I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Chapter 20

One Hour Ago.

Azaid stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought. He seemed preoccupied with finding a way to do absolutely nothing, as if he were trying to solve some profound puzzle.

That day, he was especially determined to avoid any activity. But he knew Serena would never let him be idle for long.

‘I need to escape.’

Before Serena could arrive, Azaid quickly slipped out of the bedroom.

While searching for a suitable hiding spot, he wandered into the secluded annex. By chance, his eyes fell upon a rarely used reception room.

‘She won’t find me there.’

Without hesitation, he entered the room. Though the sofa was an inviting spot to lounge, the thought that Serena might burst in made him opt for the terrace instead. Fortunately, there was a comfortable reclining chair on the terrace, perfect for lying down.

“Perfect.”

With a lazy smile, Azaid sprawled out on the chair. He truly did nothing—just as planned.

Who knows how long he stayed still?

As sleep crept in and he was about to doze off, he heard the sound of someone entering the room.

‘Damn.’

Azaid froze, caught off guard. Thankfully, the thick curtains were drawn, making it unlikely he could be seen from outside.

Still, he sank deeper into the chair, waiting for whoever it was to leave.

But—

“I believe I’ve already answered sufficiently.”

“!!!”

The moment he realized the intruder was Serena, Azaid held his breath. He almost let out an audible gasp.

The drowsiness vanished completely. If he were caught, it would mean an immediate stroll outside with her. Even if he avoided detection, the situation was awkward.

As his thoughts raced, Azaid finally resigned himself and sank deeper into the chair. He decided to stick to his original plan—stay quiet and do nothing.

‘She won’t find me unless she comes to the terrace.’

Comforted by this assumption, he tried to drift back to sleep. However, the ongoing conversation caught his attention.

“Even for old times’ sake, you could at least join us for a meal, couldn’t you? The Baron truly misses you.”

‘What nerve.’

Azaid shook his head in disbelief at the woman’s audacity. By now, it was clear that the visitor was the wife of Baron Vincent.

From his prior investigations, Azaid knew that Serena’s relationship with the Vincent family was strained. While they had reluctantly taken her in as a relative, they had treated her as if she didn’t exist.

‘How could someone who didn’t even arrange his debutante ball claim they missed her?’

Azaid had learned from Leonard that Serena hadn’t had a proper debut. Though it hadn’t been his original intent, he had essentially orchestrated her debut himself.

‘I even went out of my way to ensure she had the best dress and accessories so she could hold her head high… not that she’d know.’

Recalling these efforts, Azaid focused on their conversation.

From what he gathered, the Baroness had come to summon Serena. Barging in and pleading like this was exactly the kind of behavior Azaid despised.

‘She kept sending letters daily, and now she’s shown up in person. The Barons must be desperate.’

Azaid had been receiving reports on Serena’s daily activities. Initially, this surveillance was to keep tabs on her as an outsider, ensuring she caused no trouble.

But Serena had shown no interest in anything beyond tending to Azaid’s recovery. Even when she was away, it was typically for research or gathering materials related to his treatment.

By now, the surveillance was unnecessary, yet Azaid continued out of habit—or perhaps simple curiosity.

The Baroness’s sudden visit seemed to stem from regret, now that Serena was making a name for herself. Receiving the Isring had only heightened their interest, as it linked her to the palace. The Vincents likely hoped to use her newfound connections.

‘How will she respond?’

Azaid listened closely, intrigued.

“I refuse.”

Thankfully, Serena showed no sign of giving in to the Baroness’s pleas.

“Out of respect for your effort in coming here, I’ll decline.”

How bluntly she cut her off. Serena seemed to be someone who never hesitated to say what was on her mind.

Azaid smiled silently, impressed by her forthrightness. He had been ready to intervene if the Baroness tried to use her authority to overpower Serena, but it seemed unnecessary.

‘That’s my physician for you.’

A faint smile lingered on his lips—until the tone of the conversation abruptly changed.

“Surely, you don’t expect me to understand?”

The atmosphere grew tense, and for the first time, Azaid heard a coldness in Serena’s voice that sent a chill down his spine.

