Several centuries ago, there lived a ruthless king named Bagsecg. As a Viking, he lived a nomadic life, moving from continent to continent until he and his five earls finally reached England. With his cruel, savage-like tactics and his merciless slaughtering, the king was able to conquer England and turn the natives into slaves abiding by his empire’s will. There was only one brave man, Cervus, who feared no one and fought to bring peace and tranquility to his hometown. Unfortunately, as legend goes, Bagsecg defeated Cervus in a duel using his fraudulent techniques. Although Cervus’s body was buried, to this day, there are some that believe the ghost of Cervus wanders around his hometown, still seeking revenge for what the king did to his town and his people.


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Harry Mason was exhausted. He had single-handedly caught more than 10 criminals today in his town of Wessex, England. As day closed its curtains and allowed night to take the show, sleep was trying to close its curtains on Harry Mason. But he could not sleep. Detective Mason still had one more job to complete.

The streets were empty, except for the occasional headlights blinding his eyes and the constant hooting of the owls that sat perched on the high branches of maple trees spotting the town. The gravel-like road hurt his feet, little pieces of stone lodging themselves in the crevices of his feet. Harry Mason had started to walk barefoot because it was easier for him to catch criminals. His reasoning was that bare feet caused less noise and also allowed for one to detect subtle movements through the small vibrations in the ground. No one doubted him, not even his superiors, because he was the best detective in town. Not only did he have the most experience, working for more than 20 years, Harry sent to prison some of the most notorious criminals in the world. Standing six-feet tall and with a muscled body from rigorous training in martial arts, Harry was the epitome of a hollywood detective. That is, if it weren’t for his face. His face was awkward, almost as if it were stuck on like a mask. It did not fit his physique or his attitude, for his eyes seemed too innocent and his skin seemingly very delicate and child-like. Maybe that’s how he was able to catch so many criminals.

After walking, or rather, trudging along the right side of the street for approximately an hour, his head jerked upward to look at the sign indicating his destination. It read Wessex Police Station. Harry slugged up the steps, his aching legs trembling as if he had some tetanus shock. “I can’t believe I’m doing this just for my friend,” Harry mumbled. His friend, Jeff Schwartz, was his apprentice. Jeff was as enjoyable as a clown but also as oblivious as one. Harry would always remark on his inattentiveness and lack of observation, but he was happy to have Jeff as a partner. He was a righteous man who would never betray him or his morals. And that’s why Harry was puzzlingly entering the police station.
“Detective Mason! You came for me!” exclaimed Jeff, as he stood from the corner of the cell and ran to the bars while waving his arm.
“Hello Jeff Schwartz. Why the heck are you in that cell, and why did I have to come to release you?” sighed Harry.
“Well, he has been charged with harassing small children by terrifying them with what is reported as eerie sounds and scary objects.” stated the police officer who was sitting at his chair frowning at what was written on the page. “To me, it sounds like the case of The Haunted Manor” laughed the police officer.
“ I didn’t do anything. I swear!” cried Jeff. “ I was just walking along the street when a beggar ran past me while children were running in the opposite direction. I just happened to be the only one present at the time. So the police officers handcuffed me.”
“Now that I think about it, for the last few days, I have been getting quite a few complaints of something strange going on in that manor where Jeff was arrested.” said the police officer, eyeing Harry Mason in a manner that meant another case was about to need the help of Harry’s detective skills.
“ What do you want me to do, police officer? I am so exhausted right now that I do not have an inch of flesh that does not need rest for a good 8 hours.” mumbled Mason.
“ Okay, well the case I’ve decided to open is a case to examine the Manor on Bayward Street, where your friend was caught. I’m afraid I cannot release him yet until the case is closed and we find out who actually has done this. For all we know, it could be your friend. Or worse, a ghost,” sneered the police officer.
“Did you say g...g...g GHOST?!” shaked the well-built, confident detective.
“ Why are you shaking like that? Don’t tell me you’re scared of ghosts...someone of your experience and your build should not be afraid of ghosts. And besides, ghosts don’t actually exist. You’ll be fine.” teased the police officer enjoyably. “ I’ll send a crew of police officers to block the whole site and examine the vacated manor tonight while you get your rest.”


