Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 18/Chapter 3

Synopsis
As Kamijou Touma descended down the Windowless Building, a mysterious figure of a woman with cat ears wearing a black mourning attire appears before Touma. This woman introduces herself in many names, including "Mina", "Mrs. Mathers", the "Black Cat Witch", the "heretic painter" and the "founder’s understander", and reveals her awareness in being created within the Windowless building as a reminder of its owner's past mistakes. Soon, Mina explains about the Golden cabal, a large magic cabal established with the foundations of Rosenkreuz and Hermeticism, and its destruction in the hands of a man named Aleister Crowley. Soon after, Touma finds himself on firm ground as images of London, particularly 36 Blythe Road in the 1900s appears around him, and Mina begins retelling of the Battle of Blythe Road, where Aleister Crowley confronted Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers and declared war on the main branch of the Golden magic cabal.

Touma once more finds himself on the staircase where he and the others were attacked by Aleister Crowley earlier. Mina reappears to speak cryptically with Touma, and soon explains that Aleister Crowley currently lives in a quest for power caused by constant exposure to things that traumatize him as well as his hatred towards the world. After struggling to understand Mina's words, Touma decides to continue his ascent up the Windowless Building, only to find himself falling again.

At School District 11, Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki head to the remains of the original Anti-Art Attachment and Mikoto begins examining the damaged parts of the A.A.A. along with Misaki. Despite their combined knowledge, they are left with more questions. Regardless, Mikoto continues prying into the inner workings of the A.A.A.

Touma finds himself again in 1900s London. This time, he and Mina are inside the Isis-Urania Temple, where Mathers argued with Westcott about their current state of affairs, while Mina suggested that their cabal, due to their focus on their occult affairs, often finds itself under financial difficulty as well as the criticisms of journalists. Soon, as Mathers beat Westcott on a game of chess, they began talking about the newest member of the cabal, a man named Crowley. Westcott immediately voiced his worries over Crowley's approach to magic, but Mathers quickly dismissed them and allowed Crowley to enter the cabal.

Shortly after the meeting with the founders of the Golden cabal, Touma returns to the Windowless Building. This time, he manages to regroup with Maika. As he tries to endure Mina's teasing, Touma and Maika continue climbing their way up the Windowless Building. Partway, Mina reveals the nature of the "dagger" that's pierced through Maika's chest as a summoning tool. Then, as they reach a more precarious part of the ascent, Maika prepares a crowbar and duct tape as their lifeline, but Touma once more slips and falls.

Back to the Golden cabal, Westcott and Mathers watched as Crowley prepared pigeon's blood for a ceremony. With Westcott seemingly anxious about this development, Mathers tried to assure him that their actions, notably the creation of a "work kit" for developing magic, are for the sake of the cabal. Westcott tried to argue that even cabals need to compromise, but Mathers simply saw his caution as a sign of skepticism. On Mathers' cue, Crowley began the ceremony, and Westcott helplessly watched as the ceremony had begun. Meanwhile, the two founders continued on bickering against each other, with Mina pointing out the impasse between Mathers who strove to bring progress to magic, and Westcott who wanted to retain established principles. Mina, however, pointed out that even Mathers lost his influence to Aleister Crowley himself, and the Battle of Blythe Road was the reason behind Crowley's supremacy.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Shokuhou Misaki

New Characters

 * Mina Mathers
 * Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers
 * William Wynn Westcott

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 7
 * Windowless Building

Cultural References

 * The chapter refers to many names associated with occultism. Mathers pertains to Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, Westcott pertains to William Wynn Westcott, Waite pertains to Arthur Edward Waite, and Regardie pertains to Israel Regardie. Bennett pertains to two people: Charles Henry Allan Bennett, and Frank Bennett, both having connections to Aleister Crowley. The "third founder" was William Robert Woodman.
 * The Four Worlds is a Kabbalistic concept of four spiritual realms. These are Atziluth (Emanation), Beri'ah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation) and Assiah (Action).
 * During his discussion with Westcott, Mathers refers to, the notorious, unidentified serial killer believed to have been responsible for five gruesome murders in the Whitechapel district of London in 1888.

Quotes

 * Mina: “A single visual will solidify their image, trap them, and rob them of their freedom. Using that to seal off the cards in their deck and drive them into a dead end is one form of magic battle. See? You can’t picture anything other than sexy lingerie now, can you? You can only picture an elegant and glamorous lifestyle…”
 * Westcott: “Only the unenlightened use alcohol to see visions, Mathers.”
 * Mina: “Hee hee. Taking advantage of the fact that her hands and feet are on the ladder to go for the defenseless butt of your friend’s sister, are we? You’re quite the piece of shit.”