Madam Regina cast one last look at Ginny and walked away with Lexus the snake slithering behind her. Once she was out of earshot, Greta looked at Ginny with an apologetic smile and with a strained expression started speaking, " I am really sorry about that she is a bit… protective of her son, because he always gets in trouble because of her identity. But I can assure you that she has no hard feelings towards you, just give her a bit more time and she will warm up to you."
Warm-up? Yeah, if Greta was talking about how Madam Regina was going to roast her on fire so that she could feed her to her snake then sure she certainly will 'warm up to her.' Since Ginny didn't react in any way, Greta's smile stiffened a little more and she looked around the corridor before clasping Ginny's wrist and tugging her away. Once they were far away from the spot from where Madam Regina popped out, Greta let go of her hand before facing her with a stern expression, " All right, I will admit that I was lying but the manor needs some maids and especially the Duke given all of his maid servants were ..umm, fired away. But as long as you know what you can and cannot do, you don't have to worry about a thing and you will be able to work here in peace alright?"
The do's and don's huh…so, she basically has to stop the duke from getting attracted to her, right? She didn't know why Madam Regina was so hung over the fact that no maid shall get close to her son but what she knew was that if she didn't want to become a snake's food then she might as well do what Madam Regina asked her to do but—— as a siren will she be able to stop the Duke from getting attracted to her?
Ginny didn't know, what she was doing was risky enough and now with Madam Regina thrown in the mix, she was even more worried.
Even better men have fallen under the lure of a siren, if the duke fell too then—— she gulped and hurriedly nodded. She just has to be careful enough and win the trust of the duke, so that she could enter the library and steal those books that she needed to cure her father and be done with this dangerous game!
Greta sighed in relief when she saw that Ginny was still willing to work, she thought that it was because Ginny was in a tough situation or else she would have never accepted the proposal of working here.
"Let's go then I will let you meet the duke," said Greta as she pointed to the end of the corridor where stood a tall, metal gate fairly similar to the library but a lot more majestic than it glimmered. Ginny didn't even have to guess to know that the door must lead to the 'throne room' in the Empire a very similar door but made of pure gold was used as the door of the throne room where the Emperor met with his subjects.
Surely, this was a replica of that very room.
Greta walked over to the room while keeping Ginny by her side all the time and once they came to stand in front of the door, she raised her hand and knocked on it casually like she couldn't feel the electric currents that were zapping along its carvings. " This door is magically altered by the duke, only those who are his trusted aides can enter, remember unless you do not have the permission to enter it and are not recognised by the duke, don't knock on this door without any proper measures?"
Ginny blinked as she scribbled on the page that she was carrying and showed it to Greta. On the paper, it read—— 'Proper measures?'
" That's right, proper measures," said Greta as she looked around and then pointed at the small white marble on the wall. " You see that… that's like a magical announcer… you just need to write who you are and what your purpose of coming here is, if the door opens then you can enter."
Scribble. Scribble.
' And if I am not allowed then?' asked Ginny to which Greta smiled awkwardly and answered, " Then you have to wait till the duke comes out."
Ah, great. Now she even has to wait on that tyrannical duke like a newly married wife huh.
The door to the meeting room opened and a very familiar face popped out. Ginny blinked at those impish elf-like features and a bad feeling rose in her heart. She hurriedly hid behind Greta, cursing her luck and all the Gods for pushing her into this predicament.
Keith who was looking around didn't see Ginny's small actions and simply turned his head and greeted Greta with a wide grin. " Ah, Greta, you are here… do you need something?"
Greta smiled back just as warmly before she pointed at the empty space next to her and said, " I am here to introduce the new maid who will be taking care of the duke from now on."
Looking at the empty space next to Greta's big build, Keith chuckled and said, " Greta, I think your maid ran away before meeting the lord, look beside you."
Stunned, Greta did as he said and sure enough, no one was standing next to her. For two seconds she thought that Ginny did run away but then she felt a presence behind her and looked over her shoulder before gently chiding Ginny. " Why are you hiding behind me? How are you going to work at the duke's mansion if you have such small guts." Then she stepped aside causing Ginny's eyes to widen in shock. She wanted to stop her, tell her that she wanted some time out but before she could do that, she came face to face with Keith, whose eyes widened like her and then he exclaimed, "It's you!"
Greta looked at the two of them and frowned. " Do you two know each other?"
" Well, yes kind off," Keith didn't explain the circumstances in which they met and Ginny sighed in relief the last thing she wanted was for Greta to find out just how much of a temptress she was. Her gaze met with Keith who smiled apologetically and added, " I hope you have prepared your heart, lady."
She thought he was saying this because she insulted the man who was with him last time but as soon as she stepped inside the meeting chambers, she knew that Keith was not talking about the past incident at all. After all, the second she stepped inside a badly severed head of a woman came rolling next to her feet.