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"Ahem... then I'll make an exception and let you stay," Tohru said, clearing her throat.
Although she wasn't thrilled about Ilulu staying with them, she couldn't disobey Roy's decision.
"Kanna, be nice to Ilulu. And Est, you too," Roy instructed with a smile.
"Okay!" Kanna and Est nodded, exchanging glances.
They had become friends and got along well.
It was getting late, so Roy showed Ilulu to her room.
Ilulu was even more clueless about the human world than Tohru had been when she first arrived. Roy would have to teach her many things.
But it was too late now. He would start tomorrow.
After settling Ilulu in, Roy left her room.
Tohru was waiting for him, after all.
Ilulu lay in bed for a while, feeling a bit scared in the unfamiliar environment.
She got up and went to find Roy.
The living room was empty.
Following Roy's scent, she arrived at his room and barged in without knocking.
"Roy, I can't sleep..."
But then, she froze, her eyes widening at the sight before her.
"Tohru, didn't you set up a barrier?" Roy asked, surprised.
Tohru usually set up a barrier to prevent Kanna and the others from hearing them.
Only Lucoa, with her superior strength, could bypass it.
Of course, they didn't know that Lucoa could hear them.
"I did," Tohru replied.
"Ilulu, get out!" she hissed, annoyed.
"What are you doing?" Ilulu, however, didn't leave. She entered the room with a curious smile.
"Idiot!" Tohru, unable to tolerate her presence any longer, appeared behind Ilulu in a flash and chopped her on the neck.
Ilulu fainted.
Tohru sighed in relief, then carried Ilulu back to her room before returning to Roy.
...
The next morning, Roy found Ilulu watching TV with Kanna and Est. They seemed to be getting along.
"Ilulu, can't you transform your claws into hands?" Roy asked curiously, sipping his tea.
He didn't mind the flame pouch, but the claws and tail seemed inconvenient.
"Hmm..." Ilulu looked at her claws, then, with a puff of smoke, they transformed into Doraemon-like hands.
But upon closer inspection, they were actually covered in countless tiny hands, like fur.
It was a creepy sight.
"Heehee!" Ilulu giggled, raising her hands proudly.
"What are you laughing at? That's disgusting!" Tohru exclaimed, her skin crawling.
"Ahem, Ilulu, I think your claws looked better," Roy said.
"Eh? Really?" Ilulu asked, tilting her head.
"Yes," Roy confirmed with a nod.
Ilulu transformed her hands back into claws.
Roy suspected that Ilulu's poor control over her powers was due to her lack of guidance since childhood.
Even Kanna, who was much younger, could transform into a human form perfectly.
'I should have Ilulu join our Bullet Hell games,' he thought. Although their strength hadn't increased much from playing the game, their control over magic had improved significantly, indirectly boosting their combat abilities.
...
After breakfast, Roy decided to take Ilulu to their usual Bullet Hell training ground.
But as soon as he found her, she dragged him towards the bathroom.
"Roy, Roy, is this where you go potty? How do you use it?" she asked, pointing at the bathroom with her claws.
"Yes, it is. Let me teach you," Roy said, opening the door and leading her inside.
But as soon as they entered, Ilulu closed the door and erected a barrier, preventing anyone from seeing or hearing what was happening inside.
"Ilulu?" Roy looked at her questioningly.
Ilulu grinned mischievously. "Roy, I want you to teach me... hehe!"
Roy was stunned. He hadn't expected such a bold move from Ilulu.
But he didn't know that after witnessing the events of the previous night, Ilulu's dragon desires had been awakened.
And those desires wouldn't be easily satisfied.
"Ilulu, you're still young..." Roy tried to reason with her.
"Eh? What do you mean, young?" Ilulu asked innocently, pressing her flame pouch against him.
Roy was speechless.
"I mean, Tohru and the others are waiting outside. We should hurry," he said, his resolve firm.
He wouldn't do it in the bathroom.
Besides, Ilulu hadn't even fully transformed into her human form yet, though that made it even more tempting.
Roy shook his head, then forcibly dragged Ilulu out of the bathroom.
"Sorry for the wait. Let's go," he said to Tohru and the others.
They then set off for the grassland.
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At the grassland...
