Lady Josephine brought us to a restaurant on the Second Layer. Like the other buildings here, it was only two stories tall. However, it was far more beautiful and ornate than any of the others I had seen so far. It was decorated with a rose motif and had a red and gold color scheme. Given these clues, I assumed Clan Thorne owned this restaurant, or at least had some connection to it.

When we entered, I smelled various spices, which stirred my appetite. I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and it was well past lunchtime. The thought of eating First Murim style dishes made my mouth water. I enjoyed Luminian cooking, but there was nothing wrong with enjoying variety. Besides, my time on Earth had spoiled me when it came to eating foods from various cultures.

The restaurant staff treated Lady Josephine with great respect, which extended to the rest of us since we were her guests. One of them led us to a private room on the second floor. Lady Josephine's retainers and our bodyguards didn't join us. Instead, they remained outside.

The room wasn't large. It was clearly meant for more intimate gatherings. A circular wooden table carved with intricate designs occupied the center. A mixture of paintings and potted plants decorated the room. Ornate brass glowstone lamps protruded from the walls.

We all sat down, while the server stood nearby and waited.

"Do you mind if I order for all of us?" Lady Josephine asked after everyone settled in.

Kaylee and I glanced at Mother for guidance. She knew Lady Josephine, so we decided to follow her lead here.

"Go right ahead." Mother said with a smile. "It's been a while since I enjoyed cooking from home, so to speak."

"Very well."

Lady Josephine turned to the server and rattled off the names of several dishes. I recognized most of them, but there were a few that were new to me. Afterwards, the server bowed and left the room. A few moments later, another server arrived with tea for all of us. It was jasmine green tea, one of my favorites.

While we waited for our food to arrive, Mother and Lady Josephine made polite small talk. Kaylee and I sipped our tea and remained silent. I also took this opportunity to study Lady Josephine. The resemblance between her and Anna was almost uncanny. If this was what Anna would look like when she grew older, then I had nothing to worry about.

Hmm, then again, it wouldn't matter to me even if Anna ended up looking like an ugly hag when she grew older. While her appearance was what attracted me to her when we first met, it didn't matter to me as much anymore. Anna's bold and boisterous nature, her assertiveness and aggressiveness when it came to intimacy, her loyalty to the people she loved. These were the reasons why I loved Anna. Compared to all that, her appearance was far less important.

Wait a moment.

Loved.

Huh.

I was in love with Anna.

This wasn't a grand and dramatic revelation. Instead, it was a quiet moment of realization as I came to terms with my feelings.

Of course, I knew I had already fallen for her, and hard. However, the word love never crossed my mind until now. However, it fit. How else could I explain my feelings for her? The hold Anna had over me, the terror I felt at the thought of something going wrong, and the happiness I felt at the mere thought of her.

A smile spread across my face and I touched the choker around my neck. I stayed like that for several moments, before I realized that the table had fallen silent. When I looked around, I found the others all staring at me. Kaylee wore a disgusted expression on her face, Mother looked conflicted, and Lady Josephine appeared amused. My cheeks heated up when I realized that everyone had seen me acting like a smitten fool.

"How does it feel to know that your son is in love with my daughter?" Lady Josephine asked, smirking at my mother.

Mother sighed.

"I find it strange," she said, "considering our past." She gave a smirk of her own. "However, when I remember that your daughter is just as in love with Gabriel as he is with her, I feel much better."

Lady Josephine scowled.

"You don't know that for sure." She said.

Mother's smirk grew wider.

"Yes, I do." She said. "I saw how they treated each other in the Icefall region. It reminded me of how you acted when you courted your husband."

Lady Josephina's scowl deepened and she took a sip of her tea.

"Mother," I asked, hoping to change the topic, "what exactly is your relationship with Lady Josephina?"

"Yes," Kaylee said, "I'm curious as well. Are you two friends?"

Mother and Lady Josephine looked at each other, before they both burst into laughter. They laughed for a few minutes, and it took them even longer to catch their breath.

"Oh," Lady Josephine said, wiping a tear from her eye, "that is the most amusing thing I've heard in my entire life. You and I? Friends?"

"Well," Mother said, fanning her face, "can you blame them? They haven't seen how we used to act around each other." Mother took a deep breath to recover her composure. "No, my children. Lady Josephine and I aren't friends. In fact, we once hated each other."

