I have always found the presumptions of others to be the best possible disguise—haven’t you? - Scott Lynch

Nikoros, your job this afternoon is to say yes to anything that comes out of my mouth. The more you rehearse this, the sooner it'll become a smooth mechanical process allowing no time for painful reflection. Can you practice for me?
Yes.
You're a natural.

People die when they get hanged. It’s why they hang them!

In time, you’ll come to understand that a state like ours cannot afford to offer up a show of weakness for honesty’s sake; Duke Nicovante charges me with vouchsafing his security, not his conscience.