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.

what? Showing my

a big deal about it for so long that I never expected you'd show it to

not the Rey you knew

head. Instantly pushing her face

close that they could feel

you're Rey alright." She smiled. "Even if I can no longer see your Status Information, there's no way I wouldn't be able

didn't know why he

if that wasn't enough of a

~VWUSH~

within the room and Ater stepped out of it with

was frozen in place as he witnessed Ater

face also turned as she gazed upon

for

"Ater wai—!"

~VWUSH!~

from his position. His disappearance was

was immediately suppressed,

guy. I'm sure he now has the wrong

to Rey

"Wrong idea how?"

probably thought we were about to kiss… or something like that." Rey looked away,

to be suppressed, but

had

does it feel

One glance at Esme's serious and curious eyes made him nearly give

System did not

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

kissed before,

so sure?!" Rey swiftly responded, his voice

Belle kissed him at some point, but it wasn't like 'he'

hadn't 'kissed' anyone yet. Someone kissing

"Well, I—"

then you've probably never kissed before." Even though this was the excuse he was going for, hearing Esme say it like that hurt his

something

ask a more experienced person about

he didn't have much of an experience when it came to these

Esme began

they

decide to

question floated in the air, Rey brought himself back to reality. He took in a deep breath, allowing the sweet

feeling Esme's gaze on him

Then, he spoke up.

just… didn't want to

get into disguise and

never even croseed his

to see her, and he wanted her to see him as

there