The Cursed Prince

"Hey, are you okay?" Mars was worried.

Even though this girl sometimes could forget her manners, but she was not the type of girl who would be so insolent as to spit out her food.

"Uff.. I am sorry," Emmelyn apologized. "It felt like I was eating dirt... I didn't mean to spit it out..."

"Hmm... it's okay." Mars took the fruit in question to taste how horrible it was. His brows furrowed. "It's not bland nor tastes like dirt. It's actually sweet."

"How did you know it doesn't taste like dirt?" Emmelyn rolled her eyes. "Have you tried eating dirt?"

"Well, have you?" Mars asked her back.

Emmelyn looked away.

She did... when she was a child and didn't want to listen to her mother not to try eating everything she could get her hands on...

It was only one time, but she never forgot the taste of soil in her mouth. 

Yuck. It was really horrible.

So, when she experienced the same thing from the stupid fruit.. of course, her body's natural reaction was to spit it out.

From her lack of response, Mars could know the answer.

Good god... this girl even knew what dirt tasted like? He thought nothing could surprise him anymore when it came to Emmelyn. 

Apparently, he was wrong.

"Try it again.. maybe the one you ate earlier was contaminated," Mars took another slice. He bit half and then gave the other half to her. "See? I just ate this one and it's delicious."

With suspicious eyes, Emmelyn took the other half and put it in her mouth.

"Eww...! You're lying!!" She spat it out again as soon as it touched her tongue.

Now Mars was utterly confused. He just ate exactly the same fruit slice and found it to be perfectly fine. Yet, Emmelyn thought it was too disgusting that she spat it out?

Was she sick?

"Uhm... okay, maybe you shouldn't eat the fruit. Just focus on the meat," he pushed the plate with fruits to the center of the table and cut the meat for her into small slices, and fed one to her. "Try this."

He really hoped Emmelyn could eat the meat. He would be upset if she was really sick and couldn't enjoy food. Even after being fed properly for more than a month, she still didn't gain much weight.

Emmelyn opened her mouth and took the meat. Fortunately, it tasted normal to her. So, it was true. It was only the fruit. She decided to continue eating.

Mars let out a sigh of relief. He followed suit and ate his dinner. He kept checking to the side to see if Emmelyn had any more problems with her food. Fortunately, it looked good so far.

However, he was still bugged by the mystery with the fruit earlier. He was positive that he had no problems with his taste buds. The fruit was sweet and fresh, but Emmelyn seemed to feel differently about it.

How weird!

He decided to ask Roshan to taste one slice later and if the butler confirmed his suspicion, he would ask the court physician to come and check Emmelyn's health tomorrow. There might be a problem with her tastebud.

"I am full," Emmelyn finally said, after finishing the food on her plate. She was actually surprised that despite not feeling hungry earlier, she still managed to eat everything. Well, except the fruits.

"Good girl," Mars ruffled Emmelyn's hair and praised her.

The girl rolled her eyes when she saw his happiness. This man seemed so obsessed with wanting her to eat a lot. He asked her what were her favorite dishes. He had his cooks prepared them for her. Now, at every mealtime, she would see foods she liked.

He even spoonfed her when her hand was too tired to eat by herself. If that wasn't an obsession, then what was it?

(Author: It's love, Emmelyn dear. It's love.)

Mars stretched out his hands and leaned his back to his chair. He then turned to Emmelyn and talked seriously. "I think there is something wrong with your sense of taste. The fruit earlier was sweet, but you said it tasted like dirt. So, I will ask Roshan to have a taste and let us know what he thinks. It's either you or me that needs to see a doctor."

Emmelyn just shrugged. She was not lying when she said the fruit tasted like dirt.

Eww.. Just thinking about it made her shudder.

She was interested in seeing how Roshan would think about the fruit. The butler came and bowed down to greet them.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Your Highness?" he asked respectfully.

"Yes. Please eat one slice from the fruits over there." Mars pointed at the plate he pushed to the middle of the table earlier. "Let me know the taste."

"All right, Your Highness." Roshan took one slice of fruit with a fork and put it in his mouth. He nodded with satisfaction written all over his face. He knew they always provided the best and fresh dishes and fruits for the royal family. After he swallowed it, Roshan confirmed Mars' suspicion, "This fruit is fresh and sweet."

"WHAT??" Emmelyn was surprised to know that for the first time in her life, her taste bud didn't work. She was a foodie and loved eating. She never got flavors wrong.

Weird. Weird. Weird.

"Anything else, Your Highness?" Roshan asked Mars.

"No, that will be all. You can go," Mars said. He waved his hand and the butler took his leave. After Roshan left the dining room, Mars turned to Emmelyn. "You need to see Doctor Vitas."

"Uff.. fine," said Emmelyn reluctantly. She agreed that it was for her own good.

She wanted her perfect sense of taste back. Not because she wanted to fatten herself for the job of giving birth to Mars' children, but because she loved foods so much.

She didn't want to miss out on all the good food this world had to offer.