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Chapter 44.2. Deception
The young girl had curled up on the sofa without me noticing. She seemed so comfortable and peaceful sleeping there. I covered her with a towel blanket and then sat on the opposite sofa, tapping the armrest thoughtfully.
Hmm...
[Is it alright that you gave the silver cup to her?]
I glance over at Shizuku as she comes to sit on my lap, then narrow my eyes and nod.
"It's all good. There are benefits to this. First, the people from the inner town got the silver cup for free. They'll probably consider leaving me alone even more."
I said as she tapped the armrest with my fingers.
[You mean they think a foolish man like me will go to dangerous dragon nests and bring back treasures for them, without even giving us a marble in return?]
"Exactly. They think they'll get the treasure without paying or making any effort."
They should have some motivation to leave me alone. After all, I'm already a monster that conquers dungeons solo. I need to be cautious. If that monster comes back with delicious prey, those greedy people will think of reasons to let me be.
"Next, the people from the inner town, at least the lower ranks, don't know the true value of magic tools. Some beautiful lady out there probably has overwhelming knowledge about it. I've confirmed that."
[Haha, is it okay if you pat my head? Is it okay if you praise me?]
Shizuku-san said, getting carried away and showing off her confident face.
It made me smile wryly. She didn't look like a bundle of wisdom with that attitude.
But then, she quickly switched to a serious expression.
"Finally... that Karin guy. She has the skill to discern lies. It's for sure. It's probably not a passive skill. But an active one. He can't use it that many times. And that skill can detect vague deceptions. I won't lie, but I also didn't say the whole truth. It's enough to pass through, but..."
I couldn't hide my laughter and twisted my mouth. I've figured out why she's a secret agent. She's strange. She probably has misinformation, so why did she follow me so quickly to the dungeon? Because she knew the information wasn't false. Then why was she so sure it wasn't false?
[Why do you think that?]
"Shee believed my declaration. Isn't it natural to be suspicious about my Aura and my Non-Magic? There's a possibility of me lying, right? She probably tried to find out if I had obtained Skill Up Potions or Status Up Potions."
She easily believed and went away. That's the information broker, just like that. The answer lies in her trusting her skill. She can see through lies.
"Moreover, Non-Magic. It came in handy right away. Mana Perception. I can now see the flow of the opponent's mana. I saw the moment her skill activated. She used it twice. When I handed her the silver cup, Karin was convinced it was water and tried to confirm it with her intense gaze. It was pointless, though."
Even if I said it'd water and hand it over. Karin sees through the lie. She should think about why I lied and the reason behind it. Where does it lead to? It would be troublesome if she suspected I knew the silver cup's abilities. The premise for a secretive and mysterious man is not to reveal where she lives, but I can't do that. I'm just a hard-boiled guy.
This little girl was by my side at the right time. Lucky me. She could eat delicious oranges and sleep in a room that is as cool as it's air-conditioned. Lucky.
I have to thank her for being helpful, you know.
"And next is the dungeon core. I put power into my eyes back then too. What do you think?"
[It's a skill to see through truth and lies, right? A skill to see through the opponent's words without any other information and determine the truth. The weakness, as you've noticed, is that the opponent can deceive through their way of speaking. Those with this skill believe they can see the truth. They trust in their superiority.]
She explains, and I'm impressed with her words. It seems true that she knows various skills.
[Amano Shizuku is truly something! Kupiin.]
"Should I applaud?"
[Well, I don't expect you to join in, but please pat me on the head next time...]
With a puzzled expression and uttering words that don't make much sense, Shizuku-san quickly changes the subject.
I understand and nod lightly, deciding to conclude Hanari's story. If you know the opponent's abilities, there's a way to deal with them. By making them see through the lie, you can also lead them in the wrong direction.
Now, let's move on to the main subject.
"Shizuku-san, why did you make me take [Magic Maximum Efficiency Conversion]? It's not because you wanted Non-Magic, right??"
The skill I acquired in the kitchen just now, [Aura Maximum Efficiency Conversion], is a unique skill that stands in contrast to Non-Magic Arts." I exchanged it for Dungeon Core D. Non-Magic came as a bonus.
This ability can convert aura into mana without any loss. However, aura is originally mana. It's a meaningless skill, so why did you suggest I take it?
[I didn't plan to acquire this skill either. But I changed my plan, thanks to you, Sakimori-san.]
"Thanks to me?"
Did I do something? I don't think I did anything funny.
[Dungeon skills are traps, but their power is real. If you avoid the traps and use the skills properly. They can be useful. It seems I misunderstood the effect of this skill.]
Standing up from my knee, Shizuku puts her index finger on her lips and smiles cutely.
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