Chapter 264 Hundred Moons

But just as the hatchling was about to splat on the ground, a dark mist enveloped his tiny form, slowing his descent to a gentle glide. With a soft thud, he landed on the ground, bouncing a few times before coming to a rest.

Hermit's gaze snapped to Suzuka, his eyes widening in astonishment and awe. It was she who had intervened, her godly power shielding the hatchling from certain death. At that moment, Hermit's heart swelled with boundless gratitude, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears of relief.

For the first time, he saw Suzuka not as a harbinger of destruction, but as a savior, her divine power extending beyond the realm of chaos to that of salvation. With a trembling lip and a heart overflowing with gratitude, Hermit looked upon Suzuka with newfound reverence, knowing that she had saved not only the hatchling's life but his faith in the goodness of the world.

Tears welled up in Hermit's eyes as he looked upon Suzuka, his heart overflowing with emotion. His lips quivered with unspoken thanks as he rushed forward to cradle the hatchling in his arms, a silent prayer of gratitude echoing in his mind.

Suzuka smiled, her expression radiant with warmth and kindness.

 "You're welcome by the way," she said, her voice soft and gentle.

With a mischievous grin, Suzuka swiftly snatched the poor hatchling from Hermit's trembling hands with a playful "yoink!" causing the tiny creature to squeal in surprise as he dangled from her finger, grasping at it for dear life. Suzuka's eyes sparkled with amusement as she held the hatchling up to eye level, watching with delight as he squirmed in fright at the height he had been lifted to.

"Hey there, little one. Scared of a bit of height, are we? Well, no worries, I will not let you fall." Suzuka cooed, her voice laced with warmth and affection as she examined the tiny goblin with a curious gaze. 

"Tell me, Hermit, when do these little guys grow up? I mean, they're so tiny right now, my fist is practically bigger than them! When will we know they've become fully grown goblins?"

Hermit, still reeling from the shock of having the hatchling snatched from his grasp, could only watch helplessly as Suzuka teased the tiny creature with a playful smirk. His heart clenched with worry for the hatchling, his fragile body seemingly dwarfed by Suzuka's form. 

Hermit's response was timid and trembling as he spoke, "U-um, well, you see, Master Helen," he began, his eyes darting nervously between her and the hatchling dangling from her finger, barely holding on, "t-these hatchlings, they, um, they grow up... roughly in about a month or so. If they're well-fed, they might grow even faster than that. Yes, they can!"

He paused, his words coming out in a hesitant rush as he struggled to continue, "A-and, um, when their... when their tiny tail falls off, that's a sign that they've fully matured." 

Hermit's gaze flickered to the hatchlings nearby, his heart aching with a mixture of sadness and nostalgia. 

"B-but not all of them have tails, I-I was, um, I was tailless when I hatched. It's... it's not uncommon." he confessed quietly, his voice tinged with shame.

He swallowed hard, his throat constricting with emotion as he spoke. 

"Y-you see, Master, hatchlings that come from breeding with humans, they, um, they hatch without tails, but those bred with wild animals or monsters, they hatch with tails. It's... it's just how it is."

His words trailed into an awkward silence, the weight of his insecurities hanging heavy in the air as he awaited Suzuka's response.

 "Hmm, is that so? A little less than a month, you say? Well, that's good to know. And how does evil goblin come about? How do they hatch, don't tell me pathetic slave like you will become an evil goblin one day?"

Hermit's reaction to Suzuka's question bordered on hysteria, his entire body convulsing with the mere notion of becoming an evil goblin. His eyes widened in terror as he swore to Suzuka that such fate would never befall him.

"N-no, no, no! Never! Never in a hundred moons! I-I could never become an evil goblin! I swear it, Master, I swear! Please, you have to believe me!" he yelled, his words tumbling out in a frantic rush. 

His breath came in short, shallow gasps as he struggled to compose himself, his hands clutching at his chest as if to ward off the very idea of such a transformation. With a trembling voice, he continued, "Evil goblins... they're bred differently, Master! Their eggs are laid in the female baby-making hole, but ours... ours are laid in any poop hole. We're... we're nothing but worthless goblins, grown in poop and filth and used and abused for the amusement of the evil goblins. We, goblin slaves, could never become evil. Never! Never I tell you!"

Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke, his entire body shaking with the weight of his despair.

