Episode 17
“Why else would someone come to the library if not to look for books?”
“That’s true.”
Nocturne responded lightly, a graceful smile gracing his lips. Serena, unable to endure the awkward atmosphere, quickly decided to find the books she needed and plan her escape.
“Well, I’m a bit busy, so…”
“Ah, just a moment. I have something for you.”
“For me?”
When Serena looked at him curiously, Nocturne reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge.
“Oh! This is…”
“I’ve been carrying it around since I wasn’t sure when I’d see you again. What a coincidence to meet you here.”
“How did you end up with this, Count?”
Serena asked, surprised to see the imperial badge she had lost. She had realized it was missing at some point, but despite her efforts to find it, she had given up hope.
It was fascinating to see it in Nocturne’s possession. Smiling faintly, he explained,
“Pai has a fondness for shiny things. That day, when it was with you, Pai quietly swiped it, and I happened to notice.”
“As expected, a little thief in the making…”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, nothing. Thank you for finding it. Honestly, I found the thought of going through the hassle of requesting a reissue daunting.”
Serena smiled as she accepted the badge. Nocturne responded politely,
“Ah, I should have returned it to you sooner.”
“Exactly.”
Serena, never one for pleasantries, bluntly expressed her thoughts and promptly attached the badge back to her belongings.
Nocturne observed her with an intrigued look. He had long discovered that she was an illegitimate child, unacknowledged in the Vincent family registry.
However, that was not what piqued his interest. Nocturne’s thoughts drifted to an unofficial meeting he had with Azade when he first arrived in the Empire.
‘Could the woman who just left be the one appointed as the new attending physician?’
As soon as Serena exited, Nocturne turned to Azaid with the question he had been holding back.
‘You’ve always been quick to gather news, even outside the Empire. Sit down, and let’s talk.’
Azaid shrugged nonchalantly and guided Nocturne to a sofa.
‘Well, I have Ophelia, who keeps her ears keenly tuned to news about you.’
‘True. You’re still tied to Greenwood, aren’t you?’
‘Greenwood? Hardly. You know they only see me as a convenient tool to use when needed.’
‘ wonder if the Duke of Greenwood realizes that this “tool” is armed with fangs, waiting for the right moment to strike.’
Once Serena left and they were alone, the two men naturally fell into a more relaxed conversation.
‘I heard you’ve been exceptionally generous with her.’
‘Why? Did Lady Greenwood send you to investigate?’
‘Well, I can’t deny it entirely.’
‘Since when have you taken such an interest in my affairs?’
Azaid shook his head with a wry smile and continued,
‘Generous might not be the word. It’s more that having her around amuses me.’
‘Amuses you?’
‘Yes. She’s interesting. Intriguing.’
A faint smile appeared on Azaid’s lips. Nocturne, staring at him, listened as he elaborated.
‘If you talk to her a few times, you’ll understand exactly what I mean.’
‘We’ll see.’
The rumors weren’t entirely baseless. Nocturne had never seen Azaid speak about someone with such evident amusement.
Azaid, who was always firm in drawing clear lines between himself and others, rarely showed interest in those outside his inner circle. Even Nocturne, who was within that circle, sometimes found Azaid’s cold demeanor excessive.
While Nocturne’s thoughts wandered, Serina was already at a distance, searching for a book. Standing on tiptoes, she was trying to reach a volume on a high shelf when Nocturne moved to assist her.
***
Serena, after receiving the badge, had quickly turned her attention to the shelves. She lacked any anecdotes or shared knowledge with Nocturne to sustain a conversation, making their interaction awkward.
‘I need to find the book quickly and head to the outdoor reading area.’
Serena wasn’t at the library to enjoy her leisure time. She was searching for materials that could help improve her mana core.
‘It should be around here…’
After repeatedly verifying the book’s title and location, Serena finally spotted it: Case Studies of Mana Core Abnormalities, a book with a rather dull title.
The book was slightly out of reach, so she glanced around for a ladder but couldn’t find one nearby.
‘I think I can just about reach it.’
As Serena stretched out her hand to gauge the distance, a shadow suddenly loomed over her. A soft voice followed.
“Is this the book you’re trying to reach?”
“No, it’s the one next to it.”
When Serena lightly tapped the book’s spine with her finger, Nocturne pulled it out and stepped back.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Though startled by his sudden presence, she appreciated the help. Nocturne then glanced at the book title and asked,
“Case Studies of Mana Core Abnormalities. Are you researching this for His Majesty’s illness?”
“No, it’s just a personal interest of mine,” Serena lied with a smile. Despite Nocturne’s close ties to the Emperor, she couldn’t disclose sensitive information about his health.
