I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 92

Before Serena could determine whether the boy she saw in her dream was Jed or not, she was confronted with another issue.

The troublesome mana supplement was sitting boldly in the medicine room. Serena crossed her arms and glared at the mana supplement.

‘So you’ve finally made your way in.’

Facing the very thing that had driven Azaid to his breaking point in her past life, Serina’s concerns deepened.

It wasn’t as if she hadn’t tried to stop it. She had told Sebastian that it felt rash, but she was simply dismissed.

— I understand that Lady Serena is favored by His Majesty, but interfering with a colleague’s authority will not be permitted.

For Serena, who had already heard from Duke that Sebastian personally added it to the list, the reasoning made no sense. If that were the case, Sebastian himself would also be overstepping his authority.

‘Something feels suspicious.’

After Azaid’s examination was botched that day, Serena began meticulously reviewing the medical staff’s records.

Upon revisiting areas she had previously trusted without question, she discovered numerous loopholes.

It wasn’t just that the quantities of the medicines didn’t match the inventory. There were countless instances where the ingredients listed in the documentation didn’t match those in the prescribed medicine.

Yet none of these mismatched ingredients were potent enough to harm Azaid. They were mere trivial errors, easy to dismiss as nitpicking if Serena were to point them out.

‘If only I could find some decisive evidence, I could tell Azaid.’

For now, the only thing she could do was prevent Azaid from consuming the mana supplement in case of any hidden dangers.

One day, while wrestling with these complicated thoughts, Serena found herself enjoying a sunny afternoon in the greenhouse with Azaid.

Leaning halfway on her shoulder, Azaid whispered softly into her ear.

“Serena.”

His languid voice made her flinch involuntarily. It was far too provocative for her to continue her tangled thoughts.

Azaid brought his lips close to the tip of Serena’s ear and spoke again.

“Shall we head back now?”

“I think we can stay a little longer. We still have our walk to do.”

“What about something else instead? Something good for both you and me.”

Azaid smiled charmingly, his words dripping with seduction as he lightly caressed Serena’s waist.

Serena bit her lower lip, fully understanding what Azaid was implying.

It was something beneficial for Serena, who needed to ensure Azaid exercised, and something Azaid, who disliked moving, uniquely enjoyed.

Just as her breath caught in her throat, Azaid murmured again.

“It could be even more intense than a walk.”

“Your Majesty, please…”

Serena glanced sideways at Anna, who stood nearby. However, Anna and the other maids had already turned their backs the moment Azaid started leaning in.

After Serena and Azaid confirmed their feelings for each other, a sort of rule had formed among the palace maids.

Whenever Azaid approached Serena, everyone would turn away and step back.

It was thanks to Anna’s firm resolve and the head maid’s cooperation that their intimate moments remained undisturbed.

Anna, her ears perked up, flinched slightly at Azaid’s sweet whispers. Seeing this, Serena buried her face in her hands, her cheeks burning.

“I can’t even show my face because of Your Majesty.”

“That’s perfect. I’m the only one who gets to see it.”

Azaid pulled her hands away from her face and met her gaze. How many people could resist such a handsome man, pursuing them with such sincerity?

‘What celibate emperor…?’

Serena quietly refuted the rumors surrounding Azaid. The emperor who was said to view women like stones clung to her as if she were fire itself.

How fitting for a fire mage—his sparks ignited even at night. Serena’s face flushed as she recalled those nights when Azaid treasured her so dearly.

Rejecting Azaid’s advances was impossible, especially since Serena enjoyed those nights just as much.

‘Yes, the real problem here is me.’

As Serena blamed herself, Azaid’s affectionate gestures intensified. His lips lightly touched her earlobes and cheeks, stealing her focus entirely.

“Why are your ears so small and cute?”

“…They’re not for eating.”

“And your cheeks feel just like cotton candy.”

“That’s not for eating eit—”

Before Serena could finish, her lips were captured by Azaid.

He had leaned in so subtly that she hadn’t noticed until his lips had already taken hers.

In an instant, Serena’s words melted away as Azaid savored her sweet lips.

“Why are your lips so sweet?”

“Oh, really…”

Serena barely managed a protest after her lips were freed. But considering how willingly she had let him kiss her, she had already half surrendered.

Azaid, looking disappointed, stole one last kiss from her cheeks and lips before pulling away.

“Why is everything about you so cute?”

