Chapter 160 A Task at Hand

Suzuka rose from the bed, leaving the goblin to rest, and removed her garments until only her skimpy panties remained. With slow movements, she made her way to her table, opening a drawer to retrieve a bottle of body oil lotion. Taking her time, she began to apply the fragrant oil onto her body, caressing each inch with meticulous care. As her hands trailed along her smooth skin, she reached her back, an area that proved challenging to reach comfortably.

A brilliant idea sparked in Suzuka's mind, and she approached the slumbering Hermit, gently shaking him in an attempt to rouse him from his deep sleep. Yet, he lay motionless, showing no signs of life. She poked his nose then his belly, she even folded his ears into a roll and stuffed them in his mouth but the goblin didn't wake up. She then took his arm into hers and slapped his face with his own hands but it didn't make a difference.

With a gentle touch to his bare soft feet, she tickled him but Hermit did not wake up. He started to rustle in his slumber. As the tickling intensified his body started to convulse and contort like he had a seizure attack. His body stretched and arched in a form of a bow. Hermit did not open his eyes even after being tickled only whimpered under his breath.

"Mmmm... no... hmm... please... mmm... goddess Lusseria... no... please stop..."  

Frustrated by his lack of response, Suzuka resorted to more drastic measures. She lifted the blanket that enveloped the goblin, causing him to roll off the bed and crash to the ground with a sickening wet clap. 

Startled and disoriented Hermit propelled himself into a frenzied sprint consumed by panic, "Wreeeee!" Only to collide headfirst into a nearby wall. He tumbled to the ground, clutching his aching head and whining in distress.

"Ouchiees! Hermit's head hurts! Ouchiee!" He whimpered, his voice filled with pain and confusion.

Suzuka approached him, her demeanor a blend of annoyance and concern. She scooped him up, placing him gently back onto the bed, and sternly addressed him, "Stop whining and listen carefully. If you can successfully complete the task I am about to assign you, I shall overlook today's blunders. Depending on your performance, I might even reward you."

While still nursing his throbbing head, Hermit meekly replied, "Yes, Master. Ouchies. Hermit will do his best."

A smile tugged at Suzuka's lips as she handed him a bottle of oil.

 "Here, take this. I will lay face down on the bed, and your task is to apply the oil to my back. It should be a simple task. Even you can't mess it up. Just remember not to use too much oil, understood?"

Hermit nodded passively, his eyes filled with apprehension and obedience. 

"Yes, Master. Hermit understands," he replied softly.

Suzuka positioned herself on the bed, facing downward, as Hermit poured a small amount of oil into his tiny hands. With fear, he pressed his hands gently against her back, his touch light and uncertain, as he began to spread the oil across her smooth skin he asked.

"Master, what is this sticky slime? Why are you covering yourself with it? It feels yucky and slimy, why would Master want such a thing on her body."

While enjoying Hermit's tiny cold hands dancing on her back she said, "This is just some berries oil, it makes my skin feel nice and smooth, gentle as silk."

"Owweeee! Berries oil? Sounds tasty! Mmmm... Hermit likes berries."

"Don't you dare to drink it, it will upset your tummy. You have a tendency to shit yourself as it is. I don't need you soiling my room with your filth. Now move those minuscule hands of yours."

As Hermit applied the oil onto Suzuka's back, his small hands moved with a mixture of caution and awe. He admired the silky texture of her skin, the way the oil glistened under the room's soft lighting. With each gentle stroke, he became more confident, his touch growing more assured.

"Master, can I have some of your magical oil? I would love to tend my beloved ears with this oil. I want to feel the silky touch on my ears as well. Please master, grant me a drop of this elixir."

Feeling the soothing caress of Hermit's hands, Suzuka relaxed into the moment. The tension that had lingered within her gradually melted away, replaced by a growing sense of tranquility. The goblin's hard efforts, despite his earlier mishaps, sparked a glimmer of appreciation within her.

"Sure, you can have what's left in the bottle. Have fun with your ears, Hermit. Also, rub in harder, you are way too gentle. Don't hold back, beat it like you mean it. I like strong and firm touch."

