Seeing the genuine shock on Estelle’s face, Eros let out a soft chuckle and offered his theory on his rapid advancement. "It’s likely because Irina became my shadow. When our spiritualities merged, a portion of her power integrated into mine. It saved me a massive amount of time that would have otherwise been spent accumulating spiritual energy."

  Estelle blinked, momentarily dazed. Can it really work that way? She quickly composed herself and gestured toward the depths of the mansion. "To the basement. I’ll have the servants prepare the ritual array and the advancement materials immediately."

  "Sure, but we can skip the array. Just the materials will do," Eros added casually.

  Estelle’s brows furrowed with worry. She knew her son was somehow immune to the threat of Eldritch Intrusions, but a promotion was a different beast entirely. What if this was the exception?

  Eros stepped behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently steering her toward the basement. "It’ll be fine, Mother. There won’t be an intrusion. Besides, setting up a ritual array takes too much time, and isn't time exactly what we’re short on right now?"

  Estelle tried to protest, but Eros cut her off. "Trust me. Don’t forget I have an Ancestral Artifact with me. If there were a problem, the Artifact Spirit would have pointed it out. Plus, breaking through to Sequence 7 now will only make the upcoming mission easier, right?"

  Estelle was convinced—mostly because she didn't realize that the "Artifact Spirit" her son spoke of was currently in a deep slumber.

  While being ushered along, she summoned her head maid and ordered the necessary components for a Sequence 7 advancement to be sent to the vault. Everything was ready in record time. In the dimly lit basement, Eros tilted his head back and downed the concocted potion in one go.

  Estelle watched him, her beautiful eyes shimmering with an involuntary trace of anxiety despite her outward calm.

  Moments later, Eros reined in the spiritual fluctuations leaking from his body. He had successfully ascended to Sequence 7. Just as he promised, the process was seamless. In this regard, the "Tentacle Bro" inside him was remarkably reliable. Looking at his mother, who was visibly relieved, Eros grinned. "So, when do we leave?"

  "Everything is packed," she replied. "Once we’ve changed into disguises, we head out. But remember: during this mission, you must listen to me."

  "I know, I know!"

  Estelle helped Eros change into the clothes of an ordinary citizen—low-profile attire that wouldn't betray their noble status. Eros sat before a mirror as Estelle applied makeup to his face. Caught in the faint, elegant scent of her hair, he sighed. "Is all this really necessary?"

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  Estelle gave him a pointed look. "Of course. You haven't officially debuted in the Indiles social scene yet, so few people recognize you, but it’s always better to be cautious. Now, lean in. Let Mother put these colored lenses in for you."

  When she finished, Eros stared at the mirror in awe. He saw a brown-haired, black-eyed young academic, looking to be about twenty-three or twenty-four. "Unbelievable. This is basically 'Dark Arts' level of makeup."

  "Hardly. It’s not like we prayed to an Evil God for this, nor did we use flesh-shaping sorcery," she retorted. "And don't forget your glasses. Also, put on this shoulder holster and the pistol. Can you tell the purification bullets from the exorcism rounds? Don't mix them up."

  Listening to her endless stream of instructions, Eros let out a long, weary sigh.

  A few minutes later, Eros looked at the mirror again. Estelle had also transformed into a brown-haired, black-eyed commoner, while he now sported a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles. "I bet if we stood in front of Undine right now, she wouldn't have a clue who we were."

  Estelle’s lips curled into a graceful smile at his exaggeration. Then, she led him into a secret passage beneath the mansion. Eros wasn't surprised by the tunnel’s existence; every Great House needed a "Plan B"—an escape route in case the front gates were compromised.

  They navigated a labyrinth of turns and hidden doors before eventually emerging into the Indiles sewers. Yes, the sewers.

  After trekking through the damp tunnels, they reached a secluded spot and heaved a manhole cover open, climbing out into a deserted alley in the Outer City. Eros looked around, then hesitantly spoke up.

  "Um... Mother? If the goal was just to leave without being spotted by the spies outside the front door... I actually could have just taken you into the Shadow Realm for a short stealth-walk."

  After reaching Sequence 7, his mastery over the Eyes of Eternal Night had grown. At Sequence 8, he could only manage a single Shadow Leap. Now, he could sustain a stealth-walk within the Shadow Realm, albeit for a limited time. He could maintain it for about five minutes before the spiritual drain would kick him out. But given his current running speed, five minutes was more than enough to cover a massive distance.

  In other words, they really didn't have to crawl through the sewers.

  Estelle stared at her youngest son in dead silence for a long time. Eros offered a dry, guilty laugh. To change the subject, he asked, "Is it just the two of us for this mission?"

  Estelle exhaled a long, frustrated breath, deciding not to dwell on her son’s late revelation. "There are five others, but I had them depart separately. We’ll rendezvous outside Kayyam."

  Eros nodded. "Are we taking the steam train?"

  Estelle gave a soft hum of affirmation. On the train, Eros braced his arms against the sides of the carriage, shielding Estelle within the small space of his embrace to protect her from the swarming crowds.

  The experience gave him a nostalgic jolt—it felt like a rush-hour subway from his past life, but worse. Much worse. It looked like a viral video of trains in certain parts of the world; every square inch of space was occupied.

  Looking out the window, Eros saw several gaunt men gripping the exterior ridges of the carriage, clinging to the moving train like human geckos. He found himself genuinely worried they might fall off halfway.

  As it turned out, his concern was misplaced. The men possessed terrifying grip strength, hanging on until the train finally pulled into the station. Only later did Eros learn that steam trains of this era sold more than just sitting and standing tickets. They also sold "Hanging Tickets."

  Indeed, a hanging ticket meant clinging to the outside of the carriage for a fifth of the price of a seat. As for the roof? That was reserved for the standard standing-ticket holders.