I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 82

Azaid’s gaze was as sharp as that of a seasoned knight.

It was indeed a good decision to follow. Otherwise, that pesky fly of a man would have persistently tried to flirt with Serena.

He had half a mind to set the man’s hair on fire, but that would have been too obvious.

Feeling proud of his self-control, Azaid spun lightly on his heel. When he met Leonard’s cold, emotionless eyes, Azaid feigned innocence and spoke.

“What? Why? I haven’t killed anyone yet.”

Leonard let out a deep sigh at Azaid’s defensive reaction. He had given up trying to understand his friend.

It seemed that his dear friend turned into a complete lunatic when in love.

Serena’s daily life wasn’t much different from usual. The only noticeable change was that Azaid had become remarkably obedient.

“You exercised on your own?”

“Yeah. I did well, right, Rena?”

Azaid, freshly showered after his workout, appeared in front of Serena, seeking praise.

The sight of him still wandering around in his loose undergarments made her want to pinch her forehead, but the fact that he exercised and washed up by himself was significant progress.

“You did well. I’m proud of you!”

When Serena clapped her hands in genuine admiration, Azaid shyly fiddled with his soft, freshly dried hair and mumbled.

“You’re just going to praise me with words?”

“Pardon?”

“You know… something like that.”

Azaid subtly lowered his head, positioning himself so Serena could pat him. When he glanced up at her, urging her to praise him, Serena’s eyes widened.

“Ah, wait a moment.”

“Take your time…”

What was she preparing for?

Azaid suppressed the grin threatening to creep up his lips and patiently waited. However, Serena’s next action was beyond his expectations.

She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a tiny chocolate piece.

“Ta-da, here’s a chocolate for you.”

“……”

“How did you even know I had chocolate in my pocket? Your Majesty, you truly are remarkable.”

Serena smiled sweetly, unwrapped the chocolate herself, and held it up to his lips. Azaid opened his mouth and ate the chocolate with a disappointed expression.

For some reason, it tasted more bitter than usual, likely because his heart felt bitter. Yet, being fed directly by her made him unreasonably happy.

“Your Majesty, do you still feel chest pains these days?”

“Well, if you’re curious, why don’t you check for yourself?”

Azaid took Serena’s hand and placed it over his chest. His boldness made Serina stare directly at him.

The longer their eyes met, the more Azaid’s heart pounded irregularly, as if it were malfunctioning.

“Hmm. Does your mana core feel sore?”

“Not at all.”

“So, it’s just your heart that’s acting up.”

“Yeah.”

Serena examined him with a serious expression.

‘This didn’t happen before.’

Come to think of it, Azaid was supposed to show signs of health deterioration by now, but in this life, he seemed unusually healthy.

Originally, Azaid was a severe patient who periodically brushed against death, overcoming one crisis after another. But in this life, he was inexplicably stable.

While they had changed his lifestyle, diet, and medication, could those adjustments alone have made such a drastic difference?

‘It doesn’t make sense. If such simple measures worked, why couldn’t the imperial physicians fix it before?’

Serena didn’t consider herself exceptionally more competent than her colleagues. Being part of the Imperial Court’s medical team was no easy feat; it required great skill and dedication.

And yet, in the past, those same skilled physicians had failed to control Azaid’s condition, leading to their eventual execution. Of course, Azaid back then had been particularly untamable, like a wild stallion.

‘What’s different this time?’

As Serena absentmindedly pressed around Azaid’s chest, deep in thought, Azaid felt heat rise wherever her delicate fingers touched. Her hands were cool, yet they felt burning hot against his skin.

“Rena. Are you unaware, or are you just ignoring it?”

“Pardon?”

Azaid grabbed her hand and held it firmly. When he gave her a slight squeeze, Serena met his gaze.

Looking into her clear golden eyes, indescribable urges surged within him.

He wished those beautiful eyes would be filled with nothing but him, that they’d tremble like ripples in a still lake because of him, and that they’d stare at him with a faint blush around the edges.

“Hah.”

Azaid let out a short breath, released her hand, and stepped back, regaining his composure.

Serena stared blankly at her hand, which had been briefly but firmly held. Even in that fleeting moment, warmth had seeped deep into her palm, leaving her startled.

‘Were his hands always this big?’

She had always been the one pulling him around. Being held first felt strangely unfamiliar. Awkwardly clenching and unclenching her fist, Serena left the bedroom.

“Lady Serena.”

At the end of the hallway, Marie appeared. She approached quickly and spoke.

“You have a visitor.”

