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."

you talking

the United Human Alliance is doing nothing

"Y-yeah. I mean…"

fighting in the war against the Dragons?" Rey

"…"

said nothing to the question. Perhaps because

they can get. It makes no logical sense

heard Rey refer to the very people she saved—the ones who suffered before her

"Re, you—"

were helpless against the might of the Dragons, while the Alliance was better off. They said all those

Ingroup bias existed, the way

there's no reason why the Alliance would abandon those people unless, for some reason, they refused to be a part of the

could already think of a few reasons why that could

power. It's possible that they wouldn't have much of governmental control within the Alliance, and

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

better to rule in hell

you saying they lied to me? I don't think so, Rey. I can see their Alignments, rememeber? I also know when someone is being dishonest with

of the deal with the Alliance, and they refused. The people

the leaders

it's possible that the previous leaders who were approached with the deal and refused are already

fell silent once

not

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 enemy she thought

some hidden motives I am unaware of. There's also the

the Alliance itself was in a crisis, it wouldn't make any utilitarian sense to divide the

focused on the group that was actively

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

just supported the United Human Alliance in front of Esme, he didn't like the fact that he was made unaware of the plight of

was where his logic clashed with

that. There are many unsavory parts about them. Still… we can't blame them for every misfortune that has

the solution I offered

damage that had been done to these people for over a decade could not be resolved by Esme in

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

able to join the Alliance and enjoy its benefits, I

placed both hands on

don't

again—a mix of

They both smiled.