I’m the Dying Emperor’s Doctor

Episode 98

Before the explosion.

“Don’t come any closer.”

Serena extended her hand, warning Sebastian as he attempted to approach. She had confirmed everyone had left before entering, yet she couldn’t understand why he had returned.

“You were following me, weren’t you?”

Sebastian, who had concealed his usual gentle smile, now wore a slightly cold expression. His gaze fixated on the glass bottle in Serena’s hand.

Having been caught taking the bottle, there was no way he would back off easily now.

‘Hah, what should I do?’

Unfortunately, there was no one nearby, and behind her was a blazing furnace.

It was truly a situation where neither advancing nor retreating was an option. Sebastian, aware of this, smirked wickedly.

“Is stealing from behind people’s backs a hobby of yours?”

“Stealing? You threw it away anyway.”

“Enough excuses. Hand it over.”

Sebastian growled, taking another step forward. Serena didn’t back down and retorted sharply.

“What is this thing anyway that you’re so worked up about?”

“Do you know? Accidents are common in incinerators.”

“…Are you threatening me right now?”

Serena glared at Sebastian, her voice sharp. He began stretching his ankles as if preparing to throw her into the furnace at any moment.

“No one’s around—it’s the perfect setting, isn’t it?”

And just as Sebastian’s eyes completely lost their reason—

“Chief of Royal Physician!”

Serena’s shout was the signal. Sebastian lunged at her.

“Eek!”

Startled, Serena stumbled backward, falling flat on her rear. Sebastian roughly grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her toward the furnace.

“Argh!”

“!!!”

Out of nowhere, Sebastian let out a sharp scream, recoiling in shock. Serena, too, froze in disbelief at the sight before her.

“What… what is this?”

The fire in the furnace seemed to possess a will of its own, encircling Sebastian. Simultaneously, another flame shielded Serena, wrapping around her protectively.

“Aargh!”

Sebastian screamed in agony, unable to endure the pain of the burns. His hair, scorched by the flames, was a complete mess.

The flames transformed into chains, binding Sebastian tightly. Seeing how the fire didn’t spread elsewhere, it was clear this was magic.

And identifying the source of that magic wasn’t difficult.

“Why is the ring’s color like this?”

Serena’s eyes widened as she stared at the Violet Izring, now dyed a deep red. The once violet hue was gone, replaced by a blood-like crimson glow.

Within the ring, fiery patterns seemed to boil and rise. The warm temperature, reminiscent of Azaid, brought Serena a strange sense of reassurance.

‘The Violet Izring was said to lack the emperor’s power.’

Serena couldn’t help but find it strange that the Izring had turned red.

Then, she suddenly recalled something Azaid had said to her back when she collapsed in the Greenwood estate during a fire accident.

— At the very least, you’ll never have to fear fire again.

— How are you going to take away my fear?

— …No need to overthink it. Just know that I care about you deeply, Serena.

“Ah.”

As the memory of him brushing her hair and evading her questions vividly resurfaced, Serena’s face flushed.

“What is this…?”

At the time, she thought he was merely bluffing. She never imagined he had hidden such power within the Izring.

The terror she had felt just moments ago transformed into a flutter of emotions in an instant. Serena gazed at the glowing red Izring in a daze, her cheeks tinted pink.

For a few minutes, she remained still.

“…Serena!”

A voice called out to her. Serena, who had been staring blankly at the ring, looked up toward the door.

And when she spotted Azaid standing there, rubbing his face anxiously—

For some reason, tears welled up in her eyes. Judging by his disheveled hair, it was clear he had run over after hearing the explosion.

He must have noticed the Izring’s reaction as well.

Serena’s chest tightened at his meticulous care and the secrets he had kept hidden.

“Why now…?”

While muttering to herself, Serena didn’t notice Azaid entering the incineration chamber. Without hesitation, he wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close.

The flames that had been protecting her vanished the moment they touched him, leaving no trace. His embrace was warmer and more comforting than the heat radiating from the fire around them.

