CHAPTER 3

"Taehyung, what's wrong? Does it not taste good?" Jungkook asked innocently.

Taehyung quickly relaxed his rigid expression and smiled brightly. He didn't want to worry Jungkook over nothing. "No, it's delicious. Try some of these mushrooms."

"But I don't like mushrooms..." Jungkook complained, his lips forming a cute pout.

"You have to eat it for your health." Taehyung coaxed him with gentle tone and tried to feed him himself.

"Ahh—"

As he held the mushrooms in front of him, Jungkook begrudgingly opened his mouth. When the spoon went in, he wore a slightly dismal expression that soon turned into a big frown. He reached for the nearest cup of water and gulped it down in one go. Taehyung held his hands to calm him down.

"Ah! Ha–hands... this is not the bedroom!" Jungkook said, cheek tinted the fainted shade of red.

Being not able to understand, Taehyung asked, "Husband, what are you talking about during a meal?"

"Don't just swallow it with water. Chew it first."

"Yes..." Taehyung replied, though he clearly saw through his intention to avoid the previous question.

Jungkook turned his head to the side to avert Taehyung's gaze as he nodded softly, cheeks reddened. "You can drink water now."

Taehyung was about to take the cup, but Jungkook grasped his hands tightly.

"What's wrong?"

"My hands are warm... I feel at ease now that you're holding me."

If Jungkook felt comfortable, did Taehyung truly have some power of light?

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After finishing the meal, Taehyung went back to his room and immediately called for Brown, the chief servant of the Crown Prince's palace. The man walked in with a prideful stride. Taehyung could tell that he was arrogant just from his expression.

"Your Highness, what brings you here?"

"The quality of the meal was very inadequate." Taehyung said with a straight face.

"Ah, so that's why you called. It's not an emergency."

"There is a problem with the Crown Prince's meal. Isn't this urgent?"

Brown smirked arrogantly. His lips moved faintly, eyes slightly narrowed, and his head tilted almost imperceptibly. Taehyung noticed it immediately and felt infuriated.

"Your Highness, you've just arrived and don't know many things, but the budget set for the Crown Prince is not very adequate. What else can we do if His Majesty doesn't give more?"

Brown lied smoothly, without a hint of remorse. The palace wasn't luxurious, but it wasn't so desolate that meat never arrived.

"Okay." Taehyung said calmly, though there was a slight frown between his brows.

"I was worried about you being too young, but I'm glad you understood."

"I will dismiss you." He said with the same calmness.

"Wh–what?" Brown's arrogant expression distorted.

Instead of arguing, Taehyung turned and gave orders to Edon, the knight standing beside him. "Sir Edon, arrest Brown Hamel under charges of embezzling the Crown Prince's budget and imprison him."

"What do you mean embezzlement? Do you even understand the word?" Brown shouted.

"I know. What you did was embezzlement." Said Taehyung.

Brown paled instantly. Eyes and mouth wide open, frozen in shock. As Edon dragged him out, he shouted angrily: "Let go! Do you know who I am? I am heir to the Marquis Hamel! You'll regret this!"

Raised with the belief that birth made him superior—such arrogance.

Edon ignored him and dragged him out.

The Crown Prince's palace immediately fell into disarray. But Taehyung drove momentum further, dismissing another batch of disrespectful staff.

When Jungkook had been ousted from his post in the original story, many courtiers betrayed him and sided with the male lead, Richard. Taehyung removed all those who looked down on Jungkook, disrespected him, or were disloyal.

"All the servants and maids were chosen by the Emperor himself. Are you sure this is okay?" Melissa, the maid, worried.

In the original story, she devoted herself to Jungkook along with Edon and Hans.

Taehyung answered immediately. "It's okay."

The Emperor wouldn't blame him—he was confident.

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"How would you like your meal?" Taehyung said to the young prince, "I'll make today's dish."

"Pardon?"

Dismissing the courtiers, Taehyung checked the warehouse. It held a variety of healthy ingredients, including eastern imports. As expected, chief servant Brown had stolen much of the budget, but the reheated dinner from last night was the cook's negligence. So Taehyung dismissed all chefs who disrespected Jungkook.

Suddenly, Taehyung found a treasure: soy sauce, soybean paste, red pepper paste! Not only were there many spices, but also a variety of ingredients. He couldn't believe they had been served only vegetables every day! He rolled up his sleeves in anger.

