Chapter 180 A Voice From The Shadows

He hugged himself tightly as if trying to shield his fragile form from the cruel world surrounding him.

As he inched closer and closer to the reception desk another faint giggle echoed through the guild hall. Whimpering like a lost and frightened goblin, he uttered a string of desperate sounds, trying to communicate his anguish and plea for mercy.

"W-Wha-wha... Who's there? P-P-Please, s-stay away! H-Hermit's just a poor, helpless goblin... N-N-No harm intended, p-please..."

His bloodshot eyes darted around wildly, scanning every shadow and corner for the tiniest sign of danger. Every creak and whisper of the building seemed amplified, sending shivers down his spine. His ears, now standing erect and fully alert, seemed to twitch at the slightest noise, their sensitivity heightened by the overwhelming fear.

"Eeeee... what was that? Is someone coming? Hermit's not ready, oh no, oh no..."

As he took another hesitant step, his lips quivered uncontrollably, and his teeth chittered together like a cacophony of bone. The fear that gripped him was so intense that it felt like he was walking through the coldest blizzard, his very soul shivering with trepidation.

"U-Uuuh... M-Master, please, s-spare me. I-I'll do anything, don't hurt me... I-I'm just a small goblin, I-I'm no threat, I s-swear..."

As he reached the desk, he pressed himself against it, trying to blend in with the surroundings, praying that he could escape the gaze of whatever unseen dangers were lurking nearby.

"G-g-goblins should be in caves... s-s-safe in warm caves... not here, not here!"

Whimpering and cowering, Hermit huddled against the desk wall, his heart pounding like a wild drumbeat in his chest. He peered around with wide, fearful eyes, searching for any sign of the unseen menace that lurked in the shadows. His breath came in rapid gasps as he tried to steady himself, his tiny body trembling with both fear and anticipation.

"Please, please, please, let me be invisible," he muttered under his breath, his voice quivering with terror.

"I don't want to be seen. I don't want to be caught. I just want to disappear..."

His lips twitched, and his pointy ears flattened against his head as he pressed himself further against the table wall, as if trying to meld into its very surface. But even as he tried to blend in, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, that a malevolent gaze bore into his very soul.

The goblin's heart leaped into his throat as he heard a distant rustle, the sound sending shivers down his spine.

"Wh-Who's there?" he stammered, his voice quivering with fright.

"I-I'm just a little goblin, please, I mean no harm!"

Suddenly, a voice boomed from the shadows, a chilling echo that sent a shiver down Hermit's spine.

"Boooo!"

A guttural shriek escaped Hermit's lips, and he leaped into the air, his limbs flailing wildly in all directions. His heart raced, and his breath came in short, panicked bursts as he crashed back to the ground in a tangled heap.

"A-Ahhhh! What was that?! Who's there? Please, please don't hurt me, please have mercy! Wreee!" he wailed, his voice a high-pitched squeak.

Lisanna stepped out from behind the reception desk, her face contorted into a sinister grin, and her eyes gleamed with a menacing glint. She reveled in the sight of Hermit's frightened expression, clearly amused by the terror she had instilled in him.

Hermit's wide eyes darted between Lisanna and the reception desk, his heart pounding like a wild drumbeat in his tiny chest. He let out a whimpering squeak, trying to speak but his voice trembled with fear, "M-Master Lisanna, w-why... why would you...?"

Lisanna's laughter echoed through the room, a cruel symphony that only intensified Hermit's anxiety. His voice wavered as he continued, "T-That was n-not... fair... You scared Hermit, M-Master Lisanna, you s-scared me real bad."

Lisanna raised an eyebrow, enjoying the goblin's fearful response. She mocked him, "Scared, are we, little goblin? How adorable. You know, I just couldn't resist playing a little prank on you. It's amusing to see how easily you fall for it."

Hermit's ears drooped even further, his body trembling like a leaf in a storm. He stammered, "I-I am a g-goblin, M-Master Lisanna. I g-get scared easily, but you shouldn't... t-terrify me like t-this. It's n-not right."

With each word, Hermit's voice grew weaker, his goblin accent becoming more pronounced as he struggled to find the courage to speak. His fingers fidgeted nervously, and he gulped audibly, trying to steady himself.

Lisanna's laughter subsided, and she crossed her arms, relishing in the power she held over the timid goblin.

"Oh, don't be such a baby. It's just a harmless prank," she taunted, her voice dripping with condescension.

"You're a goblin, after all. Shouldn't you be used to a little scare here and there?"

Hermit's eyes welled up with tears, but he tried to hold them back, not wanting to appear weak in front of Lisanna. He sniffled, trying to regain some composure, but his voice quivered, "I-I may be a g-goblin, b-but I'm still a living... b-being. I h-have feelings and fears... j-just like anyone else."

