I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 56

“Your Majesty, since when have you been standing there?”

When Nocturne acknowledged his presence, Azaid slowly stepped away from the pillar. Approaching Nocturne at a leisurely pace, he spoke.

“Well, since the two of you were holding hands and giggling over my candy, perhaps?”

“Oh dear, have you come chasing us to reclaim your candy?”

“I’ve got plenty more hidden, so no need to worry.”

Azaid smirked, as if amused by the question. Yet, his burning gaze made Nocturne break into a cold sweat.

Serena’s description of someone “smiling only with their mouth” felt all too accurate in this moment. Nocturne doubted it was truly about the candy; it seemed more likely it was about Serena. Forcing a bright smile, he asked:

“Are you talking about the candies Miss Serena is bound to find soon?”

“Exactly. It’s fascinating, really. No matter where I hide them, she finds them like a cat sniffing out fish.”

Azaid agreed without hesitation, even with Nocturne’s teasing. Then, with a serious expression, he mumbled about whether Serena might be using some kind of magic.

It was, of course, a joke disguised as seriousness. His trust in Serena was evident.

Nocturne found it intriguing. He had sensed Serena was no ordinary person when they first met, but he never imagined she would manage to win over even Azaid.

Then, Azaid turned to Nocturne and said, “I’m being completely serious here.”

“If that’s the case, perhaps Your Majesty should check your accessories. Who knows? There might be a tracker or a listening device hidden in them.”

“You mean, like what you did to Serena?”

“….”

Nocturne’s smile froze as he looked at Azaid. The unexpected remark made his eyes flicker.

Azaid, in contrast, was calm. His tone was light, like someone greeting a friend on a stroll.

“Does Miss Serena know about it?”

Nocturne asked with a troubled expression. Azaid shook his head.

“No. If she did, she wouldn’t have been laughing and chatting so freely earlier.”

He tossed the badge in his hand into the air and caught it again as he continued.

“I think I’ve given you plenty of time to explain. How long were you planning to hide it from me?”

“For as long as I could?”

Nocturne responded with a sly grin. Azaid’s gaze sharpened, but Nocturne, unfazed, replied cheerfully.

“You know me. Suspicious and cunning, right?”

“Are you going to tell me this was for my sake again?”

“Exactly. So can we just let it slide?”

Nocturne answered without hesitation, prompting Azaid to let out a long sigh. In truth, among his three friends, deciphering Nocturne’s true intentions was the hardest.

Nocturne was like a riddler, never revealing answers until one figured them out for oneself.

Given his proximity to the Duke of Greenwood, Nocturne was well-versed in handling such matters. It had saved Azaid from many dangers and proved invaluable time and again.

Nocturne’s loyalty was almost absolute, to the point where one might call him an undercover agent for Azaid.

Realizing that planting a listening device on Serena was likely an act of this loyalty made Azaid feel stifled.

“You don’t have to go out of your way to do things I never asked for.”

“Did I make you uncomfortable again? Acting without permission?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then what?”

“You don’t need to show the same kind of loyalty to me that you do to Greenwood.”

Nocturne looked at Azaid as if he didn’t understand. Azaid repeated his point firmly.

“I need a friend, not a subordinate or a hunting dog.”

“I know. That’s why I like you, Azaid.”

Nocturne grinned, leaving Azaid momentarily speechless.

“For someone raised as a hunting dog, it’s just a habit. A sort of insurance, if you will.”

“I suppose it is.”

“Just think of it as the way I treat my friends, Azaid.”

“Quite the terrifying friend I have, then.”

Azaid shook his head with a wry smile, and Nocturne chuckled.

“I was wondering how to retrieve it, but it turns out you had it all along. I was even considering asking my little thief-in-training for help.”

“Little thief-in-training?”

“Pai. My cat was the one who first stole that badge.”

Nocturne replied with a small laugh, and Azaid thought of the gray cat that was always by Nocturne’s side. Pai was a hybrid of a feline magical beast.

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her lately. What is she up to?”

“She’s quite free-spirited. Seems like she might have found herself a new master.”

“Well, I’m fully aware of your overwhelming affection for me, so don’t do this kind of thing anymore.”

“That hurts, Azaid. That sounds like you’re telling me to stop liking you.”

Feigning a sullen expression, Nocturne’s words made Azaid cringe.

“Cut out the creepy jokes.”

“You caught me? Haha.”

Nocturne couldn’t hold back his laughter, while Azaid stared at him with a puzzled expression. Finally, Nocturne stopped laughing and said:

“I just wanted to check if she had any ulterior motives because she seemed to be trying too hard.”

