Amanita: Poison Shot

Chapter 38: The Sappho Residence

The next morning, I punctually showed up at the Sappho Residence, wearing that classic black and white cleaning maid uniform.

I lied to my dad about having found a weekend job. I blinded him with a ton of reasons why that new job as a cleaning maid would become a long-term thing for me. I didn't expect it to last. I hated being forced to lie to him.

He had liked my initiative. He had probably understood that gesture as proof that I had abandoned my dream of becoming a mechanic. He was happy; therefore, I was happy. Period.

The mansion where the Secretary of State, Mrs Nevermore, and Eros lived was a majestic, old building in the city centre of Thalis, with Greco-Roman columns adorning the facade.

I rang the doorbell and met Mrs Coco. She was a fat woman in her early forties. She was a traditional human, like me. She wore a black cleaning lady uniform and her hair was tied up in a tight bun. Behind her glasses, there were two small eyes. The stern look on her face told me she probably didn't like rookies.

"Mrs Nevermore is an excellent person, so you will refer to her as such every time you speak with her, even if you already know her from the clinic," Mrs Coco told me in a harsh but calm tone of voice as she guided me around the house.

I nodded at everything she said.

The mansion was a true masterpiece of both interior design and technology, a perfect fusion between the two fields.

On the one hand, the mistress' good taste was noticeable, with designer furniture, priceless vases, flawless sculptures, lamps made with stained glass, and the like. The house was worthy of featuring in an interior design magazine.

On the other hand, the mansion was structured with movable walls, automatic blinds, smart furniture that adapted to your physical needs, and also smart doors equipped with sensors, among other gadgets controlled by mobile phone applications or movement sensors. Only half of the mansion was equipped with these new technologies, the newest part of the building. The other half wasn't because it was an old building, and there were local regulations that forbade touching any detail of the construction of such works of art in classic architecture since it was considered part of the cultural heritage from the past.

The most important feature of the mansion was the home office of the Secretary of State – to me, of course. It was located on the third floor, and apparently, it was locked all the time, according to Mrs Coco.

"Mr Nevermore's home office is his favourite private place in this world," she told me as we went down the corridor.

I could get a glimpse of the high-tech lock on the door. The ticks and spiders that Agape had given me would come in handy to deactivate that lock. At least I hoped so. If they didn't, I'd have to look for an alternative way to sneak into his office.

"He's got the only key. When the room needs cleaning, he gives it to me, and I do the cleaning personally. You're not authorised to go in there unless stated otherwise."

I frowned at that, but I nodded, pretending I'd fulfil my duties to the letter.

"You are not allowed to have close contact with any member of the family, especially his son," she added in a sententious voice and a glare as if she had thought I would instantly fall in love with Eros, the young owner of the house and one of Thalis' most sought-after bachelors. "Do you understand?"

"I do, Mrs Coco," I replied calmly and seriously, assuming that she distrusted me.

"You'll be in charge of dusting and window cleaning during your trial period. Let's go to the living room. You'll start there."