I recognized the woman who’d been talking to me, now. She was a minor character introduced in the DLC, a character you had to either get to help you or just kill in a cutscene. She was an underling of the Dragon Queen. If you got her to help you, the Dragon Queen had a different and slightly easier second phase. She was pretty popular with fans, because she genuinely didn’t seem like a terrible person, and her character design was… popular, with the fanboys.

While her armor was definitely practical by design, a lot of people had been really attracted to just how much of her there was, and she looked like she could cuddle up a storm. Her little lisp didn’t diminish that image one bit. I remember looking up how to romance her, but that hadn’t been an option, I didn’t think anyway. I never actually did finish the DLC.

I sat on my throne and I saw her get a little smaller under my… gaze? Glare? I realized I didn’t actually know what I looked like!

“Say…” Shoot, what was her name? “K-- Kami? Kani? Akami?”

“Kazumi, your highness,” she said demurely. I immediately regretted just guessing, she looked upset that I’d forgotten her name and I wanted to make it up to her. But first things first!

“Kazumi! Kazumi, is there a mirror around here?”

She looked at me nonplussed. “A… mirror, my Queen?”

“Yeah!” I paused. Maybe they didn’t have them here? I didn’t remember them from the game, but it was such a small detail. “Large, glass object, reflects things, good for trying on outfits?”

“I… I know what a mirror is, my Queen! There is no need to patronize me! I was merely surprised at your request! I apologize profusely if I have offended you!” She bowed deeply and her voice started to crack with what was clearly panic.

“No no no!” I held out my hand and she looked up at me in confusion. “I’m just…”

I took a deep breath. Kazumi looked so sad, so scared. I was going to have to try extra hard to make sure she wasn’t that scared around me anymore.

“Kazumi, I... “ Trying to sound like the authoritative Demon Dragon Queen was a trick and a half and I hadn’t mastered it. “I have taken a hit most strongly…”

Ugh.

“Look, I got hit in the head pretty hard back there and it’s all a little vague right now and I could really use your help right now and I’m very sorry about forgetting your name,” I rambled in one go.

She looked at me with her large, green eyes, blinking a few times. “Is… is this a joke of some kind, your Majesty?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, no. I really don’t remember if we have a mirror.”

“I… I see. There’s one in your chambers, Queen Eliza.”

“Could you show me to it? I’ll owe you one!”

She was about to turn to show me the way when she stopped and turned to me. “You’ll ‘owe me one’, my Queen?”

“Yeah, name it! I’m really out of it and I could use your help.”

Kazumi eyed me suspiciously. Did she think I was tricking her somehow? Why would I even want to do that? The Demon Queen couldn’t be that bad to her underlings, could she? As she led the way, I got up and was once again astounded at just how tall I was. It did explain how honking big all the doors were, but it was still a trip. My center of gravity was different than it used to be, which must have been why my hips swayed so much when I walked.

She led me to a door behind the throne, which led to a hall with a whole bunch of doors, the furthest of which was decorated with red and gold dragon heads. That one must be important, I thought. She walked over to it with me close, but not too close, on her proverbial and literal tail. “These are your quarters, my Queen.”

Of course. That did make sense. “Thank you, Kazumi.” As I stepped inside, I saw her bow her head and wait for me to get inside. “You’re not coming?”

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“I… of course, your Majesty. My deepest apologies.”

Poor thing! I pat her on the head. “Nothing to apologize for, Kazumi. I just might have some more questions for you while things get back to me.”

She blushed and I felt guilty for what might have come across as belittling. Nevertheless, she nodded vigorously, maybe fearing retribution, as she slithered quietly into the room after me. I immediately noticed the mirror. Who couldn’t, it was a massive fifteen-foot-tall monstrosity that took up nearly an entire wall. But it wasn’t the only impressive thing here.

The room was filled with treasure. Gold, jewels, but also weapons, piles of books, scrolls, and even a massive wine rack. Every conceivable kind of treasure was in this room, and I saw alcoves leading to side rooms. Through one of them, I noticed a truly humongous bed that was easily the size of my entire old apartment. Thoughts from before started to drift to me but I waved them away like wisps of smoke. My old life was not something I had any interest in reliving right now.

I walked out in front of the mirror and I was immediately taken aback.

My skin was purple. That had been established, but it was still an unexpected sight. My armour wasn’t as revealing as I had at first thought, with most of it being protective while allowing for mobility. Still, I’d much prefer to be wearing sweatpants and a large shirt. Or, rather, I’d much prefer to dress up the woman in the mirror in those. A woman wearing those always looked cozy and adorable, and I was kind of curious to see how a purple woman with little horns was going to look at them. Especially considering how big she? I? was.

I was not only easily nine foot tall, maybe even ten (I had no idea how much the heels added), but I was also stacked. I flexed in front of the mirror for a second, and just… Oomph.

