Changing paces

Naga

Notes:
This is the first "bad end" chapter I have written, as I'm hopping around my backlog to get these out. This one is more focused on how demihumans are treated in canon, and has some alterations to Naofumi's base appearance to suit his new form.

Hence this being more of a prompt than a basic Drabble like the others that aren't crossovers. This COULD be considered a monster musume au, but it's not a given and I have ideas for a specific chapter linked to that manga.
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Naofumi had been strange compared to the other heroes from the start.

First of all, despite having a Japanese name he looked at least part Indian or Egyptian, his clothes an odd hybrid of the 2 nations historical garb. He had arrived in a dress-like tunic made from some kind of linen in a cream color with a massive set of blue and gold neck jewelry, feet bare and malformed when spotted as he limped around. He seemed to walk more with his hips than his knees, giving him an odd gait that slowed him down considerably. He had a strange hissing accent, and was extremely careful to not reveal his teeth or ears on accident and never let anyone see him undressed.

Once he got his new set of armor he opted for a battle-maid set of chainmail that resembled a dress similar to his arrival clothes, still refusing shoes or pants of any kind and hiding his entire head in a mail hood under a turban he made from a shawl he traded one of his more casual necklaces for.

His companion had been ditched as soon as she wasn't looking at him in the wilds, leaving her to frantically look for him. She found him 2 days later up to his waist in the river with a fish in either hand, looking at her impassively like he was resigned to having to work with her at all.

So, when he reportedly assaulted her over night in an inn they were staying in on the fourth night, it was understandable that the whole group was pissed.

They just had no idea what they had provoked, given they didn't know the signs.
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"... missssss, may I ask you to desssscribe what I looked like when I sssuppossssedly assaulted you?" Naofumi sighed, tight lipped as always and hissing a little more than usual as he rubbed his temples. The gesture drew attention to the scale-like spot between his eyes, looking like a charcoal metallic tattoo in the morning light.

"Your legs were horribly malformed, and you have the most disgusting genitals of any man I had ever seen! Your covered in warts and sores under those clothes!" Sobbed Myne, making Naofumi groan in irritation.

"I ssssupose the only way to resolve this is to reveal what I am to you, but given I do not like how you treat non humans here I dread to find out what will happen once I do. Please, do not sssscream. My hearing is very ssssenssssitive."

"What are you talking about, devil shield?" Aultcray growled out, only to balk at the sight of Naofumi dropping the blanket cloak he had been using to hide his head and neck.

He had pointed ears with scales along the top and in the morning light it only made his snake-like pupils all the more obvious. He stretched as he pulled off his tunic, revealing that he was covered in scales along his sides, arms and back and that his crotch was completely smooth, like there was nothing there at all.

"What ARE you, man?" Motoyasu asked, gaping at his fellow hero.

"One moment, I would rather be in my true form for thisssss."

Before anyone could ask what that meant, Naofumi began to faintly glow as a creaking sound echoed through the throne room. The glow became more powerful as more changes occurred, the area it covered rapidly lengthening into a 30 foot tail that began to coil like a snake around Naofumi, making his rise up to hover at around 9 feet tall. When it died down, a massive Naga sat before the court, filling it with the sounds of gasps and choked screams.

"What kind of monster are you, Shield Devil?"

"I am what issss called a Naga, a guardian of a temple in India and of tombssss in Egypt. I had been taken in by a family in Japan when I wassss but a hatchling, and wassss raisssed there. Hencccce my japanesssse name. I had been returning from a reunion with my graduating classsss when I wassss ssssummoned, hencccce the nicccer clothesss. Normally I jussst wear a long sssshirt and a sssskirt to hide my sssslit, but I had been in human form due to lawssss about travel and true formssss that are larger."

"So you are saying there is a chance you still could have assaulted my daughter?"

"From her faccce you can tell sssshe hasss never sssseen me like thisss, sssir. Ssshe looksss far more angry than sssscared, after all. Besidesssss, I prefer men and even if I wisssshed to bed ssssomeone my training and culture makesssss it ssssso I am still underage for ssssucb things at only 98. I would need to be 120 to do so, and I doubt any mammalssss would appeal to me outside of friendsssss. I am a reptile, after all."

"... we cannot have a non human hero wandering without a master, and heroes cannot be slaves. You will have to be banished to siltvelt or executed, and we cannot risk your death at the moment."

"I would rather be in a land where I am not at risssk for sssslavery, to be honessst."

"Then you will like siltvelt, it's the land of demihumans after all. Guards! Take the shield monster to the dungeons until I can arrange for transport to siltvelt! He will be given a chance to link to the dragon hourglass right before he leaves, but from now on unless he is aiding with a wave he is not to set... tail in our lands!"

Naofumi slithered after the guards after gathering his things, Motoyasu looking green as he fiddled with the necklace he had been given By Myne that had looked similar to something Naofumi had worn when he arrived.

Which he had notably arrived without.

"So he's a snake monster? That's..."

"I know, Itsuki. I think Myne gave me something she stole off of him...."

"What's the big deal, it just means he can tank more damage and probably has some abilities that will make him slightly more useful in battle than a human Shielder. All it means is that he won't be a burden, which is more than I can say about you two."

"He's kinda scary though..."

"We fight monsters for a living now, scary is something we were bound to face at some point. Get over yourself, itsuki. And Motoyasu, if you feel so guilty or grossed out about having that snake's necklace just go give it back to him already!"

"Right!"

"...*sigh* Court dismissed! Myne, you are grounded for the next month due to lying. It would have been worse for you if he had been human, but I could care less about him now that I know the truth."

"But daddy~!"

"No buts, Myne! You have gotten good men executed on charges similar to this that later came out to be false, I have reason to punish you so your mother will not punish ME for not handling this "properly"! Go to your room, now!"