Chapter 186 A New Beginning of a Friendship

Hermit, his goblin eyes still glistening with tears, looked up at Larry with a mixture of fear and anguish. In a soft, hesitant voice, he confessed, "But, Larry, it was not a dream. I swear."

Larry's hand, which had been gently patting Hermit's bald head, froze mid-air. He gazed down at Hermit, his brow furrowing in concern.

"Hermit, little buddy," Larry began, his tone gentle but firm, "I understand that dreams can sometimes be very graphic and feel real, but you shouldn't go around blaming people without clear evidence. Honesty is important, Hermit. Nobody likes liars. Now, be a good boy and say sorry to the one you accused without reason."

Larry then turned his attention to David, his expression reflecting both disappointment and the hope for reconciliation.

 "And you, David," he said, his voice tinged with authority, "apologize to Hermit for everything you did to him. No more fighting. We need to move forward as friends."

Hermit's fear clung to him like a shadow as he clutched Larry's leg, his tiny goblin heart racing with fear and uncertainty, dread washing over him like a relentless tide. The belief that Larry didn't trust his words sent a chilling shiver through him. He struggled to speak, his voice choked with emotion. In a trembling voice, he stammered, "I... I'm... soh-sorry. I..."

David, understanding the gravity of his actions and the fear he had instilled in Hermit, decided to take a different approach. With a graceful gesture, he tucked one hand behind him and elegantly bent his knee toward Hermit, his voice soft and sincere as he spoke, "Hermit, I am very sorry for hitting you. I was wrong in my assumptions. I believed you to be some kind of evil goblin spy, a threat to our people, and an evil monster waiting to stab us in the back. But now, Larry's words have opened my eyes and I see that you are not evil goblin. Please forgive me, I am truly sorry, Hermit."

As Hermit, David, and Larry reconciled and promised to move forward together, Lisanna and Suzuka, who had been observing the entire exchange, struggled to stifle their laughter. Their faces turned a shade of crimson as they attempted to maintain their composure, but the absurdity of David's less-than-convincing performance was simply too much to handle.

Lisanna exchanged a mischievous glance with Suzuka, who was fighting back a fit of giggles, and they both burst into laughter. 

Suzuka, wiping away tears of mirth, managed to speak between giggles, "Oh, David, you really need to work on your acting skills. You had us all fooled for a second there!"

Lisanna, still chuckling, chimed in, "Yeah, that dramatic bow was... something else. What's next? Are you gonna kiss that goblin princess? Hahaha!"

David, realizing the comedic effect of his over-the-top performance, couldn't help but grin sheepishly. 

"What? Hey! I am serious here. I am not acting. I am sorry for hitting Hermit!"

 He whispered quietly to himself under his breath, "For hitting not hard enough." 

Hermit timidly stepped from behind Larry's leg, his eyes wide with surprise and hope. He stammered, "R-really, Master David? You won't hurt Hermit anymore? No more humiliation and torture? Really, you swear? A promise? A promise is something never to be broken, will Master David do that for Hermit? You will?"

David chuckled warmly, his previous anger transformed into genuine remorse and goodwill.

 "You know what, Hermit? To make amends for what I've done to you in the past, I'll look after you for the rest of the day. We can go to the best food places in town, and have fun, just the two of us. We will go around town like two best pals. How does that sound? A fresh start to our friendship."

Hermit's response was a high-pitched squeal of terror, his anxiety spiking at the mere thought of being left alone with David.

"Wreeeeeeeeeee! No, please! Not alone with David! Please, no! Wreeeee! Reeeee! Oh, please, not with him! I... I can't! Eeeeeek!"

His goblin-like cries filled the room, and his fear intensified. Hermit stumbled backward, his goblin features twisted with dread, and he quickly sought refuge behind Larry's protective presence. Clinging to Larry's legs, he hugged and kissed them frantically, his voice quivering with desperation.

"Larry! Please! I beg you not to leave me alone with him! Please!"

Larry, deeply moved by Hermit's fear, knelt down and gently picked him up, cradling him in his arms. He spoke softly to both Hermit and David, his voice filled with reassurance.

"It's alright, Hermit. David promised not to hurt you and he is trying to fix his wrongdoings on you, you should give him one last chance at least. And David, if you are lying and you thinking about hurting the goblin, I will never forgive you that. You promised and a man never breaks his promise, so we better work things out together, as friends."

Hermit, still trembling, buried his face in Larry's shoulder, relieved to have his protector by his side. His tiny scrawny arms wrapped tightly around Larry and his eyes glistened with tears. His throat is constricted by lingering pain of sorrow preventing him from speaking his mind, his words coming out in sobs, "L... Larry! I... I... I want... I want to be... to be friends! With... everyone! L-Larry I do! I... do!"

Larry patted Hermit gently on the head and spoke in a reassuring tone, "Now, now, little buddy, there's no need to cry. It's alright; it's all going to be alright. David is trying to be better, to be friendly. You should accept his generous offer and go with him. Not just to make up with him but also to experience the town, meet people, see places, and taste delicious food. David's treating you. Making friends is important, and this is the best way to start. Didn't you say that you want to walk the streets as a free goblin? Among the people? This is your chance, little buddy."

