Return of Black Lotus system:Taming Cheating Male Leads-Chapter 125 --

Heena paused, watching him for a moment.

Sometimes she literally could not understand this man.

She ’knew’—she ’definitely’ knew—that this person was not some fragile white flower. Anyone who could survive in a royal palace for years without being destroyed couldn’t possibly be a normal, naive person. The political games, the constant maneuvering, the need to maintain alliances while avoiding becoming a pawn—it required intelligence, adaptability, and a certain ruthlessness.

And Heena wasn’t against that at all. In fact, she was ’impressed’ by it.

Every living being, in order to survive, had to consume another being. That was just nature. The strong adapted, the weak were devoured. It was the law of existence across every world she’d visited.

But today, when she’d watched him completely dismantle her so-called husbands while maintaining that innocent, friendly smile—never raising his voice, never breaking his pleasant demeanor, yet cutting them down with surgical precision—she’d felt genuine joy.

She hadn’t been wrong about this man.

But sometimes, she really wanted to know what kind of mask he wore. Which version was the real Larus? The gentle prince who tended flowers and baked cakes? Or the sharp, calculating man who could destroy someone’s argument while looking like he was making friendly conversation?

Maybe both. Maybe neither.

Maybe he was something else entirely.

As if sensing her presence, Larus turned around. When he saw her, his face lit up with that warm, genuine smile.

"Your Majesty! You’re here," he said, standing and brushing soil from his hands.

Heena smiled as she walked toward him. "What are you doing?"

She looked down at the flowers he’d been working with.

He smiled, following her gaze. "Oh, I was just picking these flowers. They’re quite beautiful, aren’t they?" He held up the blooms for her to see.

"Purple dandelions," Heena observed, recognizing them immediately.

His smile brightened with pleasant surprise. "You know about flowers?"

Heena smiled back. "Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? They’re actually my favorite flower."

A flash of genuine delight crossed Larus’s face. "Really? Mine too! I love this vibrant color—it’s so bold and unapologetic. Most people prefer roses or lilies, but there’s something special about dandelions. They’re resilient, beautiful, and they grow everywhere despite people trying to get rid of them."

"Survivors," Heena said softly, understanding the metaphor perfectly.

"Exactly," Larus agreed, his eyes meeting hers with an understanding that went deeper than flowers.

He suddenly seemed to remember himself and wiped his hands more thoroughly on a cloth. "Oh! I almost forgot—let’s sit down and have some tea. I prepared some things I thought you might enjoy."

Heena smiled and followed him to the garden table.

As she sat down, she immediately noticed the changes in the food presentation.

Normally, the palace servants would prepare elaborate cakes, delicate pastries, and fancy teas—all technically delicious, but not really to Heena’s taste. They were too sweet, too refined, too ’proper’ for what she actually enjoyed.

But today was different.

Today, there were savory dishes—some kind of spiced mixture, flatbreads made from different types of grains, what looked like seasoned fried dough with herbs. The presentation was simpler but somehow more appealing.

Heena picked up one of the grain cakes and took a bite.

She was genuinely impressed.

It was spicy, salty, with just a hint of sweetness—perfectly balanced and exactly the kind of flavor profile she preferred. Rich and satisfying, not delicate and bland.

She took a sip of tea to wash it down, and paused.

This was... different.

From the moment she’d arrived in this world, every tea served to her had been the traditional kind—boiled water with tea leaves, sometimes with flowers or herbs added for fragrance. Elegant, refined, and honestly kind of boring.

But this was ’milk tea’.

Rich, creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness and spice. The kind of comfort drink she’d enjoyed in certain modern worlds but never expected to find here.

Heena looked up at Larus with genuine curiosity. "Who made this?"

Because she knew one thing for sure—her palace cooks hadn’t made it. This was completely outside their normal repertoire. They’d never think to prepare something like this; it wasn’t fancy or elaborate enough for imperial standards.

Larus suddenly looked worried. "Why? Does it not suit your taste? I can have something else prepared—"

Heena paused, studying his expression. "You made this yourself, didn’t you?"

He hesitated, then nodded, looking almost embarrassed. "I... yes. I noticed during our previous meals that you seemed to prefer savory foods over sweet ones, and you always seemed to drink tea out of politeness rather than enjoyment. So I thought... maybe I could prepare something closer to what you actually like."

Heena felt her smile widen genuinely. "It’s really good. I love it."

She took another sip of the milk tea, savoring the flavor. "Seriously. This is probably the best tea I’ve had since arriving in this empire."

Larus’s worried expression melted into pure happiness. "I’m so glad! I was nervous—I know it’s not the traditional preparation, and the palace cooks looked at me like I was crazy when I asked to use the kitchen, but I wanted to make something you’d actually enjoy rather than just tolerate."

They talked and laughed as they ate, the conversation flowing easily between them. Heena found herself genuinely relaxed, which was rare.

After a while, she set down her teacup and said, "So, in three days, there will be the engagement ceremony. And then four days after that, the wedding."

Larus looked surprised. "So soon?"

Heena paused, studying his expression. "Is it? I thought it would be good to proceed as quickly as possible. But if you want to wait longer—"

"No, no, that’s not it," Larus said quickly. "I’m just... slightly confused, I suppose."

"About what?" Heena asked, genuinely curious.

He hesitated. "Normally, don’t people just... get married? I mean, I understand having a ceremony, but an engagement ’and’ a wedding with specific ceremonies for each? That seems very elaborate."

Heena looked at him carefully. "Well, you’re going to be my primary consort—my only ’official’ Empress Consort with full legal status. So I want to make sure everything is done properly, following every traditional procedure. No shortcuts, no ambiguity about your position."

Understanding dawned in Larus’s eyes, followed by something that looked like genuine emotion.

"Oh," he said softly. "I... I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say. That’s incredibly thoughtful."

Heena smiled slightly. "Well, if you want to back out of the marriage, you could just tell me now. No hard feelings."

Larus shook his head quickly. "No, no! That’s not what I meant at all. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m just... quite impressed and touched, that’s all."

He looked down at his hands, then back up at her with those earnest eyes.

"It’s just—in most political marriages, especially when someone is entering an existing arrangement, they’re treated as an addition. An afterthought. But you’re treating this like... like it actually matters. Like ’I’ actually matter."

"You do matter," Heena said simply. "You’re going to be my partner. My primary consort. The person who will help me govern this empire and eventually inherit significant authority. Of course it matters."

Larus was quiet for a moment, clearly emotional.