You chose to explore the room. You go through the room looking at all these potions the old man had. You see things like flesh-rotting potion, blindness potion, kool aid, deafness potion, and love potion #9.
on another shelf to your left you see weapons you can use to help you on your expedition across the castle. There are five dagers, one sword, a really old single shot pistol, and an old single shot musket.
You can use the weapons on your expition or the potions.