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 probed even

What do you

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

he chose to ignore

think he'll spill my secret. Besides, I could always compel him to

back then? It would have been the safest bet, right?" It felt like Esme was driving at

the subtexts that

to the rest of my friends once this entire Dungeon

does that have to do with this situation,

don't want them—no, her—to think negatively of me." Rey sighed, finally stopping in his

poor job at capturing his face, but thankfully the nearby

He appeared tired.

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

"You mean 'your' power."

mean…" Rey sighed in

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

quickly added something else. "That doesn't mean I'll show you my face,

"C-come on!"

cute when you pout like that."

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

Rey shrugged.

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

he was talking about, that was you, right?" As usual, Esme changed the topic

skilled at conversing, but he liked that

I was really surprised, to be honest." He laughed slightly, staring high into the starless sky.

"…"

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

I wanted to tell

"So why didn't you?"

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

him. I think… if I showed up like this—out of the blue—it might sort

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

the blank sky while

silence for an unknown period of

But, someone finally spoke.