“So, did you find any?”

In response to Azaid’s question, Nocturne shook his head lightly.

“Seems like she’s just someone who works hard and does her job well.”

“More like someone who’s incompetent but obsessed with work like a ghost.”

Azaid chuckled knowingly, and Nocturne nodded in agreement.

“Still, she’s quite remarkable. She’s been using me efficiently for a while now, but she never shares anything important about you.”

“I thought she’d talk freely since you’re friends, but surprisingly, she’s tight-lipped.”

“She might be even more cautious because I’m her friend. And don’t forget, I’m from Greenwood.”

“She’s a sharp woman.”

Azaid’s lips curled upward slightly as he thought of Serina. Nocturne observed him carefully and asked:

“So, do you like her?”

“What?”

Azaid froze momentarily before reacting as if he’d heard something absurd.

“Like her? Me? Serena?”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Not at all.”

Azaid denied it firmly, his strong reaction betraying that there might be some truth to it. He added further.

“This is, you know, something like camaraderie. We’ve spent so much time together that I’ve grown fond of her.”

“Camaraderie, my foot.”

Nocturne sneered at Azaid, who acted childishly in matters of romance. It seemed like what was obvious to everyone else was completely lost on him.

“If you were someone who could grow fond of people just by spending a lot of time with them, you would’ve grown fond of the Duke of Greenwood too.”

“Are you seriously comparing that man to Serena?”

Why wouldn’t they be the same?

Nocturne swallowed those words. He couldn’t be bothered to explicitly say, You like that woman.

In due time, Azaid would figure it out on his own—or he wouldn’t. Either way, it wasn’t Nocturne’s problem.

“Good for you, Azaid, for finding such a fine comrade.”

“That sounds incredibly sarcastic.”

“Not at all.”

Azaid narrowed his eyes suspiciously, prompting Nocturne to shift the topic.

“What about Leonard? You were practically glued to him, but now he seems to be away a lot.”

“Well, everyone needs a break sometimes, including Leonard.”

Azaid answered casually, but Nocturne observed him keenly. Noticing the scrutiny, Azaid asked, “Why? Do you have something to say to Leonard?”

“Not really.”

Nocturne glanced briefly at his pocket watch before continuing, “I should get going.”

“Heading back to the capital?”

“I’ve done all the necessary posturing here, so no one can complain if I leave.”

“Alright. See you later in the capital.”

“Until then, Your Majesty.”

Nocturne gave a courteous bow and took his leave. Azaid watched his retreating figure for a moment before moving along.

A week had passed since the hunting festival concluded and the royal court returned to the palace. Contrary to Serena’s worries, the festival had ended without major incidents.

After her return to the palace, Serena had immersed herself in The Birth of Magic, a book gifted to her by the royal librarian.

In truth, Serena had tried several times to meet the librarian before leaving for the palace but hadn’t been able to. It seemed likely the librarian had been suspended, as the fire in the storage room and near destruction of the forest were significant issues. According to Azaid, the suspension was only temporary, so she would probably return to her duties in time.

‘I wanted to thank him for gifting me such a rare book.’

Unable to meet him before leaving, Serena had passed a thank-you letter to the temporary library manager before heading back to the capital.

The Birth of Magic turned out to be more intriguing—and infuriating—than she had expected. Once again, Serena was deeply engrossed in its pages today.

“(Sometimes, even after the manifestation of a mana core, an individual is unable to use magic. This can be resolved simply by identifying the type of magic they are suited to.)”

Reading the passage aloud, Serena glanced at the next lines and exploded.

“(The problem is, anyone capable of this identification wouldn’t be unable to use magic in the first place. It’s not rocket science.) … What? Not rocket science?! That’s just insulting!”

She glared at the book in indignation. The so-called “fool who couldn’t use magic” described by the author was none other than herself.

“Ugh, seriously!”

Serena ruffled her hair in frustration. This wasn’t the first time the book had driven her up the wall.

She had spent her entire life being called a genius. Being subjected to such blunt criticism—especially about her intellect—was a completely novel and humiliating experience.

Does being an author give you the right to be this rude?

Without realizing it, Serena had entered into a silent battle of wills with the author.

The Birth of Magic was both piercingly insightful and brutally critical, its pages unfiltered in their sharp commentary. Serena was starting to understand why publishers might have been hesitant to print it.

The book’s incisive words struck her like daggers every time she opened it. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to stop reading—it contained answers she desperately sought.

Grinding her teeth in frustration, Serena pressed on, turning to the next passage.