Two people, one speaking Mandarin and the other Japanese, yet language barriers did not impede their communication; they understood each other perfectly, and neither found this strange. Lin Luo attributed it to an added feature of the Book of Contracts, while Mikoto saw it as a perk of crossing over.

However, at this moment, all Lin Luo wished was that he couldn't understand the Railgun's words.

He was shattered! He felt immense pressure! He was utterly fried to a crisp!

"Railgun, please use those wise eyes of yours and truly observe me. Where do I look like an LV6?" Lin Luo wailed. LV6, he wished!

"That’s right, how could you be an LV6? I was too naive," Mikoto suddenly slumped, looking dejected, and sat back down. Even if one tried to bring a dead horse back to life, no matter how much effort was spent, a dead horse remained a dead horse.

"Railgun, why are you so desperate to go back? Isn't staying in this world good enough? Following the usual story tropes, perhaps you are the protagonist here," Lin Luo tossed out a lollipop, attempting to coax the young girl.

"I have always been the protagonist. No matter where I am, in my world, only I am the main character."

The moment Mikoto uttered those words, Lin Luo couldn't help but slap his thigh. As expected of the Railgun—her mental fortitude was exceedingly high! Only people like her could be protagonists; everyone else was just cannon fodder... But comparing himself this way, his chance of meeting an early demise seemed to have just increased by five percentage points!

"However, in that world, there is one thing I absolutely must accomplish. If I don't do it, I will never find peace in my life," Mikoto continued, a flash of pain flickering through her eyes.

"What is it?" Lin Luo blurted out without thinking, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he understood—did he even need to ask?

There was only one thing Mikoto needed to do—stop the Sisters' experiment!

He suddenly recalled that he had seen Mikoto dressed like this before, though his memory was fuzzy. In the A Certain Scientific Railgun side story, after learning the truth about the Sisters' experiment, Mikoto relentlessly attacked multiple research institutes to stop it. During one of these assaults, she appeared wearing this exact attire and encountered one of the dark side factions, ITE, led by Shokuhou Misaki...

Since Mikoto was dressed like this now, it meant she had crossed over mid-attack on a research institute, and the Sisters' experiment... was still ongoing!

Lin Luo sighed inwardly. He didn't know if Mikoto's appearance here was because of him, but it was undeniably connected to him in some way... Now, in that world, Mikoto was gone. She wouldn't encounter the Imagine Breaker. Who would stop that experiment now? Who would defeat Accelerator? Could the Sisters still be saved?

Nearly ten thousand Misaka clones might perish just like that... The thought soured Lin Luo's mood. Although the main reason the Misaka Sisters were created was to lay the foundation for the Artificial Heaven Plan, and the man with the inverted cross would certainly not allow them all to die, who could know the final outcome?

"Forget it, it’s just some minor, unimportant matter," Mikoto laughed carelessly and stretched her arms in a carefree manner.

An unimportant matter?

Lin Luo gave a wry smile inwardly. Given Mikoto’s kind, almost saintly nature of taking all sins upon herself, it certainly wasn't a minor issue!

Of course, Lin Luo knew this was Mikoto's attempt to put on a brave face. No matter how badly she needed help, she wouldn't ask anyone; at most, she would only cry out silently in the dead of night.

Besides, even if he wanted to help her, he lacked the ability!

Ability? Wait a moment...

"Right, perhaps there really is someone who can accomplish this," Lin Luo suddenly remembered someone and spoke involuntarily.

"What?" Mikoto looked at him, puzzled.

"Space travel. Although I don't know if she can cross worlds, she definitely has the ability to traverse space," Lin Luo explained, immediately regretting it after speaking. If Gui Qu Lai Xi could actually manage such a feat and send Mikoto back to her original world, then Lin Luo himself would die in a month from having no one left to sign contracts with...

Indeed, impulse is the devil; impulse is the devil!

"Who is that person?" Mikoto’s eyes snapped wide open, asking with agitation.

"Gui Qu Lai Xi, a very mysterious woman," Lin Luo replied truthfully after a moment's thought.

"Th-then... where is she?" Mikoto’s body trembled slightly.

"I don't know."

"How can I find her?"

"I doubt it's possible to find her, but she did tell me she would come looking for me within a month when she left," Lin Luo said, though he was thinking: if he successfully won over the Railgun within the month, Gui Qu Lai Xi would come. Whether he could go then was uncertain, but if he failed to conquer the Railgun, his role in this story would end here, becoming merely a legend in the A Certain Scientific Railgun three-dimensional world.

"One month?" Mikoto frowned. One month seemed long to her. How many Sisters would die within this month? But currently, she had no other options.

"I know!" Mikoto suddenly shot up from the sofa, her face flushed, panting. "I've decided. During this month, I... I, I'll just stay here!"

"Ah!"

"Railgun, do you need a bedmate?"

...

Co-habiting with the Railgun was thus settled. This was certainly good news for Lin Luo, as he intended to capture her heart; the advantage of proximity was certainly worthwhile. However, solving the sleeping arrangement was a problem.

There was only one bedroom. He couldn't possibly let the Railgun sleep on the sofa, could he? Doing so would undoubtedly lower her favorability rating.

Of course, Lin Luo had a very ideal solution: sleeping in the same large bed with Onee-sama. This might instantly boost his favorability to A... However, an ideal is called ideal precisely because it is impossible; reality is cruel, and a young man's dream is often strangled in its infancy.

Finally, under an expression from the Railgun that Lin Luo couldn't decipher, he waved his hand, reluctantly ushering her into his bedroom, and then followed her in... Still under that incomprehensible look from the Railgun, he grabbed a quilt and announced, "I'll sleep on the sofa."