Though Serena found solace in his arms, an inexplicable wave of sorrow overcame her, prompting her to burrow deeper into his embrace. Azaid’s body tensed briefly before relaxing as he gently patted her back.

“Why are you crying?”

“…Sniff.”

“Did that bastard do something to you?”

Azaid’s voice was colder than ever, and though she didn’t lift her head, Serena knew exactly where his gaze was directed.

Sebastian, half-dazed from earlier events, froze when he saw the emperor appear. While he had anticipated someone coming to investigate the explosion, he had never imagined it would be the emperor himself.

Sobbing, Serena clung tightly to Azaid’s chest and began recounting Sebastian’s misdeeds in detail.

“Sebastian tried to throw me into the furnace.”

She no longer referred to him respectfully as the commander of the Imperial Guard. Azaid, his lower lip trembling with fury, demanded clarification.

“What did you say?”

“He grabbed me and dragged me over… like this…”

“That bastard…”

As Serena reenacted the incident, Azaid’s eyes flared with rage, and his gaze locked onto Sebastian. The chains of fire binding Sebastian grew thicker and more oppressive.

“Urgh…”

A groan of agony escaped Sebastian as the flames tightened their grip. Seeing Azaid’s anger on her behalf seemed to comfort Serena, giving her a faint sense of relief.

However, once the floodgates of her tears had opened, she couldn’t stop them. Her delicate cheeks were continuously streaked with tears. Feeling sorry for her, Azaid wiped them away and whispered softly.

“Don’t cry. I’ll make sure that bastard doesn’t die peacefully.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Promise me…”

Rather than trying to dissuade him, Serena urged him to ensure Sebastian received a heavy punishment.

Sebastian trembled, as if he could already foresee his grim future. The area was sealed off by Azaid’s flames, preventing anyone from entering.

Only Leonard, the one granted permission, followed shortly after. Azaid gestured toward Sebastian with a nod.

“Cover his face and drag him to the underground cells. From this moment, no one is allowed to leave the palace—not even an ant. Ensure no one interferes.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As Leonard carried out his orders, Azaid lifted Serena into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.

Unlike the earlier chaos, Serena’s bedroom was now calm and quiet. Azaid gently whispered to her as he held her close.

“Have you stopped crying?”

“Yes…”

Feeling embarrassed, Serena lowered her head and answered softly. Earlier, her emotions had overwhelmed her upon seeing Azaid, causing her to lose control.

While Sebastian’s sudden betrayal had frightened her, it was Azaid’s appearance that had left a more profound impact. Glancing at the violet hue of her Izring, Serena parted her lips.

“That time…”

“Hmm?”

“It was after I collapsed at the fire scene, wasn’t it? You secretly infused your power into this.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Azaid intertwined his fingers with hers, pressing a light kiss onto each fingertip. Serena watched in a daze as his warm lips moved from finger to finger.

Who else could keep their promise to protect her from fire in such a unique way?

In that moment, the fire no longer frightened her. Instead, it felt comforting and reassuring, banishing her fleeting fears.

“I had hoped it would never be used.”

“Still, thanks to it, I didn’t burn to death.”

“Don’t say things like that.”

Azaid frowned at Serena’s nonchalant mention of death. He recalled how she had always seemed indifferent to the concept of death, as though it didn’t scare her at all.

But while she feared fire, her attitude toward death was unsettling, making Azaid worry for her like one would for a child near a river’s edge.

“With me here, you’ll never die. I won’t allow it.”

“Death doesn’t follow a set order, Your Majesty.”

“Serena.”

When Azaid sternly called her name, Serena let out a soft laugh. He was right—at least in her previous life, she had never died before him.

But now, she could no longer remain indifferent to his death, should it happen again.

Because she had come to love him.

Just as Azaid had done earlier, Serena pulled their interlocked hands closer and kissed each of his fingers. His hand twitched, and the veins on the back of it tensed as if in response to her touch.

As her slow kisses reached the tips of his nails, Serena spoke.

“Then I’ll protect you, too, Your Majesty.”

“…”

“You trust me, don’t you?”

When Serena looked up at him with a bright smile, his deep blue eyes seemed to grow even darker.