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In the Crown Prince's palace, most people feared or despised Jungkook for being the heir to the curse. He rarely came out of his bedroom. These days, Taehyung took him on short walks and drove away anything that made Jungkook uncomfortable. After preparing the meal, he called Jungkook to the dining room.

The moment Jungkook slid into his chair, Taehyung served soybean paste stew, rice, and meatballs.

"Ta-da!"

No extravagant dishes—Taehyung only knew essential recipes. Finding the exact taste of Korean soybean paste stew was difficult, but effort counted more than perfection.

".....What's this?"

"It's a dish from the East! I saw it in a book and found these ingredients in the warehouse, so I made it!"

"You made it yourself?" Surprise was clearly visible on Jungkook's face.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Wow..." Jungkook stared at the dish in amazement, then asked timidly: "...But how do you eat it?"

"Oh, you've never seen this kind of dish before. I'll teach you." Taehyung smiled subtly, blushing. "Don't worry, I only learned about it recently too. Your Highness, Aah—"

Jungkook obediently complied "Aaah—"

Taehyung smiled and fed him.

Jungkook chewed carefully, then cracked a smile.

Looking at his broadening smile, Taehyung asked, "Delicious?"

"Yes!" He nodded excitedly.

"This time, try it yourself." Taehyung handed him a spoon. "It's called soybean paste stew. Eat your rice first, then scoop the soup."

He took the spoon with a determined expression, "Alright."

"Be careful, it's hot. The taste is unique, so don't force yourself if it doesn't suit you." Taehyung informed him softly.

"Yes."

Following instructions, Jungkook took a spoonful after eating rice, devouring the stew with big mouthfuls. His eyes filled with tears.

Taehyung panicked seeing his tears, he asked hurriedly, his hands already reaching forward to take the dish away from the young prince, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

"Delicious!" Jungkook exclaimed.

Taehyung's hands paused mid-air, "Really?" He asked again just to be sure, his hands retreating.

Though milder than Korean soybean stew, it was unusual for this world—but it suited Jungkook perfectly.

"It's the best food I've ever eaten!"

"Is it really that good?"

"Yes!"

"Then I'll make it more often."

"Will you make it yourself?"

"Of course."

"Wow!"

Seeing Jungkook eat happily, Taehyung felt peaceful. This must be how parents feel watching their child enjoy a meal.

On the terrace, maid Melissa, servant Hans, and knight Edon chatted after a long day.

Melissa said, "Fortunately, His Royal Highness has wed an excellent wife."

The others nodded in agreement.

Edon said exhaling, "Now that he dismissed all those people, I feel relieved."

He recalled how resolutely Taehyung had dismissed the chief servant. At just ten years old, Taehyung showed incredible intelligence, dignity, and an excellent eye for people. Countless people had been kicked out, but all had been guilty of insulting or neglecting Jungkook.

"Most importantly, I'm glad they have a good relationship. I was worried at first." Melissa remembered the day Taehyung had fallen into the lake. Fortunately, it had been an accident, not suicide. Yet that helpless memory still made her shiver. She immediately diverted her thoughts whenever it surfaced.

Hans agreed, "I know. How long has it been since I saw him smile?"

"Melissa should go and prepare dishes from now on." Edon suggested, knowing that now the chief servant was gone, it was not easy to handle the everything suddenly.

A servant, standing nearby, said thoughtfully, "His Highness must have had his own recipe."

"That's right. It was really delicious. Besides, the Crown Prince liked it, didn't he?" Melissa asked looking at his companions.

Edon agreed with Melissa. "But aren't those dishes too unique?" He asked, remembering the dishes Taehyung had prepared earlier.

Melissa assured them, "It's no problem since the Crown Prince likes it."

Although it was true that the dishes made by the Crown Princess were rather unique, Melissa was happy to see someone looking out for the Crown Prince.

"Well, you are right." Hans smiled softly.

After the Emperor returned, they would be interrogated about the reckless dismissal of the servants, but Melissa, Hans and Edon vowed to protect both of them from any harm.

As he was the wife that the Crown Prince cherished so dearly and also the only person who managed to restore his buried happiness, the Crown Prince's people unanimously accepted Taehyung as their own master.

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