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 probed even

met him. What do you

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

but he chose to

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

bet,

subtexts

to the rest of my friends

to

being exposed is because I don't want

capturing his face, but thankfully the nearby lights

He appeared tired.

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

"You mean 'your' power."

sighed in exasperation, to which Esme just

for everyone if I just told them the truth. I don't want to limit

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

"C-come on!"

when you

you since I DON'T

shrugged. "So there's no

said. She clearly didn't

the friend he was talking about, that was you, right?" As usual,

at conversing, but he liked that

honest." He laughed slightly, staring high into the starless sky.

"…"

Rey to soak in the quietness around him. It allowed him to

tell him, you know? I wanted to

"So why didn't you?"

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

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

"I see…"

"Yeah…"

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

for

But, someone finally spoke.