An Extra’s POV

Esme wasn't wrong in the slightest.

Rey already realized it, but he really felt like he could be himself around her.

The first time he transformed to his true self, only with the mask on, in front of her, it was such a subconscious action that he didn't even realize it until she asked if it was really him underneath the mask.

He had just gotten so comfortable around her.

'Well, I guess she can see right through me…' His smile was hidden under the dark mask, unseen by the girl in front of him.

Before the silence continued for too long, Esme raised up another topic that completely shifted the mood of the conversation.

"Why did you get back so early, though? The meeting didn't take very long, I'm guessing."

As she asked this question, Rey instantly remembered the entire thing that happened in the Guildmaster's office—including how frustrated he felt back then.

"It didn't take long? Are you kidding? It took too long!" His back fell on the bed as he whined, not seeing the smile that Esme gave him as she rested her head on one hand.

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah! The worst part was that I had to act engaged or things would seem off." He added, sighing to himself.

Whenever he was with Esme, this pathetic side of himself just managed to ooze out and he felt like he could vent all he wanted.

Though, sometimes, Rey wondered if he wasn't being excessive.

"Well, if it took so long why are you back so soon?" As soon as he heard that question, Rey thought back to when he stopped the sensory sharing experience the moment they left the Adventurers Guild.

From that point on, his duplicate's body was on autopilot.

'Alicia is definitely going to chew me out later!' He thought to himself, nearly clenching his teeth in obvious guilt.

In Rey's defense, though, he had serious matters to discuss with Esme regarding their plans going forward, unlike the more casual conversation he would have had with Alicia.

In essence, he was choosing business over pleasure—a truly disciplined move.

Yes… that was his true reason!

"In any case, we should get to the serious stuff, Esme." Rey said, returning to an upright sitting posture.

"Alright, alright."

turned a little tense as both parties looked at each other with tension

Guildmaster's

"Pfft…"

asked, wondering why Esme just burst

so sorry,

him. He just had to know what caused her

"Just say it."

"No, it's really nothing."

be like this. Say what

told you,

it's nothing, then

it. Let's

"Esme!"

the Grandmaster's plan

Also, just spit

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Come on!"

running out of time, you

"…."

quieted down. Despite not using any Skills or even moving from their positions, the

was,

Rey gritted his teeth as he swallowed his wounded

lie if he said he wasn't still curious about the source of her laughter, but he decided to ignore the nagging

over pleasure,

the

plan was to function as a Party of two and grind in the Dungeon, as independently as they

off from the rest of the group just for the

have to restrict us, as well as the EXP gained from

there was really no good

a solid strategy, and it will yield

the confines of the persona he had generated, so he couldn't give any response contrary to the ideals

that everyone agreed with the plan shows just

sole contrarians, it would go against

can't have that, now can I?'

it's a really bad arrangement." Esme's voice woke