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

What do

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

noticed that, but he chose to ignore

Besides, I could

It would have been the safest bet,

he ignored the subtexts

coming clean to the rest of my friends once this entire

to do with this

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

but thankfully the nearby lights that decorated the

He appeared tired.

think 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."

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

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

at him, so he quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean I'll

"C-come on!"

You look cute when you pout like that."

same about you since I DON'T EVEN KNOW what you

I won't be cute." Rey shrugged.

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

As usual, Esme changed the topic to something more comfortable to

was so skilled at conversing,

He laughed slightly, staring high into the starless sky. "I didn't think I made such a

"…"

allowing Rey to soak in the

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

"So why didn't you?"

parted his lips and let words accompany the cool mist that proceeded

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

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

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

silence for an unknown period of

But, someone finally spoke.