Tyrant's Favorite | Sukuna Ryomen x Reader

005. Hunting Season

Winter was dangerously approaching, and your body could feel it. In the darkest part of the castle, all the servants slept in giant bunks that stretched from the stone floor to the cobwebby ceiling in the freezing dungeon. The worries of survival and the stress of slavery were on pause so you could dream of a life outside the dark castle. You covered yourself as best you could with the thin cotton blanket that all the servants had. You tossed and turned to find the most comfortable position to sleep on the straw-filled mattress. Over the months, you had perfected your technique to not freeze to death in your sleep during winter. You would wrap your arms around your legs and tuck your head between your knees to keep yourself warm. It was times like these when you missed the people who used to be your family.

You were about to complete your first year serving your majesty. You still couldn't believe that you had outlived, but were glad. The fact that you didn't have any scratches from the king meant you were doing a good job. You hoped it would be that way for the rest of your stay there, meaning the rest of your life. There was also the possibility that you would become as important to him as Uraume, but that was asking for too much.

Loud metallic sounds woke you from your uncomfortable sleep. You slowly opened your eyes to get used to the sharp light coming from the open door. Uraume was standing at the entrance to the dungeon, banging on one of the kitchen pots with a metal spoon. All the servants slowly woke up amid grunts of reluctance at the commotion. You pulled your hair back in confusion with the white ribbon that matched your uniform. This was the first time they had been woken up like this.

"Today is hunting day. After breakfast, head to the parade ground," Uraume announced in their characteristic monotone voice before retreating.

When they closed the door behind them, all the servants wailed in unison. You didn't understand what was going on, but this would be a day unlike any other. You quickly put on your white apron to join the others in their collective grief towards the dining room. Unlike the king's dining room, this one was larger and sadder. Instead of elegant ebony wood furniture and gold utensils, there were long wooden benches damaged from all the years of use and unmatching china.

Upon entering the dining room, they were met with a completely different picture than usual. A table full of delicious dishes on marble tableware shined in the center of the cold room. Exotic fruit cut into different shapes, different cuts of meat paraded on beautiful gold trays and unknown foods were displayed around the elegant table. Gastronomic works of art parade along the dinning room. It was a buffet at the height of a royal feast. Although it was a magnificent surprise, the other servants did not look happy. They reluctantly served themselves, took advantage of the jugs of wine, and some sobbed as they ate tasty pastries.

"What's wrong with everyone?" You asked the servant in front of you in the serving line.

"It's hunting day," the servant replied dryly.

If there was one thing that set you apart from Sukuna servants, it was that they were all over 60 years old. They were old curmudgeons, judgmental ladies or people who were just waiting for Sukuna to kill them after making some superficial mistake. So most of them envied your youth, but they also felt sorry for you because you had ended up in the same hell as them at such a young age. Luckily, there were a few exceptions.

"I know that. It's the first day of April, the best month to hunt quail, wild boar and deer," you answered excitedly.

"I forget that this is your first year here," the woman said before turning around between limps to look you in the eye. "We won't be hunters, we'll be the prey," she corrected you in a whisper, about to burst into tears.

She lifted her skirt to show you that she had a horrible cut above her leg. The reason for her limp. One after another, the veteran servants around you showed you their survival wounds. Across the chest, some were armless and others were one-eyed. You hugged the porcelain plate of shock. That's when you realized why the fancy meals. You were being served what would potentially be your last meal. With that disheartening feeling, you helped yourself to a few crêpes with jelly and strawberries. With your eyes, you looked around for the one servant you considered your friend, Mrs. Inoue.