Toaru Majutsu no Index II Episode 03

Synopsis
The nuns under Agnese's command have gathered in Parallel Sweets Park while Agnese briefs Touma, Stiyl, and Index regarding the situation. She assures everyone that Orsola is safe as long as "The Book of the Law" is not yet in their hands, being its only successful Decoder. For the meantime, Agnese plans of confronting the Amakusa while needing the aid of Touma and the others to retrieve Orsola.

Index warns Agnese about the possibility of escape once the portal activates at midnight, and Agnese responds by reminding them to flee the scene when they fail to retrieve Orsola by five minutes before midnight.

Stiyl feels uncomfortable with the events that will unfold, especially with everything done in a tight schedule.

Agnese's forces and the group of Touma, Index and Stiyl go their separate ways.

Touma voices out his doubts in the success of their mission. Stiyl understands this, and soon reveals them vital information he has not given to the Roman Catholics: that Kanzaki Kaori has been missing, and is most likely siding with the Amakusa. Stiyl assures them that not every task is to be completed, and Touma responds by choosing to leave out retrieving "The Book of the Law". Index agrees to this, knowing how useless the magical book is without the cipher from Orsola.

With an explosion heard from a distance, Touma and the others start their rescue plan.

Inside Parallel Sweets Park, Touma's group narrowly survives an ambush made by members of Amakusa. Stiyl hands over the cross necklace Laura Stuart gave to him earlier and escapes with Index, leaving Touma with three armed Amakusa members to fend off.

After a short pursuit, Touma manages to lose two of them while hiding; unfortunately, he gives out his presence to the third, a girl wielding a dress sword. Touma uses a bottle of oil to distract the girl, spilling it over her eyes, and tackled her, knocking her unconscious.

Touma soon leaves the scene until he collides with someone, who turns out to be Orsola. Touma dispells the strips of paper gagging her and binding her hands and tells her about his intent to rescue her. Orsola wonders how he could dispel the magic in the strips of paper used to restrain her, and Touma gives out a vague answer regarding his power. Soon, Touma shows Orsola the necklace and, under her request, wears it around her neck.

Soon, Touma opens the topic about her ability to 'read' "The Book of the Law". Orsola prefers the term 'decipher a code' than 'read', and tells him that she wanted to acquire the power inside the book to destroy it, as she knows how much chaos the power of the book has brought.

All of a sudden, an explosion ripped through the area in front of Touma and Orsola, and Touma sees Stiyl stagger to the ground while a man wielding a Flamberge emerges from the rubble: Tatemiya Saiji.

Saiji announces his intent of not harming Orsola, but it appears that Orsola's ideals clash with Saiji's regarding acquiring peace through force. Touma tells Saiji that he does not prefer to fight him, but it brought up the opposite signal; Saiji rushes towards Touma and attacks.

Touma can only narrowly avoid Saiji's attacks and, assuming that they are all magical in nature, plans to use Imagine Breaker against them. Index, however, knows that they are not, and warns him, but Touma receives a hit too late. Meanwhile, Stiyl unleashes a fire sword to fight Saiji, and notices Touma telling him to stab the sword through Touma.

Saiji prepares through the attack, assuming that the next attack will be Stiyl's fire sword, but he realizes too late that Touma has it planned all along. Stiyl lets his sword be dispelled by Imagine Breaker while Touma lands a punch to Saiji's face; Stiyl and Touma then tackle him to the ground, disarming him in the process.

A few minutes later, all the members of Amakusa are gathered and restrained, with Saiji tied up and having runes placed on his body. Index finds Touma a viable target for a powerful bite to the head after seeing him unharmed despite fighting against a magician.

Saiji talks to Touma and warns him about the treatment Orsola is going to experience. Index tries to warn Touma about Saiji possibly deceiving him, but even she is shocked by the revelation Saiji gave. According to him, Orsola is to be killed by the Roman Catholics, and they never stole "The Book of the Law" to begin with, as it was breaking their ideals to end the Age of Christianity by using the power of the said grimoire.

In the end, the loss of "The Book of the Law" is a mere ruse by the Roman Catholic Church.

Touma still doubts him, considering the fact that Orsola escaped from them. Saiji then realizes that Orsola still has doubts on trusting the Amakusa, like Touma's doubts about him telling the truth. Soon, Saiji tells them on how they tried to maintain the Amakusa without their Priestess Kanzaki Kaori, and their intent on helping Orsola.

