Chapter 397 What if Hermit had lied to her, luring her out into the wilderness as part of some elaborate scheme?

But the more she thought about it, the more crazy idea began to take shape in her mind. What if there was no Kaka? What if Hermit had lied to her, luring her out into the wilderness as part of some elaborate scheme? Her eyes narrowed as the pieces started to fall into place.

 “He played me. That little shit. He lured me out here, far from my town, to get rid of me. Without me, the deal with Valerius is off, and the goblins keep the town. He’s friends with Larry—he could spin some sob story about me dying valiantly to save him. They’d believe him, too. And now he’s gone, left me here to wander until I die. Oh, what a clever boy!”

She clenched her fists, smile curling on her face.

 “He knows the way back, and I don’t. The corrupted magic in the air distorts navigation—I can’t find my way without him. He set me up. He set me up, and I fell for it. I should’ve known better. I should’ve seen it coming. That little goblin always was too clever for his own good. But he’s not as clever as he thinks. If he thinks he can leave me here to die, he’s got another thing coming.”

Suzuka reached into her magic item storage, pulling out a small, glowing crystal. She held it up, the light illuminating the space.

 “I’ll find my way back, with or without him. And when I do, he’s going to regret ever crossing me.”

Suzuka was still in her skimpy underwear, her mind too focused on finding the goblin to care about dressing up. She knelt by the snow-blocked entrance, her enhanced strength making quick work of the icy barrier. With a few sharp punches, she created a small hole, just big enough to peek outside. She leaned forward, her sharp eyes scanning the landscape—only to be immediately slapped in the face by a gust of wind and snow.

“Ugh!” she growled, pulling her head back inside and brushing the snow from her face.

 “This storm isn’t letting up. There’s no way that lousy goblin could’ve left in this weather. So, where the hell is he?”

As if in answer, a faint rustling sound came from behind her. She turned slowly, her eyes narrowing as she focused on her sleeping bag. It was moving, shifting slightly as if something—or someone—was inside.

The rustling stopped for a moment, followed by a soft, pitiful, apologetic whimper. Then, slowly, the zipper of the sleeping bag began to move. A small, trembling hand emerged, followed by a pair of wide, sorrowful eyes. Hermit’s head peeked out, his expression one of pure misery and regret. He didn’t even need to say a word—his face was screaming an apology, begging for forgiveness.

“M-Master... I-I’m so sorry...”

Suzuka’s eyes narrowed, her arms crossing over her big chest.

 “Oh, you’re sorry, are you? Care to explain why you’re in my sleeping bag? I thought you baled on me.”

Hermit’s ears drooped, his entire body trembling as he crawled out of the sleeping bag. He looked like a drowned rat, his skin pale. His movements were slow and awkward, his frostbitten feet dragging across the ground. He knelt before her, his head bowed so low that his forehead almost touched the ground.

“I would never, master. I just, I-I was so cold, Master...” he whimpered, his voice shaking with emotion. 

“The fire went out... I tried to keep it alive, but I fell asleep... When I woke up, I was freezing... I couldn’t move... I couldn’t feel my legs... I thought I was going to die...”

He looked up at her, his eyes filled with tears. 

“I-I saw your sleeping bag... I knew it was wrong, but I just wanted to be warm... I didn’t mean to disturb you, Master... I swear! I just... I just didn’t want to die...”

Suzuka stared at him, her eye twitching in annoyance. Hermit took her silence as a bad sign and began to grovel even more. He pressed his forehead to the ground, his hands clasped together in a desperate plea.

 “P-please, Master... I’ll do anything to make it up to you... I’ll clean your boots every day... I’ll cook for you... I’ll even let you use me as a footrest! Just please... don’t punish me...”

Suzuka took a good look at Hermit as he apologized, her sharp eyes scanning his sorry state. His hands and feet were covered in angry, frostbitten wounds, his skin pale and his body trembling uncontrollably. Even she, with her hardened heart, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity. She sighed, muttering under her breath, “Ugh! Whatever! You’re such a pain, you know that?”

Without another word, she raised her hand, her gravity magic flaring to life. With a sharp motion, she blew open the snow-blocked entrance, the icy barrier shattering and scattering into the storm outside. The wind howled, but Suzuka didn’t flinch. She turned her attention to the fire. She summoned a pile of dry wood from her item storage and set it ablaze with a spark of mana. The fire roared to life, its warmth quickly filling the space and turning into something resembling a sauna.

