Chapter 243 Warm Hug of Comfort

Underneath the table, Hermit trembled like a leaf caught in a storm, his tiny frame quivering with fear. His green skin seemed to pale under the light of the guild hall, and his wide eyes darted around frantically as if searching for an escape route that didn't exist. Every creak of the floorboards sent shivers down his spine, and he clutched onto the table leg for dear life, as if it were the only anchor keeping him from being swept away by his terror.

"Oh, woe is me," Hermit whimpered choked with fear.

 "The realm outside is so big and scary, Master. Filled with monsters and danger at every turn. I'm just a lowly goblin, a feeble creature, not meant for such perilous adventures. The breeding farms were terrible, yes, horrible tortures every day. I feel like a lost child, helpless and alone. I do not want to go there, ever again."

Hermit continued, his voice growing more frantic with each word.

 "What if they catch me, and I'm dragged back to the breeding farms? Oh, the horror of it all! I can't bear the thought of returning to that place, to endure the torment and suffering once more. Better to stay hidden here, safe from harm, than to risk it all out there in the unknown."

As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision and further clouding his already troubled mind. He felt pathetic, a pitiful excuse for a goblin, unworthy of the company of his brave companions. How could he ever hope to face the dangers of the outside world when he couldn't even muster the courage to leave the safety of his hiding spot from under the table?

Suzuka's patience wore thin as she listened to Hermit's pitiful lamentations. The goblin's incessant whining grated on her nerves like nails on a chalkboard, and she could feel her frustration boiling to the surface. With a swift motion, she crouched down beside the trembling creature, her eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and disgust.

Suzuka whispered, her voice low and menacing, "Listen here, you pathetic excuse for a goblin. You think you're the only one who's scared? You think you're the only one who's been through hell? Well, newsflash, buddy, we've all got our demons to face, and hells to cross but we don't let them crush us. We don't hide under tables like spineless cowards, whimpering and moaning about how unfair life is."

Her words cut through the air like a blade, each whispered syllable dripping with scorn and disdain. She had no patience for weakness, especially not from someone like Hermit, who had been given a chance to make a difference but seemed content to wallow in self-pity instead.

 "I am tired of your constant whining and self-pity. Do you think anyone here cares about your feeble excuses? We are on a mission, and your cowardice is holding us back."

With a swift smack across the face, Suzuka's hand connected with Hermit's cheek, the sharp sting reverberating through Hermit's cheek. Her actions were swift and decisive, leaving no room for argument or protest.

"You need to get your shit together. You wanna know what's at stake here, Hermit?" Suzuka continued, her voice low and dangerous.

 "The lives of your fellow goblins, that's what. They're counting on us to save them from a fate worse than death, and you're sitting here feeling sorry for yourself? Pathetic."

 "This is not the time for self-pity and cowardice. Lives are at stake, and we need to act. Do you think your friends in the goblin farms have the luxury of sitting around feeling sorry for themselves? No, they are suffering every moment as we speak, and it's up to you to do something about it."

She glared at him with narrowed eyes, her tone dripping with disdain.

 "You're pathetic, Hermit. You're weak, spineless, and utterly useless. While you're sitting here wallowing in your own misery, your fellow goblins are suffering unimaginable horrors. They need someone strong, someone brave, someone willing to fight for them, and all they get is you, a trembling wreck hiding under a table like a scared little mouse."

Her words were like a slap in the face, each one landing with the force of a sledgehammer, driving home the harsh reality of Hermit's cowardice. But Suzuka wasn't done yet. She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"Do you even realize what's at stake here, Hermit? We're not just talking about your sorry excuse for a life. We're talking about the future of an entire town, a sanctuary for goblins like you who have suffered at the hands of their oppressors. And you dare to sit there and feel sorry for yourself? Disgraceful."

She leaned in closer, her gaze burning into Hermit's eyes with unyielding intensity. 

"You need to forget about yourself for a moment and think about the bigger picture. We are here to help those in need, not to wallow in our weakness. So, pull yourself together, wipe those tears from your eyes, and be the goblin I know you can be. Otherwise, you might as well stay here and rot, because I won't waste my time on someone who's too cowardly to even try."

Her words were harsh and unforgiving, but Suzuka knew that they were necessary. Hermit needed a wake-up call, a harsh dose of reality to snap him out of his self-pitying stupor.

Hermit flinched at her words, his eyes widening in shock and shame. 

"I-I... I want... I want to make... a difference," Hermit stammered through sobs.

