Chapter 163: My Mimi

“Cyrene…”

Celeste’s fingertips trembled as she reached out, her hand hovering in the empty air.

That figure, a being that had only ever existed as game data in her past life, was now floating right before her very eyes.

Yet, her touch faltered, her fingers stopping just shy of their target.

She was afraid.

She was terrified that this was all just an impossibly vivid dream, and that the slightest contact would cause it to shatter into a cascade of shimmering light. She was even more afraid that the little pink creature before her was nothing more than a three-dimensional projection, hollow and cold, lacking any true substance or warmth.

The tiny creature, suspended in mid-air, seemed to sense the complex storm of emotions swirling within her—the desperate longing warring with a paralyzing fear.

Its star-like eyes blinked, its gaze shifting from the curious Elf Queen to focus entirely on Celeste’s face. A deep sense of intimacy, a connection that felt like it originated from the very depths of its soul, wrapped around its small form like a gentle, warm current.

It tilted its head again, as if searching through some ancient, hazy memory.

Then, it drifted forward.

With a soft, delicate motion, it nuzzled its furry cheek against Celeste’s fingertips, which were still frozen in the air.

She felt it. The distinct, unmistakable pulse of life.

‘It’s not cold data!’

It was real.

In that instant, the last thread of her composure finally snapped.

Unable to restrain herself a moment longer, she swept the small creature into her arms, hugging it with a desperate strength. She buried her face deep into its fluffy, oversized tail, a choked sound escaping her lips—a ragged sob torn between delirious joy and a deep, aching sorrow.

“Wuu… My Mimi…”

The little creature in her embrace went rigid, startled by the sudden, fierce hug. But the aura emanating from Celeste, so familiar it felt like a part of its own being, quickly soothed its alarm. It relaxed completely.

It didn’t struggle. It simply allowed those trembling arms to encircle it, an obedient and calming presence. It even reached out with its short, stubby hands and began to pat Celeste’s arm with a clumsy yet earnest gesture.

“Mi… Mi?”

The soft, sweet syllables echoed in the quiet garden, this time carrying a clear note of comfort and concern.

A shiver ran down Celeste’s entire body.

She had understood it. Perfectly.

It was asking: ‘What’s wrong? Why… are you crying?”Holy crap, I can actually understand it!’Even in the vortex of her overwhelming emotions, a sliver of rational thought clawed its way to the surface of her mind. She had only heard two simple syllables, yet the full, subtle meaning of the sentence had been branded directly onto her consciousness.’Is this the translation feature that came with `as i have written`? Or is it… a soul-level connection, something unique to just us?’

“I’m not crying.”

Celeste sniffled, wiping the wet streaks from her face with the back of her hand. She forced a smile that was so watery and trembled so much it looked more painful than her tears.

“I’m just happy,” she whispered. “These are tears of joy, you get it?”

“Mi… Mi?”

A large, invisible question mark seemed to materialize above the little creature’s head. It was clearly expressing: ‘Happy… but you’re crying? That’s so strange.’

Elaniel, who had been standing silently to the side, had not made a sound. She watched the entire scene unfold, her wine-red eyes wide with undisguised wonder and shock.

She had witnessed the miraculous birth of this creature. And now, she was witnessing a side of Celeste she had never seen before—completely uncomposed, her guard utterly demolished. This girl, who always seemed so lazy and indifferent, yet could unleash the power of a demigod at a moment’s notice… the way she cherished, pitied, and rejoiced over this tiny pink being was a revelation.

This little creature clearly meant the world to her.

Elaniel’s curiosity was thoroughly ignited. She could sense an incredibly pure life energy flowing from the creature called “Mimi.” It was warm and friendly, without a single trace of aggression. Yet it had been summoned from a magical tome that was clearly not of this world.

What was it, exactly? Some kind of powerful elemental spirit? Or an unknown divine beast from another realm?

Celeste finally managed to steady her breathing. She loosened her embrace, though her hands continued to cradle Mimi as if she were holding the most precious treasure in the universe.

She gazed into Mimi’s clear, innocent eyes, and a thought suddenly stirred in her heart.

