Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 369: The Lightning Mistress Surprise

Chapter 369: The Lightning Mistress Surprise

Clarisse’s eyes crackled with electricity as she held her rapier at the ready, her heart pounding in her chest. The Valkyries stood across from her, each of them prepared for battle, their expressions calm and unwavering. Emilia, Alicia, Surena, and Wilhelmina, all ready to take her down, their eyes reflecting the seriousness of the situation. Clarisse’s pulse raced as she sized them up, knowing full well that this wasn’t going to be an easy fight.

"Come on, then!" Clarisse shouted, her voice filled with raw determination as the energy of her lightning magic surged around her. "Let’s see what makes you all so special!"

Emilia moved first, her massive greatsword igniting with flames as she swung it toward Clarisse. The heat from her fire magic was intense, and Clarisse barely managed to dodge the attack. She felt the air sizzle as the flames licked past her, the power behind the swing making the ground tremble.

Clarisse retaliated quickly, sending a bolt of lightning straight toward Emilia. The crackling energy hit her shield of fire, but Emilia didn’t even flinch. She pushed forward with her sword, slashing at Clarisse with brutal strength. Clarisse parried the blow with her rapier, but the force behind Emilia’s attack sent her stumbling back.

Before she could recover, Alicia stepped forward, her psychokinesis lifting a large chunk of debris from the ground and hurling it toward Clarisse. The force of the projectile sent Clarisse flying into the air, her body twisting as she tried to regain her balance.

"You’re slow!" Alicia taunted, her psychokinesis effortlessly controlling a second wave of debris. She slashed with her normal sword as she walked toward Clarisse, the cold precision of her movements unnerving.

Clarisse twisted her body mid-air, barely dodging Alicia’s assault, but her luck didn’t last. Before she could catch her breath, Surena came at her next, the wind howling around her as she moved with blinding speed. Surena’s sword slashed out, its speed enhanced by her control of the wind, and Clarisse felt the sharp blade graze her arm.

Gritting her teeth against the pain, Clarisse fought back, sending a barrage of lightning bolts toward Surena. The wind Valkyrie dodged each attack with ease, her movements like a dance as she twirled out of range and then struck back with her sword.

"Too slow, Clarisse," Surena smirked, effortlessly dodging another one of Clarisse’s lightning strikes. "You’re fast, but we’re faster."

Clarisse’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, realizing that she was quickly being outmatched. These women weren’t the same warriors she remembered from their academy days. They were faster, stronger, more precise. And despite her best efforts, she could feel herself losing ground.

Wilhelmina was the last to step forward, her holy magic surrounding her like a protective aura. Her sword gleamed in the light as she advanced on Clarisse, her movements graceful but determined.

"You’ve improved, but it’s not enough," Wilhelmina said calmly, her voice steady as she swung her sword toward Clarisse.

Clarisse barely managed to parry the blow, her arm trembling from the sheer force of Wilhelmina’s strike. She could feel her mana depleting rapidly, the toll of using her lightning magic catching up to her. Every attack she made was countered, every attempt to break through was met with a stronger, more coordinated defense from the Valkyries.

Emilia was relentless with her fire magic, forcing Clarisse to dodge and weave to avoid being scorched. Alicia’s psychokinesis threw objects at her with terrifying precision, and Surena’s wind-enhanced speed kept her constantly on edge. Wilhelmina, calm and methodical, used her holy magic to heal any injuries her teammates sustained while still attacking with deadly precision.

Clarisse’s breaths came in ragged gasps, and she could feel her strength slipping away. She tried to summon more lightning, but her mana reserves were nearly empty. The Valkyries closed in, and in one final, desperate attempt, she unleashed everything she had in a massive bolt of lightning aimed at all four of them.

The lightning struck, crackling through the air with devastating force. But it wasn’t enough. The Valkyries stood their ground, their combined strength overwhelming Clarisse’s attack. The bolt of lightning fizzled out, and Clarisse collapsed to her knees, her energy completely drained.

"You fought well," Wilhelmina said softly, standing over Clarisse with her sword at her side. "But you’re no match for us now."

Clarisse groaned, her vision blurry as exhaustion overtook her. She had given everything, and still, it wasn’t enough.