"Your mother and I used to fight all the time." Lady Josephine explained. "If there was a tournament or competition, we joined because we knew the other would. Whenever we met in public, one of us would end up challenging the other to a duel. We even competed when it came to cultivation and training, racing to see who would reach certain thresholds the fastest." She shrugged. "Sometimes I won, and sometimes your mother won."

I looked between the two of them, confused.

"For people who used to hate each other, you two are rather…" I paused to find the right word. "… Cordial with one another."

Mother shrugged.

"It's been twenty years since we last saw each other." She said. "We've both matured since then."

"It helps that we are going to be family soon." Lady Josephine said.

Before she could say more, the servers arrived with our food. They placed a veritable feast on the table before us, before leaving the room.

I was familiar with most of the First Murim dishes. However, there were a few that I didn't recognize at all. They looked similar to Luminian dishes, but with a First Murim twist.

The one thing that all the dishes had in common was that they were spicy. The smell alone was enough to make my eyes water. Not that this bothered me. Thanks to Teacher, I developed a taste for spicy food. It wasn't my favorite, but I wouldn't shy away from it either.

The question was, where to start? As I looked around, my eyes fell on the unfamiliar dishes.

"My ancestors developed these dishes a little after they arrived in this realm." Lady Josephine explained. "For them, it was a way to embrace their new home while still remembering their roots."

I nodded. That was a sentiment I could appreciate. In that case, I decided to start with those.

The meal was delicious. As expected, the food was spicy enough to burn a layer off my tongue. However, that didn't deter me. Mother ate with relish, savoring each bite. Kaylee, on the other hand, ate with far more reluctance.

"I'm impressed." Lady Josephine said with a raised eyebrow. "In my experience, Luminians don't like spicy food." She looked between my sister and I. "Most give up after just a few bites. I even had some non-spicy dishes prepared, just in case."

I shrugged.

"I'm used to it." I said. "You can give the non-spicy dishes to my sister."

Lady Josephine turned to Kaylee and gave her a questioning look.

"Yes, please." Kaylee said, looking relieved.

Lady Josephine summoned a server, who brought out a few non-spicy dishes for Kaylee. None of us said a word for the rest of the meal. Afterwards, the servers returned to take away the leftovers and bring us more tea, before leaving once again.

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"Now then," Lady Josephine said, "let's get down to business."

"Before that, let us get the introductions out of the way," Mother said, "so my children know exactly who they are dealing with." She gestured to Lady Josephine." Gabriel, Kaylee. This is Josephine Thorne, the head of Clan Thorne and Lady Annabelle's adopted mother. However, she prefers to be addressed as 'Lady' rather than 'Clan Head' since it makes her feel younger. Her husband is the current head of the Martial Arts Alliance."

Huh. That explained a lot. One of the reasons why Mother wanted me to marry Lady Annabelle was because Clan Leone wielded a lot of influence in Murim. They also held several positions within the Martial Arts Alliance.

However, if I became the son in law of the current head of the Martial Arts Alliance, then Clan Leone wouldn't be able to touch me. At least openly. It wouldn't stop them from using underhanded means.

That said, there was one thing that caught my attention.

"Adopted?" I asked.

Mother nodded.

"Remember how I told you that Lady Annabelle was born into House Thorne's main family?" she asked. "She had a talent for martial arts rather than magic, so Lady Josephine adopted her into Clan Thorne."

Oh, right. I had forgotten about that.

"Lady Josephine," Mother said, "these are my children, Gabriel and Kaylee Sturm."

"I am aware." Lady Josephine said, amused. "After my daughter returned from the Icefall region, she wouldn't stop talking about your son. It's gotten to the point where my husband and sons can't wait to meet him."

The way she said that suggested that this wasn't a good thing for me.

"So," Mother said, her demeanor growing serious, "what did you wish to speak about? We were supposed to meet in a few days. Why seek us out ahead of time?"

Lady Josephine regarded Mother with a half smile.

"Well, at first I just wanted to see you." She said. "Claire Sturm making her first appearance in Murim after twenty years? I couldn't resist the temptation."

