I Am The Dying Emperor's Doctor - Chapter 51

Would it be Serena’s imagination, or did Azeid’s smile look threatening? Serena glanced away and softly replied.

“No, absolutely not.”

“Then why did you take the chance to bite my finger?”

“Well…”

Serena silently screamed, feeling her lower lip quiver.

Seeing Serena visibly flustered, Azeid’s smile widened. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, he deliberately concealed his smile, pretending to be sad as he lowered his eyes.

“I thought I treated you well, but it seems I was lacking.”

“Y-Your Majesty.”

“I almost thought my finger was going to be bitten off.”

Seeing Azeid so visibly dejected, Serena’s insides churned with guilt.

It was more difficult to deal with him acting pitiful than if he had been angry. Grabbing his hand, Serena exclaimed,

“I’m, I’m, I’m sorry! I won’t drink again!”

“…Why are you holding my hand?”

Azeid momentarily forgot his teasing and looked at their hands. Her small hand in his seemed oddly endearing.

‘Why does her hand look cute?’

Azeid frowned at his own absurd thoughts, and Serena, misunderstanding, quickly let go and explained.

“Oh, I was trying to stop you from running away… I guess I grabbed it out of habit.”

“…”

“Is your finger okay? It’s not bruised or anything, right?”

Azeid felt a sudden sense of loss when she let go. He had almost wanted to keep holding her hand, which confused him. He must have grown accustomed to Serena’s touch.

‘It’s a dangerous intrusion.’

Azeid warily said,

“It’s not that bad. The marks are already gone.”

“That’s a relief.”

Serena awkwardly responded with a forced smile. After a moment, she subtly tried to change the topic.

“By the way, was everything okay at the ball last night?”

“If you mean Nocturne’s matter, it ended well. The conspirators were all caught, and the Duke likely dealt with them.”

Azeid, fortunately, didn’t suspect anything and answered straightforwardly.

“I figured they’d be caught. It wouldn’t make sense to let it slide after an attempt to cause terror at the ball.”

She was worried they might have gone easy on them because of Nocturne’s status, but it seemed they were properly dealt with.

“If it had just involved Nocturne, it might have ended quietly, but Young Lady Greenwood was involved.”

“Young Lady Greenwood?”

Now that she thought about it, Nocturne had mentioned talking to Ophelia. Azeid continued,

“She tried to cause a commotion with a weapon.”

“Goodness.”

“Fortunately, she was subdued and taken away, but since the Duke treasures Young Lady Greenwood, it won’t end easily.”

“Why did she do that?”

“Because of alcohol.”

“Oh.”

The conversation returning to alcohol made Serena want to smack herself.

She had managed to change the topic well, only to end up back at the starting point!

Seeing Serena roll her eyes in embarrassment, Azeid shifted the conversation this time.

“We’re going hunting today.”

“Oh, starting right away?”

“It’s just a formality for now. There’s a lake in the forest. Have you been there?”

“Ah, Mr. Nocturne showed me…”

Serena caught herself mid-sentence, realizing her mistake. Azeid, with a sharp smile, remarked,

“So you have been.”

It seemed she had fallen into his trap, but she maintained her composure and smiled.

“What time are you leaving? Am I coming with you?”

“Where else would you be if not by my side?”

“Well, there are other royal physicians coming, and I have books to read…”

Serena trailed off, laughing awkwardly. Azeid looked grumpily at Serena’s attempts to wriggle out of accompanying him.

Azeid was particularly sensitive today, making him hard to deal with. Normally, she would have stuck close to him, but the ball incident had ended well.

The reported casualties at the hunting festival were likely related to the ball, so there seemed to be no more threats to Azeid’s safety.

So, she planned to spend the remaining time studying ancient texts. She had found a reference to someone with a Mana Core like hers who couldn’t use magic in a book she borrowed.

It was a brief note with a reference, but the book was unavailable in the library. Checking at the bookstore revealed it had never been sold, which was surprising.

The author’s other books were available, but not that particular one. It seemed the note had been extracted from a personal collection.

