Pickle for your thoughts? (Dungeon meshi x reader)

There are MORE people?!

This is getting crowded

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"Why?"

Raising his head from one of the many books that filled the table Laios tilted his head in confusion "What is it Marcille?" It had been a little over a day since they met the Mad mage and were saved by the orcs. The blonde elf sniffed, rubbing her nose "Why would they do something like that?" she asked, cheeks red and shiny eyes. Laios put down the book in his hand, the page he was reading explained how to use healing magic "Something like that? Sorry but im not following you. Who are you talking about?"

"She is referring to ____" Chilchuck said shortly, crossing his arms as he looked out the window, a frown stitched on his lips. Yet that didn't answer anything "Wait what happened?" asked Laios snapping his head in between a mad Chilchuck and a sad Marcille.

"Oh right, ye were knocked out when it happened" Senshi recalled as he wrapped the bandages around his wounded chest "Apparently our little knight knows the mad mage personally" summarized the dwarf as both the half-foot and the elf winced at the memory of Thistle.

Laios blinked a couple of times before looking up at the ceiling "Oh really. . .? That's sound cool"

In an instant Marcille slammed her hands on the table, shaking the books and frightening the blonde leader "You are not even surprised?! Angry?! Worried!?" she shouted, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. Laios once again blinked confused, slowly backing from her in fear to be the next one to be hit "B-But why would I be?" he asked with an awkward smile, genuinely confused. It wasn't like you were the mad mage after all.

"They hid crucial information from us that put our lives in danger. Of course we are gonna be wary and angry" groaned Chilchuck, rubbing his eyes "But the mad mage arrived here because we killed the dragon, no?" wondered Senshi, stroking his beard. "True but nothing assures us that ____ wasn't working with him. Maybe they were leading us into a trap or who knows what" the half-foot let out a sigh in frustation, taking out his tools and starting to clean them.

"I told you guys that we shouldn't have trusted them"

"Chilchuck!"

Marcille let out a sniffle, wiping away her tears "I too would like to believe that they are innocent. . .but after what happened I can't exactly ignore the facts. I just wonder what were their goal. . .is there even really a 'friend' who needs help? Laios, doesn't all this seem suspicious to you?" The tall-man looked at his elf friend, hesitation written all over his face "I mean. . .yea of course I find it suspicious too. . .It's just that. . .would someone with evil intentions really help us for all this time?" He frowned, sweat dripping down his forehead.

Marcille remained silent before slowly looking away "I. . .I don't know. . .I really don't know. . ." Senshi nodded, helping Chilchuck cleaning his tools "I see no benefit in helping someone and risking yer life to make sure they don't get injured. They had plenty of opportunities to kill us after all"

"Yea! Exactly!" Beamed Laios standing up. He really don't want to believe you were a bad person, not after everything you guys went through. He might not be good at picking social clues but he can sense when someone is a nice person. "Plus. . ." He sat down again, looking at the side with a serious looks. Images of last night flashing through his mind "Plus they were quite insistent that first thing in the morning we went back to the surface"

The room fell once again in silence. No one really knew what to say.

"Still guys. . .we can't rule out any option. You don't survive in a dungeon by being overly optimistic"