Hermit's hands, though small and feeble, strained under the weight of Suzuka's well-toned and muscular back. His fingers trembled as he tried his best to apply the oil evenly, his efforts falling short of the desired effect. Despite his struggle, he persisted, determined to fulfill his task to the best of his abilities.

Hermit's hands, frail and unaccustomed to such a task, burned from exhaustion and struggled to effectively massage Suzuka's muscular back. Despite his best efforts, the exertion took its toll on the smallish goblin's hands. Fatigue coursed through his body, draining his meager reserves of energy until he could no longer bear the strain.

With his hands limp and burning with exhaustion, Hermit stepped onto Suzuka's back with all of his insignificant weight, his tiny, moist, paw-like feet making contact with her skin. The sensation of his gentle touch sent a shiver of delight down Suzuka's spine, causing her to let out a contented sigh. It felt like a dog's paws were massaging her back.

 "Ahhh, yes," she whispered, "Just like that. You can apply more pressure. No need to hold back."

Hermit, eager to please his master, began sliding up and down her back, using his feet to knead the oil into her muscles. The task proved grueling for his scrawny legs, their strength depleting rapidly under the weight of the effort. The scene unfolded with a touch of comedy as Hermit danced upon Suzuka's back, his feet slipping and sliding as he desperately attempted to maintain a steady step.

As beads of sweat dotted his furrowed brow, Hermit's vision grew hazy, and his trembling legs grew weaker with each passing moment. The weight of his exhaustion bore down upon him, overwhelming his senses. The room seemed to spin around him, blurring into a chaotic whirlwind of color and motion.

With a final gasp, Hermit's strength abandoned him, and he succumbed to the unforgiving grasp of unconsciousness. His tiny body slumped backward, no longer able to sustain the physical demands placed upon it. His fingers released their feeble grip, allowing the bottle of oil to slip from his grasp and clatter onto the floor.

He could no longer sustain his balance, succumbing to the overwhelming exhaustion that washed over him. Collapsing onto the bed, his small form sprawled out in a display of utter fatigue.

With a slight frown of concern, Suzuka lifted herself from the bed, her gaze falling upon the motionless form of the goblin. He lay hunched on the bed his hands and legs lay limp. His head rises up and down as he huffed and puffed for air.

Suzuka scooped up the seemingly lifeless goblin, her disappointment is evident in her voice as she carried him to a corner of the room where she had placed a few sheets of paper on the floor. 

"Ah! You couldn't even complete a simple task. Well, it can't be helped. He must be exhausted from the long and challenging day," she muttered under her breath.

Gently laying the motionless goblin on the makeshift bed, Suzuka placed the bottle of oil beside him. With a flick of her finger, she turned off the light, allowing the room to be bathed in darkness. Opening the window, she welcomed the cool night air, her half-monster blood keeping her comfortably warm, even in lower temperatures. Suzuka preferred a cooler room temperature for a restful sleep.

Dropping onto the bed, Suzuka soon succumbed to slumber, her breaths deep and even. In the quiet darkness, time passed, and gradually, Hermit's body began to stir. Moans escaped his lips as he opened his eyes, his gaze adjusting to the dim surroundings. Goblins possessed the ability to see in the dark better than most humans, his beady eyes glistening with a faint glimmer.

With nothing but his small shorts to shield him from the elements, the goblin lay exposed to the world, vulnerable and unprotected. A chilling shiver coursed through his puny frame as the cool temperature flirted with his bare skin. Goosebumps formed along his arms, and a shudder ran down his spine.

 Each breath he took seemed to intensify the chill, causing a faint mist to escape his lips, dissipating into the frigid surroundings. His bare feet, in contact with the unforgiving ground, were tinged with a numbing sensation.

 His teeth chattered softly, a symphony of discomfort echoing through the silence. With a futile attempt to shield himself from the cold, he crossed his arms tightly over his chest, huddling into his own meager form.

"Ughh... Hermit feels cold. Need warmth."

