"I wanted silence... not applause."
— Kazuto Aoi
The soft rustle of leaves.
The creak of distant branches.
The sound of birds that didn't sound like any Kazuto had ever heard before.
When he opened his eyes, he saw sunlight filtering through green. No studio lights. No shouting directors. No assistant holding a tablet to remind him of lines. Just the sky. A little too blue to be Tokyo.
He sat up slowly. His body ached, but not in the usual way—not the muscle fatigue from stunt choreography, or the stiff pain from constant posing. This ache was… natural. Honest.
"Where...?"
He blinked.
No cameras.
No roads.
No screaming fans.
Just a clearing in the middle of a gentle, breathing forest.
A small, chime-like sound echoed in his head—calm, like windbells.
[System Notice: Welcome to the World of Miurell.]
"You have not been summoned. You are not a hero. There is no quest."
[Gift Assigned: Camping Mastery – EX Rank]
"You have brought what your soul desired most."
**[System Note: This interface is non-intrusive. You will receive occasional updates. You may ignore us forever if you wish. Have a peaceful life, traveler.]_
"…System?" Kazuto whispered.
He waited for the usual barrage of stats, tutorials, minimaps. Nothing. Just a tiny transparent square in the corner of his vision that faded after a few seconds.
"…Good."
He stood, stretching, and noticed the large, weathered camping backpack beside him. It was his. A custom one he had only ever used once, during a short-lived documentary shoot about "celebrity survival."
He unzipped it.
Everything was inside—his favorite gear, titanium cookware, even a half-used bottle of soy sauce.
And he felt it: his hands moved more fluidly than they should have. Like his body wanted to camp.
He wandered through the woods for half a day, taking slow steps, listening to the forest breathe. At one point, he saw a rabbit with antlers. It stared at him, decided he wasn't dangerous, and hopped away.
He didn't chase it.
He didn't even raise his voice.
He just smiled, then picked a spot by a small stream with a good flat stone to sit on.
This would be home.
☀️ Evening – First Campfire
Kazuto dug a small fire pit and arranged stones carefully around it.
He whittled sticks.
He gathered dry leaves.
He used his firesteel and struck twice.
Pfft. Flame.
It lit so easily he almost thought it was cheating. But he didn't care.
His breath slowed. His heart stopped racing.
He set his old aluminum kettle above the flame. Water from the stream.
Then, with practiced movements, he opened his pack and started preparing ingredients for soup. Nothing fancy—just mushrooms he recognized, wild greens, and dried rice.
A warm smell drifted into the night air.
[System Notice: Campfire Meal Activated – Mood Buff: "Tranquil Soul" (You feel calm. You regain clarity.)]
"Delicious food in a quiet place has the power to mend unseen wounds."
Kazuto leaned back against a tree, bowl in hand. He looked up at the stars.
They were unfamiliar.
But they weren't judging him.
They weren't demanding.
They were just… watching.
And that was enough.
He took a sip of his soup.
"…Perfect."
He said nothing else.
📜 System Summary (Non-Intrusive Mode):
Name: Kazuto Aoi
Class: None
Level: Unregistered
Combat Skills: None
Magic Affinity: None
Unique Skill:
[Camping Mastery – EX]
Fire-making: Instant
Cooking: Stat & emotion-based buffs
Shelter: Indestructible comfort zone
Atmosphere: Passive Calm Aura
Attracts: Lost or weary beings
That night, the forest was gentle.
And for the first time in years, Kazuto slept without fear of tomorrow.