Chapter 150 Puppy Eyes

Feeling as if encased in snow and ice, Hermit curled into a tight ball, seeking to conserve whatever heat his shivering body could muster. He wrapped his meaty ears around himself, desperately trying to shield himself against the relentless cold. But the freezing sensation pierced through, causing his body to shiver and tremble uncontrollably. His teeth chattered in rhythm with his quivering mouth, his entire being a symphony of frozen suffering.

In a final, desperate attempt to warm himself, Hermit futilely tried to blow hot air from his mouth, hoping to create a small oasis of warmth within his icy prison. But the bitter reality remained unchanged - the cold remained relentless, mocking his feeble efforts.

Minutes dragged on, as the bitter cold mercilessly drained every ounce of strength from Hermit's feeble frame. The sensation of icy numbness gripped him tightly, and his body succumbed to the unbearable torment, ultimately succumbing to unconsciousness. Still, even in his lifeless state, his body continued to twitch and tremble, a haunting testament to the agony he had endured.

Lisanna's attention was drawn to the twitching leg protruding from beneath the table. Curiosity mingled with concern, and she approached cautiously, her eyes fixated on the unsettling sight. Crouching down, she peered beneath the table, only to be confronted by the ghastly image of Hermit's lifeless hunched body convulsing like a poisoned rat teetering on the brink of death.

Without hesitation, Lisanna grabbed Hermit by his feet, dragging him out from under the table with a mix of indifference and amusement. Lifting him into the air, she pondered his pitiful state for a brief moment before releasing a deep sigh, betraying a peculiar blend of frustration and satisfaction.

"Ah ah. I specifically warned him not to touch the cream," Lisanna muttered, her voice laced with a mixture of vindication and derision.

 "But, of course, he had to defy my warnings and smudge it all over himself. Stupid thing! I bet he's regretting it now, hahaha!"

Suzuka, witnessing the scene unfold, approached Lisanna with a mixture of annoyance and concern etched upon her face. She couldn't fathom Hermit's stupidity.

"Oh, for the love of god," Suzuka yelled, her voice tinged with a touch of irritation.

 "Give this Naked Scuttle to me! I'll wash him before he dies of shock or something stupid."

With a dismissive gesture, Lisanna handed over Hermit's limp body to Suzuka, relinquishing her hold on his lifeless form. Suzuka, holding him crudely by the leg, made her way toward the restroom.

Upon reaching the sink, Suzuka callously flung Hermit into the cold porcelain basin, allowing the rushing water to cascade over his small, defenseless body. Using a toilet scrubber, she vigorously scrubbed away the remnants of blue creams that had soiled Hermit's once clean body. The water, frigid and unforgiving, engulfed Hermit, jolting him back to life from his previously unconscious state.

Disoriented and overwhelmed by fear and terror, Hermit's mind spun in a dizzying whirlwind. Confusion clouded his senses as he grasped onto the toilet scrubber. Like a wild animal driven by primal instinct, he sank his teeth into the rough strands, gnawing and biting with unbridled ferocity. Suzuka watched in amusement, trying to contain her laughter as Hermit's tongue wrapped around it and he placed it in his mouth violently gnawing and chewing at the toilet scrubber with gusto. He hugged the handle of the scrubber and with his feet started to claw at it while violently biting at the top of the toilet scrubber. 

Suzuka couldn't help but be amused as she observed the goblin's futile struggle with the toilet scrubber, his clumsy actions causing water to splash haphazardly within the sink. A mischievous chuckle escaped her beautiful lips, resonating through the room and reaching the ears of the bewildered goblin. At that moment, his flailing movements ceased, and his attention snapped back to reality. With the toilet scrubber protruding from his mouth like an oversized toothbrush and feces as toothpaste, he looked around, utterly confused.

The freezing sensation that had coursed through Hermit's skin earlier had dissipated, leaving no trace of discomfort. Feeling perfectly fine once again, he clamored out of the sink, clumsily dropping the scrubber in the process. Confusion etched across his face, he mustered the courage to address his master, his voice tinged with confusion. 

"M-master? What just happened? Why was Hermit swimming in the sink? Eww! Why Hermit's mouth tastes so bad, yack!"

Suzuka, with a hint of irritation in her tone, replied, "Because you're stupid, Naked Scuttle. Lisanna explicitly warned you not to touch that cream, but no, you couldn't resist slathering it all over yourself."

Hermit, his ears drooping in shame, nodded passively, acknowledging his mistake.

 "I-I'm sorry, Master. I didn't think it would cause such trouble. I'll be more careful next time."

Suzuka nonchalantly tossed the towel to Hermit, expressing her dubious delight that he finally comprehended his blunder. 

"Well, congratulations on grasping the concept of modesty," she retorted, a wry smirk playing on her lips. 

"Now, would you kindly shield your naked form from prying eyes?"

Hermit dutifully wiped his body clean, meticulously ensuring no trace of water remained. Wrapping the towel securely around his waist, he timidly extended his arms towards Suzuka, a gesture of helplessness and dependence. With a passive and shy demeanor, he waited with his hands extended.

Anticipating his plea for assistance, Suzuka glanced at him, her expression a mixture of curiosity and irritation.

 "What? What now?" she asked, her tone laced with mild annoyance.

 "Do you want a heartfelt embrace or some other such sentimental nonsense? Ugh, spare me."

Hermit's voice quivered with shyness as he responded, "Hermit would indeed appreciate a hug, Master, but no, the sink is positioned far beyond Hermit's reach. Therefore, Master Helen, with her formidable strength, could easily perform the task of lowering Hermit back down to the ground." His eyes implored Suzuka, begging her to assist him in his trouble.

