Chapter 1: The End of Loneliness
Tokyo at night, neon lights flickering.
The whole city feels like an endless carnival.
The phone keeps vibrating on the table.
One message after another.
Like it will never stop.
Kamiya Yuto frowned.
His fingers moved quickly across the screen—replying, confirming, arranging.
The motions were so practiced they felt almost mechanical.
Clients. Investments. Deals.
Everyone was looking for him.
Yet not a single one of them was looking for him.
He put the phone down.
The living room was large.
Too large.
In a high-rise mansion in central Tokyo, an apartment like this was a symbol of status.
An expensive sofa. Velvet carpet. Cold, minimalist furniture.
Everything was clean, luxurious, perfectly arranged.
And completely devoid of life.
Over two hundred square meters of space.
Silent to an uncomfortable degree.
Kamiya Yuto walked to the dining table.
On it sat an exquisite meal—high-end delivery.
Already cold.
He glanced at it.
No hesitation.
He started eating.
No reheating.
No concern for taste.
Not even chewing properly.
Just eating.
Like completing a necessary task.
He had long been used to it.
A few minutes later,
He set the utensils down.
Softly.
The entire room fell silent again.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
For some reason, he almost wanted to laugh.
"I actually feel… unhappy?"
The thought came out of nowhere.
And wouldn't go away.
He was rich.
The Kamiya family's wealth was absurd.
Enough for this lifetime.
Enough for ten lifetimes.
Women?
He had seen too many.
Heiresses, models, socialites.
If he wanted, anyone could come close to him.
But he knew it very well.
The reason they approached him was never him.
It was money.
"So what?"
He let out a quiet laugh.
Cold.
"Isn't this what happiness is?"
Money.
Power.
Women.
What else in this world could be more real than that?
He stood up, rinsed the dishes briefly,
And tossed them into the dishwasher.
The sound of water started, then quickly stopped.
Silence returned once more.
He stood there.
For a brief moment, he didn't want to do anything.
If this wasn't happiness…
Then what was?
At that moment—
A sharp pain exploded in his abdomen.
"—!"
It came without warning.
Like something had gripped him violently.
He bent over instinctively.
Before he could react,
The pain surged upward,
Crushing his chest.
Breathing became difficult.
His heartbeat lost its rhythm.
He staggered.
One hand braced against the table.
But he couldn't stand.
Strength drained from his body.
Control slipped away.
He collapsed.
The phone slid off the table,
Hit the ground.
The screen still lit.
Unread messages kept popping up.
But not a single one asked:
Are you okay?
His vision blurred.
Darkness swallowed everything.
He was falling.
Falling endlessly.
No end.
No light.
No sound.
Until—
A voice appeared.
"Happiness System initializing."
Beep—
1%
10%
30%
50%
70%
90%
Binding complete.
A translucent panel appeared before his eyes.
Welcome, Host. Happiness System successfully bound.
You awakened me through your desire for happiness.
Kamiya Yuto frowned.
"…What is this?"
You will be granted a new life.
The system didn't explain further.
It simply asked:
What do you think happiness is?
He let out a cold laugh.
Answered without thinking.
"Unlimited money."
"Power."
"And—lots of women."
After he finished,
The world went silent.
No response.
A few seconds later,
The system spoke again.
Then.
Why are you not happy?
He froze.
You already have all of these.
Silence.
This time, he didn't answer.
The panel slowly updated.
…Conclusion: Severe cognitive bias detected.
"Hey."
What you described is desire.
Not happiness.
The system's tone was calm.
Yet it felt like it had completely seen through him.
It seems my workload will be significant.
Host.
Kamiya Yuto frowned.
However.
Since you have awakened me—
I will help you understand true happiness.
The final line appeared slowly.
When that time comes—
Give me a different answer.
Darkness surged again.
His consciousness completely faded.
(End of Chapter 1)