I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 4

As expected, the room was pitch dark. With blackout curtains drawn, it was hard to tell whether it was day or night.

Serena lit a small flame using a portable magical tool, avoiding the use of overhead lighting. On the bed, Azaid was fast asleep, oblivious to the world.

Instead of waking him, Serena moved toward the window. Without hesitation, she pulled back the heavy blackout curtains.

Swish!

The sound of the curtains being drawn was sharp and crisp.

“Ugh…”

Azaid groaned as the sudden flood of sunlight hit him. He pulled the blanket up over his head in a futile attempt to shield himself.

Serena, undeterred, proceeded to throw the window wide open. Dust that had settled in the room was whisked away by the morning breeze.

The cool morning air filled the room, and Serina stretched her arms wide as she took a deep breath.

“This is what real air feels like.”

She couldn’t understand how the emperor could sleep in such a suffocating atmosphere.

‘No wonder he’s always coughing.’

Shaking her head, Serina briefly thought of Azaid’s face. The fresh air and the clear sky seemed to lift her spirits automatically. Just as she was about to savor the moment—

“What do you think you’re doing?”

A chilling voice came from behind her. It was Azaid. Turning around with an unbothered expression, Serena met his gaze.

He had just woken up, his face scrunched in irritation, glaring at her with narrowed eyes.

The sunlight made his blonde hair shimmer, and despite just waking up, his pale skin looked smooth like fresh cream. His fluttering eyelashes resembled the delicate wings of a butterfly, and beneath them, his blue eyes glared at Serina, displeased.

It was evident at a glance that he was upset at being woken so abruptly. But Serena, unfazed, greeted him with a bright smile.

“Good morning, Your Majesty.”

“…What?”

Azaid tilted his head at her casual morning greeting, visibly confused.

Serena approached him and offered him a glass of water.

“Why don’t we start the day with some water?”

“Who let you in? I distinctly told everyone not to disturb me while I’m sleeping.”

Azaid took the water she offered and drank it without thinking, perhaps because it was presented so naturally. It wasn’t until he had already swallowed a mouthful that he realized what he was doing.

“It’s already midday, and since you weren’t coughing, I had no choice but to wake you.”

“I didn’t allow you to be so insolent just because—huh?”

His words faltered when he noticed Serena casually sitting on the edge of his bed.

The distance between them naturally shrank. Serena brushed her hair aside, which was getting in her way, and gently grasped his wrist to check his pulse.

Startled by the unexpected touch, Azaid flinched, staring at her.

Her purple hair glowed faintly under the sunlight, and her golden eyes glanced down without much concern.

Here she was, entering a man’s room early in the morning, completely unfazed. Meanwhile, Azaid felt his sleepiness disappear entirely.

“Step away…”

As he tried to push her away—

“Shh.”

Serena pressed her finger lightly against his lips. The soft touch silenced his words instantly.

Moments later, she smiled brightly and sternly said, “No talking while I’m checking your pulse.”

“…”

Azaid was at a loss for words, unsure if he had just heard correctly.

‘Did she just speak to me informally?’

Dumbfounded, Azaid stared blankly at her, while Serena smirked mischievously.

Her golden eyes blinked slowly, and each time they did, Azaid felt a wave of discomfort and confusion wash over him.

Her demeanor was strangely confident.

Azaid, unable to decipher the meaning behind her smile, froze in place.

‘What is she even thinking?’

Not only did she touch him so boldly, but she even had the audacity to laugh so casually.

‘I didn’t think she’d act on her words of ‘doing as I please’ the very next day.’

The sensation of her finger against his lips felt utterly foreign. He hadn’t even had time to avoid it when her slender finger pressed against him so suddenly.

While Azaid hesitated, the finger withdrew. Serena resumed checking his pulse.

Rubbing his lips with his other hand, Azaid frowned deeply.

He tried biting his lower lip and wiping at it with his hand to erase the unfamiliar feeling, but it lingered stubbornly.

Meanwhile, thanks to the now-silent emperor, Serena was able to proceed with her morning examination without interruption.

Unlike most Croten royalty, who inherited fiery blood, Azaid’s body temperature wasn’t unusually high.

Typically, members of the Croten imperial family, who could control fire at will, had naturally elevated body temperatures and could withstand extreme heat.

