When it came to wealth, Liana was in a league of her own. Once, during the late novel period before he went, Luis had asked her for 100,000 gold coins a staggering sum. Yet she hadn't even batted an eye.
Clearly, her gold reserves ran deep.
Then again, was this really surprising? She was the woman with deep connections.
Moreover, Liana wasn't just rich she also possessed an arsenal of knowledge.
She had inherited a vast collection of books from her parents, Seraphina and Magnus, and moved all the martial arts manuals to her private villa.
The value of her villa's library was second only to the Knowledge Pavilion of the White Lotus Temple, surpassing even the Hartmann family's archives.
With endless wealth and secret techniques, relying on her would be like eating the softest, sweetest soft rice.
But Luis had no intention of taking that path.
After all, Liana was his biological aunt. Such a taboo relationship would be far too thrilling but Luis was a good man. He wouldn't cross moral boundaries or step into forbidden love.
Harmony and restraint were necessary. He couldn't let madness take over.
Thinking further, Luis realized Liana had only one daughter Lily Whitmore.
And Lily was madly in love with him.
Even in the original story's tragic ending, when Luis had lost his mind, Lily stayed by his side, caring for him alongside the maids.
How deep was her love?
Unshakable, Disturbingly so.
Even though original Luis Hartmann was causing destruction due to his madness, she still stayed by his side.
Twisted? Yes. But also fiercely loyal.
Though they were cousins, their relationship wasn't forbidden.
In the Azure Kingdom, marriage between cousins was allowed.
More importantly they weren't even blood-related.
Lily was actually the daughter of Adrian Langford, a noble from the Valor Duchy. She had no ties to Luis's deceased uncle.
By marrying Lily, Luis could reach the pinnacle of his ambitions.
As Liana's only child, Lily stood to inherit everything. Her mother's vast wealth would effectively become his. The Whitmore family's martial arts legacy would now bear the Hartmann name.
But the benefits didn't stop there.
Lily's grandfather, Magnus Whitmore is the leader of Serene Vale, a land shrouded in mystery.
Her grandmother, Seraphina Ashkarin, is the Queen Mother of the Ashkarin Duchy making the current Duke Ashkarin her uncle.
And then there was her father, Adrian Langford, a noble of the Valor Duchy.
On paper, these ties were distant. But Luis was a master at nurturing connections and turning weak links into unbreakable alliances.
Even Lily herself was a valuable asset a brilliant theorist and a sharp critic, her mind a treasure trove of knowledge.
With her by his side, Luis wouldn't just gain wealth and power. He'd secure influence across various places.
In the Sorcerer path, Lily could also provide him with considerable help.
This was an opportunity too good to pass up. If he didn't take advantage of it, he would be missing out on a lot.
As for the psychological barrier of relying on a woman's support?
What was wrong with a man accepting help?
If he could rise to greatness afterward, even a son-in-law could surpass his master!
After all, striving to be a successful gigolo was still hard work!
"I've figured it out!" Luis looked at the maids and said solemnly.
"What have you figured out, young master?" Elara asked curiously.
"I've figured out Lily," Luis replied casually.
Elara was baffled, Sylvie and Marion also wore puzzled expressions.
Realizing his words could be misunderstood, Luis quickly corrected himself, "What I mean is, I plan to go to Whitmore Villa to propose marriage and wed my cousin Lily."
His decision shocked the maids.
They had always known Lily had feelings for Luis, but he had been too focused on restoring his kingdom to pay her any attention.
This sudden change of heart and the abrupt mention of marriage was unexpected.
"But didn't the young master say that until the great cause is achieved, there's no room for personal matters?" Elara asked.
Luis replied confidently, "The Hartmann family has only one heir, which is too risky. I'm already twenty-five. It's time to expand the family line."
"Wouldn't it be more efficient if I had eight or ten sons to help me reclaim the throne in the future?"
Luis had never understood why the Hartmann family had been so strict about family planning.
If Felipe had focused less on schemes back then and instead fathered twenty sons, all trained to Luis's current level, wouldn't their chances of restoring the kingdom have been much higher?
If Luis had a dozen brothers, Sunny and Arthur would have fled in terror. Even the hidden mastermind of the White Lotus Temple might not stand a chance against twenty Rebound Reflections.
"Felipe, what a fool!"
Fortunately, Luis had come to his senses. Instead of rushing into rebellion, he would focus on building his family first. Let Hartmann VII take on the duty of expanding the bloodline!
"That's the truth!" Elara said, pleased. "Master, you've finally realized it. Many have succeeded in reclaiming their thrones by relying on their sons!"
"Yes, Master and Miss Lily are a perfect match," Sylvie added.
The maids harbored no jealousy toward Lily. They understood their status was too low to become Luis's primary wife, while Lily was a fitting choice.
"Good. Prepare the betrothal gifts. We'll set out for Whitmore Villa to propose."
When Luis was young, the Hartmann family and Whitmore Villa had been on good terms. Liana had even gifted Felipe and his wife fragments of the powerful martial art Wavewalker Steps.
But over time, relations between the two families had soured.
Elara worked efficiently, swiftly gathering the betrothal gifts before the group boarded a boat to Whitmore Villa.
Most Sorcerer families ruled their own territories independently. The Hartmann's had governed the Anyu region for four generations, with the area around Anyu Lake firmly under their influence.
Liana's villa also lay within the Hartmann's' sphere of control though this was merely her surface identity.
In truth, she was a High‑Tier Expert with a formidable guard force.