Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love

After finished on checking the changes on his forces, Lyan and Surena started their way back to the Arkansas city. Since he can't bring all of his summoned monsters with him, Lyan unsummoned all of them and brought only Hobu and his shadow servants to guard the perimeter around him and Surena.

Since he lost his consciousness for about 4 hours, at the time they went outside, it was already dark. When Lyan went outside, the pitch black and aggressive horse is still there while looking at the entrance with a menacing look. But when it saw Lyan, the complexion of the black horse lightened up for a moment before it neighs and acts to its usual disinterested attitude.

"Heh! So you've been waiting for me. Are you worried about me?" Lyan snickered as he approached the horse and attempted to stroke its head, but as usual, the pitch black horse aggressively attempted to bite his hand off.

"Same as usual, huh... You've got plenty of rest already, aren't you? Let us ride you for several hours will you?" (Lyan)

With its body that was bigger and stronger than even war horses, it could easily let Lyan and Surena ride while still running at a full speed without having its speed decreased because of the weight.

"T-This horse's very fast!!" (Surena)

They went for a full sprint along the forest for a whole three hours. Even though some of the terrains they passed are quite difficult for a normal horse to run through, the black horse they are riding didn't even flinch and continued its sprint as if it didn't get bothered by them.

After finishing the sprint, it might be dangerous for them to continue to travel in such a thick forest at night. So the both of them pitched a tent that the elite group left for them to use and decided to sleep and take a rest.

Looking at the sweating black horse, Lyan could see that it's having a satisfied expression on its face.

(Looks like he's happy for getting a chance to run at a full sprint, huh? He must be tired as well because of that long run, we've used him in the morning as well, didn't we? Setting aside its aggressiveness, it will be a shame if such a good horse died, after all) (Lyan)

"What should we do with the night watch?" (Surena)

"Ah, for that, [Hobu]," (Lyan)

Following Lyan's summon, Hobu and his six shadow servants appeared in front of him. While traveling with the black horse, they wouldn't be able to catch up if they run on foot, so they have been riding along inside Lyan's shadow.

"Keep in check on the surrounding perimeter for me, okay?" (Lyan)

With a single nod, Hobu and the three shadow hobgoblins disappeared and went in different directions to survey the surroundings, while the three shadow goblin champions are stationed near Lyan and Surena to guard the two of them.

"There's no point on me hiding them anymore, right? Then I should just use them and take it easy instead," (Lyan)

"You're right... So, there wouldn't be any need for a night watch, huh?" (Surena)

Surena seems to be fidgeting a little bit, but Lyan pays her no heed.

"You're right," (Lyan)

The both of them entered the tent together. Lyan took quite a distance from her since the tent for the elite group was quite big, there are quite a space between them.

(He told me that he wouldn't order me to do 'that', but he doesn't mention that he won't make me want to do it, didn't he? Sleeping together in one tent like this after having such a battle, he must be turned on because of the battle. This is totally setting the mood, isn't it? How sly...) (Surena)

Surena let out a sigh, but a small smile remained on her face.

(Well, if he wanted then I don't really-) (Surena)

Her smile froze as she saw the man lying beside her had completely lost his consciousness and gone to a deep slumber.

(H-He's asleep!! Didn't he have enough sleep before!? He lost his consciousness for about four hours, didn't he!?) (Surena)

Surena tried to poke at his cheek, but he didn't seem to be faking his sleep. After letting out a small sigh, Surena slept while facing the other side to make sure the man beside him didn't notice her hand entering her clothes.

And just like that, the sun rose without having any special event happening inside the tent for the whole night.

"Whoa... Looks like I slept rather soundly last night," Lyan stretched his body as he muttered the words.

"Yeah. You slept very quickly," (Surena)

"Hm? You look rather sleep deprived, you can't sleep?" Lyan noticed the faint black circles below Surena's eyes.

"Kind of. This thing happened sometimes," Surena smiled as she shrugs.

