I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Chapter 73

After Mydia’s memorial day, Serena felt that Azaid had changed a bit. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what had changed, but his attitude toward her was noticeably different.

For instance:

“Rena.”

Yes, that nickname.

Serena narrowed her eyes as she observed Azaid suddenly calling her “Rena.”

Not long ago, he used to address her with phrases like, “Hey, you there.” Had he experienced some sort of change of heart?

Though “Rena” was better than “Hey, you there,” it still felt oddly embarrassing as a term of endearment. Especially when Marie and Anna would look at her with sly, crescent-shaped eyes, it sent shivers down her spine.

“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for ages, Rena.”

With his blonde hair carelessly tousled, Azaid gazed at Serena with a serene expression. When he smiled, his face almost seemed to glow.

The sparkle in his blue eyes was reminiscent of a puppy wagging its tail excitedly just before receiving a gift.

“Oh, I was talking to Marie, and I lost track of time.”

“What were you talking about?”

“Just… various things.”

She couldn’t possibly admit that she had been interrogated about her relationship with the emperor. She didn’t want Azaid, who needed to maintain peak condition, to worry about such rumors.

“Come closer.”

Azaid patted the blanket in front of him, signaling her to come nearer. When Serena hesitantly approached and sat down, Azaid casually loosened the front of his shirt.

With the weather growing warmer, his clothes had become significantly lighter. Since it seemed possible to perform the check-up over his clothes, Serina reached out to stop him.

“It’s fine. I can do it over your clothes.”

“Ah, really?”

Azaid flinched at her touch and then hesitantly lowered his hand. As Serena checked his pulse, she asked, “How have you been feeling lately? Have you experienced fevers at night or anything similar?”

“Well… not really…”

Azaid gave a brief reply, his eyes darting around. Though it was a routine check-up, he seemed unusually tense, so Serena tried to reassure him.

“You don’t need to hold your breath.”

“Mm.”

Azaid exhaled deeply, almost like a sigh, causing his chest to rise and fall noticeably.

‘His heart seems to be beating too fast.’

Serina had been deeply troubled lately. The irregularity of Azaid’s heartbeat was concerning.

Given that his mana core was located near his heart, the situation felt even more ominous.

Was it arrhythmia? Or perhaps early signs of mana core overload?

But the absence of sudden temperature changes made it unlikely to be a mana core issue. Usually, before overload, there would be drastic fluctuations in body temperature, but Azaid showed no such symptoms.

‘It seems more like arrhythmia…’

Just as Serena was about to finish her check-up, Azaid called out, “Rena.”

He looked at her with a slightly elated gaze. When Serena met his eyes, he spoke softly.

“I think there’s something wrong with me.”

“Pardon?”

When Serena asked in surprise, his cheeks flushed as he murmured, “Rena, why does my heart race every time I see you?”

His face seemed shy, as if he was waiting for a specific answer. His expression was unusual. Serena blinked repeatedly, then suddenly realized:

‘His Majesty has noticed that something’s wrong with his body!’

Now that she thought about it, Azaid did seem anxious. As a doctor, calming a patient’s fears was a crucial part of treatment.

Just as Serena was about to explain the diagnosis, Azaid spoke again, their words overlapping.

“So, I think I might….”

“It’s arrhythmia.”

“Yes, I might arrhythmi—wait, what?”

Azaid stared at Serena, wide-eyed like a startled rabbit. His face showed a sudden loss of energy. Serena calmly explained:

“Your recent stressors have likely weakened your mental and physical state, causing your heart to beat irregularly without any apparent reason.”

“No, that’s not what I meant—”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. This isn’t a particularly dangerous condition, and it can be treated quickly.”

Serina clasped Azaid’s hand firmly, blinking as if to reassure him.

‘You trust me, don’t you, Your Majesty?’

Her bright, earnest gaze seemed to convey those very words. Azaid, who had been on the verge of confessing, found himself derailed by this unexpected “arrhythmia” diagnosis.

‘Does she only ever think about treatments?’

Azaid realized that expressing his feelings to her was going to take considerable effort. And when she looked at him with such an innocent expression, it felt like his heart might just explode.

‘I’m the only one feeling this way, while she’s completely unaffected.’

Azaid shook his head in frustration. Even though he’d started calling her by a nickname in an attempt to get her attention, she seemed utterly unfazed, leaving him feeling deflated.

“Relax, Your Majesty,” Serena said, giving his hand one last reassuring squeeze before letting go.

