[Ryunosuke finds himself inadvertently reminded of the time he was turned into a frog, and several of the snakes kept looking at him like a potential snack. Unpleasant!

(He can hardly believe it's been nearly a year since that all happened.)

He cocks his head slightly, the tip of his tail twitching thoughtfully, like a cat's.]

So... The scale would have helped him get back to his family? Allegedly, I mean. I do realize you just said he was lying.