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

What

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

he chose to ignore

my secret. Besides, I could

back then? It would have been the safest bet, right?"

subtexts

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

that have to do with this

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

the nearby lights

He appeared tired.

also going to get problematic explaining why Ralyks won't participate in the war despite his

"You mean 'your' power."

in exasperation, to which Esme just

case, it'll be better for everyone if I just told them the truth. I don't want

see Esme nodding and smiling at him, so he quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean I'll

"C-come on!"

You look cute when you pout like

same about you since

Rey shrugged. "So there's no need to say

hearing what Rey said. She clearly didn't want to push too

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

she was so skilled at conversing, but he

high into the

"…"

Rey to soak in the quietness around him. It

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

"So why didn't you?"

parted his lips and let words accompany the cool

like he's growing nicely, and this new life suits him.

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

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

there in silence for an unknown

But, someone finally spoke.