Azaid flexed his fingers a few times, trying to hold onto the lingering warmth of her touch. At that moment, Serina spoke up.

“I’m thinking of visiting the temple for a bit.”

“The temple? Why… don’t tell me you’re going to see that guy?”

Azaid’s mind immediately conjured an image of Benjamin’s face, and his expression darkened. Just thinking about how Benjamin flirted shamelessly with Serena, flashing her smiles and initiating casual touches, made his blood boil.

Completely oblivious to Azaid’s jealousy, Serena tilted her head quizzically.

“Who? What guy?”

She genuinely had no idea who he was referring to. Seeing her puzzled look, Azaid muttered under his breath, “You know, that… small-minded brat.”

He didn’t even want to utter the name, so he substituted it with a vague insult. Serena, still confused, asked, “Huh? Small-minded… Do you mean Lord Benjamin?”

Surely not…

Serena’s intuition turned out to be right.

“Yes. That guy.”

Azaid twitched his lips as if he’d hit the nail on the head. He looked visibly displeased.

Why is he so hostile after seeing him just once?

Serena, puzzled by Azaid’s overreaction, responded calmly.

“No. That day, while I was distracted monitoring Your Majesty, I forgot to retrieve the item.”

“Ah, the one you asked Jack to handle?”

“Yes. I contacted him yesterday to pick it up. He hasn’t replied yet, but I plan to go get it soon.”

“Shall I go with you?”

“What? Why would Your Majesty come along?”

“Why would I, you ask…?”

Azaid seemed slightly taken aback by Serena’s immediate refusal. However, she remained firm.

“Can the emperor really leave the palace so casually?”

“Well, if it’s necessary…”

“It’ll only take a moment. I’ll go alone. Please take a walk while I’m gone.”

Serena dismissed him resolutely and rose from her seat. Azaid let out a deep sigh as he watched her walk away.

No matter how he thought about it, the road ahead still seemed long.

It was around the time Serena was preparing to go out. Sebastian, the chief of the imperial palace, approached her.

“Lady Serena, where are you headed?”

“Oh, Chief Sebastian.”

Serena paused her packing and greeted him with a bow.

“I’m stepping out for a bit.”

“Are you going to visit Count Harrison again?”

“No, I’m just going out for some fresh air.”

Serena awkwardly smiled, avoiding a direct answer. The chief had a habit of being overly curious, which made him somewhat tiresome to deal with.

Though not a bad person, he was hard to get close to. Recently, he’d been particularly kind to Serena, which felt burdensome. It was even stranger considering how, in her previous life, he had only assigned her menial tasks and nitpicked constantly.

Sebastian, with a warm smile, spoke up.

“Well, it must feel stifling to stay in the palace all the time.”

“Yes, exactly. Don’t you feel confined too, staying here all the time?”

“Well, I’m old, so even just going back and forth for check-ups is tiring.”

“Please take care of your health. Being a doctor doesn’t make you immune to illness, does it?”

“Thank you for your concern, Lady Serina.”

Sebastian chuckled softly and pulled something out of his bag.

“What’s this?”

“It’s an invitation to a social gathering hosted by the Medical Association. The chairman specifically wanted to invite you.”

“The Medical Association?”

Serena looked at the invitation with a puzzled expression. Upon examining the seal, it was clear it had indeed come from the association. It seemed her position as the emperor’s personal physician had earned her an invitation to such a prestigious event.

“Are you attending as well, Chief Sebastian?”

“Of course. It would be a good opportunity for you to build connections for your future career.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Please, join me for the sake of this old man. It’s just a simple gathering with light refreshments and wine—nothing too formal.”

Seeing her hesitation, Sebastian began persuading her step by step.

The truth was, Serena was an anomaly among doctors. In her previous life, despite her skills, she had no connections and ended up in a low-ranking position. But now, she had the powerful backing of the emperor of Croten.

It seemed likely that this invitation was extended thanks to that connection.

“I’ll check my schedule first.”

“Understood.”

Sebastian laughed heartily and left as if his mission were complete.

Serina was just about to open the invitation and check its contents when Marie came running from a distance.

“Lady Serena!”

“Marei, what’s the matter? Why the rush?”

“Oh, thank goodness you haven’t left yet! I was worried we’d miss each other.”

“What’s going on?”

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Marei gave a bashful smile.

“There’s a guest from the temple waiting for you.”