Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love

"What just... Happened..." Lichia uttered as she saw the scene unfolding before her.

After the bluish-black flame burnt the leader of the direwolf pack, the rest of the direwolves got killed by the shadows that beheaded Jean's underlings and some of the hobgoblin skeletons.

At first, she thought that they are going to attack her as well after realizing about her presence, but rather than attacking and silencing her, five goblin champion skeletons surrounded her, making a defensive sphere to protect her, making her fall into a state of confusion.

(They are... Protecting me...?) (Lichia)

The battle was brief. The pack of direwolves that was consisted of a dozen direwolves and one leader got killed easily by the force led by the deadlight.

"Luckily we noticed them quickly. Or we would have unwanted casualties because of that," Grimclaw the deadlight uttered as he made a gesture as if he was letting out a sigh from his skull.

"Why...?" (Lichia)

"Hm?" (Grimclaw)

"Why did... You saved me...?" Lichia mustered her courage to ask the question that occupied her mind. Why would a deadlight that just massacred the mercenaries with his monsters save her from the direwolves.

"The king's command was to kill those who aimed to attack the wagon and plunder it. Since the king is kind, he wouldn't want to have any unwanted casualties other than his enemies, especially if it's someone he's in a good relationship with. So I believe that it will please him to know that we prevent your death," (Grimclaw)

'Pleasing one's liege is the greatest happiness of a servant, after all,' The Grimclaw muttered under his breath as he nods, seeming to be satisfied with his call. And once he stopped his nods, he once again stared at Lichia with his red light eyes.

"And it seems that you're not just the king's friend, but a potential queen of his as well. So protecting you from any kind of danger is 'Our' duty to fulfill," (Grimclaw)

"Queen...?" Lichia uttered confusedly as she still couldn't comprehend and process the load of information that just entered her head.

(King? Potential Queen? Me? What does he mean?) (Lichia)

There are lots of questions inside Lichia's head right now, but for now, she at least knew that the deadlight before her will not kill her. After realizing that fact, she breathes out a sigh of relief as she forces herself to calm down.

"There is no need to think too much about this, and there is nothing to be afraid as well. We won't harm you, and won't let any harm befall you either. Use this healthy steed and return to the city of humans," (Grimclaw)

Following Grimclaw's words, a single hobgoblin skeleton brings a horse with a lead and brought it to Lichia.

"I see... Thank you..." Knowing that she was not in danger, Lichia skillfully jumped above the horse and immediately galloped back to the city at full speed. Her heart is still thumping hard because of the tension, and sweat is profusely dripping from her forehead while her hands that are holding the reins are full of sweat.

(I don't know what happened, but at least I'm alive... But... If he's not inside that wagon. Then where is Lyan?) (Lichia)

Lichia wondered about the whereabouts of the guy that made her gallop at full speed because of worry. She hasn't realized that she's not even bothered a single bit about the condition of Jean whether he died or not.

*************************************************

As Lichia went to the northern route in worry of Lyan, the man himself is currently inside the Madam's office together with the three most famous flowers of the house.

"Your plan worked perfectly, Mr. Lyan. You led the ones aiming at you by their nose. They seriously thought that the carriage is yours, and it seems that they will take the opportunity when they reached the thick forest as you've guessed. As expected, what a splendid plan," Abraham that had returned from his swift scouting of the enemies said with an impressed smile.

"I'm just lucky that the opponents are not that bright," Lyan replied modestly.

"You even used the girls to spread the rumor of your departure after the reward withdrawal. They really got led smoothly by that, aren't they? So you use your illusion magic to make them didn't notice that you take the chests out back and secured them?" Asked the Madam.

"You're right," (Lyan)

When Lyan entered the wagon after the three muscular guild staff loaded the wagon with the chests of gold, he immediately sent the chests of gold into the grimoire's space, and left the wagon while making himself invisible using his illusion magic.

None of the mercenaries that aimed at him would ever expect that he has not only the ability to store the chests of gold in another space, but even a magic to make himself invisible to naked eyes.

"And you're secretly a summoner, huh... I had a hunch, but to think that it was such a rare power... But is it fine to tell us about this? Isn't this supposed to be your big secret?" The Madam asked with concern.

After having the prince and the ones inside the goblin king's lair discover about his identity as a summoner, Lyan decided to let know everyone that he regard as an ally he could trust about his secrets.

Of course, the Madam, Abraham, Ravia, and Raine are those allies he meant inside his mind. Even though it has been such a short while, he knew that they hold a considerable amount of trust in him, and so do he in them.

"It's fine. I trust in all of you," Lyan said he with a confident look.

"Are you sure? This kind of information could bring me lots of money, you know? Big merchants, nobles, and even royalties would want the information of an unaffiliated summoner. Making more than a hundred of golds would not be an exaggeration," said the Madam provocatively, but her eyebrows soon flinched when she saw Lyan remain unfazed.

"I'm not against of selling my information. I'm the one that one-sidedly gave that information to you without you asking in the first place anyway. But if you want money, you know I currently have more money than I need right now, right?" Lyan said with the same confidence.

"Heh. What a cheeky guy. But I don't hate that confidence of yours. I understand. I don't have any intention of telling anyone about this, I will only put myself in danger if I do so in the first place anyway. Now, let's get over to the next main point. You came for the girls, right?" said the Madam as she folded her arms and look at Lyan like the mother of a girl that was about to get proposed to.

Noticing how the Madam realized, Lyan also changed his expression to a serious one.

"Yes. As you said, I came to pay for the debts of the girls," (Lyan)

As Lyan said it with a determined look, the three girls behind him are squirming around, blushing as they lower their heads. They look like girls that are about to get taken as wives, looking at them made the madam breathe out a sigh.

"What should I say... I never thought that you would gather a such amount of money in such a short time. No, in the first place, the amount you obtained in this short time was even much more than that. It's not surprising if there are mercenaries that would get ideas of plundering that gold of yours... Is that the golds?" The Madam asked as she pointed at the leather bag Lyan holding in his right hand.

"Yeah," (Lyan)

Looking at the size of the bag alone, the Madam knows that the number of golds inside must be more or less 60 gold coins, the amount of debt that the girls have towards her.

"Really... I never thought that the time when I hesitated to take some gold coins in front of me would ever come..." With a wry smile, the Madam took the bag of gold Lyan handed her.

"Madam... So you value us more than the golds..." (Alina)

"Of course not. I'm just hesitating whether keeping you will bring me even more golds or not," The Madam tried to set Alina's words aside with a joke, but how she was trying to hide her teary eyes are obvious to everyone.

"""Madam...""" (Aline, Belle, and Xena)

The memories of how the Madam bought them, take care of them, laugh with them, protect them, and teach them how to survive flashed through their head in a short time, making all of them teary because of the flashbacks.

"Of course," Lyan suddenly disturbed their emotional moments.

"I intended to let them to do whatever they want. It's not like they need to go wherever I go in the first place, and it's not like I will never return to this city again anyway. And I'm thinking of not bringing them in my journey to the north," Lyan suddenly dropped the bomb.

"""EHHH!?!?!?!?"""

___________________________________________________________________________

Name: Lyan Arkanium Evocatore

Occupation: Gold-ranked Mercenary

Money: 3,541,722,400 Elnes / 3541 gold 72 big silver 2 silver 4 big copper

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, 3 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