Cold reading was an essential skill in business, used to judge the truth or falsehood amid all kinds of complicated information.
It was a common social technique: observing someone's eyes, speech, bearing, every gesture and movement to understand their psychological state, even using certain words or actions to control them.
It was not a spell, yet it was often more effective than the spell [Suggestion].
As long as it was a spell, it would inevitably carry magical fluctuations, and there would always come a time when an expert saw through it.
Of course, this method was also often used by scumbags to pick up girls.
In Xia Lan Veloss's hands, though, it had instead become a handy little trick for exposing the lies of scumbags and scum dragons.
As Levis asked his careful question in utter confusion, Xia Lan Veloss's eyes kept flickering as they caught every minute change in his expression. Once she confirmed there was an eighty-percent chance that he truly knew nothing, she let out a breath of relief—along with a faint disappointment.
That made sense. According to the investigation, Levis—or rather, Tibilus and his group—had only broken free from the control of those Drow in the Underdark less than a week ago. How could they possibly know so much about Water-Drawing City's secrets from a century ago?
Their Archmage Vina might have heard some rumors, but perhaps she had not been part of the decision-making circle and had not taken the information too seriously, so she never told Levis.
Not everyone possessed that near-instinctive sensitivity for business.
"Looks like you really didn't know."
Xia Lan Veloss lifted the cup of "tea-steeped water" Aili had poured for her, the corner of her eye twitching slightly.
Always one to insist that food be exquisitely prepared and meat finely