Is it wrong for slimes to be in dungeons? (revised)

Chapter 17: Into the Deep

If she had anything to do with this. I wouldn't hesitate to crush her.

"...She was protecting you," she said slowly.

"The monsters down here wouldn't be enough to-"

"For three days..." she cut me off before I could finish.

"...what?" my eyes widened in shock. Her words felt like a slap across the face. For the entire time that I had been asleep... Sophia had been protecting me?

"Wait wait wait, what?" I asked confusedly. This still didn't answer the two most basic questions. First, why was I here in the dungeon and why was Aiz here? Those two were the most important questions.

No beyond that. I had been purposely overlooking this, just writing it off...but no matter how I looked at this, Sophia had no reason to go this far for me. I don't exactly understand the situation, but if what Aiz is telling me is true then she had stayed within the dungeon for over 3 days straight protecting me.

We had known each other for a total of 2 days maybe? Well if you include the time I was unconscious 5, but that hardly makes a difference. I doubt many people would do that for well-known friends much less someone they just met.

There was something off about Sophia. Something she wasn't telling me. I was willing to disregard it because I had my secrets, but this was serious. If she was willing to put her life at risk to protect me there has to be some sort of bigger picture. I had noticed it but It felt as though several figures were moving behind in the background. Manipulating events. From the being that had saved me and brought me into this world in the first place to, Loki familia, to even Sophia.

I needed to figure out why. Why she would go this far? Because I couldn't write this off anymore.

If I had to reveal some of my secrets to get some answers in turn then so be it.

But I couldn't do that just yet. First I needed to address the situation before me.

I stare into Aiz's nervous golden eyes. Before letting out a sigh.

Great sage set up a barrier for me and Aiz. I say.

<<Yes>>

Great sage immediately responded.

As the barrier began to activate Aiz looked around confusedly.

"It's a barrier. To make sure we aren't interrupted." I clarify.

I began to lie Sophia against the barrier wall before taking a seat on the ground.

Aiz sheaths her drawn weapon laced with the blood of monsters and sits down as well.

"...why am I here? In the dungeon. And why are you here?" I asked.

"It's a long story..." she said.

"I've got time."

"Hmm..."

And so she slowly but surely explained what happened while I was uncounsious.

What seems to have happened while I was asleep is when I fell asleep my aura began to release itself.

Which in it of itself was hard to understand. I don't remember anything like that happening before when I went into sleep mode. Maybe it had to do with my temporary soul and my magic stone? Maybe it was something else? I wasn't sure but my aura was becoming a massive problem it would seem. The number of times it's put me in a difficult situation was getting to be ridiculous.

But either way, Aiz had no way of knowing what Sophia was thinking of course, and she didn't seem interested to put her own interpretation of what she thought either but if I had to guess she perhaps figured out it was me and knew that I'd get found out if I stayed in Orario so she retreated to the place with the least amount of people.

According to Aiz though Loki familia had noticed my aura and began to search for me.

Not just Loki familia but just about every adventure had noticed my aura.

Sophia had managed to get me into the dungeon before a mass panic could arise, but the result of my aura was already great. It basically generated the equivalent of a witch hunt searching for the source.

This was already a nightmare, but what was told to me next stretched into what would be considered unbelievable.

So for 3 days. Sophia outmaneuvered the 1 tier adventures of Oarario within the dungeon.

"...you expect me to believe that?" I ask. I didn't want to insult Sophia, but I found it highly unlikely that she could stay away from that many people. Much less people of Loki familia's caliber.

"..." Aiz silently stared at me.

"Haaa" I let out a sigh. "Go on," I prompted her to continue.

Well, I said that, but that was actually about it. They had forced Sophia deeper and deeper into the dungeon and Aiz was the only one who by the end of it followed her all the way down here.

The way she worded it makes it seem as though the other people gave up.

But when she mentioned that she was the one who followed her I finally noticed something. It was really something I should've noticed sooner, but Aiz wasn't looking the best herself. She was also covered with dirt. She didn't seem to have any wounds, but her eyes were clearly tired.

"..."

Great sage?

<<It is presumed that individual Aiz Wallenstein is telling the truth>>

They informed me.

...hmm I see.

Well regardless of whether I chose to believe her one question remained. Why?

"Why did you follow her all the way down here?" I asked. "Did you want to try and get rid of me while I was vulnerable?" I asked eyeing her suspiciously.

"...no," she said staring back at me.

"Then why?" I asked.

"Because... I needed to confirm something."

"...and that thing was?"

"Wheather lord Hermes was right or wrong," she said.

?

"What do you mean?" the way she worded it was weird... not whether Hermes was lying. But whether he was right or wrong? That almost made it sound like he genuinely believed what he was saying.

"On the 18th floor after you left...I reported what happened to the captain and the rest... I was told to go back and make sure that you didn't do anything to Hermes and Hestia..." she began.

"While I was looking for them I overheard a conversation..."

"..." I silently stared at her as she slowly told me this information

"You were telling the truth, weren't you? You never had a plan to begin with...right?" she asked me this question. She gave me a chance, to finally refute what Hermes had made everyone believe.

A chance I was never sure would come.