With his arms crossed and one ankle laying across the opposite knee, Howl's body language was already closed off at the start of this conversation. But now, Ciel has asked some extremely fair questions, questions that Howl had not even fathomed himself with how preoccupied he's been with his anger and conflicting guilt, and his shoulders scrunch up slightly under the pressure.

"Well — well, if you're asking if what I saw was contradictory, then... yes, you're right. But haven't you ever heard of lying by omission?"

As soon as he asks, Howl can immediately tell that this is a better description of what he feels Emet-Selch did. Ah, see, this is why it's good to tolerate Ciel, he thinks quietly to himself: she's actually quite helpful to talk to. Although his frown does not fade, he glances back to her, knowing he's going to have to explain himself a little more.

"...There were things I told him about my old life, before Horos. And he... he ought to have told me the full truth after that."