Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love

---Lyan's PoV---

It's a familiar smell.

It feels like it's been so long since I last encountered this smell.

The smell that kind of sulfurous and metallic. The smell that came with the image of modern battles, wars, and death.

The smell of gunpowder.

As soon as the source of the smell entered my mind, my vision returned, and a familiar scene appeared before me.

"This is... The demon world...?"

But it's not just the demon world, it's a battlefield inside the demon world.

The red sky, the hideous black sun, and the sound of fire guns, bombs, and people's screaming. The familiar faces of the people that I haven't seen for so long appeared before me as they shouts something to me.

What is it? My vision and my sense of smell had returned, but it seems that my auditory perception hasn't returned yet.

I attempted to approach them by moving my feet since I couldn't hear what they are saying, but somehow even though I've commanded my feet to walk, I can't feel anything.

Did my feet got stuck on something, I wonder?

I gazed downwards to see what was happening, and the memory comes seeking in. I immediately realize where I am and what I'm doing.

*Crunch!* *Crunch!*

Blood is profusely leaking out of my limbless parts, and besides me, two huge black beasts are wolfing my torn legs like there is no tomorrow. Savagely, ruthlessly, and barbarically.

As I realized what condition I'm currently in, the intense pain started to appear from the parts that are bleeding profusely. Couldn't bear the hot and unbearable pain for a human to feel.

"AARRGGHH-----!!!!!!!!!"

I screamed.

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

!!??

Lyan jumped as soon as he opened his eyes.

"Lyan?" A familiar voice entered his ears. As he shifted his gaze, the familiar greyish brown hair entered his vision.

"Ah... Dancing Gale, huh..." Lyan uttered as he breathe a sigh of relief out of his mouth. He wipes the sweat running on his forehead, while his hands are touching his legs that had torn inside his dream.

(What a terrible nightmare... The view and the sensation are very vivid. Now, where am I?) (Lyan)

"Ah... We're in the cleanest room inside the goblin's lair. The others are leading the people that the goblins abducted to the surface and to regroup with the main army," said Surena as she realized Lyan's eyes wandering all around the place and seems to be questioning.

"How's your body condition?" (Surena)

(Body condition? Ah...) (Lyan)

The memories before he fell unconscious started to seep through his head, making him recall what happened. The part where after killing the goblin king together with the high spirits, his vision suddenly blurs, darkens, then he lost his consciousness.

(Ah... I forgot that I've already become a human, making me to forget to take into account and check the condition of my body during the battle. Unlike a demon's body, a human's stamina is not that big, and several wounds are enough to make me lose my consciousness because of the loss of blood. Not to mention I haven't trained myself in using the Incubus mana in such a high output in this body... I guess taking this quest really was a mistake...) (Lyan)

Along the battle, when fighting enemies with a number exceeding a hundred, it's impossible to not get even a single wound on the body. Since, unlike humans, demons have a high recovery rate since their metabolism and how their body works are dependent on the mana in the atmosphere and the air.

Having battling and fighting in his demonic form for hundreds of years, he had gone accustomed to wounds and scars, resulting in him forgetting that he's a human and how limited a human's regeneration and how easy it is to lose strength because of the loss of blood or stamina.

*Sigh!*

Lyan let out a sigh after realizing how fatal the mistake he made was. If the situation before happened while he was incapable of summoning the high spirits, he would definitely be dead by now.

"Hm?"

Lyan immediately opened his shirt to check on his body, but the wounds that were supposed to be on his body are gone. No wonder he didn't feel any pain either.

"The woman wearing a priestess attire healed all of your wounds with a spell," (Surena)

(Priestess attire... Cynthia, huh? Now that she mentioned her, where are all of them?) (Lyan)

"How long did I lose my consciousness?" (Lyan)

"I'm not really sure, about 4 hours, I guess," (Surena)

(I see... No wonder they've all returned to the grimoire's space. But there are no reactions from them even though I've woken up. Did the summoning exhaust them and made them to rest?) (Lyan)

"Hey, Lyan," Surena called his name with a hint of nervousness on her expression.

