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 talking

the United Human Alliance is doing nothing to help

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

the Dragons?" Rey asked, his tone as

"…"

Perhaps because she already knew the

can get. It makes no logical sense that they would ignore potential fighting power, so chandes

to the very people she saved—the

"Re, you—"

helpless against the might of the Dragons, while the Alliance was better

narrative. As long as Ingroup bias existed, the way their perspective would be shoved into a potentially neutral scenario would often present themselves as being

people unless,

few reasons why that

much to offer in terms of resources or military power. It's possible that they wouldn't have much of governmental

the

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

Rey. I can see their

the deal with the Alliance, and they refused. The people were perhaps fed another narrative, which passed around until everuone believed they were right and the Alliance was

the leaders were

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

fell silent once

was yet to disappear, but she was also not as headstrong about her views as

didn't want to believe that the victims she rescued were perhaps not as innocent as she thought. And even if some were, if the narrative

course, there's a chance that I'm wrong. After 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 means

could understand why that information was kept secret. If the other Nations were uncooperative, and the Alliance itself was in a crisis, it wouldn't make any utilitarian sense to divide the attention of

had to be focused on the group

leaves a bad taste in my mouth…' His eye narrowed

though he just supported the United Human Alliance in front of Esme, he didn't like the fact

his logic

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

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

been done to these people for over

each settlement, so it wasn't like she could do much work for each

leaders that they weren't able to join the Alliance and enjoy its benefits, I don't want to sit by and let them suffer like

placed both hands on Esme's shoulders

also don't want

mix of red and blue, reflecting

They both smiled.