Chapter 168 Sitting on a Bench

Hermit rolled to the side, his body aching with pain, he pushed himself up to sit down, each movement sending waves of agony through his battered form.

His face was smushed, covered in the raccoon's disgraceful spit. With one hand, he attempted to wipe away the repulsive remnants of the raccoon's stinking saliva, only to find that the thick spittle stubbornly clung to his skin. His futile attempt only smudged the vile fluid all over his face.

His face contorted with anguish, and he tried once more to rid himself of the repugnant spit.

 "Uuughhh! Why won't it come off? It's like sticky slime from the pits of despair... Hermit's face... now tainted with this filth... ughh! Come on! Come off!"

 In addition to the spit-inflicted humiliation, he winced as the pain in his broken ribs intensified with every movement. With a grimace of pain, he clutched his side, trying to put pressure on the injured area, but it brought little relief. Each breath he took felt like daggers stabbing at his chest, causing searing pain to course through his frail body. 

"Ughh... m-master... it hurts so much... Hermit's poor body... aches like a thousand stabbing knives... w-why... did that vile raccoon do this to me?"

"Oh! I don't know, maybe because your stupid ass picked a fight with him and he handed it to you?" Suzuka answered with a sarcastic tone.

Adding insult to injury, Hermit attempted to lift his ears, seeking solace in their once magnificent appearance. A source of pride and identity for him, which had once fluttered like majestic sails.

 But now they bore the scars of the confrontation. Hermit's once magnificent ears, resembling grand sails in the wind, now lay broken and mangled as the folding chair had mercilessly crushed them in half, leaving them in two halves, limp and lifeless. His once glorious sails now hung down like a broken branch, a cruel reminder of the relentless punishment he endured. The sight of his once-proud ears, now in ruins, only added to his sense of defeat.

Hermit's quivering voice trembled as he tried to speak, "M-M-Master Helen... my e-ears... they were... so grand, so magnificent... b-but now... sniff... they're shattered... sniffle... like a broken twig... a-and it's a-all my fault..."

Tears streamed down Hermit's cheeks, intermingling with the traces of dirt and the vile spit. The weight of defeat pressed heavily upon him as he cradled his broken ears, their lifelessness a cruel reminder of his vulnerability.

"S-stupid chair! My b-b-beautiful ears, once so b-b-beautiful, now reduced to... to this pitiful sight! It was a part of me, my identity, and now..." He touched the broken remnants of his once majestic ears, tears streaming down his dirt-streaked face.

The excruciating pain did not end there. His legs now weakened and burning from the relentless stretching inflicted by the raccoon's Boston Crab, trembled uncontrollably beneath him. Each movement sent a surge of agony through his frail body, leaving him on the brink of collapse.

As Hermit sat on the cold pavement, whimpering softly, his spirit felt shattered alongside his wounded form. He felt defeated and broken, the pain of the battle leaving him feeling vulnerable and lost.

"M-Master," Hermit's voice trembled with anguish, "M-Master... Hermit failed... Hermit is hungry... humiliated... hurt... and in pain... The tummy is making noise, asking for food. Tummy hurts. Ouchie, everything hurts, owie! Magnificent ears have broken... precious treasure lost forever..."

Suzuka, in her casual manner, responded, "But you are always like this, Hermit. You humiliate and hurt yourself every five minutes. No need to be so melodramatic; your every day is like this. Come on, get back on your feet, and let's go."

Hermit whimpered, his tears mingling with the vile spit on his defiled face. 

"You are right, Master Helen. Hermit sometimes forgets how unfortunate Hermit is. The Master is right; no need to feel down."

Summoning his last reserves of strength, Hermit stood up, limping toward the nearby dumpster. 

With trembling and exhausted hands, he desperately searched through the trash, hoping to find some overlooked morsel of food. The stench of the trash filled the air as he rummaged through the filth but his efforts were in vain; there was nothing even close to being called sustenance.

Suzuka, growing bored of the beaten-up goblin's plight, scolded him, "Goddammit, stop rustling through the trash. You will stink horribly! It's only morning, and you already got yourself beat up and all dirty. And the day has just started. I wonder how else you will torment yourself today, hmm?"

Hermit pleaded, "Master, Hermit is very unfortunate. Hermit has low luck."

"Yeah, I can tell." Suzuka let out a sigh, and after a brief pause, she said, "You know what? The performance and acting you two just did were amazing! Felt like I was watching a real wrestling match. Even though you lost, I think I will reward you with a meal... Just this time, don't pull the food out of your stomach, okay? I'm still gagging from remembering the sight."

