One day, the villagers of Little Hangleton suddenly noticed that the lights had come on in Riddle Manor, the house perched on a hillside that had stood empty for years.
After that day, a slightly stooped figure began bustling about the grounds.
He replaced the missing roof tiles, repaired the dilapidated doors and windows, and cleared away the ivy that had clawed its way across the entire house.
Little by little, the derelict mansion regained its former splendor.
And that wasn't all. A few days later, a procession of trucks carrying luxurious furnishings pulled in, unloading one expensive-looking piece after another.
The villagers were filled with curiosity and confusion.
Could someone still be alive from the family that had once filled this house with villains, the same mansion where a strange incident had occurred fifty years ago?
As Riddle Manor was gradually restored, their curiosity only grew more unbearable.
At last, one of the villagers could no longer contain his curiosity and went to find Frank, who was severely hard of hearing and already over seventy.
He had once been a servant to the Riddle family. When all three members of the family died, the police had even suspected him of the crime.
But they had no solid evidence, so he eventually returned here.
After changing hands several times, the mansion had been left unoccupied, and Frank had lived there alone ever since.
With such a dramatic change taking place, he was sure to know what was going on.
"Frank." The villagers gathered around him and shouted from behind, asking, "What's happened over there? Does it have a new owner?"
Frank, who had a limp, made out their shouts and nodded vigorously. A light he had never shown before shone in his aged eyes as he called back his answer.