 "And I-I don't want to be like them, I don't want to be evil. Please, you have to believe me. I'm not like them. I'm not... I'm not! I've always believed in the power of peace and friendship. I-I can't stand the thought of hurting anyone or anything, not even with words. All of us goblin slaves are like that. We are good and caring gobbies! Not evil goblins!"

He paused as if gathering his thoughts before continuing in a voice tinged with self-pity.

 "Even when others have treated me so poorly, stepped on me, spit in my face, tormented me, or worse, I've never stooped to their level. I-I refuse to be like them, you see? Violence, anger, hatred... they only lead to more pain and suffering. It's... it's not good, not right. Violence... it's... it's just not right. E-even saying bad words, it's... it's not something I could ever do. I-I just... I just can't."

There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, a fleeting moment of possibility as he dared to imagine a future where he could be more than the coward he saw staring back at him in the mirror.

 "Maybe," he whispered, "maybe... just maybe, I could find the courage to be better. To stand up for what's right, even if it means facing my fears. I may be just a pathetic goblin slave but I believe in something greater than myself. I believe in kindness, compassion, and love. And no matter what happens, I'll never give up on those beliefs. None of us will! Never. Never I say! I will always be a good gobbie!" With a final, shaky breath, he fell silent, his gaze fixed on Suzuka with a mixture of hope and fear.

With a nonchalant shrug, she gently placed the hatchling back into Hermit's trembling hands, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before she turned away.

 "Hmmm... is that so? Well, good to know. Come on then, Preaching Saint Hermit. Let's go find Larry and hear what our next move is, maybe we will get more of your fellow goblins on the next breeding farm." She said mockingly, her voice carrying a note of urgency.

"O-oh, um, okay, I-I'll, uh, I'll follow you." He stammered, his hands trembling as he cradled the hatchling close to his chest.

Suzuka strode confidently towards Larry, Hermit limping along behind her with his head bowed low, a hatchling tightly clutched in his trembling hands while the others nestled happily in the makeshift nest he had fashioned out of his meaty ears, chirping and squealing in his ear cocoon like a chorus of tiny birds. Finding a spot near the crackling fire, Hermit settled on a nearby rock, basking in the soft warmth coming from the flames. Larry greeted them with a warm smile, though his eyes betrayed a hint of concern as he asked about Mia's well-being.

 "Helen, how's Mia? Did she make it back to town safely? And what about Valerius? Is he angry with us for failing the mission?" 

Suzuka flashed Larry a reassuring grin, her eyes sparkling with confidence. 

"Oh, Larry, don't you worry. I took care of everything. Mia was in stable condition when I handed her over to Valerius' men, they took her to Dr. Jenkins. And as for Valerius, well, let's just say I smoothed things over with him. He's not mad about our little mishap. I can assure you, everything is under control. We're back on track and ready for whatever comes next. So? What's it going to be?"

Larry cast a pained glance towards Hermit, whose small, gnarled fingers danced playfully with the hatchlings nestled in his makeshift ear cocoon. Hermit seemed utterly content, his toothy grin illuminated by the flickering flames of the fire.

A weight settled in Larry's chest as he recalled the horrors that had befallen Hermit's fellow goblin slaves, victims of a tragedy that had unfolded because of his misguided actions. He turned back to Suzuka.

"I'm... I'm at a loss, Helen," he confessed, "Part of me wants to retreat to the safety of the town, to regroup and reconsider our approach. After what happened... I just don't know if we're capable of facing another breeding farm."

His gaze flickered back to Hermit, who continued to revel in the company of the hatchlings, oblivious to the weight of the world resting on Larry's shoulders. A pang of guilt shot through him as he thought of the Hermit's misguided plan, the thought of him willingly subjecting himself to further harm, was too much to bear. Hermit's plan to feign injury and deception seemed fraught with danger, a gamble that could cost them dearly if it failed.

"I can't... I can't go along with Hermit's plan," he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. 

"It's too risky, too dangerous. We can't afford to put his life in jeopardy like that every time we raid a goblin nest, no matter how desperate our situation may seem."

 With a reassuring smile, she placed a comforting hand on Larry's shoulder, her touch light yet reassuring.

"Oh, Larry, you worry your handsome head too much. I've got a plan, and I assure you, it'll succeed without Hermit having to suffer a single scratch. You know me, Larry. I've always got a trick up my sleeve. We'll outsmart them at their own game, and Hermit will be safe and sound, I promise. So chin up and be yourself! Be a boisterous Laughing Larry we all know and love. We've got this. And Hermit? Well, he's in good hands with me. Trust me."