“A visitor? Who? I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

“Lady Lucy Carter from the Carter family is here to see you.”

“Who came?”

“Lady Lucy Carter.”

Serena pointed at herself and asked again.

“So… she’s here to see me?”

“Yes. She’s waiting in the Living room.”

“Hmm. Alright, I’ll go now.”

Serena answered absentmindedly and followed Marie. She had no personal connection with Lucy Carter, making her visit puzzling.

‘Could it be because of last time?’

Serena recalled the moment when Azeid had casually referred to her as “Rena” in Lucy’s presence.

Trust is the foundation of any long-term relationship. Perhaps Lucy had come to confront her about that moment privately.

At the time, Lucy had seemed unbothered, but it must have been on her mind after all.

‘She might have come with full resolve. How am I going to clear up this misunderstanding?’

It was clear that Ophelia was someone Azaid disliked, but Lucy was a slightly different case.

Serena headed to the Living room with a somewhat tense expression, unconsciously fiddling with the hand Azaid had grabbed earlier.

As she entered the drawing room, Lucy, her cheeks flushed red, jumped up to greet Serena with sparkling eyes.

“You’re here!”

In response to the strangely welcoming atmosphere, Serena greeted her calmly.

“Hello, Lady Carter.”

“It’s been a while, Lady. You must have been quite surprised by my sudden visit.”

Lucy’s cheerful and lively voice filled the drawing room.

‘Is she the type to smile while delivering a blow?’

Serena was slightly bewildered because she didn’t sense even the slightest bit of hostility from Lucy.

“A little.”

Rather, Lucy’s high energy felt a bit overwhelming. Of course, Serena had no way of knowing, but Lucy was currently extremely excited.

After all, the face of her dreams was speaking right in front of her. Naturally. But Lucy hid her dark thoughts tightly and pretended to be perfectly normal.

“Actually, I was really disappointed last time because we didn’t get to have a long conversation. I wanted to talk to you personally.”

“Pardon? With me?”

“Yes. With you, Lady.”

Lucy continued with a wistful expression.

“The truth is, I have quite a few enemies around me, so I don’t have many friends my age.”

In reality, it was because Lucy had an unpleasant personality and hated interacting with unattractive people, but she acted as if that wasn’t the case.

“I actually debated a lot about whether I should come here or not. I was worried you might feel uncomfortable.”

“Not at all.”

“That’s a relief! To be honest, from the moment I first met you, I felt like it was fate.”

The face I’ve been searching for all my life—that kind of fate.

With her face glowing with joy, Lucy beamed brightly. Though she had promised to help Azaid, Lucy’s ultimate goal was to possess Serena’s face and imagine what their offspring would look like.

Good looks must rule the world. Lucy was already letting her imagination run wild, picturing every detail of their hypothetical child’s face.

The reason Azaid had felt a chill at Lucy’s smile last time was because he had subconsciously sensed her sinister plans.

However, completely unaware of Lucy’s two-faced personality, Serena just stared blankly at her unusually high-energy demeanor.

Contrary to what she had prepared for, Lucy was being extremely friendly to her.

Naturally, Serena had expected her to throw wads of money and shout, ‘Stay away from my man!’

Or, at the very least, she thought Lucy might act like Lydia and start by throwing hands or spilling tea to embarrass her.

But instead, Lucy simply looked innocent, as if she just wanted to make a friend. With flushed cheeks, Lucy shyly opened her mouth.

“When I was little, I was quite sick. So I mostly stayed at home and didn’t really interact with people from social circles.”

Her mention of being sick as a child added a layer of sympathy. Serena was particularly weak towards people who had been ill. Naturally, her voice softened.

“Are you okay now?”

“Yes, of course. I’m very healthy now.”

“That’s a relief. But still, don’t let your guard down and make sure to take care of your health.”

‘Your heart is as warm as your face.’

When Serena, with that face, expressed concern for her, Lucy had to suppress the urge to cry happy tears.

She wanted to pour out all her affection, but if she did, Serena might get startled and run away.

‘No, I can’t. That won’t do.’

Lucy barely managed to hold back her overflowing emotions. Seeing Serena up close, she was completely her type.

In fact, Lucy had a tendency to lose her mind over cool and beautiful older women. Especially intelligent women who excelled in their field—they were her ultimate admiration.

‘So cool. Being pretty is the best.’

Lucy forced herself to snap out of her growing fantasies and brought up the main point of her visit.

“So, Lady, I was wondering… would it be alright if I visited or contacted you from time to time?”