Chapter 225 Pitiable Innocence

Still nursing the aftereffects of his misadventure and intimidated by Suzuka's stern demeanor, Hermit stammered nervously, "Uh, I... I promise, no more window adventures. I'll be good, I swear! Just, uh, let me know what you need, Master, and I'll help, okay?"

Unimpressed by his usual apologies, Suzuka rolled her eyes and remarked, "Get up, Hermit. We're not playing games today. It's time to find those treasures you were bragging about. If they exist, we'll find them. If not, well, I will feed you to forest monsters."

Hermit, realizing that Suzuka was ready to take action, panicked and fell to the ground on all fours, prostrating himself before her in a display of sheer terror. He began to beg and scream, "Reeeeeeee! Please, oh mighty one, have mercy! Spare this pitiful goblin! Spare poor Hermit from the horrors that await him!"

Suzuka, unfazed by Hermit's dramatic display, crossed her arms and gave the prostrated goblin an annoyed look.

"Get up, Hermit. We're not doing this again. And stop screaming; I've got enough noise in my head already," she declared, her voice stern and unyielding.

Hermit, realizing his theatrics were falling on deaf ears, slowly got back on his feet, his eyes wide with fear.

 "M-master? Are you mad at Hermit?"

Suzuka rolled her eyes, "Mad? No, I'm just annoyed. Now, let's focus on something important. Those treasures you mentioned. Time to spill the beans, goblin."

Hermit's eyes darted nervously around the room as he stammered, "Y-you know, I may have exaggerated a bit about the treasures. They're... um, not exactly grand treasures. More like... shiny rocks and maybe a few pretty trinkets. Hermit does not know if they hold any value to Master but to me, they are my priceless treasures."

Suzuka's expression darkened, "Shiny rocks? Trinkets? You've got to be kidding me. Hermit, I swear, if you wasted my time with your goblin nonsense and we find some shit-smeared rocks, I will skin you alive, there and then!"

Hermit quickly added, "N-no, wait! There's something, I promise! Just give me a moment to think... ah! I remember now! There's this old chest in the bandit hideout, a secret nook hole in the wall! They called it the 'Coin Chest,' so there must be something valuable in there! It must!"

Suzuka sighed, skeptical but slightly intrigued.

 "Fine, take me to this 'Coin Chest.' But if it turns out to be one of your delusional dreams, goblin, you'll regret it."

The goblin's head bobbed up and down with a fervent nod, his eyes filled with a cocktail of fear, horror, and an overwhelming sense of dread. Trembling like a leaf, he gathered the last remnants of his courage and mustered a timid request, "M-master? If I may, could we, um, perhaps go find my treasure first? It's, um, not too far from the, uh, bandit's hideout where they, uh, kept me. I-I understand that, well, it might be only useless rocks to you, oh mighty master, but they're, um, very precious to me. I-I beg you, master, please?"

Suzuka, with an annoyed expression, rolled her eyes at the pitiful display of the goblin.

 "Fine, you little nuisance. We'll go fetch your 'precious' rocks. But I warn you, if it turns out to be a complete waste of my time, you'll wish you were back hanging from that window. Now get up, and lead the way, you trembling heap of misery."

Hermit, with a timid and quivering voice, stammered out his questions like a frightened mouse. 

"Are we, um, really going now, Master? Who else is going? Is Larry going? I'm, uh, quite hungry, and I could use a quencher. It's just, um, that I'm still a bit tired, and, uh, going now might not be the best idea, right, Master?"

She looked down at the trembling goblin and her stern response cut through the air, "Stop your whining, Hermit. We're going alone, just you and me. And yes, I'll feed you on the way there."

Hermit stirred from his resting state, convulsed in fear at the news. He let out a meek scream, "Wreee! No, no, no! It's dangerous! Just two of us? Scary forest monsters, they'll get me! You don't care, Master! You are not gentle like Larry! You do not hug me or gently pat me on the head! You'll let them hurt me, do worse things! I don't want to go! I need Larry, my best friend! Please, please, Master, don't make me go!"

Suzuka sighed at Hermit's pleas and responded, "Look, Hermit, I can't have more people tagging along. It's a simple job, and we need the funds for the goblin town. If more join, we'll have to split the loot, and that's bad for our cause. Trust me, it's an easy task, and I won't let anything happen to you. We'll be in and out before you know it. Think of it as a simple walk in the forest."

Hermit, with a reluctant tone and trembling voice, mumbled, "F-fine, Master... I-I'll go with you, b-but please, no monsters, okay? A-and, um, a snack would be nice, too. I don't want to be hungry in the forest, M-master."

Suzuka smirked at Hermit's condition and responded, "Alright, Hermit. Can't promise no monsters but a snack I will give you. Just remember, you're in charge of finding the way. If you get us lost, well, let's just say you might end up as a cozy goblin stew by the campfire. Lead the way, and no funny business, or you'll be the main course!"

