The dinner table fell silent for a moment as everyone contemplated the repercussions of what Crown Prince Claudius had ordered, the deployment of foreign forces with in Cygnia’s borders.

"I say that we lie if anyone asks. I am comfortable telling everyone that we hired a collection of mercenary forces to do the job of eliminating the monsters for us.

In fact, I will even go with a group of adventurers and some of our local mages, so I can give a memory extract as proof to the Royal Court." Dominic suggested.

Prince Russel looked at him in horror. "You can’t lie to the Royal Court’s memory extraction."

Dominic smiled. "Let me tell you a fun story. Many years ago, when I was just a little dragonkin, I was scooped up by the Redcham city guards, on the shores of Trenilton Lake in Axbridge.

They had been told that I witnessed a murder, and assumed that I simply refused to tell them who it was because they were the authorities.

So, they brought me to their magistrate, who had a memory extraction spell. He cast it for relevant information of the event, and I realized that while you can’t alter what they see, the context is just as important as the details.

If my memory shows that I was out for multiple days with adventurers, and that I paid them, followed by not seeing anyone in uniform..."

The others smiled as he trailed off.

"Then they will naturally come to the conclusion that is what really happened and the reports of foreign armies mobilizing were overstated.

Or possibly that you approved them to work as mercenaries while they were stationed here. Which is politically problematic, but not technically illegal." Prince Russel reluctantly agreed.

"Normally, the issue would be their commanders charging them with desertion for such an action. But as we will all agree to approve it, that won’t be an issue.

It’s not going to be good for the Duke’s reputation, but half of the continent thinks that he’s a genocidal psychopath, how much worse can it get?" Prince Fahad joked.

Dominic shrugged, while the Officers and mages seated further down the table laughed quietly.

Normally, the low conversation drowned out whatever the Royals were saying, but today, nobody else was speaking.

The proposals that were being discussed were too important, and none of the Officers dared to take an action that would reflect negatively on their career. Being dismissed for poor conduct would ruin their families, and disqualify them from their pensions, as paltry as they were.

From the sound of it, things shouldn’t get that far, and the top brass would conveniently look the other way. Or possibly join in on the festivities.

But if they were moonlighting as Mercenaries, did that mean that they didn’t have to turn in the loot? The army claimed all the resources obtained from military actions, to be distributed based on Rank and contribution, with a cut to the nation.

A heavy cut.

But if they were mercenaries, even for one mission, they might be able to make out like bandits off the number of monster cores that they could obtain.

Hopefully, someone would mention that, so they didn’t have to discuss it directly.

"If we have a willing scapegoat, I don’t see a reason that we can’t get working on the mission. Those monsters need to go, before they’re used against us and not just the cities of Dagos.

But the elimination of that force is also directly tied to our purpose in being here. The stability of the region.

That alone should be enough of an excuse to smooth over any outrage about our actions, as long as we have a way to justify them as legal." Prince George suggested.

His own troops could pretend that they ran into the monsters on their way home. It was a direct enough route to justify their presence in the area.

But going that direction did not make any sense for any of the other Princes, as their nations didn’t have a single city in that direction. Not that Cygnia needed the excuse, this was their territory, and they could send all the soldiers they wanted in any direction they wanted.

"When are we planning to leave?" One of the officers asked.

"The day after tomorrow. The soldiers need one full day to prepare to mobilize, and we need to arrange mages to open portals to the area.

We may need to fly them there by airship so that they can open the portals in the desired locations, allowing us to surround the monsters without arriving too close and triggering a counterattack before we are in position." Prince Claudius decided.

"Should I go first? If I’m in position with a tracker, the mages can pinpoint my location, and send the troops based on that. It will also help build the story of mercenaries going to hunt monsters.

There are a bunch already in town, and they aren’t likely to say no to the chance of a big payday." Dominic suggested.

Alexis smiled. "See, I told you that we should tell him first. If there is a way to justify a massacre of Dagos forces, he is our resident expert."

Dominic considered his options, then wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

"You know that this story doesn’t work if you and the Royal Guard are with me, right?" He asked.

Alexis nodded. "I will be here with the Royal Guard and the City Guard, in case there is a counterattack. Each force will also leave their reserves here, and someone needs to lead them if Dagos takes the opportunity to attack Wistover."

She might not be wrong. Once the attack started, everyone would assume that Wistover was left undefended, and that it would be an easy fight.

"In that case, would you like to distribute the rifles that I have been making to the locals? I have a hundred level six uncommon rifles for someone. They were going to go to the officers, but if you’re going to be shorthanded, I can make them their batch after the battle." Dominic asked.

Alexis shook her head. "The actual guard already has rifles, as do the hunters. We would have to train anyone else. There isn’t time. But the soldiers have training on them already.

Well, shotguns, at least.

They will have to figure out precision aiming, but they get the concept well enough, and they’ll have some muscle memory. Give them to the senior officers from the Cygnia forces. Father will pay you for them later."

Prince Claudius laughed. "I see how this scam works. You claim it was urgent that we needed a load of new weapons, and by the time that the bill reaches the exchequer, they’re already in use."