“ Thank you police officer. Jeff, don’t worry, I know you wouldn’t do anything wrong. I’ll find out who or what is underneath all this and get you out of there soon.” replied Harry Mason.



Jeff did not answer. He was already asleep. That fool. That was why Harry liked him so much. He did not mind his location and any sacrifice needed to attain justice in any way possible. The world would have been a better place had there been more Jeffs.
Harry Mason jogged home this time, energized by his fright and excitement about this next case he was to solve. It was not like any other case he underwent. He had always fought criminals with guns and knives, with a sense to kill. This case was different. It was seemingly simple and light-hearted - only that children were getting terribly frightened. Probably another easy case, thought the detective. With that, Mason reached his home and did not even get up half the steps to his bedroom before he was sound asleep.

The next day started early. Mason was awake and ready by 5am and about to run outside the door when he remembered that he should probably go a little more conspicuously, especially if there is a human behind this. It was still dark outside, the sun barely visible along the horizon, turning the dark blue sky into a swirl of red, yellow, and blue. By the time the detective reached the street with the Manor, the police officers had already secured the place and examined the inside of the Manor. One of the police officers was waiting there for Harry Mason.
“Hello Detective” greeted the officer.
“ Hello. Have you any evidence for me before I take a look myself?”
“All I was told to give to you was this caricature of the beggar who your friend saw running right before your friend was arrested.”
“Alright. Thanks. I’ll come to the police station as soon as I finish my work here.”


“ Good luck!” replied the police officer.

Mason watched as the police officer limped to the police station. It seemed as if he had broken a leg or had a prosthetic leg of some sort. Then, the Detective turned his head and stared at the Manor. It was definitely an old manor, probably at least 5 centuries old because it still contained the old greek corinthian columns and the roman vaults. The engravings on the outside also seemed to be of an archaic language, resembling latin and virgil. For a manor that was not occupied by anyone in such a long time, it sure did seem clean. The lawn was green, fertilized and without any fallen leaves from the trees surrounding the Manor. The paint of the manor itself also seemed intact and well.
“Hmm...I’m not sure a ghost could be keeping this place clean and organized. There must be someone behind this.” thought the detective.

Entering the Manor, Mason felt a cold chill come upon himself, as if he knew that someone else was in there with him. He searched the house, examining each minute detail in each and every room. He went about stealthily and carefully, making sure not to attract any attention by making noise. He went into the kitchen. On the floor he saw some water droplets. Strange. It has not rained in days. He looked around with a little more speed, confident that he would not only find the culprit, but also end the case as well. The culprit has to be in the house. Outside, there are obstacles which the culprit would not be able to pass. He/she has to be in the house. Instead of searching any longer, Mason came up with a plan. He would pretend to go to the bathroom, during which the culprit would probably move his hiding location in order to avoid getting caught. Opening the door to the bathroom and turning on the light as if actually going to the bathroom, Mason waited as he heard for footsteps. “Thud, Thud” the feet went. This was his chance the detective thought. He opened the door quickly and took out a pistol and commanded the culprit to freeze. There he was, standing cold, pale, shaking with a fear of innocence that seemed to trouble Mason. The culprit looked just like the beggar! No, the criminal was the beggar! “What are you doing in the Manor?” interrogated the detective.
“I...I..was just passing by, you know. W..w..w..with all this commotion about the Manor, I just wanted to see for myself.” replied the beggar.
“Come on. I don’t have time for lies. Tell me the truth. Law will treat you better if you don’t lie.”
The beggar hesitated. The mark of silence seemed to change the air around the tension and produce a feeling that there was more to the case than the beggar himself.
“I am the true owner of this Manor.” said the beggar quietly. Mason was confused.
“Why should I believe you, especially after all the innocent little children you’ve terrified?” questioned the detective.
“My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was Cervus. If you remember the legend, Cervus was the brave man who battled the ruthless king but was killed through cheating. Legend says that his ghost still wanders around here, looking for revenge and for the peace of his town.
“You mean...you’re saying that g..g..ghosts do exist?” stuttered Mason, who was already dumbfounded by all the new information he was receiving. “But why were you scaring the little children?”
“That is exactly what I am trying to say. It was not me; I think it was the ghost of Cervus. He might not want anyone to disturb his Manor.” The innocent and truthful look of the beggar showed that he was not lying. But still, a person cannot be trusted through outward appearances.
“Do you have any evidence that could help me believe the wild things you are telling me right now?”
“I do have this riddle that was passed down from my father to me. It is signed with Cervus at the bottom because it was a riddle written by him. I came into the Manor so that I could maybe solve it. But I’ve had no luck.” sighed the depressed beggar. “I’ve been living as a beggar for so many years. I do not want this life anymore. I want to change this Haunted Manor into a normal Manor where I can live peacefully. And I think solving this riddle will take me in the right direction.”
“Cracking codes are my speciality. Let me take a look, maybe I can offer some advice.” The crumpled paper was given to the detective. The detective viewed it with an eye of amusement. This was truly a hard code; it wrote:

