The Mystery of the Enchanted Mansion

Prologue

In an old Victorian mansion on the outskirts of the misty town of Blackhollow, a mysterious tragedy occurred. The mansion towered among ancient oaks, its sharp spires piercing the low sky, while its stone facade was covered in green moss and cracks, as if the house itself remembered all the horrors that had taken place within its walls. Dark windows reflected only the night’s gloom, and on windless nights, a faint moan seemed to echo from within. Once a grand estate, it now looked abandoned, with only the occasional flickering lights behind curtained windows hinting that someone still lived there.

The town of Blackhollow, hidden behind foggy marshes, was surrounded by dense forests where trees intertwined their crowns, allowing no sunlight to pass through. Cobblestone streets, winding alleys, and leaning houses were reminiscent of a bygone era. In the evenings, mist crept through the streets, muffling the footsteps of rare passersby. Streetlamps, barely illuminating the dark alleys, flickered in the wind, making it seem as if time itself had stopped in this corner of the world. The townsfolk avoided speaking of the Heywoods and kept their distance from the mansion, believing it to be steeped in ancient evil.

The owner of the house, renowned antiquarian and collector Arthur Heywood, was found dead in his study. The door was locked from the inside, the windows shut, and his face was frozen in a mask of terror. On the desk before him lay a letter speaking of a supposed "curse of the Heywood family." The rustling pages of ancient tomes lining the study’s walls were interrupted only by the steady ticking of a massive wall clock, whose hands had stopped precisely at three o’clock in the morning—the time of Arthur’s death.

Characters

1. Detective Sebastian Crowe – A seasoned investigator, a skeptic who does not believe in the supernatural. Tall, with sharp facial features and piercing gray eyes. His methods are logical and cold, he despises lies and always seeks a rational explanation. Sebastian wears an old but well-maintained coat, and his pipe—his only weakness—betrays his habit of contemplating clues while releasing clouds of tobacco smoke.
2. Lillian Heywood – The deceased’s niece and heir to his fortune. Delicate, with wavy chestnut hair and sorrowful brown eyes. There is something elusive in her gaze—fear or regret. Modest, yet she hides something connected to the family’s past. Lillian avoids discussions of the supernatural, but her sudden bouts of anxiety suggest she knows more than she lets on.
3. Henry Blake – An old friend of Arthur’s, a former historian fascinated by occult sciences. Tall and stooped, with long fingers perpetually stained with ink. His deep-set, anxious eyes are always studying the world around him. He claims Heywood’s death was the work of dark forces and carries ancient amulets in his satchel, insisting they can ward off evil.
4. Agnes Carter – The housekeeper who had worked in the mansion for 20 years. A short, stout woman with a piercing gaze. Her gray hair is always neatly tied in a bun. She believes the house is cursed and tries to warn the detective. At times, her fingers tremble, and her lips silently whisper prayers as she passes certain rooms.
5. Jonathan Pierce – The lawyer who managed Heywood’s affairs. Gaunt, with impeccably styled hair and a perpetual air of arrogance. His fingers are always clenched around a cane with a silver skull handle. Dry and calculating, his documents may hide unexpected secrets. His voice carries a barely perceptible condescension, and his smile exudes cold calculation.
6. Oliver Gray – The gardener who had worked at the mansion for several years. A middle-aged man with calloused hands and weary eyes. His clothing always carries the scent of soil and herbs, with traces of dirt under his fingernails. He behaves oddly, as if afraid of something. He has been seen wandering the mansion late at night, his gaze turning nervous whenever the mansion’s underground passages are mentioned.

Clues

• The Locked Room – The door was indeed locked from the inside, but the key was missing. However, strange marks were found on the door handle—as if someone had held it with gloves but still left faint scratches on the metal.
• The Letter About the Curse – Written with a trembling hand, but there are suspicions that the text was forged. The ink is fresh, and at the edge of the paper, traces of another person’s fingerprints were found.
• An Old Book in the Library – Opened to a page describing a ritual for protection against evil spirits. Marginal notes in handwriting resembling Arthur’s were found, but some letters seemed deliberately altered.
• Dirt Stains on the Carpet – Indicating that someone recently left the room. The dirt has a strange gray-green tint, characteristic of the marshy areas on the town’s outskirts.
• A Cracked Statuette – Possibly used as a weapon. Impact marks on the marble surface suggest it was used to strike someone’s head forcefully, yet no such injuries were found on Arthur’s body.
• An Unextinguished Candle – A burning candle was found beside the body, leaving a pool of wax on the desk. The wax seeped into a crack between the floorboards, where a tiny scrap of paper with barely legible letters was discovered.