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

said the United Human Alliance is doing nothing to

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

the Dragons?" Rey asked, his tone as calm

"…"

the question. Perhaps because she already knew the obvious

is actively fighting the war, and to do that they need all the help they can get. It makes no logical sense that

she heard Rey refer to the very people she saved—the ones

"Re, you—"

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

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 being

Alliance would abandon those people unless, for some reason, they refused to be a part of

already think of a few reasons why that could be the

resources or military power. It's possible that they wouldn't have

power they had as the ruler of a small land than to merely

in hell than become

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

Alliance, and they refused. The people were perhaps fed another narrative, which

leaders

the previous leaders who were approached with the deal and refused are

silent

not as headstrong about her views as

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

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

were uncooperative, and the Alliance itself was in a crisis, it wouldn't make any utilitarian sense to divide the attention of their

to be focused on the group that was actively

leaves a bad taste in my mouth…' His

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

was where his logic clashed with

the Dragon Scourge. I'm not saying 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." He

solution

that had been done to these people for over a decade could

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

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

hands

also don't want

mix of red

They both smiled.