Chapter 395 Consequences of Your Actions

Outside, the storm raged on, unrelenting. The wind howled like a pack of wolves, its icy fingers clawing at anything exposed. Snow fell in thick, blinding sheets, piling up against the roots of the stump and threatening to block the entrance entirely. The temperature had dropped even further, the cold so intense that even the fire inside the hollow seemed to struggle against it.

Suzuka glanced toward the entrance, her sharp eyes narrowing as she assessed the situation.

 “Well, shit. Looks like we’re not going anywhere anytime soon. That storm’s not letting up. We can't go back even if we wanted to.”

Hermit shivered, though whether it was from the cold or the thought of being stuck in the hollow for who knew how long, it was hard to say.

 “H-how long do you think it’ll last?”

Suzuka shrugged, leaning back against the wall. 

“Hard to say. Could be a day. Could be two. Maybe longer, if we’re unlucky. Either way, we’re not going anywhere until it clears up. So, you might as well get comfortable.”

Hermit groaned, his shoulders slumping. 

“C-comfortable? In here?”

“Hey, it’s better than being out there. Trust me, you wouldn’t last five minutes in that snowstorm. At least in here, you’ve got a fire and... well, rotting wood to snack on.”

Another gust of wind rattled the stump, sending a fine dusting of snow swirling into the hollow. Suzuka reached out and brushed it off her shoulder, unbothered.

 “See what I mean? Out there, you’d be a goblin-sicle in no time. In here, you’ve got a fighting chance. So quit complaining and make the best of it.”

Hermit sighed, his shoulders slumping as he turned back to the rotting wood. 

“Y-yes, Master...”

As the storm continued to rage outside, Suzuka reached into her magic item storage once more, this time pulling out a thick, warm sleeping bag. She shook it out, the material unfurling with a soft whoosh, and laid it on the ground.

Hermit watched with wide eyes, his jaw dropping as Suzuka began to unclasp her skimpy armor. She stripped down to her equally skimpy underwear, which left little to the imagination, and quickly slipped into the sleeping bag. She zipped it up to her chin, letting out an exaggerated moan of contentment as she snuggled into the soft fabric.

“Ohhh, this is amazing,” she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. 

“So warm... so soft... it’s like a lover’s embrace. Like a warm hug on a cold day. Honestly, I could stay like this forever. Mmmmm... so good. This must be the best sleeping bag I had yet!”

Hermit stared at her, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. He hugged himself tightly, his body shivering as the cold intensified. His eyes were fixed on the sleeping bag, his arm instinctively reaching toward it as if drawn by some invisible force. The fire crackled nearby, but it did little to ease the chill that had seeped into his bones.

Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, Hermit let out a pathetic whimper.

 “M-Master... p-please... could I... could I maybe... share the sleeping bag with you? Just for a little while? I-I’m so cold...”

Suzuka turned her head to look at him, her expression one of mock surprise.

 “Share the sleeping bag? With you? Oh, Hermit, that’s adorable.”

Hermit’s ears drooped, his hope fading fast. 

“P-please, Master... I-I’ll be quiet... I won’t take up much space... I will sleep by your feet...”

Suzuka chuckled, her tone light and teasing.

 “Oh, I’m sure you would love that, you creep. But how about no? You had your chance to prepare, remember? You chose to rush off without so much as a blanket. So now you get to learn the consequences of your actions.”

Hermit whimpered, his voice trembling.

 “B-but Master... I-I’m sorry... I regret, I am. You were right, and I was wrong.”

“Yeah, I know,” Suzuka interrupted, her smirk widening.

 “And now you’re paying the price. But hey, look on the bright side—this is a learning experience. Next time, maybe you’ll think twice before charging into a snowstorm unprepared.”

Hermit’s shoulders slumped, his expression one of utter defeat. He curled up into a ball by the fire, his body shivering as he tried to conserve what little warmth he had left. Suzuka watched him for a moment, her smirk fading into something softer, almost sympathetic. But she didn’t offer to share the sleeping bag. Instead, she instructed.

“Alright, listen up, Hermit. I’m about to get some sleep, so here’s what you’re going to do: keep the fire going. Not for my sake—I’m warm and cozy in here—but for yours. If you let that fire go out, you’ll freeze to death before morning. So, you’d better keep it alive. Got it?”

