I Am The Dying Emperor’s Doctor

After a while, when the song ended, Serena led Ishid to the terrace, with Leonard following them.
“I’m going to the terrace, so please keep people from following us.”
“What’s going on?”
“The queen’s condition is not good.”
“Her condition?”
When Leonard looked confused, Serena gestured to Ishid’s neck. Seeing the flushed skin, Leonard nodded immediately.
“Let’s go to the room.”
“That would be best.”
Following Leonard’s lead, Serena and Ishid moved to a room off the hall that had been prepared for the comfort of the party guests.
“I’ll wait outside.”
“Yes.”
After nodding her thanks, Serena led Ishid into the room.
Ishid’s complexion was beginning to look worse. Even with the painkillers, the discomfort from the hives seemed to remain.
She immediately helped him lie down on the bed and began unbuttoning his shirt so he could breathe comfortably. Ishid held her hand and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Why? Are you afraid I might pounce on the queen in a situation like this?”
“You… so casually…!”
“I’m just trying to help you breathe. Just stay still.”
When Serena tried to free her hand, he stubbornly insisted, “It’s okay. I’ll do it.”
Afraid that Serena might do something, he unbuttoned his shirt himself.
He was a strange person in some ways. It was a bit excessive for someone who checked his chest every morning to erect such a formidable wall.
After unbuttoning a few buttons, red welts had already appeared on his white skin. Serena looked worried as she asked, “Did it hurt? Are you all right?”
“It’s bearable… Ah!”
As soon as Serena touched the irritated area, he groaned in pain.
It felt exactly like the symptoms he experienced when touched. Serena smiled as she saw him bite his lower lip in embarrassment.
“So it does hurt. Or are you just being dramatic?”
“Sigh. No point in answering.”
He looked away and kept his mouth shut. Serena shrugged and rubbed his neck. His condition was worse than she had thought.
“I think I should remove your outer clothing and examine you properly.”
Luckily, she had prepared some ointment beforehand. She needed to cool the fever and soothe his skin.
“If the fever rises, it won’t be a simple allergy.”
She took the ointment from her bag and was about to pull off Ishid’s shirt when she hesitated.
Even when she had tried to unbutton it a few moments ago, he had resisted fiercely. Asking him to show the hives for the ointment might provoke an even greater rebellion.
“Sure. I’ve been too reckless the whole time. After all, he’s the Emperor.”
Was it obvious from the beginning that I was acting recklessly by calling him Emperor? Serena stopped her hand from undoing her buttons and smiled playfully as she spoke in a commanding tone.
“Your Majesty, please undress.”
Her bombshell remark left her son-in-law speechless, drowning the room in an uncomfortable silence.
Ishid opened his eyes wide, not sure what he had just heard. Who wouldn’t be surprised to be asked to undress so abruptly?
“I-I’m sorry? Did I hear you wrong?”
Stunned, he stammered, and Serina gave him a wry smile with a brazen expression.
“We don’t have much time. It would be best if you obediently follow my orders before I do.”
“You, you…!”
Why on earth should I undress…?
It had been a while since Ishid’s words had stuck in his throat. He couldn’t tell if it was the fever or Serina’s provocation.
Without hesitation, he hurriedly replied, fearing that if he stayed like this, he might actually do it.
“I-I’ll do it!”
“Yes. Do it quickly. I won’t wait.”
Serina replied nonchalantly, and while she waited, Ishid reluctantly took off his clothes and unbuttoned his shirt. It dawned on him that he was obediently following her words without even asking for a reason.
“But why should I undress?”
“To apply an ointment that soothes hives. You can’t do your back alone.”
“Why didn’t you explain that?”
“Ah, I didn’t? My fault.”
Serina scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“Huff.”
Ishid’s sigh sounded deeper than usual. As he removed all his clothes, small hives, like clusters of blooming flowers, spread over his body. It wasn’t as serious as he’d feared, probably because he’d taken painkillers beforehand.
