I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 90

Serena widened her eyes at Azaid’s blunt question early in the morning. Then, noticing the deep shadows under his eyes, she couldn’t help but smile.

“What do you mean?”

She wanted to tease him just a little.

Azaid, visibly flustered by Serena’s ambiguous response, replied in a hurried tone.

“You didn’t avoid me yesterday.”

“You didn’t give me a chance to avoid you.”

“You said you liked honesty.”

Then why won’t you be honest with me?

Azaid’s throat grew dry as Serena continued to circle around the matter. If she was teasing him intentionally, she was succeeding beyond measure. At this point, Azaid was utterly on edge, frustration mounting with every moment.

Serena, enjoying the sight of Azaid squirming, casually perched on the edge of the bed.

“Didn’t sleep well?”

Changing the topic, she reached out and lightly brushed her fingers over the shadows under his eyes. The soft touch made Azaid freeze in place.

So it’s all in my head, is it?

Not that Serdna had ever said it was, but that’s what Azaid told himself. Serena withdrew her hand as she remarked with a teasing smile.

“The shadows under your eyes have darkened. Should I light some lavender for you?”

Azaid grabbed her hand, growling under his breath.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

He could barely hold back anymore. In fact, he wasn’t holding back at all. His emotions were carrying him away, making him question whether he’d ever had such little self-control. Azaid impulsively pulled Serena closer.

Caught off guard by his sudden movement, Serena instinctively placed one knee on the bed for balance and grabbed his shoulder.

The distance between them closed in an instant, leaving only a fist’s width between their faces. Serena took a deep breath, startled by Azaid’s urgency.

His blue eyes flickered like flames, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. Veins stood out on his hand as he gripped her firmly, preventing her escape.

Normally, she would have scolded him for such behavior during his treatment—perhaps even accused him of losing his mind from the pain—but not this time.

Instead, Serina found herself amused by his boldness, a small smile playing on her lips. The faster her heart raced, the warmer the air around them seemed to grow.

Their gazes locked, too intense to break. His grip was firm, his breath hot against her skin, sending her heart into a frenzy.

Azaid, looking as if he was barely holding himself together, finally spoke.

“Are you trying to drive me insane?”

“…”

“Or is it your intention to make me lose my mind?”

He exhaled heavily, tightening his grip on her. It was a warning: if she tried to avoid answering again, he wouldn’t let it slide.

Now, there was no doubt left. She hadn’t shown any sign of displeasure, yet a lingering fear gnawed at him—what if he was misinterpreting everything?

Is this how it feels to like someone so much you can’t see straight?

Why is it so hard to understand her feelings? Why do I need to hear it to feel at ease?

“I feel like I’m going to lose my mind because of you.”

As he spoke, Azaid wrapped his arm around her waist, cutting off any path of escape. Serena gulped unconsciously. She had only meant to tease him a little, but the look in his eyes was completely unhinged.

“Your Majesty.”

“Answer me.”

“Answer what…?”

Azaid grabbed her hand and placed it over the shadows under his eyes.

“You keep approaching me.”

“…”

“You hover near me under the pretense of treatment, but why don’t you leave me alone?”

“It wasn’t a pretense. I genuinely wanted to treat you…”

“So what? I’ve already fallen for you completely.”

Serena was at a loss for words, not because she couldn’t find any, but because his gaze was so earnest, as if he desperately needed confirmation despite already knowing the answer.

Without thinking, Serena cupped his cheeks with both hands. At this point, did it really matter which came first, the chicken or the egg?

What mattered was that the man in front of her wanted her, and she felt the same.

“Well, why didn’t I leave you alone?”

How could I, with such a charming man right in front of me?

Serena smiled mischievously as she spoke, prompting Azaid to pull her into a tight embrace.

“Then don’t leave me alone anymore.”

“…”

“I like you.”

His gaze burned, and his arms around her waist felt impossibly warm.

Why is he so adorable?

Serena couldn’t help but smile. Giving in to a sudden impulse, she leaned in and kissed Azaid lightly on the lips.

“I wasn’t planning to leave you alone anyway.”

That was all it took. Azaid grabbed the back of her head and pulled her down. The gap between them disappeared in an instant.