Hermit stared at her, his eyes wide with awe and gratitude.

Suzuka ignored him, reaching into her item storage once more. She pulled out a small vial filled with a glowing, red liquid. She tossed it to Hermit, her tone brusque. 

“Drink this. The usual potion. It’ll heal you. And don’t drop it.”

Hermit caught the vial with trembling hands, his eyes filling with tears. 

“T-thank you, Master...”

 He uncorked the vial and drank the potion in one gulp, the liquid warming him from the inside out. The angry wounds on his hands and feet began to heal, the frostbite fading as his skin regained its natural color. He let out a sigh of relief, his body relaxing for the first time in hours.

 Then she sat down on her sleeping bag and pulled out a bundle of soft, warm pelts from her item storage, along with a sewing kit. She began to cut and stitch the pelts together. Hermit watched in silence, too afraid to ask what she was doing.

After a few minutes, Suzuka held up the finished product—a thick, warm coat made from the softest pelt. She tossed it to Hermit, her tone casual. 

“Here. Put this on. And don’t get it dirty, or I’ll make you clean it.”

Hermit caught the coat, his eyes wide with disbelief.

 “M-Master... you made this for me?”

Suzuka rolled her eyes, her cheeks tinged with the faintest hint of pink.

 “Don’t get the wrong idea. I just didn’t want to listen to you whine about the cold anymore. And if you freeze to death, I’ll have to carry your body back, and that’s just annoying.”

Before Hermit could respond, she pulled out another set of pelts and began stitching again. This time, she made a pair of boots, their soles thick and sturdy to protect against the snow. She tossed them to Hermit, her tone just as dismissive as before. 

“And these. Put them on. Your feet look like they’ve been through a meat grinder.”

Hermit’s eyes filled with tears as he pulled on the coat and boots, the warmth immediately soothing his aching body. 

“T-thank you, Master... I-I don’t know what to say...”

Suzuka crossed her arms, looking away as if embarrassed.

 “You don’t have to say anything. Just don’t freeze to death, alright? I’ve got enough to deal with without having to babysit you.”

Hermit nodded, his gratitude shining through despite her harsh words.

 “Y-yes, Master... I won’t let you down...”

Suzuka sighed, muttering under her breath as she turned back to the fire. 

“You’d better not.”

The space inside the hollow stump had become unbearably hot, the roaring fire turning the cramped shelter into a makeshift sauna. Suzuka sat on her sleeping bag, her skin glistening with a thin layer of sweat. She was down to her skimpy underwear, the heat too much for even her enhanced body to handle comfortably. Across the fire, Hermit stood bundled in his new coat and boots, looking cozy and content despite the sweltering temperature.

Suzuka wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, her expression one of mild irritation.

 “Okay, this is it,” she muttered, standing up and stretching. 

“I’m stepping outside for a moment. I need fresh air.”

Hermit’s eyes widened in shock as he took in her state of undress. 

“M-Master Helen!” he stammered, his voice rising in panic.

 “But outside is so cold! There’s so much of that white stuff falling—cold stuff! And you’re going out like that? Covering your body from the cold with just these few strings? You’ll freeze!”

Suzuka raised an eyebrow, her tone dry as she gestured to her skimpy outfit.

 “This? This is practically a winter coat compared to the weather. Besides, I’ll be fine. It’s not even that cold outside—barely cold enough to keep the snow from turning to water. So, relax Hermit. I’m not as fragile as you are. A little snow isn’t going to kill me. I’ll be back in a minute. Just keep the fire going if you're that cold.”

With that, she stepped outside, the cold air hitting her like a slap. The storm had lessened, but snow still fell in thick, heavy flakes, covering the landscape in a blanket of white. Suzuka took a deep breath, the crisp air filling her lungs as she stretched her arms above her head. The cold barely registered to her, her enhanced body radiating enough warmth to keep her comfortable even in the freezing temperatures.

Hermit peeked out from the entrance, his face pale with worry. 

“M-Master... are you sure you’re okay?”

Suzuka turned to him, her smirk widening. 

“See? I’m fine. You’re the one who looks like you’re about to freeze just standing there. Go back inside before you catch a cold.”