“Do you want to rest?”

“I still feel a bit hungover…”

Serena mumbled, holding her head. Azeid shook his head in disapproval.

“Tsk, I figured. You drank so much, no wonder you’re in pain.”

He gently placed his hand on Serena’s forehead, not to check for fever, but as a comforting gesture. The sudden touch made Serena blink. His hand was larger than she expected.

“No fever.”

“Seems like it.”

“If I rest a bit, I should be okay… but I should still come, right?”

Come on, say I don’t have to go.

As if reading her mind, Azeid said,

“No need. Today’s just an inspection.”

“Thank you! I’ll definitely come next time.”

“You’re too quick to agree.”

Serena hurriedly recited the checkup results, fearing he might change his mind.

“And as for your heart racing, it seems to be stress-induced arrhythmia.”

“Stress-induced arrhythmia?”

“When you’re frequently startled or stressed, your blood pressure temporarily rises, causing your heart to race.”

“I haven’t been stressed recently.”

“Think about Jack’s injury recently. You were quite startled. Considering Nocturne’s incident yesterday, your friends being in danger might be stressing you out unconsciously.”

“I’m not that weak.”

“That’s what you think, but your body is honest. You should listen to it.”

Returning to her usual firm tone, Serena’s words made Azeid clamp his mouth shut.

“While it’s good to care for your friends, your health should come first.”

“Enough with the nagging.”

“Unfortunately, I still have more to say. I’ll prescribe a sedative just in case. Take it if your heart races too much.”

Ignoring his grumbling, Serena continued with her instructions, and Azeid reluctantly nodded.

“It might just be temporary, but if it persists, it could be dangerous. Please inform me of any symptoms.”

Serena flashed a smile as she finished.

“Okay, that’s the end of my lecture! I’m going to rest now. Have a safe trip!”

Azeid watched Serena scurry away and couldn’t help but laugh. He found her amusing and enjoyable to be around, despite her sudden appearances.

* * *

The hunting festival proceeded smoothly. Serena commuted to the library during the festival without any incidents. She became friendly with the librarian, who started bringing her snacks.

The librarian was a kind person. Serena admired the wisdom of someone who loved and read many books, wanting to emulate that quality.

“Here again today?”

“Yes, I came again. I need to come every day to read as much as I can before I leave.”

“You seem very interested in magic, doctor.”

“I think magic and medicine are quite similar. I read them hoping they might help.”

“Has it been helpful?”

“I’m not sure. Finding the right information in this vast library is harder than finding a friend in the capital.”

Serena sighed deeply. Unlike the excitement of finding a clue last time, she was back to square one.

The referenced book wasn’t in the library. Checking bookstores revealed it had never been sold, which was shocking.

While the author’s other works were available, this particular book was not. It seemed to be from the author’s private collection.

“I’m actually looking for a book that seems to have been privately published in limited quantities and isn’t available in stores.”

“If it’s a private publication, I might be able to help. What’s the title?”

“Really?”

Serena’s eyes sparkled as the librarian nodded kindly.

“It’s called ‘The Birth of Magic.’ The author is…”

“Linda Quilton, right?”

“Yes, yes! Do you know it?”

Serena asked excitedly as the librarian mentioned the author. He smiled warmly and replied,

“Of course. She was my sister.”

“Oh!”

Serena was shocked, and the librarian laughed heartily.

“I never expected you’d be looking for my sister’s book. She was a relatively unknown author, and that book didn’t get published, so she made a few copies herself.”

“Would it be possible to meet the author?”

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible. She passed away last year.”

“Oh.”

Serena blinked, unsure how to offer condolences. But the kind librarian reassured her with a gentle smile.

“It’s alright. Knowing there’s a reader who remembers her work is a great comfort to me.”

“No, it’s an honor for me.”

Serena waved her hands modestly as the librarian, reminiscing, began to speak.

“The ‘Birth of Magic’ was my sister’s pride and joy. I have many copies at home. They didn’t sell well, so they’re stored in the attic.”