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."

are you

is doing nothing to help

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

fighting in the war against the Dragons?" Rey

"…"

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

get. It makes no logical sense that they would ignore

heard Rey refer to the very people she

"Re, you—"

of how the Alliance abandoned them, or how they were helpless against the might of the Dragons, while the Alliance was better off. They said all those things, presenting themselves to be the victims… but is that

story that suited their narrative. As long as Ingroup bias existed, the way their perspective

people unless, for

already think of a few reasons why that

nations, so 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

they had as the ruler

essence, it was better to rule in hell than become a servant in

Rey. I can see their Alignments, rememeber? I also know when someone is being dishonest

they refused. The people were perhaps fed another narrative, which passed around until everuone believed they were right

leaders were

crisis, it's possible that the previous leaders who were approached with the deal and refused are already dead. It's been over ten years since the Alliance

silent once

she was also not as

that the victims she rescued were perhaps not as innocent as she thought. And even if some were, if the narrative they fed her was wrong, then the Alliance was not the

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 means

If the other Nations were uncooperative, and the Alliance itself was in a crisis, it wouldn't make

group that was actively

leaves a bad taste in my

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

his logic clashed with

Scourge. I'm not saying the framework is perfect. No, it's far from that. There are many unsavory parts about them.

get it. But, Rey, the solution I offered them was only

been done to these people for over a decade could not be resolved by Esme

settlement, so it wasn't like she could

to join the Alliance

hands on Esme's

also don't want

again—a mix of

They both smiled.