“Do you… remember Amphoreus?”

The little creature blinked its starry eyes and appeared to think very seriously for a few seconds.

Then, it shook its head with an air of simple honesty.

“Mi.” (‘I don’t remember.’)

A flicker of disappointment touched Celeste’s heart, but it was instantly washed away by a tidal wave of immense relief.

‘Not remembering is good! That’s perfect!’she screamed internally.’Forget that god-awful plot that was just one gut punch after another! Forget that crappy ending that made me ugly-cry my way through a whole box of tissues! Forget the pain of that endless, tragic cycle!”A fresh start, a complete system format… this is the best news I could have possibly hoped for!’

“Then… do you remember what your name is?” Celeste asked, her voice softer now.

Mimi shook its head again.

Then, it pointed a tiny claw at itself and declared with a tone of supreme, self-evident confidence, “Mimi!”

The meaning was clear: ‘My name is Mimi!’Celeste couldn’t hold it back any longer and burst out laughing.’So you even forgot your real name, Cyrene. Just because you can only say “Mimi,” you decided to name yourself Mimi? That’s a naming convention I can get behind! It’s on par with my own level of genius.’

“Fine, Mimi it is,” she chuckled. “It’s cute.”

She couldn’t resist pinching one of its long, furry ears. The texture was so exquisitely soft that she was instantly hooked.

‘Exactly like the in-game description,’she thought with satisfaction.’Five-star review!’

“From now on, you’re with me,” she declared, her voice firm with promise. “I’ll protect you!”

“Mi!” (‘Okay!’)

Mimi chirped happily, did a little spin in mid-air, its fluffy tail whipping out in a brilliant pink arc. It seemed to be filled with an endless curiosity for this brand-new world.

It broke free from Celeste’s gentle hold and began to float freely around the garden.

It flew over to a blooming Moonlight Rose, extended its little nose, and took a delicate sniff before nodding in satisfaction.

“Mi!” (‘Smells good!’)

It then zipped over to the babbling brook, peered at its own clear reflection in the water, and curiously prodded the surface with its claw. The cool sensation made it snatch its claw back in surprise, letting out a joyful little cry.

“Mimi!” (‘It’s cool!’)

Elaniel watched this curious little baby explore her palace garden, the curve of her lips softening even more. Her gaze was so full of warmth it seemed to almost melt the tiny, floating figure.

“It… is truly adorable,” she exclaimed with sincerity. “And it seems to like it here very much.”

“Yeah,” Celeste agreed, her eyes never leaving the pink sprite for a second. “It’s a little creature that loves nature.”

Watching Mimi in such a carefree, innocent state, her own heart felt incomparably soft and peaceful. Whatever all-attribute bonuses or combat assistance it might provide, all of that paled in comparison to this moment.

Just being able to have her back… this `as i have written` was a treasure on a cosmic scale.

Just then, Mimi, who had been darting from one new discovery to the next, suddenly stopped.

It froze in mid-air, its long, furry ears twitching with alertness, as if it had sensed some irresistible summons.

Its gaze traveled past the vibrant, competing flowers and across the winding, flowing stream.

Finally, its eyes landed with unerring precision on the deepest part of the garden.

There, a colossal tree trunk radiated a soft, gentle halo of life.

For the first time, a look of pure, unadulterated longing appeared in its star-like eyes.

“Mimi… Mi?”

It turned its head to look at Celeste, pointed a small claw toward the great tree, and made an inquisitive sound.

(‘What… is that? It feels… so comfortable. I really want to go over there…’)

Before Celeste could answer, Elaniel, who stood nearby, spoke with a knowing smile.

“That is a branch of the Ancient Tree of Life,” she explained. “It is the heart of the entire palace, the place where life energy is most concentrated.”

She looked at Mimi, her eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and indulgence.

“Does it want to go over? Then let it.”

A thoughtful expression crossed the Elf Queen’s face. “Perhaps… we will witness some unexpected changes.”

[Elysian’s Note: Having a good time with the story? Every single bit helps immensely: