The cane taken from storage compartment 12-6 had a beautiful silver metal head-it looked rather like an octopus crown, steeped in the style of the early Sacred Empire.
Once he unscrewed the head, he found a storage compartment about fifteen centimeters deep inside.
Arthur turned the cane upside down, and its contents slid into his palm.
A key!
The key was made entirely of copper and measured ten centimeters in all, with traces of green patina. Its tip had broad, thick teeth, while its bow formed a hollow semicircle. Its design was decidedly archaic.
Information about the key appeared clearly before Arthur-
[Name: Herke Key] [Type: Key] [Quality: Secret Art] [Attributes: None] [Notes: This is an exceptionally precious key. You can use it to open one of Herke's laboratories, libraries, or collection rooms... In short, you need to find them, then try them one by one.]
The moment Arthur saw [Herke Key], he was filled with surprise and excitement.
But he quickly calmed down.
He had the key, but he had no idea where to use it.
Herke, the Grand Alchemist of potions and alchemy, was first recorded in the imperial era, roughly seventeen hundred years ago.
At the time, Herke had been a librarian at the imperial library.
He had little interaction with important figures, let alone any ties to them. He simply sorted books and recorded his daily life in obscurity. About ten years later, however, Herke began displaying talents far beyond those of ordinary people, achieving distinction in alchemy, potions, astrology, Secret Art, swordsmanship, constructs, and more.
Yet after revealing his talents, Herke began living in seclusion.
He only appeared again when the Mist War broke out in the empire. By then, the master was already two hundred years old. Using the Herke Airship,