[.......................................It's true, it really is difficult to tell what he's serious about or not. Gongenzaka's eyes shoot wide, wide open against the darker eyemask his fur creates, and it takes him some time before he can answer.

When he does however, it is with narrowed eyes.] ...The Ringmaster doesn't assign protective tasks to those without experience. In fact she doesn't typically assign any task to those without, even if it is merely understanding basic kata forms.

...Which tells me that you are lying. [Maybe. Not to the extent Shima actually IS, but he figures he's lying at least a little.]