“It was a good idea to keep some painkillers with detoxifying effects in the rocket, just in case.”
Serina carefully applied the ointment she had prepared to Ishid, as if she were handling a precious treasure. His firm muscles twitched slightly with each touch.
“Your Majesty, do you remember what you had to drink today?”
“…Hmm, well, I’m not sure, since it was given to me by a maid.”
Ishid answered slowly, biting his lower lip. His voice sounded deep, almost like a distant metallic clang.
“He must be in a lot of pain.”
Without realizing that she was driving him crazy, Serina asked more carefully, treating him like a precious gem.
“Can you give a rough description of the taste?”
Casually mentioning “that fruit, right?” might lead to misunderstandings, so she decided to let him deduce it instead. Ishid thought back as he spoke.
“It had a refreshing taste with a slight hint of sweetness. …Hm, it was somewhat similar to coconut.”
“It must be a lamb fruit.”
Serena replied accordingly and took the antidote from her bag.
“While you apply the ointment, take this potion.”
“How did you guess just from the description?”
Ishid looked at the potion skeptically. Serena skillfully explained.
“I have extensive knowledge of herbs and fruits. I’ve heard that some people are sensitive to the toxicity of the lamb fruit. There you go, drink it.”
And without giving him a chance to drink water, she made him swallow the potion. Ishid seemed to frown for a moment, but then opened his mouth obediently. After all, he knew that the court physician wouldn’t be easily convinced.
Serena watched proudly as Ishid drank the potion.
“How great would it be if he always took his medicine like this?”
During the last two visits, she felt she had been mistaken. It seemed as if this emperor needed some urging to take his medicine. It was just as Serena was about to apply the ointment all over him.
“It’s inside, right? Yup!”
“No, it’s not. Y-You…!”
There was a commotion outside. A somewhat familiar voice was heard.
“That’s Lady Greenwood, I suppose. No wonder it got so quiet.”
Ishid muttered, as if he knew something. Then he tried to put on his shirt, but Serena snatched it away and said.
“You can’t. Put it on after the ointment dries.”
“But can I go out like this?”
“I’d rather you go out like this.”
“Why are you holding it back?”
When Ishid snarled, Serena stepped back.
Unfortunately, the carpet on the floor was folded. Serena’s foot caught on the crumpled carpet and she slipped.
“Let me go out instead. Just stay still… Oh!”
Serena’s body swayed violently. Surprised, Ishid reached out and pulled her toward him.
As Serena was about to fall, she instinctively clung to him.
At the same time, she accidentally pressed something on the wall with her other hand that looked like a switch, but she didn’t notice in her confusion.
“Wow, it feels like I’ve been waiting ten years.”
“….”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for…”
Her heart pounded in surprise. Ishid seemed surprised as well, stiffening in his seat.
“Oh, the ointment hasn’t dried yet.”
Serena sighed with regret and looked at the ointment on her hand.
Suddenly she felt a warm look from someone. She turned to see Ophelia and Leopold standing in the open doorway.
“Huh? Why is the door open? I told everyone not to enter!”
There was something strange about their expressions. Ophelia was trembling, her eyes wide open, and Leopold looked rather pleased.
While Serena was perplexed, she unconsciously realized that she was pushing something herself. It was a switch.
“Hmm? What switch is that?”
Ruby Hall was a luxurious hall equipped with the most advanced facilities. It didn’t look like an ordinary switch.
“Come to think of it, the mechanics from Gordon’s workshop often came and went before the banquet.”
Staring intently at the unfamiliar equipment, Serena had an ominous thought.
“No way…”
Could it be some kind of door opener?
Serena said, “No, it can’t be,” and pressed the button again.
Ziiing–
With a mechanical sound, the half-open door closed quickly.
“….”
Wanting to deny reality, Serena pressed the switch again, and the door that was about to close opened wide again.
“I opened it…”
Serena immediately regretted what she had done.