18+ CONTENT WARNING Heena basked on tropical shores, coconut drink in hand. Bliss. No scheming rivals, no brooding monarchs—only sand, salt air, and solitude. "HEENA! MOM! I FOUND YOU!" Her eye twitched. Bad timing. Above the beach hovered a golden lion with iridescent wings. "System 547," Heena said coldly. "I'm on leave." "The worlds are unraveling! Male leads have gone rogue! Villainesses are perishing! White lotus heroines are destroying everything!" "Not my concern." "You're the Black Lotus! You're the only answer!" "Exactly—which is why I'm resting." "No restrictions! Seduce them, manipulate them, ally with the villainess—whatever works!" Heena drank deeply. "My cooperation requires triple rewards, legendary items across all worlds, and six months off after." "Agreed!" the lion shrieked, wings fluttering. Heena rose, brushing sand away. "Then show me these broken men." Her expression hardened. A portal consumed her. She crashed onto polished stone. Disorientation hit as foreign memories invaded her mind— Empress Celeste Ravencourt. Five husbands. A kingdom in collapse. "Perfect," Heena muttered darkly. "I'm the antagonist." The tiny golden lion materialized nearby. "Welcome to World 12! You're bound to five elite warriors who despise you. Tonight they convene to poison you and elevate the heroine instead." "Let me guess," Heena exhaled. "White lotus heroine?" "Lady Seraphina. Virtuous, beloved, system-assisted. All five are enchanted by her." Heena surveyed the body—frail, malnourished, depleted. No shock the previous Celeste couldn't survive. "That empress is finished," Heena declared, removing ornate jewelry. "I'm taking over." She selected a plain dark gown, securing her hair, studying her reflection. Despair dissolved. Composure emerged. At the table sat five men—intimidating, commanding, devastatingly handsome. Military leaders, priests, nobles, assassins. Every one craved her destruction. Liquid filled her cup. Poisoned. Obvious. Eyes tracked her every motion. Heena grinned, raising the goblet. "To fresh starts." She consumed it entirely. Stillness consumed the room. Nothing happened. Their jaws slackened—shock, fear, confusion. Heena settled back, composed and smiling. "So," she whispered, "which of you truly believed eliminating me would be that simple?"