The coming-of-age ceremony for dragon people is generally considered a kind of transformative growth.
Whether it's the physical replacement of scales and claws, or the spiritual finding of a suitable mate, it's all the same.
But even so, it doesn't mean that everything from before completely vanishes into thin air.
There will always be some things left behind to prove the existence of the dragon people before this.
They call the only scales on their body that haven't been replaced, maintaining their original immature and soft state, the initial scales. For true dragons, they are called reverse scales.
...
In Priscilla's bedroom, she took off that red and white long dress, exposing her smooth and tender back.
From Lister's perspective, he could see Priscilla's black dragon tail extending from her coccyx, and at the base of that dragon tail, near Priscilla's waist, there was a round and blunt scale as gorgeous as a flame, in a red color.
Lister knew that was the original color of Priscilla's scales, and also the reason why she was called "Crimson Claw" before.
"Even for you, you probably haven't truly seen it before, right? The appearance of a dragon person's initial scale."
Priscilla tucked her long hair to the front, exposing the entire curve of her back to Lister's view.
She used her long dress to cover her chest, one hand around her hair, while turning her head back, lowering her brows and eyes to look at Lister.
"In the concept of dragon people, this initial scale is the symbol of chastity and purity. Regardless of gender, it's a part that can only be shown to the one and only person in their life. Now you can understand, right? Why the dragon people back then were unwilling to let you see their lower back."
"..."
As Priscilla said, although he had always understood, this was also the first time Lister saw a dragon person's initial scale.
Unlike her aggressive and intertwined black scales on her dragon horns and tail, this crimson scale looked so soft, so warm, as if it was beating with Priscilla's breathing.
"Come, come closer, Lister."
"..."
Lister walked to Priscilla's back as she said, and that dazzling scale was within his reach.
"This way, you can know... how I view you, right?"
Priscilla's voice was full of tenderness and satisfaction. The hand that was originally around her hair also came down and gently overlapped with Lister's hand, holding Lister's hand in it.
Of course, this couldn't be fake. Lister understood.
But...
"...It seems you still have some trouble understanding."
Priscilla continued to speak softly, then she leaned her body back a little, resting against Lister.
The fragrance from Priscilla's body entered Lister's nostrils. He stood there, neither continuing nor rejecting her.
"Reach out and touch it, Lister."
"Touch it?"
"Yes..."
Priscilla slowly answered while pulling up Lister's hand.
"This is a place that only my lifelong beloved can touch, and that person can only be you..."
"Go and feel it..."
Lister's fingertips touched Priscilla's initial scale.
Hot, very hot.
The first thing he felt from his fingertips was that astonishing heat.
It wasn't a scalding feeling, but like touching the forehead of a person with a high fever, a heat that seemed to be ignited from within the body.
Then came the feeling of softness and docility.
"Mmm..."
Priscilla let out a muffled moan.
"Does it feel uncomfortable?"
"No, no, this is a normal reaction..."
Lister changed from touching with his fingertips to gently placing his hand on it. This way, he could more clearly feel this crimson scale following Priscilla's heartbeat, pulsating in his palm.
It was really incredible... From the rise and fall of the scale, Lister actually felt that it seemed to have a joyful and excited emotion.
"Did you feel it?"
Priscilla's voice came again. She turned her head back to look at Lister.
The usually cold-faced Demon Lord took off the majesty on her face. At this moment, her eyes were watery, quietly gazing at him through the hanging strands of hair.
"It's beating for you, Lister..."
"..."
"I know, you're puzzled. You think you just did what you should do and shouldn't receive my feelings."
Lister's hand gently put down. Lister also put her clothes back on, turned around, and held up Lister's face with both hands as if treating a treasure.
"But from my perspective, do you know what I've been through?"
"At the most difficult and desperate time of my life, a person barged into my sight, ignored my harm to him and hostility towards humans, treated me, took care of me, taught me to correctly view myself and the world, gave me substantial knowledge and a place to stay..."
"Maybe these are not worth mentioning to you, but this is the reason I was attracted to you, Lister."
"Your sincerity, your selflessness, your erudition, your equal treatment and tolerance of both humans and monsters, and everything you've done for me..."
Priscilla brought her lips close to Lister's ear, nibbled on Lister's ear with her mouth, and whispered softly.
"It's precisely because of this that I can become the Demon Lord and proudly tell you here that the Demon Lord's Castle and the Demon Realm welcome you who were betrayed by Aurola."
