I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Chapter 32

Even though Serena was unconscious and unable to hear him, Azaid sought her permission regardless. Carefully, he lifted her upper garment.

As expected, the glowing pattern on her skin shimmered faintly. Awakening pains were more connected to magical phenomena than medical issues.

It was pure luck that Azaid, a fellow Awakened, was by her side. He could at least alleviate some of her pain.

Serena, clearly in agony, kept clawing at her side with her hand. Her pale skin was starting to turn red and blotchy, causing Azaid to frown deeply.

If left unchecked, scars would be inevitable. Azaid clasped both of her hands with one of his, preventing further harm. With his free hand, he gently placed it on her side.

For some reason, he felt unusually tense. A flash of blue flame flickered along his hand.

Gathering pure mana from the air, Azaid refined it into a blue flame and channeled it into Serena. Her violet mana enveloped the blue fire, swirling and absorbing it.

“Ah… It hurts…”

Serena winced, her eyebrows furrowing from the sudden influx of mana.

“Shh, it’s okay. You’re doing well.”

Azaid murmured softly, his thumb lightly stroking her hand in reassurance. Both of her delicate wrists fit effortlessly in one of his hands. The stark contrast in size made Azaid even more tense.

Was she always this fragile?

Even as these thoughts crossed his mind, their mana clashed, creating ripples of energy. Then, in an instant, it happened.

“Ah!”

Azaid abruptly withdrew his hand in shock as his own internal mana was suddenly drawn out.

Even the mana he was using as a conduit for the pure mana had been consumed entirely.

I was being careful, though…

It had happened so fast that he couldn’t react in time. Had he hesitated even a moment longer, more would’ve been taken.

Thump-thump.

His heart raced as he stared at Serena, mesmerized by the strange phenomenon before him.

Her breathing had evened out, and the furrowed lines on her brow had smoothed away. The glowing pattern, which had burned brightly moments ago, had now faded into silence.

Though he’d heard that transferring internal mana recklessly was dangerous, Serena appeared entirely unharmed.

Are we truly that compatible?

Reflecting back, he remembered how sensitive he’d felt when her mana first approached his mana core. While he’d always been on the sensitive side, this had felt distinctly different. At the time, he assumed it was due to poor compatibility, but it turned out to be the opposite.

Since he lacked any knowledge of magical medicine, he hadn’t realized the dangers of transferring internal mana until Serena had explained it to him.

Most people, unlike Serena, couldn’t freely control their internal mana. At best, they extracted it using magical tools, relying more on pure mana for its ease of use.

Azaid had only used pure mana to help Serena, not his internal mana. Yet somehow, it had been drawn out. To be sure, he gently prodded Serena.

“Hey, are you okay?”

She didn’t respond. Her slight movements indicated she was alive, though.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Azaid brushed back her sweat-soaked hair lightly.

I can’t make sense of her, nor can I distance myself from her.

Studying her face, which was now flushed with color, he muttered softly, “Looks like she’s fine.”

But just as he allowed himself to relax, Serena unexpectedly grabbed his hand and tucked it beneath her cheek like a pillow.

“…!”

Azaid froze, his body stiffening at her sudden action. She slept soundly, her head resting on his hand as if it were the most comfortable thing in the world. Unable to move, he let her be.

Soft strands of hair tickled his hand, and her warm breath touched his skin, light as a breeze.

“This… is dangerous.”

Azaid murmured, his tense body rigid as he wiped his lips with his free hand. Serena’s sleeping face looked innocent, like a child’s.

No one would believe this was the same woman who stood up to the emperor and insisted on healing him, spouting sharp words.

His heart began to pound again, this time for a different reason. As Azade’s blue eyes unknowingly filled with a violet hue, Serena murmured in her sleep.

“The emperor…”

“???”

Before Azaid could process her words, she reached up and grabbed a handful of his golden hair.

“Ugh.”

Startled, Azaid snapped back to his senses and stared at her. Her small hand tugged firmly at his hair.

“Are you awake?”

“…”

She didn’t respond. The distance between them was uncomfortably close. Feeling a strange unease, Azaid grabbed her wrist.

“You’re probably the first person to grab the emperor’s hair like this.”