Upon hearing her words, Hermit's eyes widened in sheer terror. He stammered and nodded vigorously, "Y-yes, Master! No funny business! I'll find the way, I promise! N-no getting lost, absolutely not! Please, no stew! Goblins are the best pathfinders, and I never get lost! I have the best sense of direction. You can trust me, Master. No lost goblin here! I'll lead us straight to the treasure. Please, no firepit for Hermit!"

Suzuka gave Hermit a skeptical look but then sighed, muttering to herself, "You better live up to that claim, goblin. If we get lost, you'll be the first one in that firepit." With a stern expression, she signaled for him to lead the way.

Suzuka and Hermit left the Mystic Oasis Inn and started their trip. They emerged from the safety of the town, venturing into the perilous outskirts until they reached the edge of the forest. The distant town seemed like a tiny dot against the vast landscape. The safety and comfort of the town were now distant memories as they faced the daunting wilderness. Each step seemed to intensify Hermit's fear, visible in his trembling form. With each hesitant step, Hermit's anxiety grew, overshadowing the fleeting sense of tiny security he once felt. The town, now a distant speck, seemed like a haven compared to the daunting shadows of the dense woods.

Suzuka halted before entering the forest, fixing Hermit with a stern gaze.

 "This is it, goblin. You better know your way around, or we'll be in big trouble."

Gasping for breath, Hermit lagged behind her, his tiny legs struggling to match her brisk pace. His breaths were ragged, and each step seemed like an arduous effort, followed by coughs and sneezes of exhaustion. His frail form trembled with every labored breath, and he cast furtive glances at Suzuka, silently pleading for mercy.

"M-master, ugh, Hermit... Hermit knows, ugh... not lost... ugh... need rest... ugh, tired," he managed to stammer, his words were a desperate attempt to convey his fatigue, a plea for a reprieve from the relentless march.

Unmoved by his plea, Suzuka urged him forward, "We've only walked for half an hour, and you're already tired? Don't be silly. Get your feet moving. No rest, let's go!"

She paid little heed to his distress and maintained her brisk stride, showing no signs of slowing down. Hermit's pleas for a brief respite fell on deaf ears, and he struggled to keep up, his tiny frame dwarfed by the enormity of the task.

As they delved deeper into the forest's heart, the shadows of towering trees and the murmur of unseen creatures surrounded them. The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and the mysterious aura of the woodland.

Hermit, now utterly exhausted and defeated, couldn't muster the energy to keep up the pace. With a meek and defeated sigh, he dropped his shorts and tank top, preparing to immerse himself in a muddy puddle as a makeshift disguise. The very prospect of muck and grime seemed to offer a peculiar safety to the goblin.

However, Suzuka intercepted him mid-action, snatching him by the ears before he could plunge into the filth. With a stern scolding, she chastised him, "For the love of god, Hermit! No time for your favorite playtime in a puddle of feces. I know how much you like poop, but we need to move. Get dressed, and let's go!"

Thrashing about in her vice-like grip, Hermit snarled and pleaded in agony, "Master! It hurts! Wreee! My ears! My meaty, precious ears! Please let go! Wreee!"

Suzuka, showing little sympathy, released his ears, and the goblin collapsed dramatically on the ground, whimpering in pain. He lay on the ground, sniffling and rubbing his ears, his expression a mix of pain and self-pity. 

With tear-filled eyes, he continued his pitiful plea, "Master, please understand. Hermit doesn't like to crawl into the stinky muck. I just wanted to stink so the monsters wouldn't hunt me. That's how we goblins survive in this forest. The sickening stench is the only thing that keeps the monsters away, but even then, we get killed for their amusement. Please, master, I do not want to stink like poop, but it's the only way for us goblins to survive."

Suzuka remained unimpressed, rolling her eyes at Hermit's melodrama. She nudged him with her foot and said, "Enough drama. Get dressed; I don't want to see your dangling goblin jewels for the entire trip. And I won't tolerate you stinking up the air around me. And no more playing in poop, or I might just leave you behind for the monsters to have their amusement. So get up, get dressed, and let's go! Don't waste daylight; I want to cover as much distance as possible. Now move!"

Hermit, still sniffling and visibly distressed, reluctantly pulled himself up, clumsily dressing himself in a pitiful display of goblin inability. As he wiggled into his ill-fitting garments, he began to whine about his exhaustion, his tiny voice carrying an air of desperation.

 "Master, Hermit's tired! Goblins are not built for such long trips. My little feet hurt, and I can't take another step. Please, carry Hermit. It's too much for a poor goblin like me," he pleaded, his eyes wide with a mix of fatigue and pitiable innocence.