Chapter 145 Exposed

With scrawny little hands, barely more than skin and bone, Hermit clutched the table's edge, his bony fingers straining against their own fragility. His legs, resembling toothpicks, dangled pathetically, unable to support even the slightest weight. The image of his tiny limbs swinging lifelessly in the air, was a heartbreaking sight to look at.

Hermit dangled from the table like a pitiful rag doll, his feeble arms struggling to hoist him up but failing miserably. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, Suzuka took a straw and mercilessly tickled his sides. Hermit convulsed and cackled maniacally, sounding like a deranged rabbit on a caffeine overdose.

"Master! Ge ge gege geee gee! Please, stop! Ge ge geee! Hermit will fall!"

"Oh, but I don't think so, little goblin. Struggle as hard as you can, hahaha!"

But despite the unbearable tickling, Hermit clung to the table with all his might, realizing that letting go meant losing his precious food forever. Hermit had a brief lapse of brightness and forgot that he could simply climb the chair to regain his position. It was a moment of sheer idiocy that he would regret later.

As he strained and pulled with every ounce of strength he could muster, Hermit's efforts were in vain. He remained suspended in mid-air, his grip on the table the only thing keeping him from an undignified fall. Just when he thought he couldn't endure the torment any longer, Suzuka, with a sly grin, ceased her tickling assault. With a single flick of her finger, she nudged Hermit's fingers off the table one by one, loosening his feeble grip.

Hermit's voice trembled in desperation as he pleaded, "Master! Please! No! Hermit will fall!"

 It was a cry of sheer panic, "Wreeeeee!" Realizing that his fate now lay in the hands of a mischievous master who seemed to delight in his torment.

She leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with delight, as she whispered in a melodramatic tone, "Oh, Hermit, you thought this was a game of mercy? Foolish goblin! Prepare to fall to your doom!"

Suzuka did not stop until Hermit hung just by one arm, she released his fingers one by one until he finally let go. Unable to maintain his grasp any longer, Hermit released his feeble grip on the table, succumbing to the forces of gravity. The miserable creature plummeted to the floor, his descent marked by the pitiful sound of his moist, tiny feet making a wet clapping noise, echoing the sorrow of his existence as he fell an inch down on the floor.

Suzuka playfully chuckled, "You could have just used the chair to get down or get up, why are you so stupid?"

She handed him the fruits from the table and the pitiful goblin, with its hunchbacked figure, scurried underneath the table, its grotesque frame barely visible in the narrow space. Desperate and starving, it began feasting on the remaining fruits with a repulsive display. The disgusting sounds of wet chomping and munching echoed from under the table as he dug into some apples.

With trembling hands, the goblin reached for an unfamiliar orange, its mottled skin taunting his curiosity. As his demented gaze fixated on the fruit, a nasty grin twisted Hermit's wretched face, revealing his yellowed, jagged teeth.

Ignoring any caution, the goblin sank his blunt, jagged teeth into the orange's hard skin, intending to peel it open. But fate, cruel as ever, had other plans. In an instant, the orange fought back, retaliating against the goblin's intrusion. A powerful spray of citrusy juice erupted from the orange, dousing the goblin's eyes with a stinging vengeance. Pain seared through the goblin's skull, igniting a torment beyond imagination. "Wreee! Reeeeee! It burns! Reeeeee!"

In agony, the wretched creature clutched its burning eyes, writhing and squirming on the ground as if invisible hands had thrust a scorching torch directly into its eyes. Its screeches and yells pierced the air, reminiscent of a tortured cat.

Suzuka laughed while watching at goblin's stupidity as he was squirming on the ground. She peeled the orange and forcefully crammed the citrus fruit into his mouth, effectively silencing his cries.

The sour sweetness of the juice ignited a fiery torment in the goblin's throat, causing him to convulse in agony. He desperately struggled to swallow but failed, the fruit was far too large for his meager throat. Like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline, his tiny fingers clutched at his neck, attempting to force the orange down. The mingling of his saliva with the orange juice resulted in a grotesque expulsion from his nostrils, his eyes stinging and welling up with tears.

As the struggle intensified, the goblin's face grew darker, a result of his torment. With every ounce of strength, he could muster, he managed to gulp down the wretched fruit, his weakened body collapsing onto the floor. Exhausted from the arduous battle, he lay defeated, his breaths heavy and labored, vanquished by the wretched orange.

The feeble goblin, lay cowering beneath a table for a pitiful hour, trembling in his littleness. Suzuka, growing weary of his pitiable display, yanked him out from his hiding place by his lowly feet, as if he were nothing more than a discarded rag. The pitiful goblin emitted feeble groans and sad moans.

