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.

your secret is safe with him?"Esme probed even

What

talks too much." Her response was blunt, but the smile on her face showed fondness towards that kind of

that, but he chose

Besides, I could always compel him to

just do it back then? It would have been the safest bet, right?" It felt like Esme was driving at something, but

he ignored the subtexts that existed

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

does that have to

my identity being exposed is because I don't want them—no, her—to think negatively of me." Rey sighed, finally stopping in his

his face, but thankfully the nearby

He appeared tired.

the secrets. It's also going to get problematic explaining

"You mean 'your' power."

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

truth. I don't want to

quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean I'll

"C-come on!"

You look cute when you pout like that."

you since I DON'T EVEN KNOW what

won't be cute." Rey shrugged.

said. She clearly didn't want to push too much, and

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

so skilled at conversing, but he

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

"…"

allowing Rey to soak in the quietness around him.

wanted to tell him, you know? I wanted to tell him that I

"So why didn't you?"

barely audible answer danced in his ears, Rey parted his lips and let words accompany

like he's growing nicely, and this new life suits him. I think… if I showed up like this—out of the blue—it

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

at the blank

for

But, someone finally spoke.