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

doing nothing to

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

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

"…"

nothing to the question. Perhaps

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

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

"Re, you—"

something along the lines 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

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

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

a few reasons why

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

scenario, some people would rather cling to the ultimate power they had as the ruler

to rule in

can see their Alignments, rememeber? I also

that only the leaders are aware of the deal with the Alliance, and they refused. The people were perhaps fed another narrative, which passed

leaders were

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

silent

to disappear, but she was also not

she thought. And even if some were, if the narrative they fed her was wrong, then the Alliance was not the

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 us to know about

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

be focused on the group that was actively fighting against

bad taste in my mouth…'

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

where his logic clashed

saying the framework is perfect. No, it's far from that. There are many unsavory parts about them. Still… we can't blame them

But, Rey, the solution I offered them

figured that out as well. The damage that had been done to these people for over

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

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

hands on Esme's shoulders

don't

mix of red and

They both smiled.