(There's no way that I could say that I couldn't sleep because I got too turned on, aren't I?) (Surena)

"Is that so? Then let's go. We'll reach the city in the evening if we went straight to the city while riding the aggressive horse," (Lyan)

As they were about to ride again, they sensed something moving from the bushes and immediately ready their weapons. But-

"L-Lyan!?" A familiar voice entered his ears.

Not long after, a familiar black-haired and white-haired butler uniform-using girls appeared from the bushes together with the two members of the Valkyries together with their horses.

"Raine, Ravia," (Lyan)

""Lyan!!""

The both of them jumped on him right away after confirming his identity, forcing him to fall with them on top of him.

"What are the of you doing here? Didn't you go together with the main army?" (Lyan)

"We immediately went back for the goblin king's lair right after we reached at a certain distance from the city where there is less danger. It can't be helped, we're worried, after all. If you died, what could we say to Belle-chan and the others!!" (Raine)

"Seriously. You made us very worried..." Ravia let out a relieved sigh.

"Hahaha. Looks like I made the two of you worried. I'm already fine, but if we stop here, we might didn't make it on time to arrive at the city. Let's catch up on our horse," (Lyan)

On top of their horses, Ravia and Raine told Lyan about what happened after he lost his consciousness until the end. After Erich and the others went outside to escort the people abducted by the goblins, they went straight to the main army with their weapons ready, thinking that the main army might still be in a battle with the goblin army sent by the goblin king.

But when they arrived there, the battle had already finished and the mercenaries are collecting the goblins' ears for the elimination proof to the guild. They said that the Brave Rings' leader, Borton, succeeded in defeating the army of goblins by following the strategy book written by the Small General. He's praising how the guide and the flow of the battle went precisely like the plan C written in the book.

After merging with the main army, they cheered and celebrated for a while and have some rest before going straight back to the city to deliver the information of victory. Along the way, Erich didn't announce his identity as the crown prince of the Astellia Kingdom, and the journey went without a hitch.

There are girls that have a joyful expression after getting saved, and even sleep with the mercenaries to heal themselves after getting defiled by the goblins, but most of them didn't even have the light on their eyes anymore, especially the ones that had a goblin child on their bellies or the ones that already gave born to goblins inside the goblin king's lair.

The experience must have imprinted a deep shock and trauma on their heart, making it very difficult to be healed.

"I don't know how it feels to give born to a goblin after getting raped by them, but it must be very frustrating and depressing..." (Ravia)

After having escorted the army and the captives to a safe route, they went straight back to pick up Lyan in case he was still unconscious.

"That Astellian prince. I don't know what his motive is, but he asked me to deliver you a message," (Ravia)

"A message?" Lyan knitted his eyebrows.

"Yes. He said 'Meet me at the mercenary guild the night after the reward distribution. I have an offer to give you,' with an excited grin on his face. What would you do, Lyan? Is he our enemy now?" Ravia's eyes sharpened as she asked the question.

"Of course not. Not yet, I guess. Even if he became one, it will be mine, not ours. I have no intentions of dragging any of you to danger," (Lyan)

"Then what will you do? Will you meet him?" (Ravia)

"Hm... I'm interested in his offer, but I already have a rough image of what he's going to offer me with. If you asked me whether I will meet him or not, I will," (Lyan)

"You will?" (Raine)

Staring at the distance with a small grin, a plan had already been made inside of Lyan's head.

"Yes. But I don't know whether he'll realize it or not, though," (Lyan)

___________________________________________________________________________

Name: Lyan Arkanium Evocatore

Occupation: Gold-ranked Mercenary

Money: 49,722,400 Elnes

Weapon: None

Equipment: Black leather cloak, Leather Armor, 1 (Decent) One-handed Sword, 2 (Good-Quality) One-handed swords, 2 Health Potions, 2 Poison Vials

Grimoire's Companions: 8 High Spirits, 1 Valkyrie, Shadow Goblin Lord (Lv. 5), Papilio Slime, Galewing Butterfly, Rock Golem (Lv. 50), Deadlight (Lv. 63), Moonlight Butterfly, Ice Golem (Lv. 50)

Grimoire's Army: 6 Shadow Servants, 800 Skeleton Army