"Are you being [i]serious?"[/i]

Galina's brow wrinkled in stupefied confusion, her mouth falling open just a little as she regarded Souma for several long moments. She ran his words over and over again through her head and... [i]Yes.[/i] Yes, Takahiro Souma had just asked her to rate his underling's performance.

He really did.

She began to laugh. Galina laughed because God in Heaven above knew, she just could [i]not[/i] stop herself. That laughter did not even begin quietly. Oh no, far from it. Laughter slipped past her lips, high and sweet with a warm musicality that said nothing more nor less, than this was Galina's own genuine mirth.

Galina set the cup she'd held in her lap back to the table, half afraid she might yet spill some on her skirts. And with her fingertips, still catching her breath, she dabbed at the tears of laughter that had begun to spill down her cheeks. 

"Forgive me, I... I just... " Galina cleared her throat, meeting Souma's gaze with that still incredulous smile. "That was very much the last thing I thought you to ask of me." She folded her hands in her lap gracefully, fingers interlaced and still.

"Well then, an honest appraisal of your man, in my [i]professional opinion.[/i] I must admit, my presence here might be the most obvious assessment of Goemon's abilities. So no, of course there were no 'big mistakes.' Well, certainly at least none greater than my own. Wouldn't you agree?"

Galina sighed, her breath fully caught now, and still smiling despite the words . "But I fear it was Goemon's smaller mistakes that could have cost him his life. I see now, he was genuinely enjoying the anticipation of bringing me here - my comeuppance I suppose, for denying you the theft of the schematics. It was his desire to witness my... Surprise? My horror? My abject humiliation, better yet?"

She shook her head, only one corner of her mouth tilted upward now. "It was that desire that nearly killed him. Goemon should have been quicker to the door. There should have been no opening at all for me to bolt, at the time of your... 'Unveiling.' Because if he were only a little slower, and I a little faster?"

Galina shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "If that were so, then Goemon's throat would be opened up right now, and he'd be bleeding out on your floor - or rather, he would be dead by this time, I imagine."

"Your man needs to understand, it is [i]good[/i] to enjoy your work. To take pride even, in a job well done - and he certainly did do what you set him to do, very well. But it is foolish to gloat when your quarry is not thoroughly snared and put down."