He took in his surroundings, spotting the bottle of oil resting nearby. Greedily, he reached for it, pouring a generous amount into his hands. With utmost care, he began to rub the oil onto his pointy ears, relishing the sensation it brought. However, the relentless cold continued to assail his body, causing him to shiver uncontrollably, his teeth chattering and his hands trembling.

Finishing his ear massage, he delicately caressed his slicked ears, savoring the pleasant aroma that wafted from them. Unable to resist, he gave in to temptation, allowing his tongue to flick against his oily ear, savoring the taste that lingered. It possessed a slight sweetness that pleased his senses, and Hermit couldn't help but crave more of the delightful sensation.

To his surprise, the taste proved pleasing, with a subtle sweetness that tingled on his taste buds. Overjoyed, Hermit seized the bottle eagerly raising it to his lips and consuming its contents with passion, not wasting a single drop. Satisfied, with a belly full of oil, he set down the empty bottle. His lips smacked together as he chomped and his tongue clicked in joy as he savored the oily residue.

"Mmmm... tasty," he muttered with satisfaction.

 "Hermit likes this nice-smelling oil."

As the chill persisted, Hermit's shivering intensified, and his body craved warmth to ward off the biting cold. His beady eyes flickered as he surveyed the room, searching for a source of comfort amidst the darkness. 

"Brrrr... st-st-stupid cold. Hermit needs warmth! Warm fire, warm blanket! Why does Master Helen keep the house so chilly? Hermit will turn into a frozen icicle!"

He attempted to cover himself with the paper sheets that had served as his makeshift bed, but they offered no respite from the biting chill. 

 "It's s-so cold... t-t-t-the paper sheets do n-n-n-nothing!" Hermit chattered, his teeth clattering together in a chaotic symphony of misery.

With a sigh of frustration, he crawled under Suzuka's bed, hoping to discover something that could provide warmth. However, all he found were Suzuka's forgotten toys, offering no comfort in his current plight.

"Aghh! These will do no good for Hermit, what does Master even do with these things."

Crawling out from beneath the bed, Hermit's scuttle carried him toward the restroom, his thoughts fixated on finding a source of warmth. However, his tank top, still damp from the earlier mishap, was still wet, threatening to deepen his already chilling state.

In a trembling voice, Hermit mumbled to himself, "Ughhh... stupid water the precious tank top is wet! It will chill Hermit's skin like ice! Why must life be so cruel to Hermit?" 

 Realizing the futility of seeking refuge in the restroom, he retreated back into the main room, casting his gaze around for any sign of reprieve. His beady eyes darted around the room, seeking solace from the biting cold. 

"Maybe... under the table... warm spot? Yes, yes! Table nice and cozy!"

Hermit's eyes widened with delight as they landed on the table, revealing a magnificent sight before him. There, a grand plate adorned with two colossal sandwiches, their length stretching as far as the eye could see. Beside them stood two majestic glasses, brimming with a delicious drink that shimmered like liquid gold. The mere sight of this feast sent his goblin heart into a frenzy of excitement as he realized that this was the promised food from Suzuka.

"Gwaaa! Master Helen, truly is a goddess of scrumptious delights! Look at this glorious feast, it's a treasure trove of mouthwatering wonders! Goblin eyes never lie! Oh, oh! Gimme, gimme!" Hermit squealed in delight, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Driven by an insatiable hunger, Hermit scuttled towards the table. Yet, the height of the table posed a challenge for his smallish size. The goblin summoned a Herculean strength that would rival a three-year-old's and gripped the chair with an iron grip, he exerted every ounce of his being, dragging the seat closer to the table, inch by inch. 

"Ouch! Stubbed my toe! Stubborn chair, why must you resist me?" Hermit grumbled, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Almost there, almost there! Chair, you will not defeat Hermit's quest for food!" 

With a perseverance that belied his size, he finally managed to ascend the chair, his little legs straining with the effort.

"Come on, legs! No rest for the hungry goblin! Move, move!" he urged himself, his tone a mix of encouragement and impatience.