(Ah... Considering how the monsters and the eight girls appeared while obviously heeding my command, it's obvious that they realized that I am a summoner, I guess. But losing my consciousness is outside my expectation. I've considered of erasing their memories about me, but with the others had already dispersing outside like this, it will be difficult to do so) (Lyan)

"Are you thinking about how to silence me?" Asked her as if reading his mind.

"Why do you think so?" Lyan remains indifferent.

"Just a hunch," (Surena)

All of a sudden, a figure clad in black approached them and kneels. But since Lyan recognize the approaching presence, he didn't react to the sudden movement.

"Hobu..." Lyan uttered the name of the figure. The shadow hobgoblin that had been loyally serving him while sometimes got treated like a servant by the high spirits inside his grimoire's space as well.

Not only Lyan, but Surena didn't show any sign of surprise or even make a single reaction when Hobu approached them and kneeled.

(She didn't react at all, huh. It's because he's approaching without showing any hint of hostility, I guess) (Lyan)

"Now that I see you again. You've become even bigger than before, didn't you? And your presence had become stronger as well," (Lyan)

Before Lyan is Hobu that had grown from just 160 cm, to 210 cm tall. His armor had become more magnificent than before, and the black aura seeping from the sword and his knives are stronger than before as well.

(Did he evolve because of the battle? I guess I'll check the grimoire when we're back. I don't have the leeway to use illusion magic and hide the summoning grimoire from this girl's sight, after all) (Lyan)

"Seems like you did well as always, Hobu. Great job," (Lyan)

As if he's gratified because of his praise, he kneels deeper while the black aura he's seeping is getting stronger as well.

"He's a summoned creature, isn't he? Which means you're a summoner, aren't you?" (Surena)

Lyan observes Surena's expression for a while before giving a reply.

"Yeah," (Lyan)

"I see... It's understandable that you want to hide it. So... What will you do?" Asked Surena.

"I won't do anything. Rather, it's too late to do anything. I won't silence you since it will make my efforts of saving all of you before became nothing but vain, right?" Lyan shrugged.

"Y-Yeah..." Surena replied with widened eyes. She seems to be surprised by Lyan's answer.

"Why did you save us?" (Surena)

"Hm?" (Lyan)

"I'm asking about your motive. We clearly showed our hostility towards you even though you're clearly have no connection with the Astellians. And even though you have to uncover your secret, you still save us, why did you do so?" (Surena)

Looking at her eyes, Lyan could see that she was sincerely curious about the reason why he saved them. Closing his eyes, an image of a former comrade of his in the war inside the demon world crossed his mind.

"It's just a simple math. A pure calculation on my side," (Lyan)

"Math?" (Surena)

"Yeah. You seem to be misunderstanding, but at that moment, the one in the pinch is not just you and the other Valkyries' members. Ravia, Raine, the Astellians, and more importantly, the ones that were captived by the goblins also have their lives in danger," (Lyan)

"Just by showing my secret, a hundred lives could be saved. I don't even need to sacrifice my life or anything to do so. See? It's just a simple math, don't you think?" (Lyan)

"I see... So that's what you meant. A simple math, huh... Fufufu!" Surena let out a giggle.

"What is it?" (Lyan)

"Nothing. It's just that, you're surprisingly very knightlike, aren't you?" said her as a cheerful smile bloomed on her face.

But Lyan snorted in response.

"Of course, I didn't save all of you for free. I'll be looking forward to what kind of reward everyone would give to me, especially from that sneaky Astellian prince. Not to mention that I would be getting lots of rewards from the goblins' ears here. I'm definitely going to be rich," Lyan let out a shrug.

"Even if you're trying to shrug off your kindness, those things you're mentioning are not enough to make you a villain, Lyan," Surena suddenly stands and made a certain pose.

"What are you doing?" Asked Lyan as she saw the girl before him suddenly kneeling before him.

"I, Surena Ekaitza, former loyal knight of the Veilleux House, hereby swear that I will dedicate this life that had been saved by you, for you alone. By the sword on my hand, I offer you my body and soul," (Surena)

[The leader of the half angels, chosen of the slain, Surena Ekaitza, had offered her soul to the host. The 'Mana Oath' had been detected.

Accept/Refuse]

___________________________________________________________________________

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, Shadow Hobgoblin, Papilio Slime, Galewing Butterfly, Rock Golem, Deadlight, Moonlight Butterfly, Ice Golem