The Riddle House had indeed been grand in the past. Even now, though abandoned, traces of its former splendor could still be seen.
The entrance hall was especially spacious, but unfortunately, the parquet floor was covered in a thick layer of dust. Walking across it felt a little like stepping on wet, soft mud, leaving a sticky, hollow sensation as footsteps became much quieter.
Further ahead was the sitting room, where a huge Persian carpet covered the floor. It had been utterly ravaged by moths, however, leaving only faded, tattered scraps scattered messily everywhere.
Most of the glass had long since shattered. To keep out the wind and rain, every window had been tightly boarded over, making them look like hideous old blood scabs—ugly, yet impossible to peel away.
"More or less!" Andrew answered Dumbledore's question with complete matter-of-factness. "People used to live here, but they moved out very quickly."
"As for why they left, some said the place was haunted, while others said it was because of Bryce... After that, no one came to live here, and the whole house fell into disrepair. It became a place for us to explore."
"A place for exploration? Because it was haunted?" Wizet picked up the conversation. "Sir, could you tell me more specifically about the haunting?"
"Haha! Young people are all interested in this sort of thing!" Andrew grinned, as though reminiscing about his youth. "Actually, there was never any such thing!"
"When I was young, I secretly spent a night here. I even slept in that study, and nothing happened, did it?"
Wizet pressed on. "Sir, was that study the place rumored to be the most haunted? Was there anything special inside?"
"That's right!" Andrew nodded. "It's on the first floor anyway. I'll take you there first!"
He led Wizet