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

big deal about it for so long that I

I'm not the Rey you knew

laughed as she shook her head. Instantly pushing her face forward, she brought

was so close that they could feel each

can no longer see your Status Information, there's no way

why he blushed at that very

if that wasn't enough of a shock

~VWUSH~

black swirl formed within the room and Ater stepped out of

in place as he

also turned as she gazed upon the tall, sleek frame of Rey's

for the inconvenience. Please

"Ater wai—!"

~VWUSH!~

any more, Ater vanished from his position. His disappearance was too instant that even Rey

state was immediately suppressed,

guy. I'm sure he now has

turned her face to Rey

"Wrong idea how?"

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

his emotions to be suppressed, but

had

does it feel

that. One glance at Esme's serious and curious

the System did not intervene at

since forever, Rey stuttered, fidgeting a little as he

you've kissed before,

Rey swiftly responded, his voice raised a

at some point, but it wasn't like 'he' kissed 'her'. In fact, wasn't he

hadn't 'kissed' anyone yet. Someone kissing him didn't count

"Well, I—"

probably never kissed before." Even though

feel something in his

more

hearing that. Sure, he didn't have much of an experience when it came to these things,

answer me already." Esme began to shift away from

his until they retained reasonable distance from

did you decide to

in a deep breath, allowing the sweet scent that now filled the room to

silent for a few seconds, feeling Esme's gaze on

Then, he spoke up.

want to

into disguise and face her with a mask

the thought never even croseed his

see her, and he wanted her to see

there