She couldn't believe the audacity he possessed, even after making a fool of himself.

 She reluctantly stepped forward, her annoyance evident in every movement, and reached out to help Hermit down from the elevated sink.

With a touch of annoyance in her voice, she muttered, "You're pathetic, Hermit. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd have to assist a disgusting goblin to get down from a sink." She gripped his arms firmly, her strength effortlessly supporting his weight as he descended from the lofty perch.

As Hermit's feet touched the ground, Suzuka swiftly released her grasp and took a step back, brushing off her hands as if ridding herself of an undesirable stain. She shot him a disdainful glance, her tone dripping with sarcasm. 

"There you go, Hermit, brought down from the heavens by your gracious Master. Now, I hope you appreciate my immense strength and consider it a gift bestowed upon you."

Hermit, still wrapped in the towel, gazed at Suzuka with a shy, almost timid expression. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness at her cold demeanor. 

"Hermit would have loved a warm and comforting hug from his Master, a warm hug would be appreciated," he mumbled quietly, his voice barely audible.

Suzuka's eyes widened in disbelief, a mix of repulsion and disbelief crossing her face.

 "What? A hug? For you? Absolutely not! What kind of blasphemy are you talking about here?" She yelled, her voice laced with disgust.

 "You must be out of your mind to think I'd embrace a pitiful goblin. Keep your delusions in check, Naked Scuttle!"

The trembling goblin shivered uncontrollably, resembling a newborn puppy.

 "B-but, Master," he stammered, "Hermit... Hermit is so cold. Hermit longs for warmth."

Suzuka's tone remained stern as she said, "I'm not hugging you, even if you were as frozen as an icicle. Now, shut up and follow me. Your rag of a tunic should have dried by now."

Hermit's timid voice wavered as he added, "It was a gift from Larry, Master. He made it for me from a blanket."

Suzuka walked out of the restroom, and Hermit scurried after her, visibly shuddering, his hands tightly wrapped around his trembling form. His long ears drooped low, nearly touching the ground. She snatched his tunic and flung it toward the goblin, commanding him to cover himself.

 "Here! It's dry. Cover yourself, Naked Scuttle. This should provide some warmth."

Hermit awkwardly slithered into the tunic, but it offered little comfort. Desperately seeking solace, he wrapped himself tightly with his ears and curled up, leaning against the reception desk. With his buckled knees pressed against his chest.

Suzuka approached Lisanna and began recounting the repulsive incident.

 "Lisanna, Lisanna! Can you believe this disgusting goblin? Picture this: I was cleaning him up in the sink, and he suddenly leaps up, disoriented, only to start licking and kissing the toilet scrubber. He even put it in his mouth and began chewing on it. Ew! The sight was utterly ridiculous as if he were brushing his teeth with an oversized toothbrush."

Lisanna laughed mockingly and said, "Ew! That is disgusting, we use that to clean toilets you know. But why am I surprised, he's a Fece Eater after all. He probably enjoyed the taste."

 Just as the conversation took a detour, a guttural rumbling noise emanated from Hermit's belly. He looked up with his large, bulging puppy eyes, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and desperation. 

"M-Master? Hermit's tum-tum needs food. Tum-tum hurts! Please, Master, I need food. Need to put something inside tum-tum to quench the hunger pain."

Suzuka disregarded him with a hand wave and said, "Oh you'll live, when Larry picks you up he will feed you. Just wait a few hours, or go finish the fruits you scattered under the table." 

Hermit's stomach growled again, louder this time as if emphasizing its emptiness. The goblin looked up at his master with teary eyes, mirroring his pitiful state. 

"M-Master," he stammered, his voice quivering, "Hermit is weak... Hermit is starving, tum-tum hurts so much. Ouchieee!" A whimper escaped his lips, revealing the depths of his suffering.

Suzuka, though originally leaned to discipline the goblin for his constant whining, couldn't ignore the sudden growling of her own belly. 

"Damn it, Naked Scuttle!" She cursed under her breath.

 "Look what you've done. Now I'm hungry too. You and... oh, whatever, fine." She grumbled, relenting. 

"I suppose I can't have a pathetic, starving creature following me around. I shall grant you a meager morsel to calm your wretched hunger."

Hermit's face lit up with gratitude as he cried, "Thank you, Master! Thank you!"

However, before Suzuka could set off to find food for Hermit, Lisannas said.

 "Ahem! He is your responsibility. Please don't leave him here. You're supposed to guard him," She reminded Suzuka with a hint of authority.

 "How am I supposed to feed him then? I don't have any bag to stuff him into." Her words hung in the air, seeking a solution.

Lisanna, wearing a sly grin, reassured her.

 "Oh, don't worry. I have just the thing."

 She rummaged through her drawers, a glimmer of mischief in her eyes. Lisanna approached Hermit and deftly fastened a choker with a leash around his neck.

 Panic seized the goblin, his terror evident in his screeching protest, "Kreeeee!"

 He desperately clawed at the choker, his tiny fingers futilely attempting to remove it. Yet, the feeble strength of his rendered his efforts in vain. Collapsing to the ground, he writhed and twisted like an earthworm on a scorching hot plate.

 Lisanna playfully slapped Hermit's ear and spoke in a playful tone, attempting to quell his fear. "Oh, hush, you. No need to be scared."

With the leash now securely in her hand, Lisanna turned to Suzuka and extended the other end. Her mischievous smile remained. 

"Here, you can walk him to a nearby food stand. If anyone wonders, just say you're walking your pet. And besides, it's raining outside, so you won't encounter many people on the streets. It will be just fine."