“Your Majesty, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? If your goal was to make me die of embarrassment, congratulations—you’ve succeeded.”

“How can you be embarrassed already? We haven’t even started yet.”

Oh, how was she supposed to win against this?

Serena declared surrender, pressing her forehead with a smack.

Serena might not have realized it, but Azaid’s mind was completely occupied with thoughts of her. While his outward demeanor mimicked that of a well-behaved puppy, his sole focus was staying close to Serena.

Indeed, in Serena’s eyes, Azaid was like a boisterous, oversized puppy—one that didn’t consider its massive size and would eagerly jump into its owner’s arms, performing tricks for attention.

Of course, Serena was no different. The adorable puppy-like behavior Azaid displayed was irresistibly endearing to her. They were the perfect embodiment of the saying that love paints the world in shades of pink.

When Serena stood up from her seat, Azaid looked up at her with eyes full of anticipation. Serena then approached him closely.

As she lightly brushed his golden hair with one hand, Azaid smiled languidly.

Moments like these—when she touched him first—always made Azaid feel good.

His blue eyes carried a faint heat, and his slightly parted lips whispered the words Serina longed to hear.

“Kiss me.”

As if those words were a signal, Serena leaned down and pressed her lips against his. Light touches turned into deeper exchanges, repeated again and again.

At some point, the greenhouse was empty. The perceptive Anna had already led the maids out.

“If you suddenly get so forward, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

Azaid muttered as he shyly averted his gaze. However, despite his words, his approaching movements lacked any hesitation.

He was already half-reclined on the sofa. Serena, tying her hair back, spoke.

“Do we really need to leave?”

The curtains were already fully drawn.

Serena gestured with her eyes toward the greenhouse windows, now sealed shut by the heavy curtains.

Azaid’s gaze sharpened slightly before he tugged her nape downwards.

“We don’t.”

Even if we did, I wouldn’t care.

Without voicing the second part, Azaid captured Serina’s approaching lips.

In the middle of a quiet urban district, Nocturne stood staring intently at a mansion, his navy-blue hair neatly tied back.

At first glance, it looked like an ordinary mansion, but an enchantment was set around it. It was clear the place was connected to another space.

This was also likely the reason Greenwood had smuggled a large amount of magic stones. Colin was just a puppet. The true mastermind was this laboratory.

Upon learning that his three friends were secretly investigating Duke Greenwood, Nocturne decided to act alone.

The Duke, like a spider weaving an intricate web, designed everything meticulously. It would have been nearly impossible for the three to uncover his plans without understanding the Duke’s methods.

But Nocturne, having been taught by the Duke since childhood, excelled at navigating such webs.

After a moment, a familiar face emerged from the mansion carelessly and was instantly caught in Nocturne’s net.

“Found you.”

“Ack!”

Nocturne grabbed Patrick by the collar and pulled him through the doorway. It was a sudden ambush before the door could fully close.

“Who the he—ugh!”

Patrick grabbed at the hand clutching his collar but froze when he realized who it was.

“Nocturne? How did you…?”

Beyond the door was a direct path to the basement. The desk was filled with incomprehensible formulas, and on one side lay unfamiliar potions.

While Nocturne scanned the surroundings, Patrick turned pale. The sight of Nocturne brought back the nightmare from that day, and the scar from a burn tingled sharply.

Nocturne’s gaze landed on the pouch in Patrick’s hand. It seemed to contain potions similar to those on the table.

“You’re looking well, Patrick, for someone who was disowned.”

At Nocturne’s cold remark, Patrick bit his lower lip. After being cast out, Patrick should have faced ruin, but James had helped him.

Patrick didn’t know how James became the heir, but it had been a stroke of luck for him. Thanks to that, he could continue his luxurious life while conducting research.

Believing this to be his last chance, Patrick had been desperately following James’ orders to create poison—poison specifically lethal to Awakened ones.

Of course, neither Patrick nor James knew that the Duke had anticipated James bringing Patrick in and had deliberately assigned him this task.

Instinctively hiding the pouch in his chest, Patrick flinched as Nocturne smirked.

“Seems like you’re working on something interesting. The colors are pretty, too.”

There were two types of potions—one red and one blue, reminiscent of the opposing poles of a magnet.

Somehow, Nocturne felt that if he seized these potions, he could uncover the Duke’s true intentions. He gripped the pouch tightly and asked coldly,

“Answer me, Patrick. What exactly are you making here, hmm?”