Orsola's screams are then heard from a distance. Touma becomes distressed and rushes to her aid, but Saiji stops him and makes him promise to take away Orsola from the Roman Catholics.

Soon, two nuns arrive to take Saiji in their custody; a tall girl with carriage wheels, and a smaller girl with pouches attached on her waist. Touma tries to ask the taller of the two about Agnese and Orsola, and upon touching her shoulder, that nun becomes hostile, using her magic to disintegrate the wheels she hold as shrapnel.

Touma takes some damage while the taller girl, named Lucia, orders her companion, named Angelene, to attack using the pouches on her waist. Angelene almost hits Index and manages to immobilize her. Lucia focuses her attack on Touma, only to be interrupted by what appears to be one of Angelene's pouches. Index reveals that she uses Spell Intercept to control Angelene's powers.

Lucia and Angelene soon hears a whistle--a sign of retreat--and flees accordingly.

Saiji then reminds them about the Roman Catholics and their underhanded means of acquiring something.

Adapted From
Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 07

Major events

 * Agnese's forces successfully manage to defeat the Amakusa Catholics and retrieve Orsola Aquinas.
 * Touma battles Uragami and defeats her.
 * Touma hands over the crucifix that was given by Laura Stuart to Stiyl Magnus, to Orsola Aquinas
 * Stiyl and Touma battle Tatemiya Saiji and defeat him.
 * Index and Touma discover Agnese's deception after being covinced by Saiji, as well as being attacked by both Lucia and Angelene.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Agnese Sanctis
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Index
 * Stiyl Magnus
 * Lucia
 * Angelene
 * Orsola Aquinas
 * Tatemiya Saiji
 * Uragami
 * Amakusa Catholics
 * Kanzaki Kaori (flashback-only)

New Characters

 * Uragami

Abilities

 * Fire sword - Stiyl Magnus
 * Rune magic - Stiyl Magnus, Amakusa Catholics
 * Imagine Breaker - Kamijou Touma, level 0
 * Spell Intercept - Index

New Abilities

 * Amakusa Style magic - Saiji
 * Unnamed magic revolving around a wheel - Lucia
 * Unnamed magic revolving around bags that can be used as projectiles - Angelene

Locations

 * Hakumeiza
 * Parallel Sweets Park

New Locations
No new locations were introduced during this episode.

Trivia

 * Uragami is featured in this episode, ending the long-held fan speculation that Itsuwa is Uragami.
 * Touma complaining on how Stiyl used him as a decoy again maybe a reference to a scene in episode 8 of the first season.
 * This would mark the first time Index used Spell Intercept since episode 23 of the first season.

Referbacks

 * The Lotus Wand that Index mentioned back in episode 1 is seen for the first time.

Cultural References

 * Stiyl uses peorð rune (ᛈ) cards to make himsell and Index vanish.
 * The Amakusa uses a naudiz rune (ᚾ) to disable Orsola from speaking as well as to bind her.
 * The sword that Saiji carries around with him is called the Flamberge.
 * Stiyl uses Isaz runes (ᛁ) to subdue to Saiji.

Animation Trivia

 * The injuries that Touma had received from Lucia seemingly disappears immediately after she and Angelene were forced to retreat.

Unanswered Questions

 * What is the significance of the crucifix that Touma gave to Orsola?
 * What was that creature Kaori was fighting in the flashback?
 * Where did the Roman Catholics take Orsola?

Quotes
Touma: "I was used as a decoy yet again?" -in regards to Stiyl abandoning him. Orsola: "Because I wanted power. I can say that without a doubt... The power of grimoires cannot bring happiness to anyone. There has been nothing but fightin because of these books. That's why I wanted to research how that grimoire functioned, in order to destroy it."-said to Touma regarding his question on why she is researching on how to translate Liber Al vel Legis. Saiji: "What are you doing, my brethren from the Anglican Church? Hey, where's your pride as an Englishman? Show me, Tatemiya Saiji, some of that pride."-Saiji gloating to Stiyl. Touma: "If you're a person who would fight for someone else, would you please put away your sword? I'd rather not fight someone like you." -said to Saiji.