‘The Emperor seems overly lenient with his inner circle.’
Nocturne, with a peculiar expression, asked, “Are you an Awakened?”
“Of course not.”
“Then is it a curiosity as an unawakened individual?”
“Um, yes. Something like that.”
Serena responded with an awkward laugh, evading the truth. Strictly speaking, she was unawakened but bore a unique rune—a rare and enigmatic condition.
There was no need to make unnecessary remarks like, “I have a mana core but can’t use magic,” to someone she had only met a few times.
The only person who knew Serena’s mana core had manifested was Azaid. Even then, she had only revealed it out of necessity for treatment.
Nocturne gave her a sly smile and handed her a book.
“If it’s related to abnormal mana core reactions, this book explains it much better. It’s perfect for beginners too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. The book you chose is more of a case study collection, so it doesn’t delve into the causes of the phenomena.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
Serena nodded and compared the two books. Sure enough, the case study book only contained examples, while the one Nocturne gave her detailed the processes behind the phenomena.
‘I almost made a foolish mistake.’
Since her knowledge of magic studies was shallow, she hadn’t grasped the structure of the content in the book. Serena smiled sheepishly and said,
“Thank you for recommending such a great book. I’d like to return the favor, but I don’t think there’s much I can do for you. You look perfectly healthy.”
“I might need it someday. Despite how I appear, I’m a weakling who spends all my time reading or researching.”
“Really? Well, my patient right now is the weakest of the weak, so you seem just fine compared to him.”
“Are you talking about His Majesty?”
“That’s a secret.”
Serena placed a finger to her lips and grinned mischievously. Nocturne laughed along and asked playfully,
“Calling His Majesty weak doesn’t quite suit him. Especially with rumors going around that his supposed illness might not even be real.”
“Who knows? Illness isn’t always visible on the outside.”
Serena shrugged and continued,
“If the body can’t handle the power, no amount of strength matters, does it?”
“With a physician as dedicated as you, His Majesty’s illness will surely be cured soon.”
“That would make me very happy.”
When Serena replied lightly, Nocturne pulled a pocket watch from his inner coat pocket and checked the time.
“I should take my leave now. I’ll hold onto your offer to return the favor—it might come in handy one day.”
“You’re surprisingly thorough. Fine, that works for me too.”
“It’s a pity our conversation was so brief.”
“I know, right? I was surprised by how well we got along.”
And I got a great book out of it too.
When Serena waved the book with a grin, Nocturne handed her his card.
“If you ever need more books, please contact me. I’ve already read everything here.”
“Now that I see it, you’re quite the bookworm, Count. As a fellow bookworm, I feel a bit of competitive spirit rising.”
Serena accepted the card with genuine admiration, and Nocturne gave a small bow with a smile.
“Then, until next time.”
“Yes, safe travels.”
As Serena politely returned his farewell, Nocturne left. She spent some time browsing a few more books before leaving the library herself.
***
Before she knew it, a month had passed since Serena started working as a royal physician.
By now, even the palace attendants all knew her. She had become particularly famous among the staff in the main palace.
But it wasn’t just because of the scandal involving her and Azaid.
“The physician who transformed the lazy emperor in an instant!”
This was the title Serena heard most often these days. It wasn’t an exaggeration—her efforts to change the sleep-loving emperor’s routine had left quite an impression.
Seeing the emperor, who used to refuse anyone touching his body, obediently following his physician’s instructions was shocking to many.
He now even woke up early on his own and awaited his morning checkup from Serena. That alone was enough to show how much had changed.
The nobles’ meetings, which used to be held late in the afternoon, were moved up, giving the ministers a break from their grueling schedules.
The once-tyrannical emperor, who used to summon them at the end of the day to torment them, now called for them in the morning or early afternoon.
Serena was deeply moved by Azaid’s transformation. She felt a sense of pride for accomplishing something she hadn’t been able to in her previous life.
Of course, not all of Azaid’s unhealthy habits were gone.
He still loved to sleep and often climbed into bed whenever he had the chance.
Still, Serena considered getting him to wake up in the morning a good start.
‘The emperor is more cooperative than I expected.’
It seemed Azaid was the type to act only when someone pushed and nagged him. Luckily, that was Serena’s specialty.
Her experience from years of volunteering and treating commoners had made her firm and resilient.
The Serena who once trembled before the emperor in her first and second lives was no more!
‘If a patient lacks the will to recover, then I’ll just have to create it for them—no matter what it takes.’
With a meaningful smile, Serena arrived at Azaid’s bedchamber.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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