"All of this is the result of what you personally planted back then, Lister."
Priscilla had already pressed Lister under her body at this point. She looked at Lister, who didn't dare to meet her gaze between her arms, with burning eyes, as if about to shoot out substantial flames.
"You see..."
Priscilla's voice became sticky and lingering, as if pulling silk.
"You're a weirdo who likes monsters, and I'm a strange dragon who adores humans..."
"Aren't we a match made in heaven?"
...
At this moment, under Priscilla's bed, two cats, one big and one small, one black and one white, were pitifully and helplessly curled up together.
They originally came to clean this room on the orders of the head maid Anko, but who knew that because they didn't have time to hide, they heard such heavy content.
"Wuwuwu... If, if we're discovered, we'll definitely be beheaded, wuwuwu..."
"Sister, shut up, you're so noisy."
"Ai..."
"Crying more will get us discovered."
"Mmm ┭┮﹏┭┮..."
Ai, who was being hugged by her sister, unconsciously rolled her eyes while quietly staring at the bed board above, not knowing what she was thinking.
But fortunately, their torment didn't last too long.
Click.
The door to the room suddenly opened.
"Lo..."
Anko, who opened the door, stopped instantly. She looked at the two people on the bed, with Priscilla pressing Lister down, wrapping him with her tail, their hands overlapping, about to touch lips. She was stunned for a moment, then calmly adjusted her glasses.
"Excuse me for the interruption."
"No, you came at the right time..."
Lister struggled to sit up, breaking free from Priscilla's embrace.
Just now, he almost gave up thinking and succumbed to Priscilla along with the atmosphere. Fortunately, Anko came in and interrupted the rhythm.
It should be said as expected of a true dragon. Just the scent emanating from her body had such an obvious effect of making people... um, immersed in it. As expected of one of the most omnivorous species on the entire continent.
He sat up, turned his head to look at Priscilla, who seemed a bit regretful, hesitated for a moment, then gently hugged her in his arms.
"...!"
He could clearly feel Priscilla's body stiffen in his arms.
"Just as you said, I always felt that I was just doing what I wanted to do, but I didn't think from your perspective... This can be considered my fault."
Lister slowly spoke while organizing appropriate words in his mind.
"I understood just now, your feelings for me... Thank you, I'm very happy."
Priscilla's actions just now were basically no different from completely baring her heart. For dragon people, it was like taking out her heart and showing it to Lister.
"But you also know, because of Aurola's matter, I..."
"...You can't compare me to her!"
Hearing this name, Priscilla immediately reacted with agitation. She grabbed Lister's arms, leaned in close, and looked straight at him.
"Believe me, I'm different from her. Although I met you a bit later than her, I will never do what she did! I..."
"...I know, I believe you."
Lister smiled and stroked her dragon horns, comforting her.
Seeing Lister's familiar smile, Priscilla also relaxed.
From the beginning, he was especially good at using this smile to deal with her...
"I just want to say, I need some time to accept this fact..."
"! You, you mean..."
Priscilla's voice trembled. She looked at Lister in disbelief, her tail behind her all tangled up.
"Mm. After all, I don't have much reason to refuse, right? To have such a beautiful person like you so fond of me, although it's a bit sudden, I guess feelings can be slowly cultivated."
"Besides... I also kind of like you, Priscil..."
Before Lister could finish speaking, he was pounced on the bed by Priscilla again.
She lay on top of him, locking him in her arms.
"Finally, finally... You're back by my side again, finally..."
She mumbled incoherently while constantly sniffing Lister's hair and neck.
"Won't let you go, won't let you get hurt again, Lister, I..."
"...Ahem."
Anko, who had been ignored for a long time, coughed, interrupting the two who had a tendency to further evolve downward.
"Demon Lord, I don't mean to spoil the mood. Please forgive me."
"...It's fine."
Priscilla also returned from her excited state. She sat up and gently pinched Lister's hand.
"Our private matters, let's continue discussing when we're alone later, dear."
Anko looked at the two being lovey-dovey and silently sighed in her heart.
Fortunately, she made it in time.
Anko's gaze fell on Lister, who was smiling helplessly, and she imperceptibly shook her head.
Mr. Lister, do you know how dangerous the situation you were in just now?
You actually intended to use a human body... to seduce a female true dragon in an excited state.
...