“Gonna make you bald…”

Serena muttered nonsensical words before her grip slackened and she released his hair.

A few strands of his golden locks slipped through her fingers. With her rolling over, his trapped hand was finally free.

“Hah.”

Azaid staggered back a step, putting some distance between them. For some reason, the room felt unbearably warm—likely due to the roaring fireplace.

Seeking relief, Azade approached the window, only to catch sight of his reflection. His face was flushed.

Suddenly, he remembered just how close he’d been to Serena earlier.

Could it be… me?

Azaid glanced back at her in shock. Serena, now free of her blankets, was snoring softly. Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath, “No way.”

And with that, he quickly left the room. His heart still pounded, but Azaid stubbornly ignored it.

The next morning, Serena woke up feeling refreshed, stretching her arms as she sat up in bed. She remembered collapsing the night before, but now she was in bed.

Did my incredible willpower carry me here?

Leaning back against the headboard, she winced as pain shot through her side.

She must have been lying down for a long time, as her back felt stiff. Despite this, she felt unusually good—more energized than usual.

Sleep truly is the best medicine. I feel fantastic after such a good rest.

She checked her temperature and pulse, satisfied with the results. Whatever had happened, her recovery seemed faster than usual.

That’s when she noticed it. Something soft and golden glinted between her fingers.

“Hmm?”

She brought it closer to examine it. Smooth, golden strands shimmered under the light. The familiarity of the hair made her blink slowly.

And then it hit her.

The memory of last night’s dream surfaced.

The dream where Azaid visited her room, and she grabbed his hair, threatening to make him bald. It was absurd enough that he would come to her room, making it a nonsensical dream from the start.

But why was Azaid’s hair in front of her now?

Serena’s confused expression began to crack as she recalled the words he had spoken in the dream.

“You’re the first person to ever grab the emperor’s hair.”

“Gasp! No way!”

Serena bolted upright, a foreboding feeling taking hold of her.

Was it not a dream after all?

As she fidgeted anxiously, searching for more evidence, her eyes locked with Marie, who had entered the room to tidy up. Marie approached with a bright smile.

“Lady Serena, how are you feeling?”

“Marie! Perfect timing. Did you move me to the bed by any chance?”

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t recall climbing into bed on her own. As strong as her willpower might be, accomplishing something without any memory of it was impossible.

Grabbing Marie by both arms, Serena shook her urgently. Mary blinked, as though hearing something strange.

“No, it wasn’t me.”

“Then who?”

Serena’s uneasy gaze fixed on Marie, desperately hoping she wouldn’t utter anything remotely close to “His Majesty.” But fate has a way of aligning with one’s worst fears.

“His Majesty found you collapsed and personally tended to you all night. He also instructed that you rest until today.”

The brighter Marie’s face became, the more Serena’s expression darkened.

No. It can’t be. Surely, surely… I didn’t actually pull out the emperor’s hair, did I?

Serena turned her head, trying to deny the reality. But then she saw it—more strands of golden hair scattered on her bed.

Oh… I’m doomed.

A hollow laugh escaped Serena, the sound tinged with disbelief.

It was a good life. But touching the emperor’s body? Guess I’m headed for the guillotine again.

She muttered in a resigned tone, “Marie, it looks like I’m going to die this time for sure.”

“What? What are you talking about, Miss Serena?”

Marie was startled, staring at Serena in confusion before her expression hardened.

“Don’t tell me… you haven’t made amends with His Majesty yet? Did His Majesty perhaps—”

“I have to go apologize. Right now!”

Serena cut her off, quickly changing her clothes in a flurry of activity. Mary, frozen in shock, could only watch the scene unfold.

Before Marie could even stop her, Serena had finished dressing and grabbed the doorknob. Just as she was about to leave, the door opened on its own. Her forehead bumped straight into a familiar chest.

“Ouch.”

As Serena instinctively stumbled backward, a large, firm hand caught her by the waist. However, as soon as she regained her balance, the hand withdrew immediately.

“…”

Dazed, Serena’s gaze shifted between the retreating hand, the familiar chest, and the ornate attire. Azaid cleared his throat and finally spoke.

“I knew this would happen.”