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.

you're sure your secret is safe with him?"Esme probed even

him. What do you

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

but he

secret. Besides, I could always compel him to

then? It would have been the safest bet, right?" It felt like Esme

the subtexts that existed underneath her

that far. I plan on coming clean to the rest of my

What does that have to do with this situation,

because I don't want them—no, her—to think negatively of me."

his face, but thankfully the nearby

He appeared tired.

to get problematic explaining why Ralyks won't participate in

"You mean 'your' power."

in exasperation,

truth. I don't want to limit my

nodding and smiling at him, so he quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean I'll show you my face,

"C-come on!"

you

the same about you since I

Rey shrugged. "So there's no need

very deflated after hearing what Rey said. She clearly didn't want to push too much, and Rey

about, that was you, right?" As usual, Esme changed the topic

know how she was so skilled at conversing, but he liked that aspect of

surprised, to be honest." He laughed slightly, staring high into the starless sky. "I didn't think

"…"

soak in the quietness around him.

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

"So why didn't you?"

his ears, Rey parted his lips and let words

nicely, and this new life suits him. I think… if I

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

remained still, Rey looking at the blank sky while Esme

there in silence for an unknown period

But, someone finally spoke.