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

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

not the Rey

head. Instantly pushing her face

that they could

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

he blushed at

if that wasn't enough of a shock

~VWUSH~

the room and Ater stepped out of

place as he

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

for the inconvenience. Please

"Ater wai—!"

~VWUSH!~

from his position. His

state was immediately suppressed, reminding him of his current

that guy. I'm sure he

innocently turned her face to Rey and

"Wrong idea how?"

well, he probably thought we were about to kiss… or something like that." Rey looked away, blushing even harder

like this made him want his emotions to be suppressed, but he also liked

had one

does it

hearing that. One glance at Esme's

System did not

forever, Rey stuttered, fidgeting a little

you've kissed before,

so sure?!" Rey swiftly responded, his

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

anyone yet. Someone kissing

"Well, I—"

never kissed before." Even though this was the excuse he was going for, hearing Esme say it like

could feel something in his chest

ask a more

his chest upon hearing that. Sure, he didn't have

Esme began

face departed from his until they retained

to

a deep breath, allowing the sweet scent that now filled the room to enter his nostrils

silent for a few seconds, feeling

Then, he spoke up.

didn't want to hide

to get into disguise and face

thought never even croseed

simply wanted to see her, and he wanted her

all there was