Return of Black Lotus system:Taming Cheating Male Leads

Chapter 398 --398

"There isn’t a single speck of dust on anything. It feels as though I never left at all."

The old matriarch smiled, the deep wrinkles around her eyes crinkling with profound, unconditional affection. She reached across the low table and gently patted Heena’s hand. "How could I possibly let anyone disturb it, my child? Every single day you were gone, I came in here just to sit with your books. It was the only place in this sprawling, miserable estate that still felt like it had a soul."

Heena’s heart gave a complicated, heavy flutter. The absolute devotion this woman had for the original Seera was a powerful shield, but it was also a heavy weight to carry. She pushed the thought aside and offered a bright, lovely smile.

"Well, you won’t have to sit with just the books anymore," Heena murmured, pouring a cup of tea and placing it delicately in front of the older woman. "I am here now. And I intend to spend plenty of time reading right here by your side."

The grandmother took the cup, inhaling the fragrant steam with a contented sigh. "I am so incredibly glad to hear it. Though I suspect you will be far too busy to lock yourself away in a study for long. The capital’s high society is already buzzing like a disturbed hornet’s nest. Did those noblewomen in the pavilion exhaust you with their endless, venomous gossip?"

"Not at all, Grandma," Heena laughed lightly, bringing her own teacup to her lips. "In fact, I found their company quite... enlightening. They are remarkably easy to read. Countess Vane practically tripped over her own words trying to figure out my temperament."

"Hah! That old bat," the matriarch scoffed playfully, taking a sip of her tea. "She has the subtlety of a runaway carriage. You did well not to let her push you around. You must always remember, Seera, you are the golden heir of this Marquisate. You do not bow to the wind; you make the wind bow to you."

"I will remember that, Grandma," Heena replied, her eyes curving into sweet crescents. "Though I think they were far more intimidated by my new guard than by me."

She cast a brief, fleeting glance over her shoulder. Samuel stood perfectly motionless by the sliding doors, his navy blue robes draping elegantly over his tall frame, the painted wooden cat mask giving absolutely nothing away.

The grandmother chuckled, a warm, rich sound that filled the room. "Yes, he cuts quite an imposing figure. Good. Let the capital think you are guarded by a silent, unyielding demon. It will keep the pests away."

Heena smiled into her teacup, suppressing a wicked smirk. "Oh, he is certainly something, Grandma. A very dedicated protector."

"As long as he keeps you safe and smiling, he can stay," the matriarch declared fondly. She pointed a frail finger toward a neat stack of bamboo scrolls on the corner of the table. "Look at those. I even made sure the maids aired out your favorite poetry collections every spring so the damp wouldn’t ruin the parchment."

"You spoil me, Grandma. You always have," Heena cooed, carefully unrolling one of the ancient scrolls. The characters were beautifully brushed, a testament to a quiet, scholarly life. "I must admit, my memory of these poems is a little fuzzy after so long in the provinces. You will have to help me remember the cadence."

"It would be my greatest joy," the matriarch said softly, a look of absolute peace settling over her weathered features. "We have all the time in the world now, my sweet girl. All the time in the world."

’Thump.’

A sudden, soft knocking sound broke the serene quiet of the study.

Heena and the grandmother both paused their conversation, turning their heads toward the sliding wooden doors to see where the noise had come from.

Standing by the doorframe, Samuel had accidentally knocked his knee against the polished wood. Beneath the drape of his navy blue robes, his legs were trembling so intensely from the lingering aftershocks of Heena’s punishment that he had momentarily lost his balance. He stood rigid now, his hands hidden behind his back, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles were completely white.

The grandmother frowned, looking him up and down. "What is it? Are you sick or something?"

Samuel hurriedly shook his head, the wooden cat mask shifting stiffly with the motion.

Heena leaned forward, resting her elbow on the low table and propping her chin on her hand. She shot Samuel a brilliant, utterly wicked smile—an expression perfectly shielded from her grandmother’s view.

"Oh my, oh my," Heena cooed, her voice dripping with exaggerated, mocking concern. "Do you perhaps want to go to the washroom or something? After all, you are standing there trembling quite pitifully."

Beneath the mask, Samuel bit his lip, his fists clenching even tighter. "No... my lady," he replied, his voice coming out tight and noticeably hoarse.

Heena’s smile widened with dark satisfaction. "Oh my, I just thought you needed to, considering your posture. Very well, let us return to our talk."

She seamlessly turned her attention back to the matriarch, her expression instantly shifting back into that of a sweet, innocent granddaughter. "Oh, I almost forgot, Grandma. Isn’t Grandfather supposed to be coming back soon?"

Hearing her husband mentioned, the old matriarch immediately rolled her eyes and waved her hand in profound annoyance. "Ah, that stubborn old man! Let him stay outside in the border territories. At least while he is gone, I can actually have some peace and quiet in this house."

Heena laughed out loud, the sound bright and clear. "And here I thought that you were desperately missing Grandfather!"

The grandmother reached over and affectionately tapped Heena lightly on the head. "Oh, please! When that old man is away, the estate is so much calmer. If he were here right now, he would have already lifted the entire house onto his head with his shouting. He has gotten so old, but his temper is still exactly like a spoiled child’s! What can I possibly do with him?"

Heena clasped her hands together, putting on a perfectly dreamy expression. "Wow, Grandma. You complain, but you are still talking about him so fondly even at this very moment." She tilted her head, her voice dropping into a playful, teasing tone. "I have to say, you two are really so lovey-dovey even at this age."

"Yeah, yeah, you and your nonsense," the grandmother huffed, though a faint, pleased smile touched her wrinkled cheeks.

She grabbed her walking stick and slowly stood up from the silk cushion. The warm, grandmotherly aura vanished, replaced instantly by her cold, dictatorial sharpness. "Anyway, I need to go and check on your mother. I ordered her to write exactly five hundred pages of self-criticism regarding her failure to manage the household properly. I must see if she is slacking off."

Heena stood up as well, thoroughly amused by the thought of the Marchioness suffering over an inkstone. "Yes, Grandma. Be well, and walk carefully."

The old lady just waved her hand dismissively, her posture confident and unyielding. "It’s fine, it’s fine. Do not worry about me. Nothing in this world can happen to your grandmother."