Chapter 164 It's Just a Prank Bro!

Suzuka, with a hint of playful annoyance, held him over the sink filled with cold water and dropped him in, breaking his dreamlike daze. 

"Squeaky squeak! Master, what's this icy madness?!" Hermit yelled in a high-pitched voice, his eyes wide with shock as he plunged into the freezing water.

 "Freezing cold! Wreeeee! It's like a thousand frosty needles poking me all over!"

She responded with a playful tone, "Quit dreaming, goblin. It's time to bathe and rid yourself of that stink. You gaged all over yourself, good thing you didn't soil my bed. Ew! Time to wash off that grime and stink!"

Hermit, still in a drowsy state, plummeted into the icy water, his body reacting violently to the sudden shock. Emerging from the water, he screamed with his mouth agape, "Wreeeee! Grime? Stink? Wreeee! Cold! It burns! Wreeee! Help me, Master! Wreeeee! No, no! Hermit is squeaky clean! No need for a frosty dip!" 

The freezing temperatures sent shivers down his spine. His high-pitched screeches filled the room, a cry for mercy amidst the frigid torment.

Desperate for relief, Hermit managed to summon a burst of strength and grabbed onto the tap pipe, attempting to pull himself up and out of the chilling water. But his feeble arms gradually gave way, and he slowly descended back into the freezing depths.

 Panic set in as he pleaded, "Noooo! Master! Help Hermit! The water is too cold! Hermit will perish from the cold! Please, have mercy, Master! Wreeeee! Nooo! Wreeee! Hermit smells delightful, like... like... freshly picked mushrooms! No need for this freezing ordeal!"

Suzuka raised an eyebrow, her playful annoyance shifting to amusement as she watched him slowly inching closer to the water while he desperately hung by the tap. 

"Freshly picked mushrooms, you say? Well, I don't like the mushroom smell."

"Wreeee! Mushrooms are... delightful! They make Hermit feel chuckle and giddy." 

"Mm-hmm, I'm sure you do," Suzuka replied, trying to hold back a laugh.

 "Well, just a quick dip won't hurt. You'll be all clean and fresh, just like those lovely mushrooms!"

Hermit's grip slipped, and he plunged back into the icy water, he flailed his limbs in a desperate attempt to escape the chilling bath. He shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering in the cold water.

 "Wreeee! Master, you are mistaken! Hermit prefers warm, cozy caves, piles of grass, warm huddles not freezing baths!"

"Oh, come now, goblin. Embrace the cold! It'll wake you right up!" Suzuka said with a playful grin. 

"You'll be feeling more alive than ever!"

Suzuka, unyielding, pressed her finger against his head and sternly reminded him, "You won't be getting out of this sink bath until you're clean. So you better get started if you want to escape faster."

Shivering uncontrollably, Hermit's trembling body caused the water to splash out of the sink. With great effort, he managed to hold his body in place, struggling to cleanse himself in the freezing water.

 The icy temperature caused his ears to shrivel and fold, desperately trying to conserve any warmth they could muster. His skin tightened, restricting his movements, as the minutes passed in this cold water.

"G-G-Goddess Lusseria, have mercy on Hermit! Wreeee! The water is so cold, it feels like the wrath of a thousand frost giants is upon me! Wreeee! My ears, they're shrinking! They're turning into ice cubes! Wreeee! I-I-I can't move, my skin feels like it's turning into stone! This is unbearable, wreeee!"

After a grueling five minutes of the ice-cold water bath, Hermit's skin took on a new color, transitioning from a dark gray-green to a bluish-gray hue.

 He finally stepped out of the sink, his body stiff and cramped, his numbed limbs protesting every movement. Drying himself off proved to be an arduous task, as he battled against the lingering effects of the frigid water.

"Hrrrrrr... M-master, water so cold, Hermit's body no like it, Hermit's ears shrivel like dried mushrooms" he stammered, rubbing his shriveled ears with his tiny hands.

Suzuka let out a sigh, "Oh, stop whining about your ears, Hermit. They'll bounce back to normal once they warm up. Now, hurry up and dry yourself off."

"Grrrr... Master, Hermit's body feels like trapped ice. This bath was pure torture, p-please, Master, h-hug... wreeee... hug Hermit," he pleaded, his arms outstretched toward Suzuka.

Suzuka, growing impatient, lost her temper and abruptly grabbed Hermit by the ear, flinging him across the room.

