Nighttime settled in not long after they set inside. It didn't take long for Dennis to see and reunite with his allies from the other side, he knows the biggest thing he should worry about is the negotiations. Yet, that didn't stop him from catching up with them through a couple of jokes and just chatting amongst one another. Although, he is willing to address the elephant in the room.

"I see you accepted my invitation." He said to Nemesis as she stood before him.

"Likewise." She crossed her arms before looking around. "I can see why you needed me here, but I just couldn't understand why this is the reason for all this misery. Tch... They're treating my job as if it's a joke."

"At least people are finally getting what they're due. That's why I called you here."

Nemesis hummed to herself. Then she nodded and walked away without saying another word, with that, Dennis couldn't help but look at the refugees huddling here in this place. They all come in different shapes, species, and sizes, for he can see Demons, Tieflings, Beastmen, and other non-human species dealing with the same cruel fallout that war brings: Chaos and misery. Not only that, how badly did the Black Dogs treat them?

He sighs to himself, but he couldn't help but smile a bit more, as he sees two of his companions helping the refugees. Even the friends he has on the other side can be seen training them on how to fight. It makes him glad to know that they're willing to help, but it's time for him to deal with matters that really need to be addressed, and those are the negotiations.

He took a deep breath, and let it out, and it's time for it to begin.

"C-crap. I shouldn't have drank so much." Boe Dasher whined as he kept his legs crossed, gritting his teeth.

"Just go if you're bothered by that much. We'll just tell you how it went down if we finish before you." Torien said as she rolled her eyes, and with that, Boe ran off as fast as he can.

Dennis sighed as he looked at his companions upon their seats. Others kept to themselves, patiently waiting for the leaders, and others pass the time by telling stories and just sharing little things about them. However, concern reached him once more as he sees Alicia down on her luck. Her eyes had something akin to sorrow and anger, and from how tightly her fist is clenched. Judging by the way she glanced at him, she must have noticed him staring at her.

"I-I'm sorry that I stared, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." She brushed it off. "I just had things going on in my head, that's all."

Dennis hummed, but he knew something isn't right. Unfortunately, she doesn't look to be in the best mood to talk about it, much less be even content in it. He won't pry for the sake of her privacy, but if it's going to bother her that much, then he will try and talk to her about it. Better help her resolve it, rather than risking her doing something stupid because of her emotions on that matter.

After a few more moments of having to wait, the leaders finally came, and they sat themselves on the seats. Obviously, the man who sat in the middle was Ratcliffe, a bald and aged man who dressed himself in luxurious green robes as a way to denote his status to others. But the other two sitting right beside him was an odd sight. One is a fairly young man with a mop of chestnut hair and a well groomed beard, but his appearance is disarming, mostly due to the fact that he looks rather youthful. Fair to assume that without any context, people would think that he's unqualified for this kind of job. The other one looked to be in his mid 40s, and unlike the youthful lad, he looked much more robust and gruff, along with scars that denote his face.

"These men beside me are Noah and Graves respectively. Like me, they are the ones that run this place. I need someone to help me due to my old bones."

"Let's skip to the point and make it clear." Noah butted in. "You guys are part of the necromancer's faction, and you came over to us to negotiate an alliance."

"That's pretty much the gist of it." Bellamy replied. "Considering that if the rumors are true, it'll make sense that at least one of you knows a thing or two about the Black Dogs, considering that one of you used to be part of them."

"That would be me." Graves spoke out. "Jon Graves is my full name, and please, just call me Jon. Just in case you ask, I was once in charge of Ansur, but I joined the rebellion after realizing that my fellow comrades were practically running this continent to the ground. Let's just say, if there's not enough food to feed them, some of them would start harassing, much less steal food from their neighbors. That's all you need to know about me. For Noah, he's my right hand man."

"Back on the topic of joining your faction." Ratcliffe said. "We are considering it, but that doesn't mean we'll join you so easily. How do we know for sure that he won't do the same?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure he won't do it. I know him personally-."

"But do you?" Ratcliffe interrupted him.

Dennis was taken aback by it, and when he opened his mouth to retort. He couldn't find the words to argue, not because he found him having a good point, but it's because of the fact that he doesn't know him that personally. He doesn't know when he was born, the exact details of his parents and other family members, but it also boils down to these people as well. Most of the people here are people that trusted their lives and faith to the Black Dogs, and yet, this is what happened, and how they repaid them.

He knows the necromancer can be trusted, for he was able to save the Seven Shields and Celestine, but how can he get these people to believe in him after they were betrayed?

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. 'How am I gonna convince them?' He thought to himself until he noticed Alicia's fist holding down on the tablecloth.

"You can't just assume that that's the case. I understand you're a little bit distrustful, but in the end, he saved me. He saved us, along with Celestine. Why would he go to the trouble of rescuing us, if he can just go to the pits and morgues and just fight the Dogs as another faction? He wouldn't have to go to the trouble of freeing the others"

"Hmmmm... You have a fair point there. But let's say this. Even if we do join him, what's in it for us?"

