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 them, but is that really

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

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

"…"

Perhaps because she already knew the obvious

and to do that they need all the help they can get. It makes no logical sense that they would ignore potential fighting power, so chandes are

twisted the moment she heard Rey refer to the very people

"Re, you—"

them, or how they were helpless against the might of the Dragons, while the Alliance was better off. They

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

it, there's no reason why the Alliance would abandon those people unless, for some reason, they refused

could already think of a few reasons

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

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

it was better to rule in hell

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

deal with the Alliance, and they refused. The people were perhaps fed another narrative, which passed

leaders

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

silent once

not as headstrong about her views as

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

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 they didn't want

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

focused on the group that was actively fighting against the

leaves a bad taste in my mouth…' His

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

logic clashed

is perfect. No, it's far from that. There are many unsavory parts about

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

that out as well. The damage that had been done to these people for over a decade could not be resolved by Esme in only

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

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

hands

also don't

mix of red and blue,

They both smiled.