"Noooooo! Master, please have mercy! Not the ears again!" Hermit wailed, clutching his bruised and battered ears.

 Helpless and defenseless, Hermit flew through the air like an arrow, his ears flapping wildly like sails lost in a tempest. His limp limbs flailed about like soggy noodles as he soared through the sky before his naked body crashed onto Suzuka's bed with a resounding bounce.

"Ooowww... Master... it hurts... Hermit's poor little body... wreeeee... so much pain..."

As Hermit landed on Suzuka's bed, he lay there in a daze, his body still trembling from the chilling ordeal. His limbs, stiff and cramped, refused to cooperate as he attempted to regain his composure. Slowly, he mustered the strength to prop himself up, his disheveled appearance reflecting the physical toll he had endured.

Hermit winced as he tried to raise his head, "I-I'm s-sorry, Master... Hermit just wanted to... a hug... wreeee..."

As Hermit still recovering from the jarring flight across the room, she tossed his clothes at him, accompanied by her directive. 

With a commanding tone, she said, "Get dressed. We'll be heading back to the guild. While I go and bathe, make yourself useful and clean up the mess you made in the room overnight."

"Yes, Master..." The goblin said meekly. 

Hermit, slightly disoriented and feeling the lingering chill in his bones, mustered what strength he had left to sit up. He gingerly collected his scattered garments, shivering as he dressed himself in the cold room. The fabric clung to his moist skin, a reminder of the recent icy water torment.

As he gathered his resolve, Hermit's feeble limbs propelled him into action. He surveyed the room, taking in the chaotic aftermath of the night's adventures. Strewn across the floor were remnants of his attempts of finding warmth, a disarray of pillows, books, unwashed panties,  and half-eaten snacks under the table. A daunting task lay before him: to restore order to the room, despite his weakened state.

Summoning his might, Hermit began tidying up with meticulous care. Each item found its designated place, as he meticulously folded blankets, arranged scattered objects, and swept away the remnants of his restless night. The room slowly transformed from disarray to a semblance of neatness under his diligent efforts.

As Hermit worked diligently, Suzuka emerged from her own bathing session, refreshed and rejuvenated. She observed his progress with surprise. Her stern expression softened slightly, revealing a trace of satisfaction in witnessing Hermit's dedication.

With the room now restored to its former state of order, Hermit's exhausted form slumped onto the freshly tidied bed. Suzuka, satisfied with the outcome, said to him, "Well done. You really know how to clean the place. You can call me impressed even."

"Thank you, Master. Hermit can do more than just clean the room. Hermit can also read a little and count."

 Suzuka was intrigued even more, "So!? You are a very smart goblin then, very interesting. You know what? After spending a day with you, I think you are an alright goblin. Say? How about staying at my place for a few more days? I will provide you protection and you will be my errand boy? Hmm? Unless you want to spend time with David?"

Hermit's fear overflowed as he jumped up into the air, falling to his knees and bowing down fervently.

"Wreeee! Master, please! Let me stay with you! Hermit will be your loyal errand boy! Keep me safe from David's evil clutches! Keep him away from Hermit!" He pleaded, his voice filled with desperation.

Suzuka, relishing in her newfound authority, responded with a sly smile. 

"Now that's what I like to hear, my little errand boy! So, what shall we have for breakfast? Hmm?"

Hermit's joy soared to unimaginable heights. It was the first time someone had offered him the opportunity to choose his breakfast. Overwhelmed with excitement, he struggled to form coherent words.

"I... I... I would like..." Hermit stuttered, his mind racing with thoughts of delicious food.

Suzuka interrupted him gently.

 "Don't push yourself, Hermit. I will get you the same thing I will be eating. Sit tight and behave; I will be right back."

Dressed in an elegant bathrobe, Suzuka left the room, leaving Hermit giggling happily on the ground, his heart brimming with anticipation for the culinary delight that awaited him.

"Uuwieeee! The same food as Master Helen! It must be a divine feast! Yay! Yummy food! Delicious and scrumptious food! My poor tummy will finally savor something other than feces and filthy manure! Uwiee! Hermit can't wait!" He cried, his joy echoing through the room.

After ten minutes of anticipation, Suzuka returned to the room, carrying two large plates. Placing them on the table, she grabbed Hermit and swiftly placed him on a chair in front of the plate with the food. Taking her seat across from him, she smiled.

The dish before them was a simple breakfast set - two perfectly cooked eggs, three succulent slices of bacon, and two slices of toasted bread, accompanied by a steaming cup of coffee with milk.