Hermit, still sniffling but gradually calming down in the safety of Larry's arms, peeked out from his hiding place in Larry's shoulder. He wiped away his remaining tears with the back of his hand and sniffed loudly.

With heartwrenching sobs accompanying his words, "Hic... You're right, Larry. Hic... I do want to be a free goblin, to walk among people, and... hic... experience the town."

 Hermit's voice wavered, "Hic... I'll give it a try, Larry. But... hic... promise you won't go far, and you'll come back soon? And give me warm hugs and cradle me in your arms, and hold me tight, and not let go, give me belly rubs, and ear rubs?"

Larry smiled warmly at Hermit, his heart swelling with pride for his goblin friend's courage. He hugged Hermit gently and replied, "Of course, Hermit. I'll be here, waiting for you. And remember, David will look out for you too. You'll have a great time, little buddy."

Larry then turned to David, his eyes piercing with a warning that left no room for vagueness.

 "David, if you're pretending and attempting to deceive me just to harm the goblin, I will have nothing more to do with you. Our friendship will be over, and there will be no force on earth that could change my mind."

David gulped nervously but met Larry's gaze with sincerity.

 "You have my word, Larry. I won't lay a finger on this goblin. No harm will come by my hand, not in the slightest. I swear it on everything dear to me."

Larry, with Hermit nestled protectively in his arms, approached David, their eyes locked in a mutual understanding. As he gently handed Hermit over, the goblin stirred, his grip on Larry weakening, and a tremor running through his frail form. Hermit whimpered timidly, his voice laden with fear and submission, "Please, Master David, do not bestow harm upon me. I submit. I will behave and be a good boy. No torment, please."

David peered down at the pitiful goblin cradled in his arms, curled up in a ball of pathetic vulnerability. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, a sinister undercurrent beneath his seemingly jovial tone.

 "Hehe, oh Hermit, don't you worry, my boy. We're going to have so much fun together, you won't forget it for the rest of your life! So, turn that frown upside down, little buddy! We're going to have a blast!"

Hermit, however, quivered in terror at the prospect of what awaited him. He could barely control his fear as he listened to his tormentor's excited words. His tiny form shook with sobs, and his trembling arms slapped against his face as he tried to wipe away his tears. His meaty ears drooped low in submission, reflecting his profound anxiety about the adventures that lay ahead.

With Hermit handed over to David, Larry's attention shifted to Suzuka, and he approached her with a confident swagger. 

"Helen, this is working out just fine," he remarked with a self-assured grin.

With a quiet voice Larry continued, "Since David's got the goblin-watching duty for the day, I've got a proposition for you. There are some important folks I want you to meet. They've been itching to get a glimpse of you, especially after I dropped some charming hints about your skills in the heat of battle. And let's cut to the chase, there might be some serious coin involved for you."

Suzuka considered Larry's proposal for a moment, her interest piqued by his confident demeanor and the mansion of a coin. After a brief pause, she nodded with a sly smile and replied, "Serious coin, eh? Well, why not? I don't see any harm in meeting them for starters. With Hermit off my hands, I suppose we can go even right now."

With their plans set, Larry and Suzuka exited the guild, leaving David and Hermit behind to resolve their differences and, hopefully, embark on a new path toward friendship and understanding.

Hermit found himself cradled in the arms of David, his tormentor. His goblin features were contorted with fear and anguish, tears streaming down his cheeks as he watched Larry, his friend and protector, walk away from the guild hall.

Hermit's scrawny arms extended toward Larry, trembling with a desperate longing to reach out to him, to call out one last time, but his voice failed him. All he could manage was a timid cry, a pitiful whimper that echoed through the hall, a sound that held the weight of his sadness and fear.

"La-arry," he whimpered, his voice barely a timid cry, "Pl-please... don't... go." His words were a lament of sorrow, a desperate plea for the one person who had shown him kindness and acceptance.

But Larry, unaware of Hermit's plight, continued to walk away, leaving Hermit in the clutches of his tormentor, his heart heavy with the knowledge that his friend was now out of reach.

As Larry made his way towards the exit, David called out one more time, his voice tinged with false sincerity and a hint of malice, "Don't worry about the goblin, Larry. I'll take really good care of him. A real good."

The guild hall's doors closed behind Larry with a finality that seemed to seal Hermit's fate, and Hermit's cries of despair grew louder, echoing through the empty hall as he watched his only hope for salvation disappear into the distance.

However, Hermit, still gripped by fear and anxiety, couldn't contain his panic. He let out a high-pitched, terrified squeak, "Eeeeek!" and began to wriggle frantically in David's arms, struggling to free himself the moment Larry walked out of the room.

David, surprised by Hermit's reaction, loosened his hold, allowing the goblin to squirm out of his grasp. Hermit fell face first on the floor with a painful thud, his goblin features contorted in fear and pain as he was sprawled on the ground and stared up at David, his breaths coming in rapid, anxious bursts.

David knelt down, his earlier assurance replaced with scorn to intensify Hermit's trauma. He spoke softly, "Ooopsie. Do not squirm so much, little buddy, look what happened. You fell and hurt yourself. I am not responsible if you hurt yourself."