Chapter 860: I Feel Guilty
"I'll go after her, I'll be right back!" Noticing Shirai Kuroko's gaze on her, Misaka Mikoto hurriedly said, then leaped onto the car roof.
As if waiting for Misaka Mikoto to catch up, Shirai Kuroko would stop and wait for a moment in a place where Misaka Mikoto could see her every time she used Space Movement.
Therefore, after chasing for less than two kilometers, Misaka Mikoto caught up with Shirai Kuroko.
Or rather, Shirai Kuroko stopped on her own, allowing herself to be caught.
"Why did you run away, Kuroko?" Misaka Mikoto complained, "I didn't mean to blame you. And I didn't mean to shock you just now either."
"I know that, of course. Actually, it's because I, Shirai Kuroko, feel guilty and feel I can't face Onee-sama." Shirai Kuroko bent her knees slightly, lifted her skirt, and bowed.
"Guilty?" Misaka Mikoto asked in surprise, "Kuroko, have you... done anything to feel guilty about?"
Shirai Kuroko paused for a moment, then said, "Someone asked me to introduce them to Senior Lin Wuming this time, and it was actually so that Sister Orsola could meet Lin Wuming."
"Ah, there was indeed a girl in black just now." Misaka Mikoto recalled the figure she had seen earlier. "Wait, are you saying..."
"That was just a misunderstanding." Shirai Kuroko shook her head. "Although Gao Ping-sensei, who asked me for help, originally intended to introduce Senior Lin Wuming to a new confidante, that's not what happened."
Then, Shirai Kuroko explained everything that had happened.
"So that's how it is," Misaka Mikoto said with a sigh of relief and a smile after learning that Sister Orsola had only come seeking refuge. "Then it's nothing, Kuroko. You don't need to be so... because of this little thing."
"What if this wasn't a misunderstanding?" Shirai Kuroko asked.
"Huh?"
"What if Senior Lin Wuming's confidante really came looking for him? What then?"
"Eh?" Misaka Mikoto also wavered. "This... no way? Senior Lin Wuming shouldn't know anyone outside of Academy City..."
"Who can guarantee that?" Shirai Kuroko said with a straight face. "After all, we're not Shokuhou, so we can't understand Senior Lin Wuming that well! We can't be 100% sure that Senior Lin Wuming hasn't formed relationships elsewhere."
"This..." Misaka Mikoto gave a dry laugh. "Kuroko, you're too agitated. You don't need to be so sensitive. And you know Senior Lin Wuming's character and personality, so..."
"Onee-sama." Shirai Kuroko interrupted her comfort. "I know all that you're saying, and I admit that everything you're saying is correct. It's just that..."
Shirai Kuroko showed an extremely regretful expression: "I just can't forgive myself for being used by others. To think that I was asked for a favor, and in the end, it was for something like this... to add rivals for myself... for Onee-sama, it's simply too ironic!"
"Don't even mention rivals. Even without that girl..." Misaka Mikoto said with a bitter smile. "Shokuhou Misaki is already a headache, Hu Feng Toumi is also difficult to deal with, and now we have to add Misaka Worst and Kazakiri Hyouka, those two troublemakers... sigh!"
"Uh... it's indeed very grim, this situation." Shirai Kuroko said with a serious expression.
"In any case, let's put these matters aside for now and consider the immediate problem," Misaka Mikoto shook her head, forcing herself to be magnanimous. "Kuroko, did you specifically come all the way here just to tell me this?"
"Yes... yes!" Shirai Kuroko looked to the side. "I do feel guilty, so..."
"I told you not to worry about such small things..." Misaka Mikoto said. "And Senior Lin Wuming must already know about it. Alright, let's go back and meet up."
"No, Onee-sama, you go back by yourself," Shirai Kuroko refused. "I still have something I need to take care of first."
Facing Misaka Mikoto's puzzled gaze, Shirai Kuroko lowered her eyelids: "This incident is a bit troublesome. Although Senior Lin Wuming has already vouched for it, some follow-up work still needs to be handled... Hmm, it's better to do it sooner rather than later, so..."
...
After Misaka Mikoto chased Shirai Kuroko away, Lin Wuming also gave a detailed explanation of the situation here.
Shokuhou Misaki was not surprised—even if there were some deviations, it was still content mentioned in the original plot.
Hu Feng Toumi was completely unconcerned, especially after learning that Sister Orsola had only come seeking refuge.
As for Misaka Worst and Kazakiri Hyouka, they were now eager for the situation to become even more chaotic, so they cared even less about this small matter.
Mi Yi Aiyu silently watched these girls, and finally looked at Shokuhou Misaki with great exasperation: "To pursue the so-called 'true heart,' the price you've paid is too great, isn't it? And you've made the situation even more chaotic!"
Strictly speaking, both Lin Wuming's inaction and Shokuhou Misaki's laissez-faire were responsible for the current situation.
At least in Mi Yi Aiyu's view, if Shokuhou Misaki hadn't been so conflicted and had acted decisively, she would have dealt with Lin Wuming long ago, and there wouldn't have been all these inexplicable developments.
"None of your business." Shokuhou Misaki rolled her eyes at her but did not refute the other's assessment.
"Heh heh." Mi Yi Aiyu chuckled twice, then glanced at the group of beautiful girls present, and shook her head with some disappointment—there was no more excitement to watch.
"Let's go, Hunter-chan." Feeling bored, Mi Yi Aiyu called out to Yumizuru Hyouka to leave.
"Oh, okay!" Yumizuru Hyouka nodded quickly.
After walking two steps, she hurriedly turned back and politely bid farewell to Lin Wuming and Hu Feng Toumi.
"This atmosphere... it's really terrifying." Haruue Erii, who had also come along, whispered to Saten Ruiko.
"It really is..." Saten Ruiko also murmured and nodded, then glanced at her close friend beside her. "Not making that joke now?"
Earlier today, Haruue Erii had joked more than once about whether Saten Ruiko also wanted to "join the competition."
"No..." Haruue Erii's face was pale. "In this atmosphere, saying something like that would really get us killed, wouldn't it?"
The two of them had followed closely behind Himegami Aisa the whole way, treating this thick-skinned senior as a safe haven.
However, seeing Mi Yi Aiyu and Yumizuru Hyouka say their goodbyes and leave, Haruue Erii and Saten Ruiko exchanged glances and nodded in understanding.
—Although they also wanted to freeload a meal at Senior Lin Wuming's house, today's atmosphere really wasn't suitable, was it?
So the two of them also decided to say their goodbyes and leave...
As soon as the two of them left, Misaka Mikoto rushed back in a flurry.