Clan Thorne must have had eyes and ears all over Sunheart Undercity for Lady Josephine to notice our presence. Yes, we spent hours in the clothing store. However, as far as I knew, we hadn't attracted all that much attention.

"However," Lady Josephine continued, "after giving it some thought, I decided it was also a good idea to figure out your intentions. I have no patience for games, so I'll just come out and ask." She gave Mother a hard look. "Why did you want your son to marry a member of Clan Thorne? And why did you reach out to me, of all people? These questions have plagued me ever since I received your first letter."

"The answer to your first question is simple." Mother said. "Like your daughter, my son has a talent for martial arts rather than wizardry. I knew he would end up entering Murim at some point, which would attract Clan Leone's attention. I picked your Clan to protect him from their ire." She gestured to Lady Josephine. "You witnessed my interaction with Shannon. If you hadn't intervened, things wouldn't have ended so peacefully."

Lady Josephine snorted.

"I can't believe you're sisters with that woman." She said. "You two may look alike, but that's it. When it comes to everything else, you two couldn't be more different."

"Half-sister." Mother said, before looking at Kaylee and I. "There are some in Murim who believe that powerful men should have multiple wives, or at least concubines, all for the sake of siring as many children as possible. It's a holdover from First Murim." She scowled. "My father was, and still is, one such person. Shannon is the daughter of one of his concubines."

Teacher mentioned that this was part of the culture in First Murim. However, I hadn't expected to hear about it here in Lumina. In this realm, monogamy was the norm.

"The more I hear about Clan Leone," I said, a grimace on my face, "The less I like them."

"Agreed." Kaylee said, her expression mirroring mine.

Lady Josephine chuckled.

"I should point out that the people who actually practice polygamy are in the minority." She said. "The rest of Murim has adopted Lumina's practice of monogamy."

Lady Josephine gave me a meaningful look as she said this. Was this some kind of warning? If so, then it was an unnecessary one. Anna would be my one and only.

"To answer your second question," Mother said, before pausing for a moment, "while you and I have had our differences in the past, I always held the greatest respect for both your skills and your character. That's why I reached out to you. It was because you were the best choice available to me."

That was quite heartwarming.

"Cute sentiment." Lady Josephine said with a smirk. "Now, what's the real reason?"

"If your daughter was anything like you, I knew she wouldn't be able to resist my son." Mother said without hesitation. "You always had a weakness for beautiful men."

My jaw dropped. What kind of bullshit reason was that?

Lady Josephine threw back her head and laughed.

"I knew it!" She said. "You cunning minx!" She looked me up and down. "Well, your son is rather fetching."

Mother sniffed.

"Of course." She said in a haughty tone. "Gabriel takes after me."

I wanted to sink into the floor. This was a special kind of hell. My mother and my future mother in law were talking about how beautiful I was. I would rather go shopping with Mother than go through this ever again.

At least I could console myself with the fact that Anna liked me before she saw my real face. While my appearance sealed the deal, she was willing to be with me even when she thought I looked much plainer. I felt much better after reminding myself of that.

"To be honest," Mother said, "I'm surprised you agreed to the engagement."

"I agreed to meet in order to discuss the engagement." Lady Josephine pointed out. "I haven't agreed to the engagement just yet." She glanced at me. "However, considering our children's feelings for each other, my approval is superfluous at this point. If I tried to stop Annabelle from marrying your son, she might follow your example and run away from home. And unlike your father, I'm neither arrogant nor stubborn enough to try and stop her."

"Even so," Mother said, "you could've disregarded my letter, but you didn't. For that, you have my gratitude."

She sounded sincere. Lady Josephine must have thought the same, since she looked surprised.

"Now I've seen everything." She said. "However, as loath as I am to ruin the moment, I must admit that I had my own selfish reasons for agreeing to meet with you." She scowled. "A bunch of flies were buzzing around my daughter, including one from Clan Leone. I thought an engagement to your son would keep them at bay without offending them too much."

I frowned. Right. I remembered now. Anna had a bunch of suitors chasing after her. Not because they wanted to be with her, but because of her position and status. That angered me for several reasons.

However, a selfish part of me was glad. If any of those suitors had been suitable, then Anna might've said yes. That thought chilled me to my core. I was so glad things worked out the way they had.

