"You know, my cousin told me something about you and how you understood her special ability, but..." his voice softened, "I was the one who taught Luna to detect lies. It's a subtle art, the small changes in voice, the tension in certain muscles, the way the eyes move... And above all, the bodily flow of mana."
Ren froze, the mushrooms in his hair pulsing erratically.
"And you, young Ren, have been lying quite a bit. Not about everything, but definitely about important things."
Silence filled the tunnel while Ren processed this revelation.
"You're not a spy," the prince continued. "Your lies are too specific for that. You're protecting something, hiding something you can do or see."
The mushrooms pulsed more intensely, as if responding to their bearer's tension.
"Please," Julius softened his tone further, "tell me what you really see down here. What your mushrooms with more than 'just light' are showing you."
