The Reborn Witch had a nice 'Tea Time' with the Dragon Queen today-Chapter 7: With Peace comes a New…Witch? ()

As Demond approached the door, his legs felt stronger and more nimble than they had in years. He reached for the handle with a heart beating like a drum in his chest, and swung the door open to reveal a sight that would have been impossible mere moments ago. Standing before him was a young woman, her skin glowing with the same golden hue as Adrei's scales, her eyes filled with the same fiery passion. She was clad in robes of an emperor's finest silk, woven with threads of pure gold.

"Adrei?!" Demond gasped, taking a step back in astonishment. The dragon before him had transformed into a creature of unparalleled beauty, yet the fiery intensity of her gaze remained unchanged, and more importantly, her mana indistinguishable from the eyes of the old...well, former old mage.

"This... this isn't right. No maybe I'm dreaming, am I having a flash before death moment? What..." Demond's voice trailed off as he took in Adrei's new form.

"It seems your vigor still remains, even when your form has changed." The golden dragon, now a woman, spoke with a warmth that made the chilly morning air seem trivial. She offered a hand to help him steady himself. "Be grateful, Demond, your life is not lost but transformed. I have granted you a chance to experience this newfound peace in a way you never thought possible."

"...d-don't tell me..." Demond smiled wryly, as her gaze trailed downward. There were two things...two small pillows, where his beard once was, his, or now, her robe clung to her new form in ways she had never felt before.

"I can't believe it..." Ignoring Adrei's stretched palm, the former old mage curled up in her newly found hands to feel the smoothness of her cheeks, the softness of her skin. It felt so real, yet so surreal.

"This old man's dignity is in shambles..." Demond murmured to himself, blushing like a schoolboy caught peeking. Adrei chuckled, her fiery eyes twinkling with amusement. She retracted her hand gracefully and gave him the space to fully process his transformation.

Ah, but first. The dragon took from something hidden in her robes and handed it out. "Need a smoke?"

Demond's eyes widened, recognizing the familiar pack of ciggies. He took one with trembling fingers, the paper feeling so strange against his now youthful skin. "How...how did you even get these?"

"A dragon's ways are mysterious, aren't they?" Adrei smirked, a hint of mischief playing on her lips as she offered a flame from her fingertip.

"So mysterious they find a disgusting hobby to turn a poor sob of an old man into a little girl." Demond rolled her eyes, as he took the cigarette and placed it between her lips, feeling a sudden urge to laugh. It was absurd to become a dojin-like character, yet here he was.

"I would say it's more of a side effect of the 'manga' you brought unto the Dragon Council, Demond." Adrei lit the cigarette with a flame of her finger, a small flame dancing before her. She watched as the smoke curled around them, the scent of burnt tobacco blending with the lingering scent of her fiery breath from moments ago.

"You don't say..." Demond took a deep drag, the smoke filling her lungs with a comforting warmth. "So, why me? Why change me like this?" He took in the sight of his youthful hands, the veins less pronounced and the skin smoother than he remembered.

Adrei's smile grew. "If I tell you this is our punishment in hell, will you believe it?"

Demond chuckled, her eyes narrowing at the playful dragon in human form. "I've seen enough of your kind to know that's a load of dragon dungs. So, what's the real reason?" He took a second drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling up into the roof like a silent question.

"How rude, I'm speaking the truth, you know?" Adrei's eyes gleamed with a playful glint. "The official statement, Demond, is that the Council believes that your current witch form will serve...nicely for the rash judgement you took for our tyrant. Perverted minds that they are, their valuable insight into the witchcrafts is selectively...well, limited."

"And thus I lost something precious forever and ever...great." Demond took another puff, her voice laced with sarcasm. The cigarette felt peculiar between her lips, a stark contrast to the warmth that had once been her beard.

"This old man never was an achievement hunter, but what about adding 'the extinct of beards and dragons' to the list, huh, Adrei?" Demond took another drag, her resentment for the Council's decision growing with each puff.

"If I offer my body as a compensation, will you accept it?" Adrei spoke with a seriousness that was surprisingly genuine, her fiery eyes looking into Demond's soul.

"G-geez...what's with young woman offering their bodies these days?" Demond sputtered, the cigarette dropping from his mouth in surprise. He hastily picked it up and took a few steps back, suddenly aware of their newfound closeness. "I might be in a new body, but I'm still the same grumpy old man inside!"

