Miss Winslet did not object to Shade's suggestion that they "rest." She nodded, then with a poof, transformed into that plump, round-faced owl.
After Shade sat on the bare bedframe in the bedroom, she flew onto his shoulder again and stood there with her wings tucked in.
The two fell silent. Shade did not know what Miss Owl was thinking with her eyes closed; he was merely pondering the temporal rules of the Distorted Tree Hole.
But he had not thought for long before suddenly standing up, his expression grave as he formed a seal with his right hand:
"Night Curtain Seal!"
A soundless beam that had pierced through the door from the corridor collided head-on with a black spherical shield. The deep, ink-colored night curtain perfectly absorbed the Thaumaturgy's force. As the night curtain moved toward the window with Shade, he suddenly leaped forward, shattered the glass, and jumped straight into the manor's backyard while holding the owl.
The two men in the 2nd Floor corridor entered the room, then followed him through the window and landed in the backyard.
Upon seeing the young man holding the owl, both frowned:
"Was it you who triggered the Power of Time here just now? And it wasn't Bennett?"
"You left something here to monitor the Power of Time because you wanted to uncover Bennett's secret? So you also think there's something wrong with Bennett?"
Shade asked as well, letting the owl stand on his shoulder.
"What a coincidence. I'm also investigating the Bennett Family's secret.
"Since we have the same goal, how about you two each stab yourselves once as an apology, and then we exchange information?"
He made the suggestion with a smile, as casually as if he were lamenting that the weather was too nice today to get out