102 Oaths III

"Maybe he thinks we're going to get killed," Todd said. "Could be possible, especially with a Rank 5 demon strolling around."

"It's not that," Noah said with a sigh. "I was thinking about Rune Oaths – actually, this might as well be our lesson for today. I haven't been a great teacher these past few weeks, so it's time I get started again."

"A lesson about Rune Oaths?" Todd asked. He scrunched his nose. "What about you just tell us how you killed the Hellreaver? That sounds a lot more fun."

"Another time," Noah replied. "You can start, though. Tell me what a Rune Oath is."

"Unbreakable promise," Todd said promptly. "One that screws both people over if one of the two dies. It can shatter your runes or even kill you."

"Right," Noah said with a nod. "Let's focus on the first half. Unbreakable is a really bold word, don't you think?"

"I'd say it's pretty accurate." Isabel crossed her arms and leaned forward, her brow darkening. "I've seen how they work. I've seen what they do."

There's a can of worms behind those words.

"I'm not arguing that they work," Noah said, raising a hand. "Rather, I'm arguing how they work. Let's make a hypothetical. You and I are mortal enemies. We've been trying to kill each other for years. We're tired. We want out of the fight – but neither of us trust each other."

"Sure," Isabel said with a shrug. "I see where you're going. So we make a Rune Oath to stop fighting each other."

"Great," Noah said. "Tell me what oath you'd swear."

Isabel thought for a few moments. Beside her, Todd's brow furrowed in concentration as well.

"Something simple, maybe? Like – I promise not to harm you as long as you do the same toward me," Todd offered.

Noah hid a smile. This was a far cry from their first lesson, where both Isabel and Todd had been barely willing to cooperate with him, much less actively volunteering information without him prompting them.

"No," Isabel said, shaking her head before Noah could even speak. "That leaves way too much up for interpretation. Harm is too subjective of a word. What if I reached a higher Rank than Professor Vermil? I could do something to him that I don't consider harmful and possibly slip past the Rune Oath's restrictions. As long as he survived, I wouldn't get any backlash."

"Damn. Good point," Todd said, pursing his lips. "What would you do, then?"

"I'd have to really think on it," Isabel admitted. "I can't come up with a single oath that could possibly encompass everything this quickly."

"And therein lies the problem, at least for me," Noah said. "I'm not saying that Rune Oaths don't work. But I'm not a contract expert. The more general I make the terms of the Oath, the less it actually binds you. And the more specific I get, the more loopholes I leave. If I extensively studied Rune Oaths, I'm sure I could figure out a way to write one that was borderline unbreakable by all but another expert."

"There are people that do that," Todd provided. "They aren't cheap, though."

Figures. Lawyers exist here too, I guess.

"As I said, they've got a place," Noah said with a nod. "I had Moxie swear a Rune Oath just a little while ago."

"So why not us?" Todd asked.

"Because you're my students," Noah replied. "Moxie has her own commitments to her family and the school. If she didn't swear a Rune Oath, there are probably people that could have forced her to answer the question. This way, she has an excuse to avoid it. Granted, if she really tries, I have no doubt she could find a way to slip around it. But the two of you didn't ask to be dragged into this. Moxie's family will protect her if things go poorly – but you don't have that, do you?"

Isabel and Todd both looked to the side.

"You didn't make us swear an Oath because you want us to have a way to wash our hands of you if someone figures it out?" Isabel asked.

"Yes. If someone tries to force information out of you, just give it to them. Nobody can do that to Moxie, but from everything I've seen, they won't have such scruples with you. You are not responsible for my failures. I'm your teacher. The burden is on me."

"I'm not telling anyone shit. That's not how I do things." Todd said, crossing his arms. He paused for a moment. "Okay, normally it is. But not this time."

"Me neither," Isabel said. "I'm not helping any nobles. Good riddance to the Hellreaver."

"I certainly won't complain, but don't put yourselves in any extra danger," Noah said. "And you might not want to be too happy the Hellreaver is gone. It was what was keeping the monkeys in a state where we could train easily against them. I'm afraid I've messed up our practice grounds."

"We can just go somewhere else," Todd said.

"Yeah." Isabel nodded. "We have to start fighting monsters that think for themselves eventually."

"I agree," Noah said. "But keeping the training wheels on can't hurt. Either way, we'll figure something out. There are other places with Great Monsters. For now, though, I need the two of you to think on what you want to do in regard to the trip."

"We will," Isabel promised. "Tomorrow morning, next to the transport cannon."

"Tomorrow morning," Noah confirmed. "Take this seriously, Todd. I see that look in your eyes."

Todd cleared his throat. "Yeah, we will."

"I always do," Isabel said.

"Good," Noah said. He bid them farewell and left the classroom. There was still a lot he had to prepare for, no matter what decision his students made.