Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!
Chapter 124: ’Do What You’re Told’

Chapter 124: ’Do What You’re Told’

"You seem angry."

That was the first thing Heinz said, his tone calm, almost teasing, as if testing the waters of Florian’s patience. Florian bit down hard on his tongue to stop himself from snapping.

’Angry doesn’t even begin to explain how I’m feeling.’

"I need a proper explanation for this, Your Majesty," Florian said through gritted teeth, each word carefully measured to keep his composure from shattering. "This was too much, even for you."

Heinz tilted his head, his expression unreadable, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And you’ve grown bolder than before," he remarked, his tone a disinterested drawl. His gaze drifted away from Florian, dismissive, as though Florian’s words were nothing more than a faint breeze stirring the air.

The gesture struck Florian like a slap. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms hard enough to sting. He’s not even taking me seriously. The thought festered, seething and bitter. ’To think I was actually worried about him?!’

"Your Majesty—"

"Are you familiar with my mother?" Heinz interrupted, his voice calm but sharp, cutting through Florian’s rising frustration with the precision of a blade.

"...Huh?" Florian blinked, thrown completely off-balance by the abrupt question. His anger faltered as confusion took its place. ’What kind of nonsense is he spouting now?’

"My mother," Heinz repeated, his voice softer this time, almost tender. "The queen. What do you know about her?"

Florian frowned, his mind scrambling for an answer. "I know nothing," he admitted after a beat, though that wasn’t entirely true. He only knew what Lucius had mentioned in passing—the queen had never been the king’s true love. The former king had favored a concubine over her, Hendrix’s mother. Yet Heinz had ascended the throne before that concubine could claim the title of queen, solidifying his mother’s position.

"My mother was kind," Heinz began, his voice carrying an uncharacteristic vulnerability, each word weighted with memory. "She was beloved by the people. The Diamond Palace wasn’t always this cold. It used to host balls and open its doors to citizens, all because of her. She was charitable, radiant—a queen in every sense of the word."

Florian’s frustration ebbed, curiosity rising to take its place. It wasn’t like Heinz to speak so openly about his past, much less with this much emotion.

"She knew of my love for tea," Heinz continued, his expression softening with a faint, fleeting smile. "One day, she decided to surprise me by making my favorite blend herself. She didn’t know there was a specific way to prepare it..." His voice trailed off, growing darker as the smile faded, replaced by a shadow of something heavier.

’I think I know where this is going...’ Florian thought uneasily.

"I knew something was wrong the moment I smelled it. But I didn’t want to upset her. I didn’t want to see her hurt." Heinz’s gaze turned distant, his words laced with quiet bitterness. "So, I drank it."

"Why would you—"

"I told you," Heinz cut him off, his tone sharp and unyielding. "I didn’t want to disappoint her."

Florian felt a knot form in his stomach, twisting tighter with every word. He didn’t like where this was heading.

"Of course, I collapsed." Heinz’s tone was matter-of-fact, detached, as though recounting someone else’s story. "I was poisoned."

Florian’s breath caught in his throat, the weight of Heinz’s words pressing down on him like a heavy stone. Guilt crept into his chest, though he couldn’t explain why.

"You know what she did?" Heinz’s eyes locked onto Florian’s, piercing and unrelenting. "She stayed calm. She didn’t cry or panic. She administered what basic care she could, delaying the poison’s effects long enough to get me to the healers."

Florian’s lips parted, but no words came out.

"A queen is bound to make mistakes," Heinz said, his voice quieter now, but no less firm, as if he were imparting a lesson carved into his very soul. "But a queen cannot afford to crumble. Not in front of others. Not in front of me."

Heinz’s gaze burned with an intensity that made Florian shiver. "If I had been her son today—if I had truly been poisoned—what would Alexandria have done? Cry? Panic? What if Lucius hadn’t been there to intervene?"

Florian swallowed hard, his earlier anger unraveling in the face of Heinz’s brutal logic. It was cruel, yes, but now... now it made an unsettling kind of sense.

"My methods may seem harsh," Heinz said, stepping closer, his presence towering and overwhelming. "But they are realistic. A queen, especially my queen, must know how to act in the face of danger."

He loomed over Florian now, the sharp lines of his face accentuated by the flickering light in the room. Florian’s breath hitched as Heinz stopped just inches away. ’Is he going to hurt me? For speaking out?’ The thought gripped him, icy and unrelenting, and he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the worst.

"Perhaps it was wrong of me not to inform you beforehand," Heinz admitted after a moment, his voice softer now, almost... apologetic.

Florian’s eyes snapped open in shock, his head jerking upward to meet Heinz’s gaze.

’Did he just... apologize?’

"My apologies," Heinz said, the words so foreign on his tongue they almost didn’t sound real. But his tone made it clear—this wasn’t something he offered lightly.

And yet, just as quickly as the vulnerability appeared, it vanished. Heinz straightened, his eyes narrowing. "However..."

’There it is.’

"If you ever speak out against me in front of others again," Heinz continued, his voice turning colder than the bitterest winter, "I will ensure you are punished."

With that, he flicked his long hair over his shoulder and turned, walking away with the effortless grace of someone who knew they commanded power and loyalty without question.

"Go tell Alexandria I’m fine," Heinz called over his shoulder as he reached the doorway. "This day is done. Prepare yourself for tomorrow. Just do what you’re told, Florian."

And just like that, he was gone, leaving Florian standing there, torn between the remnants of his anger and the reluctant understanding Heinz’s words had forced upon him. His fists unclenched slowly, his nails leaving faint crescents in his palms as he exhaled a shaky breath.

’What the hell did I get myself into...’

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