Lyan, who had been watching from the sidelines, sighed as he began to dissipate the elemental barriers he had placed around the room to protect the inn. The barriers had taken up more of his mana than he had anticipated—thirty percent, to be exact. He knew the fight could get destructive, but he hadn’t expected Clarisse’s lightning magic to be so powerful. Still, it had taken everything he had to ensure the inn remained intact during the battle.

He approached the fallen Clarisse, her body limp and unmoving from the exhaustion of depleting her mana. Gently, he scooped her up into his arms, her head resting against his chest. Her breathing was shallow, but steady.

"You really put up a fight," he muttered quietly to her, though he knew she couldn’t hear him.

The Valkyries gathered around him, all of them showing signs of respect for Clarisse’s efforts.

"She’s strong," Surena said, brushing some dust off her armor. "But we’ve come a long way since the academy."

Lyan nodded, his arms cradling Clarisse’s unconscious form as they all made their way back to the castle. The grand structure loomed ahead, its massive spires reaching toward the sky, the stone walls illuminated by the setting sun. It was a sight to behold, and as they approached the entrance, Clarisse stirred in his arms, her eyes fluttering open.

Her gaze landed on the towering castle, her mouth falling open in disbelief. "You’ve... you’ve been living here?" she asked, her voice still weak from exhaustion.

Lyan glanced down at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah."

Clarisse’s mouth opened even wider, her eyes filled with disbelief. "This place is huge! And you let me live in that inn?"

Surena, overhearing the exchange, raised an eyebrow. "That inn is one of the most expensive and luxurious in Grafen. What’s the problem?"

"I have a child!" Clarisse retorted, her voice growing stronger with indignation. "That’s the problem!"

Alicia rolled her eyes. "And? You were safe, weren’t you? You had everything you needed."

Clarisse sighed, clearly frustrated but too tired to argue further. "It’s just... I don’t understand. Why are all of you so much stronger now? Back at the academy, we were all equals."

The Valkyries exchanged a glance before looking at Lyan.

"Let’s just say we’ve had some... intensive training," Wilhelmina said, her voice calm but with a hint of amusement.

Clarisse narrowed her eyes at Lyan, who was trying to keep a neutral expression. "Intensive training, huh?" she muttered. "I’m sure that’s not the only thing that’s been going on."

Lyan coughed awkwardly, clearly trying to deflect her suspicion. "You fought well," he said, changing the subject. "But they’ve had more time to train, and they’ve gotten stronger because of it."

Clarisse sighed, leaning back into his arms, too tired to push the issue any further. "Fine," she muttered, closing her eyes. "I won’t say anything."

As they entered the grand hall of the castle, Clarisse couldn’t help but feel a strange mix of awe and resentment. She had been living in a modest inn, while Lyan and the Valkyries had been living in this massive, luxurious castle. It wasn’t fair—but then again, nothing about her life felt fair anymore.

Lyan carried her up the grand staircase, the Valkyries following behind in silence. The castle was enormous, filled with grand tapestries, polished marble floors, and intricate chandeliers that cast a warm glow over everything. It was a far cry from the simple life Clarisse had been leading.

"You could have told me," Clarisse grumbled as Lyan gently placed her on a plush bed in one of the castle’s many rooms.

"I didn’t think it mattered," Lyan replied, his tone casual. "You had everything you needed."

Clarisse shot him a glare, but there was no real anger behind it. She was too exhausted to care anymore. "Just... don’t let it happen again," she muttered before closing her eyes, letting the soft comfort of the bed lull her into sleep.

Lyan watched her for a moment, his gaze softening as he pulled the blankets over her. The Valkyries stood in the doorway, their expressions unreadable as they watched the scene unfold.

"She’ll be fine," Wilhelmina said quietly, turning to leave. "She just needs time."

Lyan nodded, watching as the Valkyries made their way down the hall, leaving him alone with Clarisse.

"Time," he muttered to himself, his eyes lingering on Clarisse’s peaceful face. "Yeah, we all need that."

Lyan then shifted his gaze towards the boy in Surena’s arms.

"Let’s make this place a place where everyone has the time. To heal and to grow,"