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

Chapter 44: Wanted Dead or Alive

In the dim, flickering light of the portal room, Emperor Belos hunched over a twisted mass of wires and machinery.

Abominations walked around him, their gooey limbs working tirelessly at the Emperor's behest. The air was thick with the scent of burnt metal and something far less identifiable.

Belos held the key he made and with precise movements, he used it on the portal door. He inserted the key, and slowly twisted.

The door sizzled, burning down the key into ashes immediately. Belos grit his teeth, his eyes reflecting frustration, but despite this, he remained calm.

The portal he had built painstakingly refused to work.

In the shadowed corner of the room, hidden behind a pillar, Hunter watched in silence.

Chirp. The little red cardinal perched on his shoulder.

"Shoo!" Hunter whisper shouted and shooed off the little bird with his hands.

Without turning around, Belos spoke, his voice low and calm. "Would you like to see how it works, Hunter?"

Hunter stiffened. The little bird immediately solidified into its palstrom wood state, its presence disappearing. Hunter quickly put it behind his cloak to hide the little bird.

His breath hitched as he stepped out from behind the pillar. "I-I didn't mean to hide, Emperor Belos."

Belos finally turned to face him, his expression that of misleading kindness, like he wasn't the one who had previously punished Hunter with his 'appropriate methods' of discipline.

"We found every piece of the door," he said, gesturing to the incomplete portal, "but without the power of the real key, it refuses to open." His eyes flashed with anger but was quickly masked with sickening gentleness.

Hunter glanced at the portal, its surface swirling with unstable energy. His curiosity got the better of him, and he blurted out, "Is it true that rain doesn't boil in the human realm?"

Belos paused, his head tilting slightly as if considering the question. "It is," he replied, his tone oddly nostalgic. "You know, I've been there before. Did I ever tell you that?"

Hunter shook his head, his eyes wide with wonder. The idea of a world so different from his own, where the skies wept cool rain instead of scalding steam, was almost too much to imagine.

Belos' gaze grew distant, as if he were recalling memories long buried. "The trees are green, the nights are quiet. I look forward to seeing it again."

He started to walk away, his steps echoing through the chamber. Hunter hesitated, then followed, his mind racing with thoughts of the strange, peaceful world Belos described.

Belos stopped and turned to face him. There was a dangerous edge to his voice now. "Were you spying on me just to hear these boring stories?"

No.

Hunter clenched his fists, turning to the side. "The operation at the Knee... why did you switch me out with Kikimora?"

For a moment, Belos was silent. Then, a slow smile spread across his face. He placed a hand on Hunter's shoulder, the touch cold through the fabric of Hunter's cloak.

"Everyone has a use, Hunter," he said softly.

"Kikimora has her intricate little plans. The scouts carry out orders. And you, well..." He paused, his voice dropping to a whisper. "The Titan has big plans for you. And it would be such a hassle to find a replacement."

Hunter's stomach twisted with fear. The words were meant to reassure him, but all he heard was the threat of being discarded, tossed aside like a broken tool.