HAVE A LOOK
BENEATH BLUE ROSE
1-3 |symmetry 3-6 -symmetry

Minutes ticked by and the detective was still looking at the code without any clue on how to approach the message.

“Where did you find this?” asked Harry Mason.


“In the living room, near the christmas tree.”


“The best place to start should be the living room then.” said the detective. As they walked into the living room, he looked around the room. There did not seem to be anything particularly appealing to the eye, ornate in the sense that it would catch a visitor’s attention. The only thing that seemed out of place was a small purple table with a plant-like design on it.


Just then, Harry’s eyes widened, engulfing a rush of happiness and a confidence that even the beggar knew had to have been something good. The detective stared at the table and then at the code. Then at the table, then at the code. Repeatedly, he did this in an effort to materialize what he had just found. Harry ran quickly to the purple table and looked underneath it.
THIS IS IT he thought. But, disappointingly, all he found was a printed page that was a google search of Bagsecg. “I think we’re getting close. There has to be some significance to the google search.” The beggar did not know what to say. He was still perplexed as to why Harry Mason would ever even think of looking under the purple table.


“Why did you look under the table?” inquired the beggar.


“If you look at the code, it says to look beneath the blue rose. Roses are usually red, so I thought it was implying to look underneath a blue, red rose. In other words, a purple rose. The only purple object in this room is the table, and look, it even has flowers on it.”

“Wow, I must say, there’s good reason why they call you the Best Detective in Wessex.” the beggar remarked.

“Okay, Okay, thanks for the compliment, but we still have to figure out the rest of the code. Congratulate me later, when we figure out this mess and get my friend out from jail.”

“Oh! I know something about the next part of the code. I realized that there were 6 words, so maybe the 1-3 and 3-6 are referring to the words.”

“Good thinking. You may be right. But what does this vertical line and the word symmetry mean? It doesn’t seem to have any internal meaning. I think it has something to do with the words it is referring to- you know, words 1-3.”

“All I remember is that my grandfather and his whole family were very fond of letters and viewing their symmetry. My grandfather’s favorite letter was ‘O’ because it had an infinite amount of symmetry lines.”

“Hmmm...so if we apply vertical symmetry to words 1-3, let’s see what happens:


HAVE A LOOK

Well, HAVAOO would be the letters that do have vertical symmetry. And ELK would be the letters that do not have symmetry. HAVAOO makes no sense, but ELK is an actual word! Let’s use the same process for words 3-6.”

And with that, the two were on their way to cracking the code which hadn’t been solved for centuries. They soon figured out the second half of the code, which turned out to have BEEHBEOE and NATLURS in correspondence with HAVAOO and ELK. None of them made sense except ELK. What was Cervus trying to tell them?

