Not so foolproof as you think

Yesterday, Rei showed Rome what a lie looked like on the outside. He told her his name was Brave Counsel and, of course, Rome knew it was Rei Bierak. She was now going to test her powers as a living lie detector and the results will be pretty surprising:

     “You’re in my brain, right?” Rei asked.
     Rome nodded. “I feel the connection.”
     “Good. Now ask me the exact same question again.”
     “What is your name?” Rome asked, closing her eyes to concentrate on Rei’s answer.
     “Brave Counsel,” Rei answered again. Rome opened her eyes in shock. “You are telling the truth. I, I don’t understand.”
     Rei smiled. “My given name is Reinard, which means brave counsel. I think it’s German. My parents were always a little weird that way.”
     “But I asked you your name. How could you answer the wrong thing?”
     “I didn’t,” Rei said. “I chose to interpret your question differently than you intended. I answered the question I made myself believe you were asking and I answered it truthfully.”
     Rome harrumphed. “If I can’t tell if you are telling the truth about such a simple thing, of what use is this new ability.”
     “We’ll figure that out. Let’s try another one.” Rei pulled his hands away from Rome’s. “Ask me what girl is the love of my life.”
     Rome’s face lit up. This one would be easy. Rei put his hands back into hers. “What girl is the love of your life?” Rome asked.
     Rei leaned forward and stared into Rome’s eyes. “It was Sally Reynolds,” he answered, deadly serious.
     “What!?” Rome cried out, completely taken aback. She knew categorically that Rei was telling the truth. “Not me? I am not the love of your life?” Tears started welling up in her eyes. She tried to pull her hands away from Rei but he tightened his grip on them.
     He said, “of course you are. I said ‘was’, not ‘is’. And besides, you asked me what girl. Romey, trust me, you are every bit a woman, not a girl. I simply answered the question I made myself believe you asked.”
     Once again, Rome realized he was telling the truth.
     “What do I do?” she asked sadly. “How can I know anything if the way I ask a question allows the other person to lie or mislead?”

Tomorrow, Rei will teach her the logical skills to work her way around what appears to be a lie. Then they will turn her loose!