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."

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

Guildmaster's

"Pfft…"

funny?" Rey asked, wondering why Esme just burst

so sorry, carry

had to know what caused her to laugh like that—especially when they were having such a serious

"Just say it."

"No, it's really nothing."

come on, don't be like this. Say what made you

told you,

nothing,

about it. Let's continue

"Esme!"

plan

Also, just spit it

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Come on!"

out of

"…."

using any Skills or even moving from their

was,

gritted his teeth as he swallowed his wounded pride to continue his earlier

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

over pleasure,

the Guildmaster's plan to have us together with the other Heroic Rank Adventurers, it'll affect our initial plans a

was to function as a Party of two

the group just for

new plan will have to restrict us, as well as the EXP gained from the entire expedition."

refuse the Guildmaster's plan, but there was really no good reason

will yield the overall best results

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

agreed with the plan shows just how effective it

and Lux became the sole contrarians, it would go against everything he had been building up from

that, now

really bad arrangement." Esme's voice woke him up from his