The Atrocious Bard and The Little Princeling | Hunter TOH X Gn Reader

Chapter 13: Not Very Fun

Dancing and flickering candlelight illuminated the space. Tables were adorned with enchanting jewels and floral decorations. You stood on the stage, bathed in the spotlight that illuminated your entire being.

The audience... they were all shadowy figures. They began crumbling to ashes, laughing hauntingly as they did. It was you. They all pointed at you with maniacal faces, as if you were the one who caused them to dissipate.

You were the one who had cursed them.

"SQUAAAAACKKK!!!"

"What the--!" Your body jolted awake at the squawk that pierced your eardrums.

It was just a crow call.

You felt your back soaked in sweat as you scanned the chaotic mess of your room. Potion bottles were scattered, condiments spilled across the floor, and equipment strewn everywhere. The only relatively clean area was your bed.

"I really wish my nightmares were more creative," you grumbled, feeling your mind clear from the nightmare.

"SQUA- ck- ak!" The crow call choked from your grip.

"How surprising. I thought you would have killed that crow by now, you dreadful bard," a familiar voice crackled from the other end, slightly off-pitch.

Your eyes momentarily lit up with joy to hear from Darius after such a long week, but frustration quickly replaced it with a throbbing vein on your forehead. "My esteemed mentor. I am grateful to hear from you at this hour, but it's still 3 AM in the fucking morning."

"My dear student, it seems you are unwilling to hear from your mentor after a week of absence."

"I'm glad to hear from you, but for Titan's sake, can I at least have an hour of sleep?" you groaned, feeling as if you hadn't slept at all.

"You don't deserve an inch of sleep, not when you've given me none," Darius scowled.

"Regardless, I didn't call to argue about sleep. Come to my office immediately; I have a marvelous surprise for you."

"Now? I--"

Too late. The line went dead.

SLAM. Your palisman watched the crow's body dangle with its head stuffed into the cracked wall.

You ran your hand through your hair in annoyance and sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Summoning your flute, you began to play a melody, ignoring the morning saliva that might have contaminated it. The room was bathed in a greenish glow as objects levitated from the floor, cleaning equipment springing to life.

After tidying up, you banged your head heavily against the bathroom door before pushing it open and stumbling inside.

Tweet. You were definitely not a morning person.

You caught your reflection in the cracked mirror. 

"This better be worth it," you muttered to yourself, splashing cold water onto your face. It did nothing to chase away the deep-rooted exhaustion that gripped you like a curse.

The thought of facing Darius with his stupidly perfect posture and too-bright-for-this-hour personality made your skin crawl. Why couldn't everyone just accept that mornings were meant for sleeping, not for grand surprises and grumpy mentors?

Your palisman, looking equally miserable, gave a half-hearted chirp from its perch. "Don't look at me like that," you grumbled. "We're both suffering here."