Link let out a relieved breath. "Thank you," he said. "I can play dumb convincingly on a lot of things, but there's no way to hide that I'd be lying about it on this one."
He studied the two women, though mostly Zumi, knowing he was asking a lot of them, and they weren't obligated to indulge him with this sort of lie, not with the impact it'd leave on Zumi when she'd almost inevitably have to recite the story to Zelda. None of this was their fault, and it wasn't really his fault either, though the noises from the other side of that shut door were that part of him he kept locked back there telling him that being honest and facing up to that cannon might potentially remove the need for the lie at all.
But that was a 'might' and a 'potentially,' and still not a voice he was listening to, so as long as he was letting Zelda wonder where exactly she stood with him- which he knew was a shitty thing to do, but he wasn't coming from the greatest of positions either, he could only humanly do so much -the story that Zumi cooked up was the best way to go.
And it was a horrible story to ask her to tell.
"Thank you," he said softly. "I know this is asking a lot, but thank you."
Those words didn't seem strong enough to convey how grateful he was for them indulging him this lie. Words never were his strong suit. He had to hope the plain and simple would suffice.