Hermit's beaten face contorted into a smile, one that would shatter a mirror, as he joyfully expressed his gratitude, "Really? Will Master really grant Hermit feed? Thank you! Thank you!"

Hermit fell to his knees before Suzuka, his battered body trembling with both fear and gratitude. He pathetically crawled closer to her boots, his broken-in-half ears drooping like wilted petals. 

With a whimpering voice, he pleaded, "Master, oh kind and powerful Master, thank you, thank you for sparing poor Hermit's miserable existence a feed. Hermit is eternally indebted to your divine generosity."

His voice quivered as he continued, "Your boots, oh glorious Master, please, allow Hermit to bestow upon them the humblest of gestures, a lick, a kiss, a sign of my gratefulness."

 With a despicable display of groveling, Hermit lowered his head and pressed his lips against the dirt-stained leather of her boots, his tongue darting out to touch the surface as if to taste the remnants of her greatness. He licked frantically, his tongue smearing the filth and mud across his mouth.

"Master, Hermit is but a lowly goblin, a wretched creature unworthy of your charity. Yet, you grace him with your presence and offer him the nourishment he craves - your kindness. Oh, the privilege to serve such a glorious and outstanding Master!"

Suzuka, disgusted by the gesture, pulled him up to a standing position, scolding him, "The hell are you doing?"

Hermit explained, "Showing my gratitude, Master. This is how we goblin hatchling slaves show our gratitude to our masters. Is Hermit licking too slowly? Doing it wrong?"

Suzuka's expression remained unmoved as she responded sternly, "I don't care whose shoes you like to lick, but don't do that with me. It's disgusting to look at. Ew!"

Hermit meekly replied, "Okay, Master, but Hermit never said he likes doing it. It's just how we, slaves, were forced to do it from the first day we hatched. Our worthless lives depended on it. If we didn't lick our master's feet, we would be fed to hounds or subjected to horrible abuse."

Suzuka rolled her eyes, growing tired of Hermit's sad stories.

 "Ugh! More of your sad stories. Let's go already. I will buy you a very tasty munchy, you will like it, I promise."

Hermit's face lit up with joy, and he yelled, "Yippee! Let's go! Food! Glorious food! I can't wait! My tummy is so happy! Hermit is happy!"

Suzuka led the way out of the alley, and Hermit hurriedly limped behind, struggling to keep up due to his injuries.

"M-Master! Wait up! Hermit can't run, body hurts," he pleaded.

"Don't talk nonsense. Hurry up; I will not wait for you all day," Suzuka retorted, though she did pause for Hermit to catch his breath.

After a few minutes of rest, Suzuka guided Hermit to a food stall on the street, the goblin limping along in front of her, as she matched his miserable pace. She approached the stall owner and placed her order.

"Hello there, mister. I would like to order two kebabs in bread and two glasses of kvass," she requested.

The food stall owner took the order and replied, "That will be four copper coins, and it will be ready in five minutes."

As he accepted the coins, the stall owner's gaze shifted down, and he noticed Hermit in his pitiful state. Confused, he yelled, "Whooow! What the heck is that?! Wait! Is that the same goblin David was ruthlessly destroying and humiliating a few days back in the middle of the street?"

Suzuka confirmed with a nod, "Yeah, it's the same goblin. David sure did give him a beating, huh?"

The stall owner expressed surprise, "He sure did! I'm amazed he survived that. Even though he's still beaten up, he looks a lot better now than when the guards scraped him off the pavement with a shovel. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not a violent guy, and I don't support what David did to this pitiful creature, but is it safe to let him walk the streets like that?"

Hermit, in a desperate plea, fell on his knees and begged, "Good sir! Good human! Hermit is not aggressive! I long for peace, love, bonds, and friendships! I would never do anything to harm people! I am seeking a chance to walk the streets among people as a free goblin! Hermit is a good goblin. I swear!"

The stall owner was astonished to hear a goblin speak so well in the same language as his own.

 "Oh my gosh! He can talk! Shiver me timbers! The goblin can talk!"

Unfazed by his revelation, Suzuka urged the man with her order, "Um, sir? Can we get our orders done, please?"

"Oh! Yes, yes! My apologies. I will be right back."

The stall owner quickly got to work preparing the kebabs. In the meantime, Hermit found a glimmer of hope, realizing that not everyone posed a threat to him.

