I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 70

Azaid frowned at Raffaello’s dazed expression.

“You didn’t listen to me, did you, Raffaello?”

“My apologies. I was momentarily lost in thought. What were we discussing?”

As Raffaello wiped his cold sweat with his sleeve, Azade’s eyes narrowed.

“May I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

Haven’t you been doing that already?

When Raffaello gave a kindly smile, Azade began his questioning.

“How did you feel when my mother was with His Majesty the late emperor? Were you displeased?”

“Not at all. On the contrary, I was relieved. Didn’t you see how worried I was when Lady Mydia was practically confined to the separate palace?”

“Then, what about when she was with another man, like Logan, for example?”

“That guy was always causing trouble, which made me uneasy. But considering his unmatched abilities as a guard, I felt reassured. But why do you ask?”

Raffaello tilted his head, unable to discern the purpose of the question. Earlier, Azaid had been fretting over names and nicknames, only to now shift to a completely different topic.

Azaid furrowed his brow, finding it cumbersome to explain. He was about to speak when Serena entered the outdoor chapel.

Dressed in pure white ceremonial robes, Serena had her hair tied low as usual. She gave Azaid a subtle nod as a greeting.

Azaid stared blankly at her. Under the moonlight, Serena’s white attire seemed almost dazzling.

“It’s truly strange.”

“Indeed. Even to me, Your Majesty doesn’t seem quite normal,” Raffaello remarked.

“What did you say, Raffaello?”

“Ahem. We should begin the ceremony.”

Raffaello cleared his throat, steering the conversation away. At the mention of the ceremony, Azaid dispelled his wandering thoughts and refocused.

Serena stood at the back, observing the ceremony. The surroundings were serene, and though the night sky was deep, the brazier illuminated the area.

Nocturne was nowhere to be seen until the ceremony was about to begin. Then, he appeared and stood beside Leonard and Jack.

The outdoor chapel’s ceremony exuded an almost sacred atmosphere. Raffaello assisted while Azade led the ritual.

Contrary to his usual nonchalant demeanor, Azaid was unusually earnest as he burned flowers and poured holy water in succession.

Behind them, the white moon reflected on the lake, shimmering with the ripples. The picturesque scenery, with Azaid standing solitary, evoked a peculiar feeling in Serena.

It felt as if he might disappear at any moment, leaving her with an unsettling sensation.

‘I’ve never seen that expression before.’

His eyes were sharper than usual, and his aura felt ominous. The tension radiating from him made him seem precarious.

Was that why? The magic he usually kept in check seemed out of control, causing sparks to leap unpredictably from the brazier.

The erratic movement of the flames, mismatched with the wind, appeared to be influenced by Azaid.

The ceremony concluded with Azaid burning all the offerings on the altar and scattering the ashes over the lake.

It was only after confirming the end of the ceremony that Serena approached Azaid.

“You’ve worked hard, Your Majesty.”

Raffaello, who had been smiling warmly, shifted his gaze toward Serena.

“You’ll be staying overnight, then?”

“Yes, I seem to have become a guest unintentionally, Bishop.”

“No trouble at all. Since there are no outsiders tonight, we have plenty of rooms available. Don’t worry.”

Serena waved her hand at Raffaello’s remark.

“Oh, that’s unnecessary. I plan to stay in His Majesty’s chambers.”

“Pardon?”

“That’s the arrangement for tonight. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”

“I’m certain I said I wouldn’t allow it,” Azaid replied, looking exasperated. But Serena didn’t back down.

“The room is spacious anyway. I’ll quietly wait on the sofa.”

“There’s no need for that, Miss Serina. We can take turns watching over him,” Leonard interjected, only for Serena to firmly shake her head.

“I’m not much of a sleeper at night, so it’s fine.”

“Still…”

Leonard couldn’t hide his discomfort. The idea of Seriena, a woman, standing guard in Azaid’s chambers clearly concerned him.

However, Serena had extensive experience with night shifts. To her, this was just another part of her duties, so she had no reservations.

“I’m used to looking after patients throughout the night. Besides, if I don’t observe His Majesty’s strange behavior tonight, I may not get another chance.”

Knowing that Azaid would harm himself on certain dates, she couldn’t bring herself to rest comfortably.

Even if he said he wouldn’t, she couldn’t trust him completely.

“It’s only for one night.”

When Serena pleaded again, Leonard rolled his eyes. At that moment, Azaid spoke gruffly.

“And my opinion?”