Adrei's laugh echoed through the hut, the sound rich and melodious, a stark contrast to the fiery breath that had once filled the space. She stepped closer, her hand gently cupping her cheek. "I meant nothing of the sort, Demond. However, I must confess it is not our choice now, as we are bonded with a marriage by the Council."

"...marriage?"

"Marriage indeed."

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"...right, marriage..." Demond mumbled, before her eyes widened, her cigarette dropping again. "Ha?! Marriage?!"

Adrei nodded solemnly, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards as she tried to suppress a smile. "Another dealings by the Council. Our kin's pride was not easily appeased, so we have this ultimate...humiliation for you, to live as a witch, along with another ultimate...bond for me, to live as my wife in human form."

"Hu-mi-li-a-tion? This?!" The former old mage groped her own 'pillows', and her cheeks burned hotter than Adrei's fiery breath ever could. "Don't tell we have to do this and...that and...this..."

"Yes. In case you were wondering, we have to mate." Adrei spoke the words so matter-of-factly that Demond couldn't help but burst out laughing. The absurdity of it all was just too much. The idea of this mighty golden dragon, now a stunningly beautiful woman, asking to be her...husband was the most ludicrous thing he had ever heard.

But as the laughter died down, the reality began to sink in. Let's treat this as a manga ending, and take a closer look...from every perspectives, is this not to this old man's favor? The ideas of being young again and not being chased by dragons, marrying a dragon who just flamed you to death is a small price to pay. And...

Taking a glance at the dragon's large claw, now playing with her round cheeks, Demond felt a peculiar...excitement spread through her new, younger body. "I must say...I'm not against marrying you, but what about...well, you?"

"Oh? I'm quite alright with marrying my savior though?" Adrei's gaze searched her eyes, the warmth from her touch still lingering on his skin. Her smile was gentle, yet the fierce dragon beneath was undeniable. "Of course, it would be me at the top and you with my name, as is the dragon's way."

"Grr...my male spirit...urgh..." Demond muttered, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration at the thought of taking a wife's role in this bizarre union. "And I hate that I don't dislike this...at least those geezers found a way to unite our kinds somehow."

Adrei nodded, her eyes sparkling with a hint of seductiveness as she leaned in. "Are you sure you're not excited instead, my love?"

Demond's heart skipped a beat. The way Adrei spoke, the way she looked at her, it was all so foreign and yet eerily familiar. "Excited? Ha! I would be lucky if your flames didn't burn my p**** during s**!" He tried to keep his voice firm, but the tremble betrayed his nerves.

Adrei leaned back, her laughter filling the room with a warmth that seemed to chase the last of the cold away. "Don't worry, my dear. I promise to be gentle. It would be a great feat of...adjustment for you body to be my shape."

"H-h-hold it, I'm still, like I said again, an old man, you know!" Demond stuttered, taking another step back as she covered her 'assets'. The thought of the fiery dragon being gentle in such an intimate way was a bit too much for his still male mind to handle. "I'm not against marrying you! But that...let's leave that 'mate' thing for later, yeah?"

Adrei chuckled, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "As you wish, my love. But know that those old perverts' decisions are now irreversible. Not even disguise magic would change your essence."

Demond took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the Council's decision settle on her. "Fine, marriage it is. But first..."

She weaved a spell in the air, before a drawing of an mini ice castle appeared in the room. "Interested in a banquet, my poorly consented husband?"

Adrei's eyes lit up at the sight of the ice castle, the frosty grandeur a stark contrast to the warm timber hut. She stepped closer to the magical construct, her fingers brushing against the frozen turrets with a sense of wonder. "The Peace Banquet...is it? For the Demon King's exile? A clever way to announce our newfound marriage, I presumed?"

"Spare me your politics, I just want to visit my brat." The witch rolled her eyes. "Marriage aside, I need to tell her about what happened, and make sure she's okay with her old man being a young lady now."

"And her old man having a newly-wed husband as a dragon?" Adrei raised an eyebrow, her smile never leaving her lips, as her fingertip played with the ice castle.

"...another smoke please." Demond held out her hand, her mind racing with thoughts of her daughter and how she'd react to the news.

"As you wish." Adrei produced another cigarette, lighting it for Demond with a flick of her finger. The set of actions were so natural they would have been mistaken as a dance of lovers, if not for the awkwardness in the air.

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