Heena looked at the System and then burst into laughter—genuine, unrestrained laughter that made her shoulders shake.
"You fool!" she said between laughs.
She reached out and flicked the System on his forehead with one finger.
’Thunk.’
"OW!" The System covered his head with his paws, looking offended. "Host! That hurt!"
"I said," Heena repeated slowly, as if explaining to a particularly slow child, "’if’ the consorts are the child’s father. But what if ’none’ of them are the father?"
The System froze, his paws still covering his head.
"...Huh?"
"What if," Heena continued, her smile widening, "none of the five consorts are actually the biological father?"
"But—but she’s the heroine!" the System sputtered. "And they’re the male leads! The narrative demands—"
Heena looked at him like he was the biggest idiot in the universe.
"System," she said flatly, "do you really think that all the ti I’ve been here, I’ve just been joking around? Playing gas? Letting things happen randomly?"
The System blinked at her, genuinely confused. "I... what do you an? I don’t understand anything!"
Heena’s smile turned absolutely predatory.
"If I told you the whole plot right now," she said, "how would it be fun? Where’s the entertainnt in that?"
She leaned back against her desk, crossing her arms.
"Just wait. Just a few days. In those few days, you’re going to watch completely strip away the male leads’ protagonist halos ’and’ dismantle the female lead’s entire sche. Just be patient and watch the show."
The System stared at her, completely at a loss for words.
He wanted to ask more questions. He wanted to demand explanations. He wanted to know what his Host had planned.
But before he could say anything—
’Knock knock.’
Heena’s entire deanor shifted instantly. Her playful expression vanished, replaced by cold imperial authority. Her posture straightened. Her eyes beca sharp and assessing.
"Enter," she said, her voice taking on that authoritative, commanding tone that made people instinctively want to bow.
The door opened.
Larus stepped in, and Heena’s heart did that annoying flip thing again.
He looked... God, he looked good. Still wearing the formal attire from earlier—ivory and gold that made him glow in the candlelight. His jewelry caught the light as he moved. His expression was serious, concerned, and achingly sincere.
"Your Majesty," he said formally.
And then Heena rembered—she’d just gotten married. ’Yesterday’. She’d been married for barely more than a day, and she hadn’t spent even a single peaceful mont alone with her husband. Every ti they tried, sothing interrupted them. Traditions, ceremonies, scandals, protagonists making wild accusations—
She looked at Larus, and her expression softened completely.
"What are you doing here, sweetheart?" she asked, her voice warm. "I thought you were resting?"
Larus’s face turned bright red at the endearnt, but he walked toward her with determined steps.
"I was," he admitted. "But I was worried about you."
"Worried about ?" Heena repeated, tilting her head. "Why?"
Larus clenched his hands at his sides, the blush fading from his face as seriousness took over.
"Do you really think," he asked quietly, "that my... brothers... are the child’s father? One of them?"
Heena studied him for a mont. "What do ’you’ think?"
Larus shook his head. "I don’t know. I’ve only been here a few days. I can’t be certain about anything yet. But—"
"But?" Heena prompted.
"If it’s true," Larus said, his voice becoming firr, more decisive, "if one of them really is the father, then you’ll have to order execution or exile. There’s no other option."
Heena raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting that? Or ordering to do it?"
Larus shook his head quickly. "Neither. I’m just stating the fact. If that happens—if it’s proven—you’ll have to divorce that person and either execute them or exile them permanently. It’s the only way to maintain your authority."
He paused, then added, "But there’s a problem with that approach."
"Oh?" Heena sat down in her chair, giving him her full attention. "And what might that problem be?"
Larus took a breath, clearly organizing his thoughts. His analytical mind—the sa one that had reviewed docunts until dawn, that had found fraud in noble tax records—was working through political implications with impressive speed.
"If it’s Brother Raphael," he began, "the church won’t let this go easily. They’ll either try to make the child a saint or so kind of blessed figure. They’ll spin it into religious narrative. Your image as Empress will be damaged because you’ll look like you’re opposing divine will or sothing equally ridiculous."
Heena nodded slowly, impressed. "Continue."
"If it’s Brother Damien’s child," Larus went on, "I think it would cause public riots. He’s the spymaster—people fear him, but they also see him as essential to security. Removing him suddenly could make citizens panic about safety."
"Mm-hmm," Heena humd, resting her chin on one hand.
"If it’s Brother Adrian’s child," Larus continued, his voice becoming more confident as he worked through each scenario, "the Duke families won’t let him go easily. Even if you kill him or exile him, the northern border territories—where his family has influence—will start slowly corresponding against you. Maybe even rebel."
He paused, then added, "If I’m not mistaken, Brother Adrian’s family is the fourth generation you’ve placed in charge of northern border managent?"
A smile flashed across Heena’s face. She was genuinely impressed now. He’d done his research. Thoroughly.
"Correct," she confird. "Continue."
"If it’s Brother Lucian’s child," Larus said thoughtfully, "it might not be as big a deal politically, but he has connections to the scholarly community. It could influence academic institutions against you, which might seem minor but could be significant long-term."
"And Kieran?" Heena prompted.
"If Brother Kieran is the father," Larus said, his expression becoming troubled, "you’d have quite a diplomatic problem. He’s the Knight Commander—removing him would create military instability. And in the common people’s eyes, he’s a war hero. If you suddenly divorce or punish him, people might see it as you attacking soone they view as a protector."
He looked at Heena directly, his blue eyes serious.
"From my calculations," he said quietly, "no matter who you divorce or don’t divorce, the situation will damage your reputation. If you divorce the guilty party, people will say the tyrant empress drove a hero to desperation. If you ’don’t’ divorce them, people will say the Empress has lost her mind and her authority."
The smile had left Heena’s face as she listened. Not because she was upset, but because she was genuinely impressed by his analysis.
"Oh my," she said softly. "You’ve done quite a bit of research, sweetheart."
Larus’s expression beca slightly shy, but determined. "I was chosen to marry you, Your Majesty. Of course I want to know everything about my wife. About the empire I’m now helping to govern."
He paused, then added with clear admiration, "The generous ruler of this empire, Empress Celeste. One of the first and few woman rulers in history."
"I’m not the first woman ruler," Heena corrected gently.
"No," Larus agreed. "But you’re one of the first woman rulers with such a powerful military, such economic control, such absolute authority. That’s undeniably true, Your Majesty."
Heena looked at him for a long mont, then asked, "So what do you think I should do?"
Larus paused, clearly considering his words carefully.
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