"We have weapons and more food for the refugees here." Glenn spoke up. "While everyone was situating themselves here, I noticed a majority of soldiers here don't have very good weapons. I saw that there were using sharpened stakes for knives and cleavers. A good sword would be useful, especially considering that you're gonna need that to save up on ammo. Those trenches will do you good for so long."

The leaders turned to each other and they started whispering among themselves. Glancing at them every now and then. After a long while, they all looked at them.

"Give us five days to get ready." Jon declared. "There's a lot of refuges we have to account for, and hopefully your army can help us with escorting them."

Dennis grinned and his cohorts cheered. It may not be much to improve their opinions on Kazuma, but it's progress nonetheless. With that out of the way, the only thing left to do is lend out a hand. 5 days should be enough to persuade them, and maybe get them to warm up to the necromancer even more.

But then the fanfare was interrupted by a soldier coming in, distressed and troubled. He was panting, tiredly and wearily.

"Ser Dennis!" He yelled out. "It's about Boe Dasher."

"What is it soldier?" He asked him.

"He's dead. I saw him with a crimson smile graced on his neck. He was at the latrines too when that happened."

Everyone grew concerned, the cheery atmosphere went dark and solemn. Dennis and the others got off their chairs and they ran. They ran as fast their legs can carry.

And just as the soldier described, they saw Boe Dasher's corpse, his pants down and lying on the latrines with his blood, and a red smile on his throat. An indignant and dishonorable death for someone like him.

"Who did this...?" Alicia muttered as she looked around.

"Okay everyone, calm down." Dennis yelled out. "It's clear that someone did this, but we're not gonna get ourselves a solid answer if we keep pointing our fingers against each other. Let's all establish a perimeter and we will-"

Dennis covers his ears as he hears the piercing cries of a horn bellowing out all of it's might. Soon, some militia men grabbed whatever pieces of rubble they can, and soldiers pulled out their swords including Jon himself.

"We're under attack, men!" He yelled out before looking at Dennis and his crew. "One of you must stay behind and guard this place, the rest of you can come. Who will it be?"

"I'll stay behind." Torien yelled out. "My hands are quick, and my eyes are sharp. Anyone that tries to loot this scene, I'll bark them off."

"I'll do the same as well." Bronn said. "I'll take 5 of the men as well."

"So be it." Jon looked at the others and raised his sword. "To arms!"

And with that, he ran off with the men. Dennis gulped, thoughts racing to his head. wondering what this could mean for them and everyone else. One of them is dead, and it's clear that a murderer is on the loose. Yet, the fact that they're being attacked by what he can assume to be a raiding party, it doesn't bode well at all. Call him suspicious, but it's clear that something might be amiss.

[Kazuma]

"Please! Please! Just let me go!" Michelle squealed with all his might as he thrashes against the pillory. The humiliation of him being set in such a way that his entire castle can see makes him wail in agony.

Maia laughs in delight as she hears those pathetic squeals before downing another glass of wine, wine that's been watered down to at least keep her wits together, but the fact that she's still on the sixth bottle of wine is enough to give concern to Kazuma's wine supply. Granted that he's not much of a drinker, but he's saving a good amount of them for the celebration of the defeat of House Pantielle.

"By the way." She speaks out as she turned to him. "You never told me why we can't just storm the castle and take them there. We already have a whistleblower telling us their secret."

"That part is true, but I also talked with her in private, I'm worried about the civil war that can happen to House Pantielle, and I can see ourselves getting involved."

"Why's that?" She asked.

"Ever since we finished talking to her, I talked to her more in private to see if there's more things we should know about. She told me that ever since the Black Dogs took control, he started abusing his power a lot more, and that applies to Prima Nocta." He explained. "It was mostly localized incidents before, but since he started venturing out to other lands, some of his servants became nervous that he is messing up his line of succession. Granted, if I kill him now, it'll make this siege easier, but it'll put us potential targets if the civil war breaks out. Trust me, I would rather focus my army and resources to drive the Black Dogs out of this land, than to deal with family matters."

"I see." Maia took a sip of her wine in understanding. But it does sound like a useful tactic, the idea of their house, plunged into a civil war that only they can prevent, but the one that is stopping her is the idea of them giving the likes of that fat brat protection. Sighing to herself, she looked at him.

"What got you into dark magic? If you don't mind me asking."

"No, no, that's a good question." He lightly waved off with a small chuckle. "I partially took it from my sister."

"Why?" She asked, tilting her head.

"She always had ideas." He began. "Ideas that were born from the question of 'why not?'. You see, growing up, she wanted to be a knight. Protecting the weak while clad in armor, but she always wondered how she can take it to the extreme. Or should I say, be greater than what the standard gives."

"How so?"

"Magic and a large arsenal of guns, blades, and medicine." He looked at her straight in the eye. "That's what she wanted to be growing up. Where I came in, well. I just believed that there is no such thing as dark magic nor light magic, just magic. Although, that's a good enough reason as to why I was exiled."

Maia sighed awkwardly. She remembered that part, 7 years ago before all of this.