"Regardless, thank you, Josephine." Mother said, standing up. "However, my children and I must be on our way. We came down here for a reason, and we should get back to that."

Kaylee and I followed suit.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation." Lady Josephine said. "May you and your children have a wonderful day, Claire."

Mother turned to leave, but paused halfway.

"I am curious." She said, glancing back at Lady Josephine. "Does Gabriel meet your approval?"

I looked at Lady Josephine as well, curious to hear the answer. She toyed with her cup of tea before answering.

"We'll see if he passes the tests my husband has planned for him." Lady Josephine said. "I'll reserve my judgment until then."

Mother nodded, as if she expected this answer, before leaving the room. Kaylee and I followed after her. However, before I closed the door behind me, I glanced back at Lady Josephine one last time. As our eyes met, she gave me an amused smile.

"Good luck." She mouthed.

With that, I closed the door and followed Mother to continue our shopping trip.

After we returned from our shopping trip and bought a suitable gift for Anna and Clan Thorne, I focused on my training and cultivation over the next few days. Lady Josephine mentioned that her husband planned to test me somehow, so I wanted to be as prepared for it as possible. Given that he belonged to a martial arts Clan, I figured he would either test my martial prowess or my character. Perhaps both.

I was confident in passing the former. During my life as Brandon Norwood, I reached a Supreme level of mastery and I hadn't forgotten any of my skills when I became Gabriel Sturm again. In fact, my skills had improved. After my encounter with Blood Demon, I had focused on my training with an almost obsessive determination. My efforts paid off.

However, if Lady Josephine's husband tested me on my character, I was far less confident. I didn't know what kind of person he wanted to marry his daughter. Maybe I would be suitable in his eyes, and maybe I wouldn't be. It all depended on how protective he was of Anna. If he was overprotective, then I would never be good enough.

There was a chance that I wouldn't earn his approval. This worried me a little. However, even if that were the case, I wouldn't let that stop me. One way or another, Anna and I would be together. I wouldn't let anything get in our way. If necessary, I would even kidnap Anna.

Huh. Wow. Talk about far gone. It turned out that when it came to Anna, I could become a little psychotic. Though I doubted Anna would mind if I kidnapped her. In fact, I think she might enjoy it. Hell, she might even try to kidnap me if things don't go her way.

Other than training, I checked in on Harvey every now and again. I was too busy to visit him in person. However, I received reports from the retainer that Father assigned to watch over Harvey and his family. From what I heard, they were still thinking things over. Otherwise, nothing of note happened, which I took as a good sign.

I also sat down with Kaylee one afternoon and explained to her what happened in the Icefall region. The tale took a while to tell because she kept interrupting me to either ask questions, make sardonic comments, or berate me for the risks I took.

However, Kaylee grew serious when I mentioned my encounter with Blood Demon.

"I met him a few times." She said, frowning. "For some reason, he never tried to hurt me. Even when I attacked him first, he never retaliated."

"Why?" I asked.

I understood why Blood Demon spared me. He was looking for Teacher for some reason, and I was her student. Perhaps it was sentimentality, or maybe he wanted to use me to find Teacher. However, Kaylee had no connection with Teacher.

"I don't know." Kaylee said, shaking her head. "Regardless, be careful of Blood Demon. While he never hurt me, I witnessed his atrocities firsthand. The man is a monster. Unless you reach the same level as him, don't try to face him alone. I knew a few people who made that mistake, and they all paid the price for their arrogance."

I nodded.

"I understand." I said. "Believe me."

My encounter with Blood Demon had left a mark on me. He crushed me with ease. Even if I had been at the height of my power, it wouldn't have made a difference.

The last time I fought a Seventh Ranked Awakened, or at least the demonic equivalent, was when I faced the Demon Lord. It took an entire team of S-ranked hunters to fight him, all Sixth Ranked Awakened, and even then we almost lost. Hell, I died while landing the killing blow.

My intuition warned me that Blood Demon was just as powerful as that Demon Lord, if not more so.

After my conversation with Kaylee, I redoubled training. Aurora complained, since I needed her help to master Ice, but I placated her with Ice elemental crystals and cuddles.

Before long, the appointed day arrived. It was time to meet with Clan Thorne to discuss my engagement with Anna.

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