Curled up on the sofa, Lin Luo felt utterly wicked. The Railgun was a tsundere; against a delinquent boy, she would surely release electricity. Yet, he was just a little kid now, possessing such an advantage in age, yet playing the gentleman—wasn't that tragic!

Even if he couldn't, he should at least get to feel the Railgun's slight V5!

Ahhhh, such resentment!

There was once an opportunity to sleep in the same bed as the Railgun right before me, but I didn't cherish it. Only after losing it did I deeply regret it. If the heavens could grant me another chance, I definitely would... I'd probably still choose the sofa.

In the end, Lin Luo was just a fellow with lustful thoughts but no courage to act on them.

Thus, Lin Luo spent his first night cohabiting with the Railgun amidst a complex mixture of depression, confusion, regret, and sheer frustration.

...

The next morning, Lin Luo woke up energetic. After washing up, he came out of the bathroom just as Mikoto emerged from her room. Her expression, however, seemed less than ideal, carrying a subtle trace of melancholy.

Lin Luo knew Mikoto was still worried about the Sisters.

"Yo, Railgun, good morning," Lin Luo greeted her with a bright smile.

"Oh, morning," Mikoto replied listlessly.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Lin Luo asked, his face full of concern... Hurry up and raise that favorability!

"Well, how should I put it, it was okay," Mikoto said awkwardly, scratching her cheek. In truth, she hadn't slept a wink all night; her mind was filled with thoughts of the Sisters, the experiments, and the time travel.

"Railgun, what would you like for breakfast? I'll go prepare something for you."

"Can you stop calling me Railgun? It feels like you’re cursing me."

"Ah, I see. Sorry, it's a habit. So, what would you like for breakfast, Railgun?"

"I told you not to call me that again." Mikoto's mouth twitched, and a faint arc of electricity flashed from beneath her bangs.

"No problem, Railgun."

Mikoto exerted all her effort to suppress the urge to discharge electricity, shaking her head. "It doesn't matter what I eat, as long as it fills my stomach."

"I'll go prepare it right away. Railgun, you rest for a bit."

Lin Luo decided to prepare a lavish breakfast. His cooking skills were actually quite good, but he was too lazy, usually subsisting on instant noodles. But today was different; the Railgun was here, he couldn't let her eat instant noodles with him. There was a saying... to capture a man's heart, one must first capture his stomach. Couldn't this be interpreted in reverse?

First capture the Railgun's stomach, then capture her heart!

... The kitchen was a scene of intense culinary warfare!

"Let's eat, let's eat."

Half an hour later, Lin Luo's breakfast was ready: fried eggs, scrambled eggs with onions, steamed egg custard, and seaweed egg soup (a time for all the mother hens in the world to fight!). Three dishes and one soup. Although it was simple and his skills felt a bit rusty from disuse, he was quite confident in his cooking.

He believed that after this meal, the Railgun’s favorability toward him should increase by at least five points. The gourmet strategy activation in progress...

"Why is everything eggs?" Mikoto looked at the all-egg feast on the table, feeling a bit hesitant to start.

"Well, eggs are rich in protein. Eating them often not only strengthens the body but also surprisingly has a bust-enhancing effect," Lin Luo subtly began to preach.

"You, what nonsense are you spouting! Who... who wants that breast-breast enhancement? I don't care about such things at all... Honestly, how could something like that happen..." Mikoto retorted, her face blushing scarlet, but as she spoke, her voice trailed off. Finally, she asked in a low voice, almost seriously, "Um, little brother Lin, is that really... true?"

"Absolutely!" Lin Luo asserted with conviction.

Could it be true?

Mikoto didn't entirely believe it, but judging by his tone, he didn't seem to be lying. She nervously scanned the table, then swiftly picked up a poached egg, glared at Lin Luo with a flushed face, and declared, "L-let me make it clear beforehand, I'm not eating this because I believe you. It’s just so I don't waste your hard work. You mustn't think too much about it!"

Ah, tsundere confirmed!

With an IQ of 200, she was tricked so easily. Sigh, Lin Luo thought, a sense of superiority arising in all aspects.

...

"By the way, what about your family? I haven't seen them. Will my staying here cause you any trouble?" Mikoto asked only after eating for a while, finally realizing she should have asked this very important question sooner.

"Don't worry, there won't be any trouble. I live alone." (So no one will disturb our world for two! Railgun.)

"Uh, living alone? Then what about your parents? Are they on a business trip?"

"A business trip? Well, you could say that. They are on a business trip in Heaven."

"Heaven?" Mikoto paused, but quickly understood. "Ah, I'm sorry. I brought up a painful memory for you."

"It's nothing. Anyway, I've been used to it for so many years." Lin Luo shrugged, acting nonchalant.

"So many years?" Looking at Lin Luo's small frame, Mikoto thought: he’s only twelve now, but based on his demeanor, he must have been independent for several years. To live alone at such a young age... Truly... Mikoto’s gaze towards Lin Luo filled with sympathy.

"Hey, what’s with that look, like you’re staring at a tragic male protagonist!" Seeing Mikoto's gaze, which was as clear as a glass coffee table, instantly made Lin Luo feel incredibly stifled.

"Ah, no, I wasn't... Um, this..." Mikoto scrambled, trying to explain.

Lin Luo feigned anger: "Don't tell me you’re deliberately trying to crush me just to get some pleasure?"

"Ahiya, you figured me out! Haha..." Mikoto suddenly laughed, appearing quite happy, but that sliver of anxiety buried deep in her eyes refused to dissipate.