An Extra’s POV

Esme ended up building strongholds for the people in those settlements and teaching them a few things they could use to develop their lands.

She aided in their agriculture, helped to defeat the Monsters that terrorized them, and solved a lot of their crisis; both internal and external.

The process was long and arduous—hence the reason for her late arrival.

"You should have seen them, Rey. They looked so miserable…"

To say his heart ached upon hearing all about what Esme witnessed would be an understatement.

"I… always thought I was helping all of humanity by siding with the Alliance. But, I guess I was wrong." He mumbled.

"I was only helping some."

"Yeah. From what I heard, the Alliance doesn't even bother with these small regions. I find that to be very distasteful." Esme's face darkened even further as she frowned.

"The people in charge here… I despise them."

"Is that why you barged in and caused such a commotion? You didn't care about them?" Rey chuckled as he sat on the bed, right beside her.

"It's not funny, Rey. The people out there were suffering greatly, yet the Alliance that's meant to be aiding humanity sat by and did nothing!"

"No, Esme. You're being a little too shortsighted." Rey sighed, finally settling in on the bed, crossing his legs as he sat up.

"What?"

"We still have insufficient information to blame the Alliance for the suffering of those people."

"Did you not hear a word that I said? Those people were—!"

"I did. I heard you quite well. And I understand that those people have been through rather unfortunate times."

"Then—!"

"It, in no way, means the United Human Alliance is at fault here." Rey sighed.

The United Human Alliance was—at its core—an amalgamation of different countries and cultures. When the war of the Dragons came, they gathered their strength together to fight.

"So it only follows that the Nations you saw were excluded from the amalgamation—either of their own accord, or due to their inability to reach the standards of an alliance."

you talking

Human Alliance is doing nothing to

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

in the war against the Dragons?" Rey asked, his tone

"…"

said nothing to the question. Perhaps because she already knew the

that they need all the help they can get. It makes no logical sense that they would ignore potential fighting power, so chandes are that the Nations in question

to the very people she saved—the ones who suffered before her eyes—as the ones

"Re, you—"

the might of the Dragons, while the Alliance was better off. They said all

would always tell a story that suited their narrative. As long as Ingroup bias existed, the way their

those people unless, for some reason, they

of a few reasons why that could be

chances are that they don't have much to offer in terms of resources or military power. It's possible that they wouldn't have much of governmental control within the Alliance, and even their highest leaders would be nothing more

people would rather cling to the ultimate power they had as the ruler of a small land than to merely be little fish in a much

essence, it was better to rule in hell than become

so, Rey. I can see their Alignments, rememeber?

Alliance, and they refused. The people were perhaps fed

leaders

insecurity and crisis, it's possible that the previous leaders who were approached with the deal and

fell silent once

she was also not as headstrong about her views as she

innocent as she thought. And even if some were, if the narrative they fed her was

all, the Alliance could have some hidden motives I am unaware of. There's also the fact that they hid the information about those other Nations from us as Otherworlders—which

itself was in a

the group that was actively

leaves a bad taste in my

front of Esme, he didn't like the fact that he was

his logic

the framework is perfect. No, it's far from that. There are many unsavory parts about them. Still… we can't blame them for every misfortune that has befallen these people."

But, Rey, the solution I offered

these people for over

a week in each settlement, so it wasn't like she could do much work

of their leaders that they weren't able to join the Alliance and enjoy its benefits, I don't

both hands on Esme's shoulders

don't

once again—a mix of

They both smiled.