Chapter 348 Dreaming About the Future

Anna’s eyes widened in fear, her heart racing as Suzuka painted a vivid picture of the dark, treacherous forest.

 “I-I don’t want to know more!” she stammered, her voice slightly trembling.

 She instinctively pulled her knees closer to her chest, as if trying to shield herself from the imagined horrors lurking just beyond the tub’s warm embrace.

 “The way you described it… it sounds terrifying! I mean, what if one of those monsters just… appeared? I really hate the dark! I can’t stand being outside when the sun goes down. Everything feels so creepy and shadowy! It’s like the world transforms into something else entirely. And those stories? They make it so much worse!”

She paused, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, her gaze flicking toward the dim corners of the bathroom as if expecting something to leap out at her.

 “Can we please talk about something else? Anything but the scary stuff!” 

With a sudden burst of enthusiasm, Anna's eyes lit up. 

“Oh! How about that friendly goblin you mentioned earlier today? You said he was nice and not at all like those scary monsters. What’s his name again? What does he look like? Is he really friendly? Tell me everything! I’d much rather hear about friendly goblins than those dreadful beasts hiding in the dark!”

Suzuka couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

 “Oh, you want to hear about Hermit? Brace yourself, Anna, because this is one wild tale!”

 She leaned in closer, adopting a mock-serious tone as she began her exaggerated description.

“Imagine, if you will, the most unfortunate goblin you could possibly envision. Picture him with skin that looks like it was left out in the sun too long, all mottled, wrinkled, and greenish-grey, with scars all over. His nose? A bulbous, misshapen thing that resembles a gnarled potato! Probably been broken more times than he can count. Honestly, I thought I was saving him from a horror play! If that wasn’t enough, he has teeth that look like they belong to a rabid raccoon - crooked, yellowed, and half-rotten.”

She exaggeratedly waved her hands in the air, mimicking a goblin’s clumsy movements.

 “And his clothes when I met him in that bandit den! Oh my gosh! You would not believe it. He wore a tattered, patched-up burlap sack that hung off him like it’d been through a tornado. I mean, I swear it hasn’t been washed since the dawn of time! The smell? Ugh! Let’s just say it could knock a mountain troll off its feet! I had to hold my breath just to save him!”

Suzuka dramatically flopped back against the tub, feigning horror.

 “And you want to know how I found him? He was stuck in an abandoned castle prison cell! Squirming in a toilet hole, all smeared in feces! Can you believe it? These bandits were making fun of him, throwing him in crap! And let me tell you, Hermit was squirming in that shit, whimpering like a little puppy. I think I heard him muttering about how he was the world’s most pitiful goblin. If I hadn’t saved him that day, I swear he would’ve curled up into a ball and died in there! Ew, it was a disgusting experience.”

With a flourish, Suzuka finished her story, her expression shifting to one of playful annoyance.

 “And I didn’t even begin to list all his sufferings after that! It would take days! The poor little guy has been through the wringer, let's just leave it at that. I will say though, that I think the therapist would be very rich after charging him for therapy sessions after everything he’s endured! But he’s a good goblin at heart - just one that’s had a rough life! And guess what? Now he’s living in my town, believe it or not, he is a leader of the goblins now. He is helping me out, so he’s not all bad! But for someone who’s supposed to be ‘friendly,’ he sure is a hot misery mess!”

“Oh, and let me tell you about Hermit’s goofy, cowardly personality!” Suzuka continued, her laughter bubbling up as she rolled her eyes dramatically.

 “This little guy is so jumpy that the mere sound of a twig snapping sends him into a panic. I swear, one time a butterfly flitted by, and he screamed like a banshee and nearly face-planted into a bush! It was like watching a baby deer trying to escape a lion. He flails around like he’s trying to swim through the air, completely convinced he’s about to meet his doom!”

She giggled, shaking her head. 

“And don’t even get me started on his obsession with food! Honestly, this guy could outstuff a squirrel any day. You know how squirrels are always nibbling on acorns? Well, Hermit takes it to a whole new level! He’ll stuff his mouth so full it looks like a chipmunk preparing for winter! He just shovels food in there, using his hands to push it down like he’s trying to pack a suitcase. I once saw him get his hands so deep in there that he was practically elbow-deep in mashed potatoes! I thought he might explode!”

Suzuka leaned back, pretending to wipe away a tear of laughter. 

