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

What do

was blunt, but the smile on her face

he chose to ignore

spill my secret. Besides, I could

Then why didn't you just do it back then? It would have been the safest bet,

ignored the subtexts that existed

coming clean to the rest of my friends

does that have to do

exposed is because I don't want them—no, her—to think negatively of me." Rey sighed, finally

a poor job at capturing his face, but thankfully the nearby lights that decorated the city

He appeared tired.

the secrets. It's also going to get problematic explaining why Ralyks won't

"You mean 'your' power."

in exasperation, to which Esme just

them the truth. I don't want to limit my strength on the front lines where

so he quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean I'll show you

"C-come on!"

You look cute when you pout like that."

I can't say the same about you since I DON'T EVEN

know I won't be cute." Rey shrugged. "So there's no need to say

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

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

skilled at conversing, but

staring high into the starless sky. "I didn't think I made such a strong impression on

"…"

chose to remain silent, allowing Rey to soak in the quietness around him. It allowed him to

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

"So why didn't you?"

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

nicely, and this new life suits him. I think… if I showed up like this—out of the blue—it might sort of ruin

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

them remained still, Rey looking at the blank sky while Esme stared

in silence for

But, someone finally spoke.