"Master? This man didn't threaten to kill Hermit. Maybe there is hope for me after all," he said, a touch of optimism in his voice.

"Of course, there is hope for you," Suzuka reassured.

 "All you need to do is go out and show your face around folks. They will slowly get used to you and pay no mind to you. That's why you will be my errand boy. I will send you around town to buy small daily things. At first, you will be walking with me, and I will show you the ropes. When people know that you are with me, they will not bother you."

 As the food stall owner hurriedly prepared the kebabs and kvass, Hermit couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Hope flickered within him as he realized that not all humans might be as cruel as David had been. The thought of walking the streets freely and running errands for Suzuka seemed like a dream come true.

As they sat by the food stall, waiting for their meal, a few passersby couldn't help but stare curiously at Hermit. His presence was an unusual sight in the busy streets, but with Suzuka by his side, the onlookers hesitated to approach or harass him.

As they waited, a young girl approached Suzuka and Hermit. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at the goblin.

"Is this a real goblin?" the girl asked, her voice filled with wonder.

Suzuka nodded with a smile, "Yes, he is. His name is Hermit."

The young girl's eyes widened in amazement, and she turned to Hermit, speaking with sweet innocence. 

"Hello, Mr. Hermit. I've never seen a real goblin before. Are you nice?"

Hermit's heart swelled with warmth as he replied, "Yes, little one, I am. I am a good goblin. I want to be friends with everyone."

The girl beamed with delight and extended her hand toward Hermit.

 "I'm Lily. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Hermit. I like big frogs!"

Overwhelmed with joy, Hermit gently shook her hand, cherishing the simple act of friendship. She shook his hand and ran off happily giggling.

 Suzuka, observing Hermit's thoughts through his subtle expressions, spoke reassuringly, "You see, Hermit, not everyone is as cruel as David. People can be kind if you give them a chance."

Hermit nodded, his heart swelling with gratitude towards Suzuka.

 "Thank you, Master Helen. Hermit will try his best to prove he is not a threat to anyone."

As the tantalizing aroma of the freshly cooked kebabs filled the air, Hermit's hunger intensified. His stomach growled loudly, eager to taste the promised delicacy. Finally, the food stall owner handed them two kebabs in bread and two glasses of kvass.

With their delicious reward in hand, Suzuka led Hermit to a nearby park bench, a spot of tranquility amidst the bustling city. The aroma of the kebabs filled the air, tempting Hermit's senses as they settled on the bench to enjoy their meal.

Before handing the food and drink to Hermit, Suzuka couldn't resist a playful remark, "I know you tend to overreact over even the smallest things, so I'll show you how to eat the kebab properly."

With elegance and grace, she delicately held the kebab in both hands, demonstrating how to savor it. Suzuka bit off a small piece of the bread with the kebab, relishing the flavors as she slowly chewed and swallowed effortlessly. 

"Now you try," she encouraged, "do exactly as I did and take a small bite. Don't start stuffing it down your throat."

Hermit, filled with anticipation, carefully took the kebab in bread into his tiny hands. The tender and soft bread yielded beneath his touch, and the tantalizing aroma of the freshly baked bread and kebab enveloped him. He gingerly brought the glorious dish closer to his lips until the soft bread gently touched them. Hermit's eyes widened with delight as he took a small, cautious bite.

The explosion of flavors in his mouth caught him off guard, and he savored every moment. The taste of the garlic sauce nearly overwhelmed him, and for a brief moment, he felt like he was transported to a haven of delicious bliss. Unable to contain his euphoria, Hermit let out a mournful scream of delight, "MGNMMMM!"

 His excitement was infectious, and he quickly began chewing the tiny piece he had bitten off, each chew feeling like a tiny celebration, a moment of respite from the hardships he had endured.

Suzuka watched Hermit's reaction with a mix of amusement and fondness.

 "I'm glad you like it," she said, a smile playing on her lips.

 "Take your time and enjoy it. There's no need to rush. This meal is for you to savor."

Hermit's cheeks filled with food, and he mumbled with delight, "Mmm, yes, Master! This is truly divine! Thank you so much for this wonderful treat."

As they sat together, people passing by occasionally cast curious glances at Hermit, but much to his relief, nobody bothered him. He felt a newfound sense of hope as he realized that perhaps Suzuka was right - maybe there was a chance for him to coexist with humans without fear. Maybe.