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I took a few steps back from Professor Sageira. “Soul Oath? Why? I do not know what that is, but I can tell from its name that I do not like it.”

She sighed and said. “Seeing that you are the first non-wyrm to my knowledge that has ever successfully cast using Dragon Tongue, I am obligated as a member of my species, especially as an elder dragon, to make sure our magic does not spread recklessly. To enforce that, I will need you to willingly swear a Soul Oath.”

“Wait a minute! That's not fair! As grateful as I am that you are sharing your magic with me, when have I shown myself to be reckless?” I argue.

She just nodded in understanding and said, “Be that as it may, the Soul Oath is not so much for you, but those who come after you. Unlike your physical age, you are mentally old enough and educated enough to know how reckless humans can be, especially when they are young. The Soul Oath, I am going to ask you to swear, will restrict you to only passing down the knowledge of Dragon Tounge magic to your direct bloodline only if they show themselves worthy of it.”

I folded my arms and asked, “And how would my descendants be deemed worthy?”

“Since I am the one who is teaching you, it would be my decision if they are worthy.” she declared.

“Oh, come on! You can’t be se-” I tried to object.

“Can you say I am wrong about human and mortal nature?” she said, cutting me off.

I opened my mouth to object, but I knew better. If this power were irresponsibly taught to someone who was young and lacked wisdom, that was just a recipe for them to hurt themselves. Or even worse, others. And that would have been because I may have handed over the equivalent of a loaded gun to either a child or a psychopath.

Learning normal magic that everyone knew was one thing; there were many people around who had the power to stop a person on a magical rampage if they were just using normal magic. But Dragon Tounge? I could imagine many lives lost before anyone got a handle on things.

I did not want any of that on my conscience if it ever came to pass.

I let out a defeated sigh. “Fine, I will swear the oath.” I said begrudgingly.

She nodded and stepped up to me, placed an index finger to my forehead, and in Dragon Tongue [Under the pain of death, do you swear to never pass down your knowledge of Dragon Tongue to anyone except your direct descendants, and only on my approval?]

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That's it? That was rather loose phrasing. I could think of five off the top of my head. And from the look she was giving me, she knew that she was being purposely extremely loose with the Soul Oath, so I decided to count my blessings and play along.

[I swear it.] I said, and the moment I did, the reality-bending effects of Dragon Tongue took the words spoken and manifested on the spot. Professor Sageira was touched. And by the feel of the ambient mana, the spell was using more than all the mana I had in my body… by a few times. If I spoke that full sentence of Dragon Tongue, i would most likely be dead from the mana draw alone.

I felt the majority of the spell embed itself on my forehead with a slight burning sensation, while I sensed a sliver of the same spell enter Professor Sageira’s body.

As fast as the burning sensation came, it went away just as fast, leaving an itchy sensation that I was compelled to scratch at the moment she lifted her finger from my forehead.

“With that done, you are officially my kin.” she announced.

I looked at her in confusion and asked while checking my arms and legs for any changes. “What do you mean by ‘kin’? I did not grow scales anywhere, nor do I feel like I have become cold-blooded, not that I know what it feels like. Is this a dragon culture thing?”

She nodded once again, “Indeed it is,” she said before blushing and waving over a table and chairs. “Take a seat. What I am about to explain to you is a rather shameful part of my race, but it explains why I call you kin.”

Once we were both comfortable, she explained, “I am sure you know that there are many species of wyrms, correct?” she asked, and I nodded. “Well, sometimes, when a young dragon who has just reached sexual maturity goes into the world, they sometimes get into… ‘youthful indiscretions’.” she said while trying to phrase around what she was trying to say.

“And sometimes, these ‘youthful indiscretions’ are not with members of their own species.” she said, and gave me the look like she was asking if I was picking up what she was putting down.

As I processed what she was saying, I was starting to pick up what she was putting down. I leaned in and narrowed my eyes at her before asking, “Are you telling me that the reason there are so many species and subspecies of wyrms is because sometimes young horny dragons are going around fucking everything with a pulse and siring children?”

She nodded like she was reluctant to admit it.

“And here I and all other academics are thinking that they are all other wyrms were a divergent evolution of the dragon species.” I muttered.

“A fifth of them are.” she said defensively before deflating, “The other four-fifths are a product of whatever beast or monster was big and hearty enough to endure the… passions of a young adult dragon.”

“Thankfully, having dragon blood comes with its perks. While there are a couple of wyrm species that were not blessed in the brain department, most of the wyrm species that are born from these indiscretions are at least smart and have the right structure to learn and speak Dragon Tongue. And to us dragons, that makes them kin. As for you, you may not share our blood, but you are the first non-wyrm to be capable of our magic, so I am naming you as kin in case the other wyrms get cranky about it.”

“Now, enough talking,” she said, clearly trying to change the subject, “let's get on with the test and see what you can do. Your fight with my great-great-grand nephew will be your debut to the rest of the dragons. So you must make sure you put on a good show and don't bring shame to my name for naming you kin.”