Seeing that Hermit is alive, Suzuka callously tossed him back into his miserable hiding place under the table, while she rested in the comfort of her soft chair.

With great effort, Hermit struggled to regain his composure, dusting off his tunic as he stood up. His feeble mind, clouded by mediocrity, pondered his next move. 

As Hermit cautiously scanned his surroundings, pondering his next move, a soft whispering sound danced through the air, captivating his attention. "Come here, little buddy. Delicious food awaits," the voice beckoned, its tempting words echoing in his ears. Hermit's eyes darted around, and there, like a secret invitation, he spotted a slightly ajar door. Intrigued yet wary, he approached the door with the utmost caution, his heart pounding in his chest. He cautiously extended his neck, peering through the narrow gap but there was no one there only the scent lingered in the air. 

The aroma of juicy, perfectly seasoned food wafted through the air, tantalizing Hermit's senses. The smell of freshly cooked chicken meat, meticulously seasoned to perfection, assailed Hermit's delicate nasal passages, instantly triggering an insatiable craving within him. The tantalizing fragrance danced in the air, reaching every nook and cranny of his senses. His nostrils quivered with delight. His mouth began to water uncontrollably, and his eyes widened in wonder. Never before had he encountered such a divine smell. 

Driven by his ravenous instincts, Hermit's yearning guided him towards the source of this heavenly scent. He tiptoed with caution, navigating the narrow corridor like a stealthy feline, his senses heightened and attuned solely to the quest for this culinary treasure.

 Hermit stumbled upon another door, curiosity overwhelmed him. He peered through the door, only to discover that it was an exit to the outside world, revealing the bustling streets of the town in all their splendor. The sight was a breathtaking marvel that captivated Hermit's eyes and soul.

But his wonderment was abruptly shattered. Without warning, an unseen force delivered a kick to the door, slamming it shut with a vengeance. Hermit caught unaware, found himself trapped, his head wedged between the unforgiving jaws of the door, trapped like a helpless rodent in a claptrap.

 A grotesque, dirt-laden piece of cloth was mercilessly shoved into Hermit's gaping mouth, silencing his anguished cries for help. He was rendered mute, his muffled screams stifled by this vile obstruction.

A hand grabbed Hermit by the ear, a vice-like grip that threatened to crush Hermit's sensitive ear. Just as despair threatened to consume him, a figure emerged. It was David, his tormentor, holding Hermit by his ear like a twisted puppeteer. With an evil grin adorning his face, David lifted the quivering goblin, a devilish delight dancing in his eyes. To add insult to injury, David enjoyed eating juicy chicken thighs right in Hermit's face.

 The goblin tried to wiggle in an attempt to escape but his feeble struggles were met with relentless strength, his sensitive ear feeling on the verge of annihilation under David's iron grip.   

As David finished eating his delicious chicken, he turned to the goblin, "Ha! I got you now, you disgusting goblin! There is no running away from me! I have spoilers for you, we will have so much fun now!" With a mischievous grin, David stuffed the goblin into a small bag and whisked him away to a nearby alley where no prying eyes could interfere.

He shook the bag and released the goblin, who landed on the ground with a squishy thud, reminiscent of a large piece of raw meat colliding with a marble floor. The goblin tried to make a daring escape and began crawling along the pavement. But David, pressed his foot upon the goblin's ankle to prevent his getaway. Muffled by the filthy rags, the goblin attempted to scream, but only a silent moan managed to escape his lips.

Hermit lay on the freezing ground, shivering uncontrollably. David approached him with a mischievous grin, swiftly lifting him by the back of his tunic and pressing him face-first against the wall. 

With an unsettling tone, David taunted, "So, you mentioned your ears were your most sensitive spot, huh? Well, I'm grateful for that little information. Now I know exactly where to strike to bring you the greatest agony."

Hermit, gripped by fear, desperately clawed at the wall, seeking an escape. His voice trembled as he tried to scream for help, but David swiftly threw him back down to the unforgiving ground. 

Hermit wrapped himself in a protective ball, clasping his big meaty ears around his face with his tiny arms, attempting to shield himself from the impending punishment.

David pushed his knee to Hermit's back and pressed his face against the cold ground, his strength overwhelming. With a swift motion, he twisted both of Hermit's arms behind his back, immobilizing him. David's hand slid to his belt, unbuckling it and gripping it tightly, ready to deliver the punishment he had in mind.