One possibility could be that Arthur's friends are initially skeptical of Merlin. They might have heard stories about him but meeting in person changes their perception. Maybe they see his loyalty to Arthur and his kind heart, and they gradually become his friends too.
In the fanfic, Arthur's friends could meet Merlin in a rather comical situation. For example, Merlin is in the middle of one of his magic mishaps when they come across him. At first, they are shocked but then Merlin's quick thinking and his ability to fix the situation with a bit of magic (while trying to keep it a secret) amuses them and they start to like him.
Perhaps Arthur's friends meet Merlin during a time of crisis. The kingdom is under threat and Merlin is using his magic to try and protect it. Arthur's friends witness Merlin's power and his selfless dedication to the kingdom. This makes them respect him deeply and they form a strong bond with him, seeing him as an equal in their fight to safeguard the kingdom.
Look to Chapter 138 for the clearest answer. It begins with Is there such a good deal?, keeps building through Qi Tianyu quickly nodded in agreement and knelt down to start helping..., and lands on Could it be that the poison also had a side effect of making a person more....
The best chapter pointer here is Chapter 132, "Looking at me with that kind of eyes, are you afraid I'll eat you?". It opens with The new girl in the live-streaming room went crazy. and closes on He stir-fried the other dishes Jiang Li had prepared, and somehow managed....
The best chapter pointer here is Chapter 138, "From now on, let's get to know each other again". It opens with Is there such a good deal? and closes on Could it be that the poison also had a side effect of making a person more....
If you want the clearest chapter reference, go to Chapter 122. Early on, Damn, are we supposed to find the points card in the mud?!" He had just...; later, the chapter leans on To salvage his image, he had deliberately dressed up before leaving the....
Chapter 106 is the strongest chapter-level answer because it starts from Thinking of this, He Yun nodded with a hint of anticipation. and follows through on Jiang Li's fingers lingered over the three copper coins, her clear voice....
A practical answer is Chapter 142, because it turns the idea into a concrete scene. The chapter opens with The ingredients for making Buddha Jumps Over the Wall were still on their..., adds pressure through The unique taste and aroma almost blew his eyebrows away., and ends on Wen Jiaojiao.
Look to Chapter 93 for the clearest answer. It begins with Jiang Li looked back and saw several aunties linking arms, walking up the..., keeps building through The leader was indeed the aunt to whom she had read fortunes this morning., and lands on I did the same when I was young, and when my dad.
A practical answer is Chapter 145, because it turns the idea into a concrete scene. The chapter opens with Chixia Village was located in a remote area with a backward economy, so..., adds pressure through Isn't it a bit inappropriate to start eating like this?, and ends on What about it?" "That's.
The best chapter pointer here is Chapter 118, "Director Sun, When Did You Get a Barrage Above Your Head?". It opens with At 8 in the morning, several guests appeared on time next to the... and closes on Hearing this, both Jiang Yan and Shu Yan started to complain as well..
A practical answer is Chapter 137, because it turns the idea into a concrete scene. The chapter opens with Jiang Li personally went to Lai Fu's tomb and performed a small ritual., adds pressure through You help me with this, and I can share some with you;