An Extra’s POV

"How strange…"

After hearing all of Rey's detailed narration of everything that happened in the Shrine, those words naturally proceeded from Esme's lips.

"Right? I thought about it for so long, but it still makes no sense to me."

"Yeah…" Esme mumbled. "Why would they request for me specifically? I'm the hated Half Elf vermin, after all…"

"Well, I think—"

"Guess we'll find out once I ask them." She interrupted Rey, snapping her fingers once she made her choice.

"Wait, Esme. It's actually dangerous to—!"

"I know what's going on in your mind. It's possible that they want to execute me or something. However, all of this lies in conjecture. Are you really willing to throw away all your efforts thus far for just that?"

Rey had a rather conflicted expression on his face. He wanted to open his lips to say "Maybe?" but something stopped him from speaking out loud.

Esme smiled as soon as she saw this, shrugging a little nonchalantly. "It's fine, Rey! I also have many questions I want to ask this Oracle person, so it's a win-win for both of us."

It almost seemed like Esme was the one trying to convince Rey to go at this point. The latter understood why she was doing it, and instantly realized that being more difficult would only be an insult to her resolve.

"Thanks, Esme… really."

"I believe I owe you even more thanks." She beamed with a smile. "I guess I really was relevant to this whole adventure, after all!"

Rey laughed upon hearing this. "Yeah, I guess I'll have to thank Ater later. He always has such good sense on matters like this."

"Yup! You should! Do you think he predicted that this would happen?"

"Pfft! No way!"

The two continued in this good spirit as they increased their pace, their attention fixed on the path ahead that led to their goal.

—The Elven Shrine.

**********

the point when Rey and Esme arrived, much

they both simply sped into the

already done away with her hood and was

"Yup!"

the inner sanctum by Rey's Skill. The statue stood in its usual

all of that was

out a sharp cry as she fell to the ground, clutching her head

"E-Esme—?!"

Her expression depicted something akin to pain, but it was more as though she was

you? Can you

just kept groaning as her body slightly

to check her Status Window, Rey couldn't see her Life Force or any other Stat of hers being affected, so he was reluctant to think this was an

did notice a Status Condition,

Linked

Esme feeling it all

feared that taking her out now

it

want to see

hurting Esme!"

was the last straw for

know, she could be attacking Esme's soul or something. There's no guarantee that any of this is positive!' He gritted his teeth and

out

~ZZZZTTTZZ!~

shrine, shrouding both Rey and Esme in its brilliant

That wasn't all, though.

can't I teleport out?!' A bead of sweat formed on Rey's face as slight hints of panic began to seep out of his

'Damnit! Damnit!! Damnit!!!'

suppressed, but he couldn't help but constantly feel the

with brute force—a bright light suddenly covered everything and

the statue