I don't know, maybe either? Prefer to do both since I want to explore all content.
But my main playthrough, going for loyal route depending if the character I'm romanced with is engaging and interesting that makes me not want hurt them.
Unless the character I'm romanced with is a complete asshole, then yeah I'm fine with cheating.
I would never cheat in real life so I can live that fantasy (as fucked up as it is) in game in a safe way that wont hurt anyone including my own moral compass.
Just to pile on, I feel like most games expect you to follow the cheat path, so it's going to be the fullest story with the most content. I save scum games to a neurotic extent, so even the obvious bad end branches I'll go down, just to see how the MC's actions blow up in their face.
Also, it's the dirty fantasy that you don't (I don't, at least) act on in real life, so you get the thrill of doing through your proxy in the game. Much like incest, loli, things like that, people who are into it can enjoy the stories and games by doing things they wouldn't really do.
I tend to go for the harem path, if it necessitates cheating I will but if it doesn't I won't, I perfer when you can be honest with all your LI's. In any game where harem is not an option I dont cheat. Cheating makes me feel icky even in a game but ....... for the harem we must persist sometimes.
Who cares in game if it does not have any real consequence? I mean really. It's just fantasy, you don't risk anything or do anything harmful to cheat in ingame scenario. You just get different way and ending.
You can just play loayal route, and play cheating route, have both save files to the update to try both anyways if there is update to both.