Hermit's gaze fell upon the delicious feast, and his mouth watered with anticipation. But after a better look, right as he was about to dig in, his mouth snapped shut and his eyes widened with a mix of shock and horror. He looked at Suzuka in disbelief, his voice trembling.

"M-M-Master?" He stammered, his words barely escaping his quivering lips.

 "W-w-what is this food? This... this reminds me of the inside of a... a... goblin egg!" He finally managed to stutter, his worst fears surfacing in his mind.

She couldn't resist playing with Hermit's emotions. With a mischievous glint in her eye, she said, "Oh, Hermit, but this is a goblin egg. Wait, did you want it with a boiled baby hatchling inside or raw? Sorry, they only had cooked, haha!"

As Suzuka's words sank in, Hermit's face turned as pale as a sheet of paper. Horror gripped him, his body trembling more intensely than ever before. His hands, shaking uncontrollably, slowly extended toward the cooked eggs, and with the utmost gentleness, he scooped them up in his quivering grasp.

"Goblins... poor little goblin hatchlings," Hermit muttered with a broken voice.

 "We're... we're supposed to protect each other, not devour our own kind! How... how could you, Master? How could anyone do this?"

Tears, the size of a bean, began to roll down Hermit's face as he pressed the cooked eggs against his chest in a tight embrace. Whimpers escaped his trembling lips as he expressed his sorrow. 

"How horrible! Poor, poor little goblin hatchlings! They didn't even have a chance to see the light or take their first breath! They were innocent beings, cute little goblin eggs! You monsters! Do you eat goblin eggs?"

As he cradles the cooked eggs in his trembling arms, tears stream down his face like a torrential downpour. Each droplet represents a world of sorrow, a testament to the magnitude of his anguish.

"I'm so sorry, little ones, I'm so sorry."

Overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, Hermit leaped off the chair and scuttled into the nearest corner. There, he cocooned himself within his ears, rocking back and forth in a state of despair. He cradled the cooked eggs in his arms, holding them protectively as if they were his own children as if they were the last remnants of a cherished world, now lost forever. His cries and whimpers reverberated through the room, a heartwrenching display of grief.

With a deep sigh, he whispered to the cooked eggs, "Rest now, my little ones. Rest in peace, and know that you were loved, even if it was only for a moment. I'll never forget you, little goblin eggs. You may be gone, but your memory will live on in my heart."

In the depths of his despair, Hermit's mind conjured vivid images of his fellow hatchlings, robbed of their chance to experience the wonders of life. He envisioned their innocent faces and imagines the future they were denied, their potential snuffed out before it had a chance to bloom. The weight of their absence hung heavily upon him, casting a shadow over his fragile soul.

"Oh, oh, Master! I-I see them, the hatchlings, all of them... gone, gone forever! They never had a chance, they didn't, didn't get to dance under the moon's glow, or, or tasted sweet berries in the forest! It's too cruel, it is! Too cruel, it is!"

With a voice quivering with emotion, Hermit cried out, his words filled with suffering, "What kind of monster are you? Not only did you cook innocent unborn goblins and devour them without a shred of guilt, but you even offered Hermit to eat his own kind, his fellow hatchlings! You are a monster!"

As Hermit's heart-wrenching cry filled the room, Suzuka couldn't contain her amusement and chuckled at his distress. She tauntingly remarked, "Hey! If you don't want them, I will gladly eat them myself. I have to say, they are absolutely delicious! Mmmm! Scrumpty delicious!"

Hermit's anguish intensified, and he let out a scream of desperation, his voice filled with heartfelt sorrow. 

"Nooo! I will not give them to you! Wree! These are precious unborn goblins! Oh, goddess, have mercy! Please, show mercy on these poor innocent hatchlings."

Suzuka, having had her fun, decided to reveal the truth. 

 "I was just joking, Hermit! Why are you so naive? These are chicken eggs, not goblin eggs! Even a wild creature like you must have encountered bird eggs before. Dummy!"

Hermit, still shaken and anxious, cautiously peeked his head out of his ear cocoon, his eyes searching for reassurance. 

"Is Master telling the truth? These are not goblin eggs? Master isn't deceiving Hermit?"

Suzuka, wanting to put Hermit's fears to rest, spoke in a reassuring tone.

 "Yes, Hermit! They are simply chicken eggs. Jeez! You don't need to worry. It was just a playful prank."