“Holy shit!”

Kazumi cowered and I turned to her. She cowered more when she saw me looking. Was she expecting punishment? I was really going to have to improve her confidence somehow. Maybe...

“I had no idea I looked this good, Kazumi.”

She looked up at me. “You-- You do, my Queen. You are imposing and terrifying, even in your human form.”

I pouted and saw my reflection do the same. Even that was cute. “I don’t want to be terrif-- My what?!”

I really needed to stop raising my voice. It seemed to get to Kazumi every time. I realized this couldn’t go on much longer and I sat down in front of her. Even sitting down, my eyes were about level with hers. But I hoped I wasn’t as imposing like this.

“Kazumi.”

“Yes, my Queen?”

“I just… I don’t want you to be scared, okay? I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I… but… Yes, my Queen.”

I sighed and took her hand. It was so tiny in my own, I barely realized that she’d frozen in place. I looked her in the eye. She was shaking, the poor thing.

“I’m not. Going. To hurt you.”

She nodded nervously.

“Besides, I could use a friend.” She looked so confused. I tried to shoot her a reaffirming smile. It didn’t help much. “Look, I really… I don’t remember much. But I remember that you’re… You’re not a bad person.” It was best not to mention that I remembered that from the promotional material. “I need your help, okay?”

She nodded again, with a little bit more enthusiasm. She seemed to genuinely believe me, and tried to smile back. She was really cute when she did. I wasn’t sure if I should tell her. She’d probably just be intimidated again or something. I turned back to the mirror, still seated with my legs crossed.

“You said something about a human form, right?”

Nodding from my right to the affirmative.

“What’s my other form, then?”

When I caught her eye, she looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Hell, to her, I had.

“My Queen… You’re the Dragon Queen.” Oh, right.

“Then how do I…” I tried to focus. Think dragon thoughts? I flexed and my face became a slightly darker purple, until suddenly my horns shot up, curling aggressively, growing much larger than before. I grew another two feet, easily. Behind me, two giant leathery wings expanded outwards, and Kazumi was blown back by the sudden gust of wind and she fell over onto a pile of treasure. I ran over to her and picked her up.

“Kazumi! I’m so sorry, are you okay?” I said in panic. I could already tell my voice was starting to crack again but I didn’t care. The snake-girl was hurt and it was my fault. She opened her eyes and immediately they grew wide. She looked down and saw that she was cradled in my arms. She looked up at me, and I must have been terrifying, because she looked like she was trying to make herself small and she blushed up a storm.

“I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you!! Are you okay?! I’m so sorry!” I was starting to cry, I didn’t mean to hurt her and she’d been the first person who’d been nice to me since I’d gotten here and now she was--

“I’m okay, my Queen,” she interrupted me with a squeak. “I’m sturdier than I look.” I set her down with a relieved sigh and wiped my eyes.

“I’m still sorry. Please accept my apology, Kazumi.”

“I… You… Yes, my Queen. I, uh, I accept your apology.”

“Thank you,” I smiled at her. She blushed again. My smile must have been terrifying to her. I looked in the mirror to verify and it was indeed a scary sight. A row of sharp, pointed teeth. Changing into the Dragon form’d had other effects, too. Beyond the horns, the teeth and the wings, there also appeared to be a long, prehensile tail now, and my face seemed to be… sharper? I looked at the teeth again.

“You are as terrifying as ever, Queen Eliza,” Kazumi said with what felt like practiced subservience.

“I don’t want to be terrifying, Kazumi. Besides, I just think it’s kinda hot.”

“I… I mean… You are…”

She was just agreeing with what I said out of fear again. I plopped down, and turned to her once more.

“Kazumi, can you do me a favour?”

“Anything, my Queen.”

“Okay, so, first of all, when it’s just the two of us, just call me…” I thought of my old name. That wouldn’t do. “Just call me Eliza.”

Kazumi swallowed nervously, but nodded.

“Second, I seem to recall having like, a bunch of generals?” That had been the whole selling point of the DLC. You had to defeat the generals that all occupied different territories of the Dragon Queen’s lands, until you could defeat her, right?

“I’d like to see them.”

Kazumi exhaled with what I think was relief. Maybe she was glad to have something official to do, again.

“I’ll summon them at once, my Que--” She paused. I could tell she was trying, and gave her an encouraging smile. “Eliza,” she beeped and slithered out of the room with what was probably the quickest little bow (they were called curtsies, a part of my brain told me) I’d ever seen.

I turned back to the mirror, at the gorgeous Demon Dragon Queen. Gosh. I got to look like that. Too bad it wasn’t me, but I was going to make the best of looking like it. If I was going to be in this world for a while, I was going to be the best Queen ever.