Lisanna rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by Hermit's attempt at standing up for himself. She sauntered closer to him, her expression mocking, "Oh, spare me the sentimental nonsense. You're just a pathetic little creature, nothing more. And you will never be anything more than a sniveling goblin used for others' amusement."

Hermit's breath hitched, but he refused to back down. His eyes flashed with a glimmer of defiance as he spoke, "I-I may be a g-goblin, but I'm n-not pathetic. I h-have my o-own strengths and w-worth. Y-you shouldn't treat me like... like..."

Lisanna dismissed Hermit's attempts to explain himself, cutting him off with a dismissive wave.

"Enough of your whining," she sneered, looking down at him with disdain.

"You're nothing but a lowly goblin, and you should be grateful for any attention you get. It's boring here, goblin, entertain me."

"W-what?" he stammered, hardly believing his ears.

Lisanna smirked a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"I am bored, and Helen is in the training room. I'll give you a chance to entertain me, and if you succeed, I'll consider applying the elixir that will restore your ears. Now... Make me laugh, goblin."

Hermit's heart raced with a mix of fear and hope as Lisanna offered him a chance to regain his most treasured possession - his precious ears. In a desperate attempt to entertain her and secure the elixir, he began.

His dance resembled a haphazard blend of a frog leaping, a chicken flapping its wings, and a penguin waddling awkwardly. He hopped from one foot to the other, arms flailing in all directions, and his feet tripping over themselves as he struggled to maintain any semblance of rhythm. It was a spectacle that would have made even the most talented jesters cringe in embarrassment.

As he danced, Hermit attempted to sing a song to amuse Lisanna, but his voice cracked and squeaked like a rusty door hinge. He belted out a nonsensical tune that sounded like a combination of high-pitched screeches and garbled gibberish. It was as if he had swallowed a kazoo and a mouthful of marbles simultaneously, producing a sound that was both hilarious and creaking.

With each attempted note, Hermit's voice wavered between desperate enthusiasm and fearful whimpers. He chanted words that imitated a goblin speaking, trying to impress Lisanna, but it only added to the comical tragedy of his performance.

"Ukka bokka, feeble goblin dance! Grrraaak! Chaka grumbles master's wish I will enhance! Eeep eep! Pleasure, treasure, and my floppy ears! Garggle sputter, my fate appears!"

"Zibbity zobbity zee, in a goblin's life so free, twirl and swirl, a jubilee, let's all dance and feel the glee!"

"Rumpity bumpity, jiggity joo, Hermit the goblin, dancing for you! Wobble and stumble, a silly sight, Hermit's dance, a pitiful flight!"

His words were an incomprehensible mishmash of goblin-sounding noises, like a child trying to mimic a language they had never heard before. Each time he stumbled over the words, he would let out a pitiful whimper, hoping it would add a touch of emotion to his pathetic display.

As Hermit danced and sang, sweat poured down his brow, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Despite his best efforts, it was clear that his performance was anything but entertaining. Yet, he pushed on, fueled by the desire to reclaim his ears and the elixir that promised to restore them.

As the awkward spectacle continued, Lisanna watched with an amused yet unimpressed expression. Her lips curled into a sly smile as she enjoyed Hermit's futile attempts to make her laugh. It was evident that she was thoroughly entertained by his misshapen display of dance and song.

Hermit's heart sank with each passing moment, but he refused to give up. He knew that the chance to restore his ears was slipping away, and he would do anything to earn Lisanna's approval. He kept flapping, hopping, and screeching, his voice cracking and trembling with every note.

Finally, when he could take no more, he collapsed in a heap, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His ears drooped even further, and his face flushed with exhaustion. He looked up at Lisanna, his eyes pleading for mercy.

Lisanna chuckled softly, "Oh, Hermit, that was quite a spectacle you put on. You've certainly amused me with your peculiar dance and song." She paused for a moment, her smile widening.

"I'll give you credit for your effort, and it did make me laugh, in its own bizarre way."

Hermit's heart lifted at the faint glimmer of hope in her words. He dared to hope that his clumsy performance had won him the elixir he so desperately desired.

"However," Lisanna continued, "I'm afraid your dance alone isn't enough. You'll have to prove yourself further if you want that elixir."

Hermit's ears drooped even lower, his hopes dashed once again. He knew that the road to redemption and the restoration of his ears would not be easy, but he was determined to keep trying. With newfound resolve, he looked up at Lisanna and said, "I'll do whatever it takes, Master Lisanna. Please, give me another chance."