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Chapter 115: The Cunning White Fox

“Tell me honestly, where exactly is your sister?” Reiner crossed one leg over the other and kept interrogating her.

He possessed the ability to eavesdrop on thoughts, so prying information from her was ridiculously easy.

As long as he gave her a slight verbal nudge, she would involuntarily make associations, and Reiner could seize the moment to steal the information hidden within.

Peggy shook her head, stretched out a slender finger, and coquettishly scratched at Reiner’s knee. “Master… I truly don’t know where she went. She is my sister, I worry about her safety, and I only want to find her faster than you do.”

The corner of Reiner’s mouth curved slightly. “Fine, I’ll grant your wish. Frankly, there are not many hiding spots around this city; she could either be in the wilderness outside the walls or hiding in the woods near the small village east of town.”

Peggy lowered her head as if pondering, but she had already devised a strategy.

(First I’ll pretend not to tell him, let him brag for a while, then act convinced and give him a fake location; after he fails a couple of times he’ll probably give up.)

Reiner narrowed his eyes.

The more he used the system’s ability, the more fun it became, and watching her act was especially entertaining.

Even someone as crafty as Peggy was like an open book before Reiner.

“Master, she is my sister! You could never understand the bond between sisters!”

Reiner nodded and kept coaxing words out of her.

After a long while Peggy feigned submission and whispered, “Master, why do you insist on finding her?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a member of the Demi-human Protection Association, and I have devoted my life to protecting demi-humans!”

Peggy clasped her hands to her chest and gazed at Reiner with worshipful eyes. “Master… you are magnificent!”

(As if I’d believe that. He might fool others, but not me. All that sugar-coated stuff… building houses for us… is nothing but a way to buy loyalty. Before humans persecuted us, we demi-humans were far happier living in the forest.)

Trying to win over someone this smart was no easy task.

Reiner had no time to chatter with her; grabbing her sister as leverage was the most straightforward way to handle her.

It was a bit underhanded, yet it was indeed the best way to keep her under control for the moment.

“So, can you tell me now?”

“You must promise… once you rescue my sister, you will treat her well.”

“I promise!”

“Very well. She is actually hiding in the small forest east of the city.”

The place she named was the very village where Reiner had lived right after crossing into this world.

The woods beside that village harbored not only all kinds of monsters but also a fair number of bandits.

Letting a lone demi-human hide there…

Reiner did not even need to read her thoughts to know she was talking nonsense.

“I see, yet I feel there must be a better hiding spot. You are a clever little fox; you couldn’t have overlooked that.”

“The western wilderness?”

Peggy fell silent, as though he had hit the mark.

Her acting was so convincing it seemed real.

(If I keep silent and refuse to engage, he might think he has guessed right.)

Reiner chuckled and countered, “If you stay silent, I’ll take it as a no.”

(This guy… something is off, but the more suspicious he gets, the less I can slip up. As long as I keep my mouth shut, even if he guesses, he can’t confirm anything.)

Peggy kept a blank face and flattened her white fox ears.

Reiner listed several locations he thought suitable for hiding.

Peggy was sometimes silent, sometimes nodded to release smoke screens, making truth and lies hard to distinguish.

Not until Reiner mentioned that name, “Dawn Forest.”

(Stay calm! I’ve admitted several times already; continuing to admit openly will mislead him further.)

Reiner was now certain that her sister was hiding in Dawn Forest.

However, that place housed not just goblins; according to Dimas, a terrifying red dragon might appear there too, so it was far from safe.

It was great that he could handle two tasks at once.

Peggy smiled and spoke slowly. “You still guessed it; my sister is indeed in Dawn Forest.”

“Then I really am smart. We’ll head for Dawn Forest tomorrow.” Reiner stood up quickly, put the stool back, and walked into the kitchen.

Peggy was left standing there, utterly bewildered.

Reiner fetched two pieces of white bread and one piece of black bread from the kitchen, handing the black bread to the still-dazed Peggy.

(I must stay calm; composure is the best approach now. If I get flustered, he’ll sense something, and he is definitely no ordinary man.)

Reiner crouched in front of her, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “What’s wrong? Not happy? Is your sister not in Dawn Forest after all?”

“No matter what I say, Master won’t believe me, so let’s assume she is there.” She nibbled at the black bread; she clcounty had no appetite, yet she pretended to eat heartily.

She was acting every single moment; it was a shame she was not a professional actress.

“Aren’t you tired, acting all the time?”

Peggy chuckled, pretended she did not understand, and glanced back at him. “Huh?”

“Don’t you see? Your tricks don’t work on me; you’ll need a few more years of practice.”

Peggy blinked and said, “What tricks? I don’t understand.”

(This man, who on earth is he? I have maintained my disguise perfectly from start to finish, yet he can see through it effortlessly; this has never happened before.

The men I met before were always wrapped around my finger, but he seems able to guess my thoughts perfectly; what on earth is going on?

Could it be mind-reading? Such magic exists only in legends; it’s unlikely he has it, yet he feels far too strange.)

Reiner drew in a sharp breath.

She was the first beast-eared girl to vaguely sense that he was stealing her thoughts.

Being too clever really was a liability.

“Still pretending to be cute?”

“I am a very cute little fox by nature.” Peggy smiled gently, broke off a piece of the black bread, and offered it to Reiner as if casually. “Master, you must be hungry too; have a bite.”

Peggy was truly skilled.

Even knowing she was acting, he still risked being charmed.

Suddenly he could understand King Zhou.

At that moment Martina smacked Reiner.

She pouted, looking somewhat angry.

He had no idea when she had come over; she made no sound when she walked, and the startled Reiner grumbled, “What are you doing? I’m in the middle of questioning, and you suddenly hit me.”

“You tell me; your eyes were practically popping out.” Martina puffed her cheeks, suddenly grabbed Peggy by the collar, and snapped, “Are you trying to steal my man?”

Peggy smiled and said obsequiously, “Master is so outstanding; it is normal for a woman to be fond of him.”

She said that aloud, but she did not think so at all. (The world is full of men; I’m not interested in him. You can keep him and have your fun.)

“Flattery won’t help you. Tomorrow we’re heading out to find your sister… ”

Reiner did not even finish his sentence before the excited Martina dragged him into the room.

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