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

response was blunt, but the smile on her face showed fondness towards that kind of

he chose to ignore

my secret. Besides, I

the safest bet, right?" It

so, he ignored the subtexts that existed underneath

that far. I plan on coming clean to the rest of my friends once this entire Dungeon thing is

does that have to do

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

thankfully the

He appeared tired.

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

"You mean 'your' power."

Rey sighed in exasperation, to which Esme just

them the truth. I don't want to limit my strength

so he quickly

"C-come on!"

look cute when you pout like that."

same about you since I DON'T EVEN KNOW what

cute." Rey shrugged. "So

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

As usual, Esme changed the topic to something more comfortable

at conversing, but he liked

high into the starless sky. "I didn't think I

"…"

Rey to soak in the quietness

to tell him that

"So why didn't you?"

danced in his ears, Rey parted his

growing nicely, and this new life suits him. I

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

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

in silence for an unknown period

But, someone finally spoke.