Return of Black Lotus system:Taming Cheating Male Leads-Chapter 19 --

System 427 watched Heena limping forward, his small golden form flickering with worry. "If you want, we can use a healing potion."

Heena shook her head without breaking stride. "It’s fifty points if I’m not wrong, right?"

"Yes, but—"

"Hmm." Heena’s expression remained neutral despite the pain shooting through her ankle with each step . "And even after using those 80 points earlier, I don’t think I have too many points left. Let it be."

The system paused, watching her leg drag slightly as she tried to straighten up and walk normally. "How about I use illusion magic? With that, you can walk around the whole day without anyone noticing the limp."

Heena stopped, turning to look at him seriously . "No." Her face hardened. "First, we need to find out about that white lotus system. We can’t just use magic carelessly. If we do and it detects anything wrong, triggers some kind of alarm in this world’s framework, then it would be a major problem. We don’t even know how powerful it is or what detection capabilities it has."

System 427 sighed, his ears drooping .

Heena shook her head and straightened up, taking a few more experimental steps. "It’s definitely much better anyway. I’m just going to my office today—sitting at a desk. It’s not like everyone can see my legs under the table."

The system nodded reluctantly as Heena approached the courtroom’s exit.

As she walked out, her entire demeanor transformed . Despite the pain shooting through her ankle with every step, her stride became confident, almost regal. Her spine straightened, shoulders back, head high. Some servants passing by bowed and greeted her. She nodded graciously in return, not a single ounce of pain visible on her face.

She had to thank the original Empress for one thing—the office wasn’t far from the courtroom . Normally emperors or rulers placed their private offices in their personal palaces on completely different sides of the complex, ensuring maximum privacy and minimal disturbance. But maybe this Empress hadn’t liked wasting time on long walks between audiences and administrative work. Her office was conveniently close—just a five-minute walk.

When Heena finally reached the heavy wooden door, she pushed it open and entered. The office was spacious but functional—large desk covered in documents, bookshelves lining the walls, maps of the empire spread across side tables. Two guards stood at attention inside.

"Go outside and guard there," Heena ordered immediately, settling into the chair behind her desk. "Make sure no one disturbs me without good reason."

"Yes, Your Majesty." They bowed deeply and filed out, closing the door behind them.

The moment the latch clicked shut, Heena’s confident posture collapsed like puppet strings cut . She groaned, immediately reaching down to grip her injured leg. "Aaaah, fuck!"

It hurt. It hurt ’so much’. She looked down at her swollen ankle and one thought dominated her mind: had she sprained it or actually ’broken’ it? Why the hell did it hurt this badly?

System 427 materialized fully, watching with concern as Heena forced herself to focus on the pile of documents stacked on her desk. She pulled the first one toward her, scanning the contents—trade reports from the eastern provinces—and began making notes.

One hour passed. Then two. Nearly three to four hours since she’d left her chambers, and she’d done nothing but work through paperwork.

System 427 was becoming increasingly restless, floating back and forth across the office . Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. "You’re not going to check on the male leads? There might be a problem!"

Heena continued reading, pen scratching across parchment as she signed approvals.

The system’s voice rose, becoming slightly frantic. "What about water? We haven’t given them water since yesterday! What if they collapse? What if they ’die’ and the world collapses with them? What are you even doing?!"

Heena remained focused on her documents, flipping to the next page.

System 427 flew directly in front of her face, blocking her view. "What are you even reading?! Let’s go! We need to check the male leads!" He grabbed at her sleeve with his tiny paws, trying to pull her up.

Heena shook her arm free, raised one finger, and flicked him directly on the head. ’Thwack!’

"Shut up," she said firmly, returning to her paperwork . "Have you forgotten that I’m an Empress?"

The system rubbed his head, confused. "What does being Empress have to do with—"

Heena paused, set down her pen, and looked at him directly . "I am the Empress. There are hundreds of people who would die on my order and work on my order. So why would I need to personally care for some prisoners’ comfort when there are so many servants in the palace?"

System 427 opened his mouth to respond in the same challenging tone—"There are so many people in the palace, sure, but you don’t need to personally serve your consorts—"

But as he was speaking, Heena’s glare sharpened dangerously. He saw the warning in her eyes and his voice immediately weakened, trembling. "I-I mean, Ma’am..." He shrank slightly. "They’re confined in a ’secret chamber’ that no one knows about. Who would give them water? The shadow guards are sworn to silence but they’re not stationed inside—they only enter on your direct order. What if the male leads collapse from dehydration?"

Heena’s pen stopped mid-signature.

Silence filled the office.

System 427 continued nervously, "It’s been over twelve hours since anyone checked on them. The aphrodisiac causes severe dehydration, remember? They’re sweating, burning up—they need water or they really might die. And if one of them dies, especially Prince Kieran or Duke Adrian with their protagonist halos, the world correction force could—"

"I know," Heena cut him off quietly.

Heena stared at him for a long, cold moment.

The system trembled, shrinking under her gaze. "I mean... Ma’am... it’s just... if they die from dehydration before the three days are up, the plot correction might—"

"I sent shadow guards with water and minimal food six hours ago," Heena said flatly, returning to her paperwork. "Do you really think I’m stupid enough to let them die accidentally and trigger a world collapse?"

System 427 blinked. "You... you did?"

"While you were busy panicking about healing potions, I gave orders to the shadow guards to check on them every six hours. Water, plain rice, and medical monitoring to ensure they don’t actually die." She signed another document with a flourish. "They’re suffering, not dying. There’s a difference."

The system felt simultaneously relieved and foolish. "Oh."

"Now stop bothering me." Heena picked up another document—this one about crop yields in the eastern provinces. "I have an empire to run, and unlike my predecessor, I actually intend to do it properly."

System 427 floated back, chastened, and watched her work. Hours passed. She read reports, signed orders, drafted responses to regional governors, approved or rejected budget proposals. Occasionally she’d shift in her seat, trying to ease the pain in her leg, but she never stopped working.

Around midday, a knock came at the door.

"Enter," Heena called without looking up.

Her personal attendant—the money-minded one who’d helped her in court—entered with a tray. "Your Majesty, you haven’t eaten since morning. I took the liberty..."

"Leave it on the side table," Heena instructed. "And tell Duke Robbiston I want a full report on the northern border consolidation by evening."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed and departed.

Heena continued working for another twenty minutes before finally reaching for the food—eating mechanically while reading, barely tasting it.

"You’re going to work yourself to exhaustion," System 427 observed quietly.