Marguerite has no choice but to try and ignore the pressure set in the room. No matter what, she cannot fall. She must succeed, there is no other option but success.
She smiles.
"I have to say, your hospitality overwhelms."
Alphonse smiles and doesn't respond. Saying silently with his eyes to stop stalling for time and open the gift. Rin seems to have realized that Alphonse plans to take charge of the discussion from here and stays quiet for now. Marguerite starts to miss her already, she was so close to making this happening through Rin, yet maybe this is the feeling she was meant to feel in Alphonse's plan. To make her give up perhaps.
But she will not give up. There is still a great many more for her to do.
She opens te satin wrapping carefully, not hurried at all. But no matter how much she dreads it, the packaging unwraps itself and what's inside is finally revealed.
