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.

secret is safe with him?"Esme

What

but the smile on

but he chose to

secret. Besides, I could always compel him to forget

been the safest bet, right?" It felt like Esme was driving at something, but

ignored the subtexts that

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

have to

only reason I care about my identity being exposed is because I don't want them—no, her—to think negatively

his face, but thankfully the nearby lights that

He appeared tired.

It's also going to get problematic explaining why Ralyks won't participate in

"You mean 'your' power."

in exasperation,

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

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

"C-come on!"

look cute when you

same about you since I DON'T EVEN

I won't be cute." Rey shrugged. "So there's

after hearing what Rey said. She clearly didn't want to push too much, and Rey really liked

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

at conversing, but he liked

staring high into the starless sky.

"…"

the quietness around

know? I wanted to

"So why didn't you?"

soft, barely audible answer danced in his ears, Rey parted

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

in silence for an unknown

But, someone finally spoke.