An Extra’s POV

The two spoke for hours.

It was just like old times… with them babbling on and on about varying topics and stories.

It went without saying that Rey had to explain himself and the reason he was late—apologizing for what he determined to be caused by his weakness.

Of course, Esme would not have that.

"There's no way you could have known about or prepared for such a calamity. Besides, if I was stronger… you wouldn't have had to face it all alone. It's not your fault!"

Her words reinforced what Ater and his friends had told him, yet somehow hearing her tell him this put his simmering heart at ease.

As always, Esme just always had an atmosphere about her that relaxed him.

Not once did he need to struggle with controlling his emotions, and the system also didn't shut them off at any period.

He was worried and cautious at first, but not anymore. Esme was just the kind of person he could be comfortable with.

No… that wasn't quite it.

"I expected you to be a lot more awkward about all this…" Esme admitted at some point as she smiled at Rey.

Her hand was placed on her cheek as her smile broadened.

Merely staring into her eyes made his heart leap, yet there was no response from the System.

In fact, none of his other physiological reactions—since he encountered Esme—triggered the Class Privilege's effects.

'I initially thought I wasn't flustered enough because it's Esme, but the System has intervened for even less displays of emotion in the past. So what's happening here?'

Rey was surprised and confused at this point.

However, he had a theory—or rather, a question.

'Is the System being biased here?' When he thought about it, Esme had always been favored by the System.

Even now, he was being told to help her out.

That was definitely not a sign of a Side Quest, as Rey had already figured out long ago. It seemed, by all regards, that she was being protected by the System.

And she wasn't the only one.

'The other Elves I met also had similar stuff written in their Additional Information.'

That meant, for some reason, Elves were special in this world.

'Maybe the System does not register any emotion generated from me towards her to be harmful, so it filters all of that out. Does that mean it'll be the same with the rest of the Elves?'

He found himself growing ever curious as he stared at Esme, just in time for time to quicken so he could answer her statement.

about what?

long

I'm not the Rey you

her head. Instantly pushing her face forward, she brought it

that they could feel

longer see your Status Information, there's no way I wouldn't be able

know why he

wasn't enough of

~VWUSH~

sudden black swirl formed within the room and Ater stepped out of it with a

frozen in place

gazed upon the tall, sleek frame of Rey's

apologies for the inconvenience.

"Ater wai—!"

~VWUSH!~

from his position. His disappearance

suppressed, reminding him of

that guy. I'm sure he

innocently turned her face to Rey and gave

"Wrong idea how?"

thought we were about to kiss… or

emotions to be suppressed, but he also liked that he could feel things this

huh? I've never had one before." Esme

it

hearing that. One glance at Esme's

System did not

ask me that?" For the first time since forever, Rey stuttered, fidgeting a little

kissed before,

Rey

it wasn't like 'he' kissed 'her'. In fact, wasn't he the victim in

yet. Someone kissing him didn't count one

"Well, I—"

probably never kissed

something in his

ask a more experienced person

nearly clutched his chest upon hearing that. Sure, he didn't have much of an experience when

case, answer me already." Esme began

from his until they retained reasonable distance

did you decide to show me

deep breath, allowing the sweet scent that now

few seconds, feeling Esme's gaze on him through it

Then, he spoke up.

didn't want to

disguise and face her with a mask or with any face of

the thought never

and he wanted her to see

there was