“But the best moment? Oh, you’re going to love this! One morning, I decided to play a little prank on him. I cooked up some delicious bacon and eggs, and after he practically inhaled them - seriously, I don’t think he even chewed - I leaned over and said, ‘By the way, those were goblin eggs and goblin meat you just devoured!’ You should have seen his face! It was pure gold!”

She mimicked Hermit’s expression, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open in disbelief. 

“He literally shoved his whole arm down his throat, pulling the food back out and throwing it on the floor! He was squealing like a little piglet in emotional agony, scrambling to get away from me while clawing at the ground like he was trying to dig a hole to hide in! He was crying, shouting, ‘Master! How could you do such a cruel thing to me?! Feeding me unborn hatchlings, precious hatchlings, and my kin's meat! Oh! How could you, Master!?’ I swear, he was so dramatic it was like watching a drama show!”

Suzuka leaned forward, her laughter infectious.

 “And after that, no matter what I cooked for breakfast, he’d eye it suspiciously like it was going to bite him! I’d tell him, ‘Hermit, it’s just plain pork chops and chicken eggs!’ And he’d squint at me like I was trying to trick him again. He’s always like, ‘Are you sure it’s not a goblin as food? You can’t fool me again!’ Honestly, he’s lucky he was useful to me, or I’d have kicked him out for the sheer absurdity of it all!”

Anna burst into laughter, her eyes sparkling with delight.

 “Wow, it sounds like you two became friends! I mean, who else could turn a simple meal into a near-trauma experience?” She giggled, leaning forward, captivated by the story.

 “You must have had so many adventures together! I can’t believe he thought he was eating his kind! That’s hilarious!”

She placed her hands on her cheeks, grinning from ear to ear.

 “You know, I wish I could meet him! He sounds so funny! It’s nice to hear that you’ve found someone to share your adventures with, even if he is a bit of a coward. It just makes me remember how you used to be so fun and carefree back then. You haven't really changed that much, Suzu! Well, at least on the inside, I mean.”

Anna paused for a moment, her smile softening.

 “I wish I could join you in your wild travels! Who knows? Maybe I could help you rescue goblins or something! Just kidding, I would only get in the way. And I'm not brave enough to even take a step close to the forest. I'm more of a town girl."

Suzuka beamed at Anna’s excitement, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.

 “Well, maybe one day you will meet Hermit! He’s quite the character, and I think you two would get along famously. Just imagine the three of us going on a little adventure together!” 

She grinned, playfully twirling a lock of her hair. 

“Once I’m done building my town, that is! I’ve got big plans, and I can’t wait for you to see it all come together.”

She leaned back against the edge of the tub, a dreamy look in her eyes. 

“Picture it: a bustling marketplace filled with all sorts of vendors, goblins mingling with townsfolk, and maybe even a festival or two! There’ll be food stalls, games, and of course, lots of stories to tell. Hermit would probably end up being the town’s unofficial mascot, running around, and causing a ruckus! I can already hear him squealing in delight over the goblin pastries.”

“Oh, that sounds amazing! I can totally picture it! A bustling marketplace, goblins running around, and Hermit being all goofy! I can’t wait to try those pastries and see him stuff his face again!” She giggled, imagining the messy scene.

“And you know what? I want to help out! I could set up a little stall, maybe sell sweets, or even open a small bakery. I’ve been practicing my baking, and I think I could whip up some really tasty treats! People would come from all over just to taste my goodies!”

Suzuka's smile softened as she listened to Anna's enthusiastic plans. She felt warmth in her heart, grateful that her friend was so excited about the future. However, she knew she had to bring a dose of reality into their dreamy conversation.

“Anna, I’m so glad to hear how excited you are! It makes me really happy that you’re looking forward to all of this,” she said, her tone turning a bit more serious.

 “But we need to take a step back.”

She leaned back, folding her arms as she continued.

 “I’ll only be here for about a week at most. I’ve got a lot on my plate, and I won’t have as much time to hang out as I’d love to. Right now, my town is basically just an empty patch of land in the forest. I’ve just started clearing it and getting ready to build. It’s not even a village yet - more like a dream waiting to happen.”

Suzuka sighed, running a hand through her hair. 

“I wish it could all come together quickly, but it’s going to take a while before we can make something out of it. And once I leave Woodmill, it might be some time before I’m back. There’s so much to do, and I have to focus on my business. I want to have those adventures with you, but I just have other things to take care of.”