You are cordially invited...

Ah, Master Aldo, I presume?

Yeah, that's m, Huh? How do you know my name?

We've been expecting you. Right this way, if you please.

Is something the matter? Her Ladyship awaits. We mustn't keep her waiting.

H-Hey! Hold on a sec!

What was that about? Guess I better see where this goes.

Huff... Huff... Finally...caught you.

Your perseverance is most commendable. Now then, if you'll allow me, I shall escort you to my master.

Escort me...where? There's nothing here.

A natural reaction. Pardon me, might I ask that you close your eyes?

I guess there's nothing to see with them open, anyway.

There. You're not going to make me vanish or anything, right?

Perish the thought. You'll remain quite intact.

, Hm?

HUH?! Hey, what's the big idea here? You said...

Welcome, dear sir. You now stand within...

AHEM. I shall take it from here, Jenkins.

Ah... My apologies, madam.

Welcome...to my great laboratory, Myrical Manor!

Myrical...Manor?

H-Hold on a sec! I wanna know how I got here!

Ah... That look on your face, so lost so tense, just a dash of dread! Simply DIVINE! This manor is my masterwork, the fruit of GENERATIONS of inquiry into the highest art...human experimentation!

And now, within these hallowed halls, you will witness a spectacle most... ...DEVASTATINGLY elegant! PROFOUNDLY perplexing! Puzzles! PANIC! And perhaps...a touch of pleasure.

Ohohoho! OHOHOHOHO!

You follow, yes?

......

Huh?

Oh my, You are confused.

Oh, I apologize. When I said I BUILT this manor, I did not mean physically. Heavens, no!

Madam...if I may, perhaps I should explain to Master Aldo why he has been summoned here?

Ohhh...! Fine, if you must!

As you wish.

Please forgive the confusion. An explanation is in order.

Yes, it is.

My mistress is the latest heir to a most distinguished lineage, one known for their keen fascination with the human psyche. Emotion, surprise, fear, delight... The more intense the reaction, the greater their fascination. And so, throughout the generations, the Lords and Ladies have conducted a wide array of...experiments.

Experiments? What kind of things are we talking about here?

Ah, well... I'm afraid we've not the time to go over the full history just now.

For now, suffice to say my lady has taken up her family's legacy, and is conducting a new series of experiments within these halls. This experiment, the stage of my mistress' creation, is called the Myrical Mystery.

And no experiment is complete without a subject, is it? So who better to serve that role than... you, Aldo!

But why me? And how do you even know who I am?

My lady has been observing your exploits from within the manor. She believes your...breadth of experience, and rather commendable nerve, make you an ideal candidate for her work.

I have no interest in the emotional arcs of commoners, you see. So dreadfully pedestrian! But YOU, you've paced peril, triumphed over despair, danced with death itself, and lived to tell the tale! Which is why I am absolutely BREATHLESS to see how you struggle and writhe in my experiments!

(How exactly has she been watching me? And what even is this place?!)

(No...maybe I don't want to know. Probably better not to ask questions.)

Once again, I must apologize for whisking you here so suddenly. We feared that if we explained too much upfront, you might, understandably, have reservations. My lady simply wished for you to make her acquaintance without any... misunderstandings clouding the occasion.

At this point, we've got nothing BUT misunderstandings.

AND he's witty! Marvelous.

Right. So I just have to trust you and go along with your "experiment"?

As expected of a seasoned adventurer! Ready to jump straight in!

I was being sarcastic.

Anyhow, no time like the present, and no teacher like experience! Myrical Mystery awaits your challenge!

You shall find a door in the center of the room. Please proceed through it at your convenience.

YES! Come! A most dreadful, most HEART-STOPPING show...

...is about to begin!!