The two did not split up to inspect the building in order to save time. Instead, they planned to begin their investigation together in the basement.
Of course, Shade did not forget to first use Enhanced Space Perception to determine the internal layout of the three-story building with one basement level, confirming that there were no secret passages leading outside.
Although the former baron's residence looked almost identical to how it had been a century ago, it had nevertheless fallen into disrepair. Its splendor seemed to exist only on the surface; a closer look revealed dust everywhere on the floors and walls, with cobwebs filling even the most inconspicuous corners.
The basement was quite large and had once been used as a wine cellar. Even now, one row of shelves still held over a dozen bottles of red wine, but after Miss Winslet examined them, she found that they were not valuable.
"They're all wines from recent years, produced by a major winery in Huntington. Old Bennett probably stored them away for his four daughters' weddings. There's a tradition like that in central Kasonlik."
Shade summoned the Silver Light Orb, illuminating the area around them. She put the bottle of wine she had taken out back onto the shelf.
"Come to think of it, Galina gave me a very tasty bottle of red wine during last year's Year-End Festival. She was very mysterious about it and refused to say which winery it came from. This wouldn't have had something to do with you too, would it?"
The basement walls were all stone, which reminded Shade of the Damp Chapel in the basement of Aurora Manor at Coldwater Port. Fortunately, Bennett Old House did not contain a Cultist chapel. However, when Shade used Echoes of the Past, he actually heard sounds