That night, Harry Mason went to the library in order to research these arrangements and hopefully be able to come up with a sensible word. However, even through all the possible arrangements of the words, the words still did not make sense. Maybe these words do mean something. Let me try to search it on google. Harry searched BEEBEOE and HAVAOO together, but received nothing except a lagging confused computer screen. When he searched ELK and NATLURS together, however, it came up with results for ELK NATURE.

He decided to check out a book on elks and read it at his house because it was getting dark and the weatherman said today would be a gloomy, rainy night. Rapidly checking out a book on Elks, Harry sprinted home and opened the book and his computer. The first line read Elks (Cervus canadensis)...Without even reading the rest of the line, Harry realized what the code had been trying to say. Even so, he read on: Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. He had solved it. The message at least. Cervus was the genus of Elks while also the name of the supposedly ghost-person. And when he searched ELK NATLURS, it read ELK NATURE because there was something that Cervus wanted us to see in the forest, where not only elks live, but where he does too! Now the detective realized why Cervus had left the google search sheet under the table. He wanted the person to search the words that seemed gibberish so that google would give a DID YOU MEAN _____?.


Harry Mason called up the police officer in the middle of the night and ecstatically told him that he would coming the next day to pick up his friend. That night, Harry Mason could not sleep. He kept thinking about Cervus. Was he actually a ghost? I wonder what ghosts are like. Finally, drowsed by the rumbling of rain on his roof, Mason went to sleep.


That very same night, Cervus was also sleepless, for some spiritual reason, as if he had a sort of foreboding reason that he would finally be able to leave in peace. He lay on a tree branch, invisible to those around him, but still nevertheless taking up space. Many times he would collide with animals in the forest. He had grown used to this barbaric way of life. Still, he wanted to be relinquished of this lonely life, and live with those he died to protect. Like all ghosts, he could not leave until he passed on his will, his intelligence, his fearlessness, and his love for his town. And he knew, the one who would solve Cervus’s riddle would be that person he could trust and leave his town’s prosperity with.


As every morning, Harry Mason went through the same procedure of eating and dressing. However, this time a constant ringing in his head seemed to disrupt this regular day. He soon realized that the ringing wasn’t in his head, but rather the doorbell. He drudgingly went up to the door and opened it. It was the beggar.

“Let’s go!” exclaimed the beggar.
“Where to?” snored Harry Mason.
“I don’t know. The police officer said you had figured out the case.”
“Oh yeah! Quick, give me my shoes, we’ve got to run to the forest.”
“The Forest!”
“Yeah.”

They arrived at the edge of the forest. Both were afraid of entering the forest, so they hesitantly walked into the forest. But they soon conquered this fear, seeing the sun rays penetrating the forest and livening it up. There, they saw a branch go up and down by itself. Almost intuitively, they both knew that it must be the ghost of Cervus.

“Hello ghost!” said Harry Mason childishly. The ghost did not answer though. However, he could see that the branch had stopped bouncing, implying that the ghost had heard him. “Ghost, we’re here to tell you that we solved your puzzle and are both honored by the bravery you had. We both pledge to protect the town and its people as long as we live.”

The ghost closed his eyes, finally peacefully able to go to the Heavens and rest with the rest of his family. The two humans below looked as a bright light instantaneously shot from the sky to the branch and back. The forest also seemed to whisper, using the wind as its vocal cords, saying that Cervus was sorry for terrifying the kids. It was only to protect the manor and and the code inside. And with that, the case was closed.

“Mission accomplished.” The detective said.

Many things happened the next few days. Jeff Schwartz was released. The beggar was let free after Harry Mason explained the case. The little, terrified children were no longer frightened when they walked by the Manor. The beggar soon settled in the Manor, living a peaceful and happy life of his own. And Harry Mason, well, he continued to save his town from criminals, always remembering the promise he had made Cervus.