"Ilulu, you watch first. You can join in later," Roy said, then turned to Tohru. "Tohru, you guys start playing. You can teach her later."
"Mmm..." Tohru grumbled, but she agreed.
As soon as Tohru and the others started their Bullet Hell game, Ilulu's eyes sparkled with excitement.
As a dragon who loved destruction and battle, she was instantly captivated by the game.
After Tohru taught her how to use magic bullets, they began their duel.
However, Ilulu, new to the game, was no match for Tohru.
She was quickly overwhelmed.
But Ilulu was stubborn and refused to give up.
Unfortunately, her stubbornness only led to another defeat.
...
Back at the apartment that night...
"Roy, I'm hurt!" Ilulu whined, clinging to Roy.
Her cuteness almost made Roy's heart melt.
Tohru glared at her, wanting to throw her out.
Kanna and Est also eyed her with jealousy.
With Ilulu joining them, their home was even livelier.
Roy was considering taking all the Dragon Maids back to his world.
But then, an unexpected visitor interrupted his thoughts.
"Father-in-law, what brings you here today?" Roy asked the white-bearded old man who had suddenly appeared in their living room. It was the Dragon Emperor of Demise.
"Dragon Emperor-sama!"
"Father!"
Tohru and the others were surprised by his sudden visit.
"I want to have a word with you," the Dragon Emperor said to Roy, ignoring the others.
"A private conversation?"
"Yes."
"Then please follow me."
The Dragon Emperor glanced at Tohru, then followed Roy.
Tohru and the others exchanged curious glances.
...
Roy and the Dragon Emperor entered the study.
Roy set up a barrier, then gestured towards the sofa. "Father-in-law, please have a seat."
The Dragon Emperor sat down without a word.
"What brings you here?" Roy asked, pouring him a cup of tea.
"Would you like to know about the Dragons and Tohru's past?" the Dragon Emperor asked in a deep voice.
"I'm all ears," Roy replied, intrigued. He suspected there was more to this visit than just a casual chat.
"Dragons have always been embroiled in endless battles. We throw all our strength into every fight, constantly consuming everything. Our reason for fighting is to defeat the gods..." the Dragon Emperor began, recounting the history of the Dragons.
"To return this world to a state without rulers. We hate being controlled, so we fight for freedom."
"At first, the Dragons were united, but gradually, some betrayed us and joined the gods."
"And there were those who saw the futility of war and chose to remain neutral."
"These two factions became known as the Harmony faction and the Observers."
"And we were forced to bear the name of the Chaos faction, those who bring chaos to the world."
"The war lasted for centuries, followed by centuries of preparation for the next war."
"During this endless cycle, I had a child. Her name is Tohru."
"From the moment she was born, Tohru was bound by the Dragon society's rules. And as her father, I also pressured her."
"But I believe that was wrong. Perhaps I was influenced by humans."
"So I decided to give Tohru some freedom. I let her travel and experience the world, hoping she would form her own opinions."
"Tohru, without prejudice, learned about the things that interested her."
"I thought she would eventually understand why the Chaos faction despises humans."
"But she lost control."
"She went to the gods' territory alone and was severely injured. That's how she ended up in this world."
"As for why Tohru went to the gods' territory alone..." The Dragon Emperor paused.
"She must have thought that defeating the gods would end the war," Roy said.
Having experienced the world, Tohru must have understood the importance of peace.
"Yes, that's why she was so desperate for peace," the Dragon Emperor confirmed.
"So?" Roy looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to reveal his true purpose.
His father-in-law wouldn't have come here just for a casual chat.
"Tohru can't avoid the war, even with your protection..." the Dragon Emperor said, his gaze intense.
"So you want me to join the Chaos faction?"
"Yes. I believe you can kill gods."
Roy pondered his words.
The Dragon Emperor wanted him to help them defeat the gods.
His long speech was just a way of saying that war was inevitable.
Even if he hadn't said it, Roy wouldn't let the god who had injured Tohru go unpunished.
Moreover, bringing peace to the world was Tohru's wish.
He had to agree.
"Alright, I accept," Roy declared.
The Dragon Emperor smiled.
"I'll be waiting for you."
He opened a portal and stepped through it.
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