Animation Trivia

 * Like the ice ships, the magic boats created by Saiji are CG rendered.

Unanswered Questions

 * Why would the Roman Catholic Church want to destroy Venice with the La Regina del Mare Adriatico?
 * How exactly would Agnese be used for Rosary of the Appointed Time?

Quotes

 * Tatemiya:"I just wanted to see whether you are really had the resolve or not." -said to Touma regarding rescuing Agnese Sanctis.
 * Amakusa Catholics:"To reach out those in need!" -the Amakusa's battle cry.