Hermit nodded weakly, his teeth still chattering. 

“Y-yes, Master...”

“But don’t get carried away. If you add too much wood, the fire will get too strong, and we’ll either suffocate from the smoke or, worse, you’ll set this whole stump on fire. And trust me, if that happens, I’m leaving you behind. Understood?”

“U-understood, Master...”

With a sigh, she reached into her magic item storage and pulled out a piece of cloth. It was stained with what could only be described as questionable liquids—dark splotches that looked suspiciously like dried blood, mud, and something else Hermit didn’t even want to think about. The cloth reeked, the smell so pungent that Hermit’s nose wrinkled in disgust the moment it entered the air.

“Here,” Suzuka said, tossing the cloth at him.

 “Don’t say I didn’t do anything for you.”

Hermit caught the cloth instinctively, then immediately regretted it as the stench hit him full force. He gagged, holding it at arm’s length as if it were a live snake. 

“M-Master... what is this?”

Suzuka smirked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. 

“It’s a cloth. I used it to clean the filth off my boots. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing. Wrap it around yourself if you’re cold. Or don’t. I don’t really care.”

Hermit stared at the cloth, his expression a mix of horror and disbelief.

 “B-but... it smells worse than a rotting corps.”

With a resigned sigh, he wrapped the foul-smelling cloth around his shoulders, trying to ignore the stench. It was damp and cold, but it did provide a thin layer of insulation against the chill.

Suzuka chuckled, her eyes closing as she snuggled deeper into her sleeping bag. 

“There you go. Now you’ve got something to keep you warm. And remember—keep that fire alive. If I wake up and find you frozen because you let it go out, you’re going to regret it.”

Hermit nodded, “Y-yes, Master...”

Suzuka smirked, her tone softening just a fraction. 

“Good. Now quit whining and get to work. And try not to burn the place down.”

Hermit sat hunched on a small rock, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped tightly around himself in a feeble attempt to conserve warmth. The foul-smelling cloth Suzuka had tossed him was draped over his shoulders and head, its reek making his eyes water, but he didn’t dare remove it. It was the only thing keeping the biting cold at bay, even if it felt like wearing a dead animal.

The fire crackled softly in front of him, its warm glow flickering against the walls of the hollow. Hermit’s trembling hands reached out to toss another stick into the flames, his movements slow and clumsy from exhaustion. His eyelids felt like they were made of lead, each blink lasting longer than the last. The sound of the wind howling outside and the soft, relentless patter of snow against the stump were like a lullaby, coaxing him toward sleep.

But he couldn’t sleep. Suzuka’s words echoed in his mind.

 "Keep the fire alive. If you let it go out, you’ll freeze to death."

He shook his head, forcing himself to stay awake. His fingers fumbled for another stick, his breath coming out in shallow, visible puffs as he fed it to the fire.

The cold was relentless, seeping into his bones no matter how close he sat to the flames. His toes were numb, his fingers stiff and clumsy, and his teeth chattered so hard it made his jaw ache. But worse than the cold was the exhaustion. Every fiber of his being screamed for rest, his body begging him to close his eyes, just for a moment.

Hermit’s mind drifted, the flickering flames pulling him into a haze of memories. He thought of Kaka—his laughter, his kindness, the way he’d always looked out for Hermit when they were trapped in the breeding farms. Kaka had been more than a friend; he’d been family. Hermit’s Dada, his Muma, his everything. And now, after all these years, he was so close. He could feel it. Kaka was out there, waiting for him.

The thought of finally being reunited with Kaka was the only thing keeping him going. It was the spark that kept him fighting, even as his body begged him to give up. He imagined the look on Kaka’s face when he saw him again—the surprise, the joy, the relief. He imagined the warmth of Kaka’s embrace, the way it would chase away the cold and the pain and the years of loneliness.

A small, weak smile tugged at Hermit’s lips as he stared into the flames.

 “H-hold on, Kaka, I’m coming... I’m coming for you...”

Hermit’s eyelids grew heavier with every passing moment, his body swaying slightly as he fought to stay awake. His hands trembled as he reached for another stick, but his movements were slow and clumsy, his fingers fumbling as if they no longer belonged to him.