An Extra’s POV

"Shouldn't you be in a hurry? You have to pick up some people, right?"

Esme's voice echoed in Rey's ears as they neared their Inn. Despite hearing it, Rey hardly reacted or changed the steady pace at which he walked.

"It's fine." He simply responded. "I sent a Duplicate a while back."

"R-really? I didn't notice!" Esme expressed surprise, to which Rey chuckled and shrugged.

"Yeah. I did it pretty quickly. Hid it well too."

With his wide array of Skills, it wasn't a difficult thing to do. In any case, the only reason he was able to talk to Noah for so long despite his busy schedule was due to that arrangement.

"I wanted to pick them up myself, but I guess plans change." He smiled softly, shrugging again.

Something about the atmosphere felt moody for some reason. Rey didn't even know why, but he suddenly felt a lull within him.

Perhaps a moment of silence was what he needed.

"Friend of yours?" Unfortunately, Esme wouldn't let him have that.

"Yeah. You could say that."

Rey didn't think he treated Noah as well as he should have treated a friend, but he genuinely considered him one.

After all, he was the first and only person who he revealed his secret to.

"Has he seen your face behind the mask?" Esme's question made Rey laugh a little.

He replied still.

"For him, and the people we had in common, the mask was my secret."

It was pretty ironic how the opposite was true for Esme. Regardless, he could say that Noah was the only one who knew both sides pretty well.

'Back then, I didn't think Ralyks would up playing such a big role. If I had known that, would I still have exposed my identity to him?'

Rey wasn't sure. All he knew was that Noah was incredibly useful at the time, and it would have been difficult to achieve the things he was able to without his help.

Difficult, not impossible.

secret is safe with

met him. What do you

talks too much." Her response was blunt, but the

he chose to

spill my secret. Besides, I could always compel him to forget

just do it back then? It would have been the safest bet,

the subtexts that existed underneath

clean to the rest of my friends once this entire Dungeon thing

What does that have to do

reason I care about my identity being exposed is because I don't want

job at capturing his face, but thankfully the nearby

He appeared tired.

I've had enough of the secrets. It's also going to get problematic explaining why Ralyks won't participate in the war

"You mean 'your' power."

know what I mean…" Rey sighed in exasperation, to which Esme just chuckled

it'll be better for everyone if I just told them the truth. I

quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean

"C-come on!"

cute when you pout like

the same about you since I DON'T EVEN KNOW

shrugged. "So

sighed, obviously very deflated after hearing what Rey said. She clearly didn't

he was talking about, that was you, right?" As usual, Esme changed the topic to something more comfortable

she was so skilled at conversing,

slightly, staring high into the starless sky. "I didn't

"…"

the quietness around him. It allowed him to

know? I wanted to tell him that I was Rey, his

"So why didn't you?"

answer danced in his ears, Rey parted his lips and let words accompany the cool mist

this new life suits him. I think… if I showed

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

remained still, Rey looking at the blank

there in silence for

But, someone finally spoke.