It followed the Baroness’s attempt to justify herself.

“I was only seven years old then.”

Though her voice was calm, it carried an unsteady tremor. Like a hedgehog bristling with spines, or a frozen pond cracking under sudden frost.

Azaid’s smile faded as he listened. This was a side of Serena he had never seen before.

“Children aren’t to blame, are they?”

He already knew that her childhood had been troubled. However, she was so much more spirited and cheerful than expected that the shadow of her past never seemed apparent.

Though he wasn’t unaware that people who pretended to be strong often had softer insides, it seemed he had overlooked it in her case, knowingly or not.

Unconsciously, Azaid gripped the armrest of his chair tightly.

Crack.

‘Huh?’

It wasn’t until the armrest broke that he realized the force he had been exerting. His grip had been so strong it left the wood charred black.

‘Was I too absorbed without realizing it?’

Azaid couldn’t feel entirely detached from Serena’s situation. It was probably because his childhood wasn’t so different from hers.

The life of an illegitimate child was all the same. Mere existence earned them universal scorn and disdain.

Hating this cycle, Azaid had tried numerous times to escape the imperial palace. But even as a half-blood royal, he was still royalty.

The most rebellion he could muster was sneaking out of the palace to play. And every time he did, the only one he worried about was his late mother.

‘Come to think of it, I wonder how that guy is doing.’

Recalling his escapades naturally brought to mind a childhood friend. Not the four companions he was still in contact with, but a commoner boy he had met separately.

That pretty yet peculiar boy who once dared to throw a punch at him, unaware that he was a prince—what could he be doing now?

Azaid quietly traced back memories of the boy, now faint and blurred at the edges of his mind.

As small as he was, he had such incredible strength and agility. He had fought fiercely against Azaid, who was in the throes of youthful rebellion.

As boys often bond through fights, they became close afterward. Whenever Azaid escaped the palace, he would occasionally run into that boy, and eventually, he left the palace specifically to meet him.

‘And then he suddenly disappeared without a word.’

Azaid had considered them to be fairly close, so he felt a pang of disappointment when the boy vanished. Upon reflection, he realized he didn’t know anything about him except his name, which made finding him impossible.

‘Was his name Levin?’

Even after becoming emperor, Azaid didn’t try to find Levin. He thought the name might have been fake, considering how secretive the boy always was.

Perhaps it was the lightness of their relationship that made Azaid feel at ease with him in the first place.

‘Maybe I should try looking for him.’

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he heard the sound of a door opening and closing, signaling the end of a conversation.

‘Looks like it’s over.’

To be sure, Azaid observed the surroundings a little longer. Once convinced everyone had left, he quietly emerged from the terrace.

But someone was waiting for him—

“There you are.”

It was none other than Serena, smiling brightly.

“There you are.”

Serena stood with her arms crossed, looking at Azaid.

“Gah!”

Azaid, clearly unaware that Serena was still in the room, gasped audibly, his eyes blinking rapidly.

His body froze so stiffly he could have been mistaken for a statue. It seemed that, when flustered, he had a tendency to freeze up.

She had considered pretending not to notice and leaving, but curiosity about his reaction made her linger. His response surpassed her expectations.

“Hic!”

Seeing him hiccup like that was a rare sight indeed.

Azaid seemed deeply startled. He tried holding his breath and even thumped his chest to stop the hiccups.

Embarrassed by the sounds he was making, he covered his mouth with his hand—a surprisingly clumsy image for an emperor. Serena stifled a laugh and approached him.

“So, the sneaky little cat is none other than Your Majesty. Why were you eavesdropping?”

“That’s not it… Hic! Ah, damn it… Hic!”

Frustrated by his persistent hiccups, Azaid seemed aware of how undignified he looked.

‘Well, being caught hiding and then hiccupping must be mortifying,’ Serena thought.

She patted his back firmly, trying to help him, and said, “Were you that startled? Our dear emperor mustn’t be shaken.”

Or else he might have a heart attack, and then I’d be in trouble too.

With that grim little joke in mind, Serena silently patted and soothed him, her face brimming with playful mischief.