Azaid stared at Serena with displeasure. She seemed utterly unaware of the potential dangers her decision could pose.

To her, Azaid was simply a patient, not a man.

‘So, she doesn’t see me as a man at all.’

Serena, faced with everyone’s opposition, confidently lifted the Isring and spoke.

“You gave me the Isring, didn’t you? Are you really going to go back on your word? You said you’d respect my opinions when it’s work-related.”

“You still need to consider the time and place. Staying in the same room is absolutely not an option.”

As the argument dragged on, Jack clapped his hands together.

“How about this? We all stay in the same room, but have separate bedrooms.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Azaid snapped angrily, pulling Serena behind him as if shielding her.

“There’s no way I’m leaving you and Serena in the same room. If it comes to that, she’s better off staying in my room.”

“You’re allowing it, then?”

“What?”

“Alright, let’s go!”

Serena took Azaid’s words as consent, grabbed his hand, and began pulling him along.

“Wait… no… hold on…!”

Azaid found himself being dragged away helplessly by Serena. He alternated between looking at her and glancing back in disbelief.

Behind them, Jack waved his hand, chuckling. His expression made it clear what he was implying with his earlier suggestion, causing Azadeh to scowl deeply.

“That bastard…”

Just as Azaid was about to launch into a string of curses, Serena suddenly stopped and asked.

“Your Majesty, it’s a fork in the road—left or right?”

Faced with her bright, expectant eyes, Azaid answered without thinking.

“…Right.”

“Okay, right it is!”

With a cheerful tone, Serena tugged him along. Azaid sighed deeply, rubbing his face.

‘Fine. Better this than leaving her with those wolves…’

He didn’t even realize the flaws in his reasoning as he justified his decision to himself.

But then, when he saw Serena’s freshly washed face, the damp strands of her long hair, and the faint outline of her figure beneath her thin nightgown…

Azaid recognized the gaping hole in his logic and let out a groan. After all, to her, he was also just another man.

Azaid’s bedroom was spacious, though not quite to the level of royal quarters. As Serena looked around curiously, she asked.

“Should I wash up first? It’s been a while since the climb, and I’d like to freshen up.”

“Wash up?”

“Or are you not going to? You were covered in ash earlier.”

“Well, uh… yeah, go ahead.”

Azaid stammered awkwardly before striding purposefully to the sofa and sitting down, looking almost determined. Serena shrugged at his odd behavior.

The room was laid out with a bedroom, living area, and bathroom. The sofa was large enough that sleeping in the living room seemed possible.

After soaking in warm water, Serena felt much lighter and more relaxed. The prepared nightgown was a long chemise-style dress. It wasn’t particularly revealing, though her collarbones were faintly visible. She towel-dried her hair, draped a robe over her nightgown, and stepped into the living area.

“Your Majesty, you can wash up now.”

“Alright, I’ll—”

Azaid  froze mid-motion as he rose, staring at her. A moment later, he spun around, muttering something under his breath.

It sounded like, “This is a bit dangerous…” but Serena couldn’t quite make out the details. She approached the mumbling Azaid, who stood with his back to her.

“Your Majesty, aren’t you going to wash up?”

“…”

“Go wash up. Now.”

Deciding he was just making excuses to avoid it, she spoke firmly. When she tapped his shoulder lightly, he turned around slowly and answered.

“…I will.”

Then, as if afraid their gazes might meet, he darted straight into the bathroom. Though his face was full of unease, Serena assumed he simply didn’t want to bathe.

“This place is a bit different from regular lodgings.”

The furniture bore signs of wear, as if someone had lived there before. The items seemed imbued with a personal touch.

As Serina inspected the room, she discovered a small space hidden behind the living room wall.

A curtain hung there, making it appear like part of the wall. She only noticed it because a draft from the open window had shifted the curtain, revealing the hidden area.

“Oh, a portrait.”

Behind the drawn curtain was a barren wall with a large portrait hanging alone.

The woman in the painting was strikingly beautiful. Her golden hair was neatly braided and rested over her shoulder. She faced forward with a gentle smile.

In shrines, paintings usually depicted revered gods, famous popes, or saints. It seemed likely that the woman in the portrait was also connected to the Perianus shrine.

“But this is strange… Why does she look so familiar?”

Though Serena was certain she’d never seen the woman before, the face felt oddly familiar. She stood in front of the portrait, lost in thought.

“So this is where you were.”

A damp, clammy presence seemed to brush against her back as Azaid’s sharp voice broke the silence.