[7 years ago]

Murmurs and gossip flew around the grounds of the church of Celestine. Another scandal has arose, this time, with the involvement of the Seven Shields and Celestine herself. Words litter to the street and all across the roads of Ken, and the subject of said is none other than Kazuma.

The bastard of John Bradburg and Naomi Kuzuryuu, he sat on the chair, head downcast as the judges and Seven Shields gaze upon him.

He flinched when he heard the gavel pound into the stump, taking a deep breath, he lifted his head up to meet their eyes. Never before has he felt so tiny as he sees all of the scathing glares of all of them, even the disappointed glare he got from his family felt like a stab to the heart.

"Name of the bastard?" The judge bellowed. "Without a last name, how am I supposed to refer to this bastard if he doesn't even have one."

"The people have accepted to refer to him as Kazuma Bradburg. The father is here in the court along with the mother and the other bastard. They wanted to be recognized as the family."

"Very well then. Kazuma Bradburg!" The judge bellowed once more. "You are here under the trial of being found practicing the dark arts of magic at the library, am I correct?"

"I-I can explai-"

"You'll get your explanation by the time this trial has identified what to do decide with you!" He yelled at him before pounding the gavel and yelling out 'Order' as everyone starts yelling out profanities at him.

"They should just kill him and throw him out for the crows already." Luu Luu whispered to them. "It's pretty clear that he's guilty."

"Guilty as he may be, you can't help but feel bad for him." Alicia added in. "Still, this wouldn't even have happened if he didn't do it." She craned her head over to Celestine. "What do you think?"

Celestine looked at them solemnly. Out of everyone within the courtroom, she might as well be the only one who feels sorry for him. It's already bad enough that the War she has with Olga is taking a toll on her and her kingdom, but she made sure that at least, the people are able to go on their very lives in peace despite the raging fires that burned in the horizon. Guilty as the lad may be, she can feel that his heart is in the right place.

"Do you think he's innocent?" Luu Luu asked her.

"I'm not sure." She replied. "I can't help but feel like he's innocent. By that, I mean that his heart is in the right place, despite his crime."

The Seven Shields continued to watch the trial in front of them. Kazuma didn't even show a blank face or an angry one, but a faced that' trying to decide whether to lash out or try to reason, his brows were curled in a way that showed his confusion, and the way his eyes look like he's accepting the fact that he's guilty. Regardless, as the judge continues on to say how much of a terrible practice it is, the atmosphere took a slight change.

"Kazuma Bradburg, I declare you a guilty man for practicing the Dark Arts of Magic within our lands! Corruption of such a thing neither excused or tolerated, and such, is punishable by death. Yet... I would like to hear why."

Those words. Those words were the one thing that brought them all to a standstill. Not one of them even trying to proclaim that he doesn't deserve an explanation due to how bizarre the request is, but Kazuma decided to clear his throat, and opened his mouth.

"I did it because I don't believe that there is black magic, nor dark arts of magic."

"And why's that?" The judge asked.

"Because I just believed that it didn't." He began. "Have you ever wondered when we suddenly decide that whatever magic does, it suddenly lies in both the light and the dark? I don't believe any of that because they have one thing in common: they're both magic!"

"And are you confident that you won't turn into a menace?!"

"Yes!" Kazuma yelled out. "I'm confident because of my judgement. I know what to do when I learn it. I won't go around, slaughtering innocents, nor will I try to enslave them. I just wanted to see if they can be used for good deeds and many."

"Still not enough." The judge bellowed before turning to Celestia. "Any final words on his sentencing."

Celestia looked and gazed into Kazum's begging, pleading eyes. Pity took over, but she still has to go through with what's in mind.

"Exile." She said plain and simple. "Send him out to Exile."

"But wouldn't he-"

"I said what I have said." She cut the judge off. "Exile him so he will die. Alone among the grass with no one to mourn him. To execute him now would just be too quick for a crime this grievous."

"Very well then." The judge declared. "By the words out of Celestine's own mouth, you shall be exiled! No one to love, no one to mourn! You will die alone, forgotten, and unremembered as if you were a piece of rusting, broken steel!"

With the gavel pounding on the stump, he whimpered. Everyone started throwing him rotting pieces of food as if he's nothing more but the very scum of the earth. The only thing he had solace from is the stares of his family, pity and sorrow he found, not the disappointed glares he found earlier. He ran. He ran as fast as his legs can carry, trying to avoid them all

"Do you still hate us after what happened...?" She said awkwardly.

"I wanted to." Kazuma began. "But the Black Dogs have beaten me to my revenge. Besides, me being exiled was the greatest thing that ever happened. Without anyone breathing down on my back, I was able to perform them effortlessly. Necromancy being one of them."

With that, he gave a mirthful chuckle that was oddly infectious to her. She couldn't help but chuckle a bit as well.

"Sometimes, what happened in the past doesn't really make or break your future. What matters is what you do next. I may be a Dark Lord by their eyes, the Bone King for others, but those titles don't shape me. It's always been who I am."

"You must be ironic then."

"Trust me." Kazuma replied. "It is ironic. A good stinking example of irony."