BJ Villainess Chapter 339

Euges Special Story: Empress Ending

 

From the moment he was born, Euges had never once experienced what people called a ‘refreshing morning.’ His mornings always began in the foulest of moods, and today was no exception. No—today felt especially foul. That was because the curtains hadn’t been properly drawn, and sunlight was flooding in.

 

“…Ha.”

 

It felt like the nerves in his eyes were burning. A high-pitched ringing filled his ears, and his head throbbed like it would split in two. On days like this, even the slightest noise felt like it could tear his brain apart, so he’d ordered cloth to be wrapped around the feet of courtiers to muffle their steps.

 

Euges covered his eyes with his arm to block out the light. Applying weight helped dull the pain somewhat.

 

Should I just die like this? He used to think that often, in fits of rage—and sometimes even acted on it. But now, even that has lost its appeal. Until he fulfilled the fate assigned to him, time itself would not permit him to die. So it was all pointless.

 

There was another reason he’d stopped trying to die: it was simply too bothersome. If he died and returned to his childhood, he’d have to kill off everyone who wanted him dead and rebuild his foundation from scratch. Who had time for that? Enduring this wretched daily life was easier in comparison.

 

“Damn it.” Muttering curses under his breath, Euges shifted in bed—only to freeze when he noticed an unfamiliar woman sleeping beside him.

 

What the hell? Who is she? Did he pull someone into bed before falling asleep last night? That can’t be.

 

Suffering from extreme distrust of others, he never shared a bed with anyone. That was why he’d never married. So who was this woman?

 

Euges scrutinized the sleeping woman with a sharp gaze. She looks familiar somehow. The woman had long, black hair and an enigmatic aura. Even with her eyes closed, her beauty was striking enough to spark curiosity about her eyes’ color.

 

Then it hit him—he remembered who she was. She’s the eldest daughter of the Squire family, I think. But something about her appearance felt different from what he remembered, which is why he hadn’t recognized her at first.

 

But why is Princess Squire here? Worried that he may have made a drunken mistake, he tried desperately to recall what had happened. I don’t think I drank yesterday.

 

Unaware that his blinding headache had already disappeared, Euges tried to wake her. “Princess Squire.”

 

“Mmm…”

 

“If you don’t want to die, I suggest you open your eyes immediately.”

 

At that, she slowly woke up with a languid expression. Something about her presence made the air around them feel sweeter, softer.

 

Euges watched her draw closer as she stirred and sat up. Something about it felt strange, but he didn’t dwell on the sensation. He had a more pressing question.

 

“Why are you sleeping in my bed?”

 

“Huh?” Theresa furrowed her brows as if she didn’t understand. “Is this some kind of joke?”

 

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

 

His cold tone seemed to snap her to attention. She sat up, now clearly alarmed. Then, she began scanning the air as if calculating something.

 

“What are you looking at?”

 

“Well, I’m checking your data…huh? Why is your likeability like this?”

 

“You continue to mock me with incomprehensible words.”

 

Euges was about to order her removed from the room when she suddenly grabbed his hand without permission.

 

“Look at this, Your Majesty.”

 

Why did he instinctively look at his hand when she said that? Glancing down, he saw a ring he didn’t recognize. And Theresa was wearing what appeared to be the matching one.

 

She drove the final nail into the coffin of his growing dread. “We got married.”

 

Something had gone terribly wrong.

 

* * *

Surprisingly, everything Theresa said turned out to be true.

 

“Here’s the marriage certificate, as you requested, Your Majesty.”

 

Euges nearly tore the certificate to shreds before suppressing his anger. But that wasn’t even the most shocking part.

 

“You’re saying my memories are from a year ago?”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty. It appears your memories only go up to February of last year.”

 

And they had apparently held the wedding just three days ago. That was what floored Euges the most.

 

Marriage? Apparently, he had waited for Theresa to graduate before rushing into it.

 

His expression must have looked grim because his usually reserved aide, Bein, spoke up cautiously. “Your Majesty, you were deeply in love with the Empress.” It was a warning not to do anything he’d regret later.

 

Insolent. Normally, Euges would’ve thrown something at him for speaking out of turn, but strangely, he didn’t feel like doing that now.

 

Now that I think about it… That morning, his nerves had been on edge—but now he felt completely fine. Even without the courtiers muffling their steps. That had never happened before, and it unsettled him. It wasn’t hard to figure out when the change began.

 

Princess Squire… Was she someone who could affect him that strongly? Just the thought was irritating.

 

“I must’ve been out of my mind. Thankfully, I’ve come to my senses now.”

 

Theresa Squire, of all people. She was infamous in high society for being wild and unruly. He wouldn’t know when he would be hit in the back of his head while living with such a woman.

 

Bein stayed silent, unable to either confirm or deny it.

 

Knock, knock. A servant announced from outside. “Your Majesty, the imperial doctor has arrived.”

 

“Let them in.”

 

The doctor entered, and to Euges’s shock, so did Theresa. He had told her to stay out until he understood the situation, yet she walked in as if it were her right. She must’ve been spoiled rotten during the year he didn’t remember.

 

Should I tell her to get out immediately? But the moment his eyes met Theresa’s, who stood there pale and staring blankly at him, the words couldn’t come out. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. She also appeared shaken, as if she couldn’t believe the situation either. Only someone as observant and sensitive as Euges would have noticed—others might’ve thought she seemed calm.

 

In the end, Euges decided to let her be, seeing that she just wanted to stay near him from a distance.

 

The imperial doctor checked Euges’s condition and concluded there were no abnormalities—except for the loss of memories from the past year. “This kind of case isn’t unheard of. To help recover your memory, it would be good for the two of you to visit the places you frequently spent time together each day.”

 

Euges gave a half-hearted nod, wondering if the doctor was a quack. “So you’re saying there’s nothing wrong with my health. Fine. Everyone leaves.”

 

It was an order of dismissal that included Bein, the chief chamberlain. And just like that, only Euges and Theresa were left alone in the bedroom.

 

Though he could be utterly harsh, Euges wasn’t completely without manners. Even if she had become his wife overnight, he had no intention of running away from the situation, pretending it wasn’t his responsibility.

 

“Don’t just stand there—come over and sit.”

 

Relieved, Theresa walked over and sat awkwardly on the sofa. Earlier, she’d been frantically touching his face and body, trying to find the cause of the issue; now, she was suddenly awkward, as if none of that had happened.

 

“…Still no memories of me at all?”

 

“None.”

 

Her disappointment was visible at his firm answer. For some reason, that expression annoyed him.

 

Well, from her perspective, it must feel like she lost her husband overnight too. No wonder she’s confused. So, for the sake of the affection that must have developed in the time he couldn’t remember, he was willing to show a degree of tolerance.

 

“It must confuse you that I’ve suddenly lost all memory of the past year.”

 

Theresa nodded without hesitation. “Yes. A little—no, a lot. But more than that, I’m mostly worried about Your Majesty.”

 

He’d expected her to say she was fine like people usually did. But her honesty was surprisingly blunt.

 

“As you heard, there’s nothing wrong with my health.”

 

“Yes, I know. But emotions are a different matter.” Just like before, she stared off at a peculiar spot as she continued. “Because from your point of view, someone you dislike has suddenly become your wife.”