But Suzuka wasn't finished. She continued to berate him, each word more cutting than the last, until finally, she delivered the ultimate blow.

"You want to make a difference, Hermit? Then stop being a pathetic coward and start acting like a goblin worth a damn. Stand up, face your fears, and fight for what's right. Because if you don't, then you're just as bad as the monsters you claim to despise."

Hermit recoiled at Suzuka's harsh words as she compared him to evil goblins, each one like a dagger to his fragile ego. The sting of her slap lingered on his cheek, matching the ache in his heart as he struggled to process her brutal lecture. His eyes brimmed with tears, a mixture of shame, hurt, and resentment swirling within him like a turbulent storm.

Done with the goblin, Suzuka straightened up, leaving Hermit cowering under the table. She turned away, frustrated and worried because the goblin faltered at the last moment, crumbling her plans to enslave the rescued goblins to lead them in doing her bidding. She bit onto her nail and with an angry face pondered what to do.

Trembling and on the verge of tears, Hermit clutched the table legs with trembling hands, his tiny frame shaking with the weight of Suzuka's condemnation. The sting of her words burned like acid, searing into his soul and leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable.

But within the torrent of self-loathing and despair, a flicker of defiance sparked within Hermit's chest. Despite the overwhelming sense of inadequacy that threatened to consume him, a small voice whispered in the depths of his mind, urging him to rise above his fear.

With trembling hands and a heart heavy with fear and uncertainty, he slowly released his grip on the table leg, his knuckles white from the strain. Slowly, tentatively, he peeked his head out from under the safety of the table, his eyes still wet with tears. He took a shaky step forward, his heart pounding in his chest like a drumbeat of dread. Each step he took away from the false safety of the table, his legs felt like lead as if every inch forward was a battle against the weight of his cowardice.

But despite the overwhelming fear that threatened to consume him, Hermit knew that he couldn't let Suzuka down. He couldn't let his fellow goblin slaves suffer anymore, trapped in the endless cycle of torment and despair. 

His spindly arm reached out, his fingers trembling as they clutched at Suzuka's sleeve. He looked up at her with wide, pleading eyes, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"I-I'll do it, Master," he choked out, his voice trembling with emotion.

 "I'll show the way to the breeding farms. I'll help save my fellow goblins. I won't hide under the table anymore. I'll do whatever it takes to make things right, for them, for us. For our freedom and happiness."

His voice cracked with emotion, tears streaming down his cheeks unchecked. But despite his fear, despite his overwhelming sense of dread, there was a glimmer of determination in his eyes. He may have been scared, he may have been weak, but he was willing to face his fears and fight for what he believed in.

Suzuka's eyes glinted with a sly, knowing gleam as she watched Hermit talk, his resolve wavering but present. She flashed him a quick, encouraging smile, her voice low and conspiratorial.

"Good choice, Hermit," she said, her tone dripping with fake praise.

 "I knew you had it in you. We'll make a great team, you and I. You are a true hero, Hermit!"

She reached out a hand, resting it gently on his shoulder in a gesture of friendship. Despite the smirk playing at the corners of her lips, there was a genuine warmth in her touch, a silent acknowledgment of the bravery it took for the goblin to step out from his hiding place and face his fears.

"Together, we'll show those goblins what real courage looks like," her words a subtle blend of encouragement and manipulation.

 "And you know what? We'll even find a way to turn the tables on those breeding farms and give your fellow goblins the freedom they deserve."

As Suzuka praised him, a rush of emotions surged through Hermit's tiny frame, catching him off guard. He stood there, frozen for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest as her words sank in. For so long, he had been accustomed to ridicule and mockery, conditioned to believe that he was nothing more than a pitiful, cowardly goblin. But Suzuka's words shattered those beliefs, reaching deep into his wounded soul and stirring something he had long thought dormant.

Tears welled up in Hermit's eyes, but this time they were not tears of sorrow or fear. They were tears of disbelief and gratitude, shimmering like precious gems in the dim light of the guild hall. He blinked them back, trying to compose himself as a lump formed in his throat.

"Th-thank you, Master. I... I never thought... I never thought anyone would believe in me."

He reached up to wipe away the tears, his hand trembling with emotion. Suzuka's praise had touched him to the core, igniting a spark of hope and courage within him that he had thought long extinguished.

"Master! Please, I beg of you. Grant me a little wish," he continued, his voice gaining strength with each word.

 "Master, please. Give Hermit a warm hug of comfort and solace. I beg of you, just this once."