Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 07/Chapter 1

Synopsis
Meanwhile, school in Academy City is in its hectic stages, with the second semester in full swing. Everyone, including Touma, newly-admitted transferee Aisa and their teacher Tsukuyomi Komoe are busy in academics, leaving Index with Tsuchimikado Motoharu's sister Maika.

Index wonders why Maika is always running around and can be seen almost anywhere; she later explains that it's part of the curriculum in her school, which produces competitive servants that can do anything from simple house cleaning to diplomatic assistance. Index assumes that it was a very easy task, and asks Maika to make her Touma's maid, much to Maika's shock.

Soon, their conversation is interrupted when something creeps from behind Index...

On the other hand, Touma finds himself toiling in preparation for the Daihaseisai, one of those events which he has forgotten after the event that wiped his memories. Tired after setting up visitor tents, he plans on returning home to get some funds to refill his empty fridge. Upon reaching his dormitory, Maika calls him from the seventh level of the dormitory, pale-faced and stuttering.

When Touma goes to Maika on the seventh floor, she breaks to him what happened to Index. After handing Touma an envelope, Maika tells Touma that she was abducted by a man wearing a priest's robes, with long red hair and a strong perfume scent, and had a tattoo under his right eye. Touma knew of only one person who would have those characteristics--Stiyl Magnus--but all he thought about this was it was some joke of his.

The envelope contains a letter for Touma and an array of completely filled-up documents which allows a person to exit Academy City. The letter tells Touma to meet him in "Twilight Theater", an abandoned cinema house in Academy City. Despite feeling confused at Stiyl's actions, he decides to follow his request.

Index frowns on her captor while he tries to explain the terms behind his actions. Stiyl tells her that this is part of a plan to involve Touma in his search for "The Book of the Law" while avoiding Academy City from being involved as well. Index clearly does not approve of his technique to pull Touma into the mess concerning "The Book of the Law", but understands the circumstances.

Stiyl then explains that things have changed just recently; a battle of the Roman Catholics against escaping Amakusa Christians has just ended, with no casualties and both Orsola and "The Book of the Law" still missing. The situation calls for Stiyl to order Touma to arrive before his companion for battle arrives.

However, it's too late.

Touma leaves the gates of Academy City to look for Twilight Theater and, by extension, Stiyl and Index. He takes the time to look around, and finds out that the Twilight Theater is not part of the abandoned buildings listed on his GPS-equipped phone. Also, in his haste, he forgets his money, so buying anything is also not an option.

Upon walking towards a bus stop, he meets a woman in a nun's outfit. Because of his experiences with Index, he feels the need to be cautious.

Touma and the seemingly clueless nun conversed to each other, with the latter wanting to get inside Academy City by bus (which is impossible due to the need of an entrance pass). Despite feeling disappointed by Touma handing out the facts, she warms up to him and shows some hospitality.

Soon, she blurts out that she was pursued, and was thinking of Academy City as a viable refuge against those who want her captured. Touma finds himself caught in another fix while he is already in one, and despite the conditions dictating that he should go to Twilight Theater alone, he decides to bring the nun with him.

Meanwhile, inside Twilight Theater, Stiyl and Index meet up with the former's newest companion to the mission: a girl with braided hair and dressed in a nun's outfit that reached to her thighs; her name is Agnese Sanctis.

She voices out her concern regarding the encounters with the Amakusa Christians and their incessant attempts to capture Orsola. As it turns out, Orsola has encountered the members of the Amakusa Church more than once, involving in a tug-of-war with Orsola caught in the middle. What makes things worse, is the tendency of former Amakusa Pontiff -- and current Necessarius member -- Kanzaki Kaori to get involved, which they are trying to avoid.

With information from both Agnese and Index, Stiyl discovers that their enemy is an expert in subtlety, melding their magic in everyday objects and in their every action. This makes a direct assault against them a disadvantage in itself. However, with Academy City practically unreachable to the Amakusas, Agnese sees this as a chance to search Orsola unimpeded; this is the reason Stiyl was involved.

As Stiyl decides to contact Academy City through St. George's Cathedral. As he does, Agnese and Stiyl froze at the shocking sight in front of the abandoned theater: Touma Kamijou and Orsola Aquinas together.

After a long walk, Touma reaches his destination with Orsola following him. Upon taking a quick look inside, they see Index and Stiyl, along with an unfamiliar girl in nun's clothing. Stiyl goes to tell him about Index being captured and the real reason behind it; Touma, however, is not pleased about the situation, especially the part that he's been following someone else's orders unwillingly. Meanwhile, Orsola is not at ease with the people Touma is talking to.

All of a sudden, a voice suggests Orsola to join them instead, and in a split second, the ground beneath the nun breaks apart and Orsola drops into the abyss. Agnese, Touma and Stiyl try to stop the figures below the hole, but to no avail.

Touma and Stiyl are left confused on what just happened.

Between the Lines 1
Meanwhile, from the shores of Japan, a group of armor-clad knights emerge. Using a spell derived from St. Blaise, they travel from England for one purpose: to destroy the Amakusa Christians. However, their past as an order dedicated solely to the Queen made them apathetic of the Archbishop's orders and her warning about a certain Amakusa Pontiff-turned Necessarius member; this ultimately cost them their victory.

In a few minutes, all twenty-one of the Knights brought by England are defeated by none other than Kanzaki Kaori.

Then, she is accompanied by a familiar face: Tsuchimikado Motoharu. He assures that he was not there to intervene, but to do an entirely different job: to acquire "The Book of the Law" before the Roman Catholics and the Amakusa members. As Kanzaki leaves behind Motoharu to take care of the injured Knights, the magician-esper hybrid wonders about her plans after returning from England, which Kanzaki also wonders about.

Adapted To

 * Anime:
 * Manga:

Characters
By order of appearance:

New Characters

 * Agnese Sanctis
 * Orsola Aquinas