The grandfather clock struck midnight, its chimes echoing through the manor's silent halls. Detective Lila Gray stood in the grand foyer, examining the ornate mirror, shadows dancing across its surface. A single drop of blood on the marble floor caught her keen eye; the plot thickened instantly. The butler, Mr. Hargreaves, nervously adjusted his tie, his gaze avoiding the detective's. "The master, sir, was found in his study," he stammered, pointing down the corridor. Candlelight flickered against the walls, casting an eerie glow as Lila approached the oaken door, ajar and inviting. Inside, the room was immaculate, save for the body lying still upon the Persian rug. A letter opener lay beside the victim, its blade gleaming ominously under the lamplight. The air was thick with the scent of tobacco and an undercurrent of fear. Lila circled the scene, her mind piecing together the night's events. The murder weapon, a ceremonial dagger, was conspicuously absent from its display case. Footsteps, barely audible, seemed to whisper from the adjacent room, suggesting an unseen witness. Lila motioned for her partner, Detective James Reed, to investigate the sounds. As the detectives prepared to unravel the mystery, the manor's secrets loomed, waiting to be discovered.