Their lips met again, the kiss growing more heated. It wasn’t just a fleeting touch; it was persistent and intense.

Serena slid her hands from his face to wrap her arms around his neck, anchoring herself. As Azaid pulled her closer, her body gave in, sinking onto the bed.

She felt like butter melting on a hot pan, completely focused on him.

The man who had shyly confessed his feelings moments ago was nowhere to be found. Azaid was relentless now.

“Mmm.”

Serena clung to him, utterly overwhelmed. Her tied-back hair had come undone in the process, and she let it fall freely.

Her violet hair spilled down around them, filling the air with her scent. Azaid was utterly captivated.

Even her scent is perfect.

Azaid momentarily froze, his mind clouded. Taking advantage of the pause, Serena tried to calm the now-flustered Azaid.

“Wait… slowly. I’m not going anywhere, so…”

But her words were swallowed as his lips found hers once again.

It was midday, yet Azaid lay on the bed, gazing intently at Serena, who was fast asleep. The fact that she was still in bed by the afternoon was entirely his doing.

Normally, she would be bustling around by now. But he had worn her out completely.

Azaid stared at her with a face full of satisfaction. Without even realizing it, he had crossed a line.

And to make matters worse, Serena had been just as eager. Azaid had held on to her like an unrestrained wild horse, refusing to let go.

Unable to resist her charm, Azaid tenderly caressed her cheek as she slept. But even that wasn’t enough. He leaned closer, brushing her hair aside to press a kiss to her forehead.

“That mark…”

Azaid suddenly noticed the faint scar on her forehead, resembling a burn. The sight brought someone to mind—a memory he had tried to suppress. And the person responsible for that injury was none other than himself.

Unconsciously, Azaid traced the scar with his fingertips, mumbling to himself.

“No, that’s impossible. Levin was a man…”

His face was clouded with confusion. It was absurd to think someone could be Levin just because of a scar, especially when Serena and Levin were of different genders.

It must have been because he had been thinking of Levin recently that his mind had drawn the connection.

“Yeah, there’s no way.”

As Azaid concluded his thoughts, Serena’s eyelashes fluttered at the ticklish sensation on her forehead.

Azaid froze, realizing he might have woken her. But after stirring slightly, Serena snuggled closer into his arms, still deep in sleep.

That simple gesture was enough to drive Levin entirely from Azaid’s thoughts. With a soft smile, he pressed a few kisses to the crown of Serena’s head and held her tightly. It was the perfect time for a midday nap.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Lydia couldn’t hide her shock as she looked at the foreclosure notices plastered all over the house. Jewelry and dresses that had belonged to her just yesterday were now marked with red tags.

Nearby, the visibly disheveled Baron was drinking straight from a bottle. Lydia approached him and shook his arm.

“Father!”

“This is all your fault!”

The Baron snapped irritably at Lydia’s persistence, throwing the empty bottle and shattering it against the floor.

Crash!

“Aah!”

The piercing noise made Lydia scream in fear.

“It was all a rigged game from the start! Otherwise, why would I be the only one facing ruin for doing what everyone else does?”

Drunken and slurring his words, the Baron shouted bitterly. After all, what he had done was common among nobles—using insider information to buy land and profiting when the value rose.

But it turned out to be bait set by the Emperor himself.

Grinding his teeth, the Baron recalled the brown-haired man with a single eye who had visited him.

— There’s no place left for the Vincent family in the capital. If you value your life, leave quietly.

— Who are you to tell me where I can and can’t—Argh!

— I don’t think I’m obligated to share my name with someone who’s about to be cast out.

— How dare you…!

— Yeah, I’ll be fine. My backing is quite substantial, after all.

— …..

— And really, it’s your fault for taking the bait. Greed doesn’t suit you, does it?

The contemptuous man had worn an Izring of a rare hue, something the Baron had only seen in history books. That alone was enough to reveal who had orchestrated his family’s downfall.

“We’re finished! We’re going to be thrown out of the capital!”

The Baron’s words, practically a scream, sent Lydia into a state of panic. Then, as if struck by inspiration, she suddenly jumped to her feet.

“It’s not over yet!”