CHAPTER 46: TOWER OF LIGHT

In no time at all, Marshmallow had fully recovered. She now sat snugly beside Mimi, happily grooming her with delicate licks. Her little tongue worked like the finest brush, smoothing every strand of fur until Mimi’s coat gleamed and shone like polished silk.

Of course, Mimi wanted to return the favor, to show her beloved Marshmallow the same kind of love.

But... well... her soul was still basically human, and doing something like that just felt soooo awkward! After all, humans don’t go around licking each other to show affection!

If she had been a cat for longer, maybe it would’ve come naturally. Maybe it wouldn’t have seemed so weird.

So instead, she just sat there, blushing a little inside, while quietly soaking in the warmth of Marshmallow’s care.

Meanwhile, Lord Siamelumis remained nearby, resting gracefully, her divine eyes soft as she watched the two share their tender moment.

But... as they always say, every party must come to an end.

Every joyous reunion eventually faces the pain of separation.

And now... that time had come.

It was time for Mimi to leave.

...

"Nooo..." Mimi cried again, her little heart twisting in pain.

Their reunion had been sweet, fun, even thrilling—yet far, far too short!

She didn’t want to leave Marshmallow. Not now. Not ever.

If she could, she would scream "screw the laws of this universe!" and just take Marshmallow with her. They’d eat all the delicious food they could find, nap in sunny fields, run wild across mountains, and conquer every dungeon side by side like the ultimate duo!

But reality was cruel.

As Lord Siamelumis explained, Marshmallow’s existence here in the true world of Arventia had not been permitted... not yet.

Yet.

That single word was like a spark of hope, shining faintly in the darkness.

It meant there was still a chance.

It meant the future was not sealed.

But only if Mimi grew strong enough to seize it.

"Please, Lord Siamelumis..." Mimi lifted her tearful eyes to the dragon deity, her tiny voice trembling with desperation and hope. "What do I have to do, if I want to meet Marshmallow again one day?"

"Well," the great dragon rumbled, her voice deep as rolling thunder yet gentle as a lullaby, "do you still remember the time when you first obtained her?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Mimi answered without a shred of hesitation.

After all, how could she ever forget? That day was forever burned into her heart as one of the happiest, most magical moments of her life!

Normally, magical beast companions were obtained through ritual summonings, or by tracking down wild magical creatures and binding them with a taming contract.

But Marshmallow had been different. Marshmallow was special.

Because there was only one Marshmallow in the entire world!

That divine, angelic cat had not come to Mimi through summoning or taming, but through a once-in-a-lifetime event, a highly competitive trial held over a year ago.

The Tower of Light event!

Legends said that once every fifty years, the Gods themselves would descend and weave their divine power into a single miracle: a tower that reached the very heavens. This was no ordinary tower, but the Tower of Light—a trial, a festival, and a grand competition for every champion across the world!

Within it lay one hundred daunting floors, each one harder and more merciless than the last, filled with monsters beyond imagination and puzzles that twisted the mind.

And yet... the reward made it worth it.

Only the top five who reached the highest floors would earn a prize so rare it was almost myth: a tiny fragment of the Divine Light of Creation, sealed within a radiant, luminous orb overflowing with divine energy.

With that orb, the chosen few could shape their destiny to their likings. It could become a godly sword that cut through all things, or a legendary armor that glimmered with celestial brilliance, or even a unique, never-before-seen skill to shake the world!

And for Beast Masters and Tamers... the orb could take form as a living companion if they wished for it.

And so, from the very moment she heard of it, Mimi was fired up beyond belief. She went five whole days without sleep—just endless grinding, blood, sweat, and way too many energy drinks—as she fought tooth and claw to stay at the top.

And miraculously, against all odds, she did it.

She won! She was one of the top five players who was able to receive the orb!

When the time came to claim her prize, there was not a shred of hesitation. She chose for the orb to become a magical beast immediately! And then, to her surprise, she could even decide what kind of animal it would be and the devs would design that companion based on her request!

Without a second thought, she slammed the keyboard and typed in one word: CAT!

The cutest cat in the entire world, please!

A few days later, after the design system worked its magic, she finally got the notification that her prize was ready to claim. Mimi’s hands shook as she clicked the confirmation, her heart pounding like a drum.

And then it happened.

The glowing orb in her inventory burst into radiant light, shimmering and swirling, until—slowly, gracefully—it reshaped itself into the tiny form of a feline.

For a single heartbeat, Mimi’s mind went completely blank. Her jaw dropped. Her eyes went wide.

She couldn’t breathe...

Just to explode in joy seconds later!.

"HOLY!!! SHE’S SO CUTEEEE!"

She jumped, she screamed, she spun around her room like a deranged squirrel on too much caffeine, laughing like a lunatic who had just won the cosmic jackpot lottery.

Because right before her eyes sat the most impossibly, dangerously, lethally adorable creature she had ever seen!!!

Fur as white and fluffy as fresh snow.

An aura that glowed with pure, divine light.

And those eyes—oh gods, those breathtaking, soul-melting heterochromatic eyes!

"HELLLLL YEAHHHHHHHH!!!"

She almost died of happiness on the spot.

And that... was how Mimi first met her most beloved companion, her precious Marshmallow.