But Azaid was different. His temperature fluctuated wildly, which made him vulnerable to sudden changes.

It was speculated that this was because he was a rare blue-eyed Croten.

‘His temperature is normal this morning.’

Seeing the normal reading on her temperature-measuring magical tool, Serena nodded to herself.

Normally, his fluctuating temperature was a constant source of worry, either spiking dangerously high or dropping to frigid levels, leading to emergencies.

‘Before his death, his fever always spiked above 40°C, or his body would become icy cold, like a corpse.’

Maintaining his body temperature within the normal range was key. Reflecting on the emperor’s symptoms from before her regression, Serena opened her mouth to speak.

“Your Majesty, what time did you go to sleep yesterday?”

“…”

“Your Majesty?”

“Huh?”

Azaid, belatedly responding, stared at Serena blankly. He seemed oddly out of it.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“…No. But if the examination is done, can you step away now?”

With an indifferent expression, Azaid looked down at Serena, clearly eager for her to finish quickly.

“Oh! There’s still one more thing to check,” Serena replied, swiftly reaching out toward Azaid’s chest to examine his mana core.

But Azaid was faster this time. Grabbing her wrist, he asked sharply, “What do you think you’re doing?”

His expression looked as though he had just been accosted by a scoundrel. Serena replied flatly, “What do you think I’m doing? Don’t you remember our agreement?”

Why was he acting like this now, after they had already agreed to this arrangement? She had no intention of backing down, even though he had been resistant about her examining his mana core before.

Frowning, Serena met his gaze while Azaid narrowed his eyes and spoke.

“Well, that agreement was for treatment purposes…”

“And this is treatment,” Serena said firmly.

“Is this what you call treatment?” Azaid asked incredulously.

“Yes. Your Majesty’s mana core is located here, isn’t it?” she said, gesturing toward his chest.

“Oh…”

Only then did Azaid glance down at his own chest. Beneath his loose innerwear, a blue tattoo-like symbol glowed faintly near his solar plexus, resembling a blazing sun.

For those who could wield mana, such distinctive marks naturally appeared upon awakening. Azaid’s mana core was located in his chest.

Serena lightly tapped his hand and asked, “Can I proceed with the examination now?”

“…”

“Alright, I’ll start then.”

As Serena reached toward his chest again, Azaid stopped her once more.

“Wait.”

“???”

“Is it really necessary to touch the mana core? It’s…”

Azaid’s lips moved slightly, but he couldn’t finish the sentence. Serena tilted her head and asked bluntly, “It’s what? A bit uncomfortable?”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be careful.”

Serena was well aware that areas with mana cores tended to be more sensitive than other parts of the body.

While some people barely reacted to having their mana cores touched, others were particularly sensitive. Azaid, it seemed, belonged to the latter group.

With a sly smile, Serena shook off Azaid’s grip. His hand dropped weakly to his side, as though he had resigned himself to the inevitable. Turning his head away, he clenched his teeth, looking as though he was bracing himself for the ordeal.

Moments later, Serena placed her hand on Azaid’s mana core. The mark, soft like delicate grass, rested over firm muscle.

The last time she had touched his mana core, when he had lost consciousness due to a mana surge, it had been burning hot. But now, it felt normal.

“I’m just going to check the energy flow,” Serena said, giving a brief warning before injecting her mana into him.

As her mana entered, Azaid’s core hummed in response.

“Guh…”

Azaid let out a faint groan and covered his eyes with one hand. His jaw tightened as though he were gritting his teeth, and veins appeared on his neck.

‘Looks like it’s hard for him,’ Serena thought, observing his reaction with mild curiosity.

Though she also had a mana core, hers wasn’t particularly sensitive, so Azaid’s strong response intrigued her.

“W-what did you just do?” Azaid stammered.

“I infused a little of my mana into you,” Serena answered casually.

“You have a mana core?” Azaid’s eyes widened in surprise. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her to be an awakened individual.

“Why? Is it strange for someone illegitimate like me to have a mana core?” she retorted indifferently.

“That’s not what I meant…” Azaid faltered, his blue eyes flickering with uncertainty. He seemed at a loss for words, but Serena didn’t wait for him to clarify.

“You look uncomfortable, so I’ll finish quickly. Just bear with it for a bit longer,” she said.

She focused her attention back on the mana flow.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Serena let out a small gasp.