I was left dumbfounded by this new revelation. It seemed so absurd that I couldn't even find the words to respond.
I didn't need to clear my mind; the culprit behind this bizarre situation was glaringly obvious based on their personality and recent behavior.
"Jung Hayan," I muttered under my breath. It had to be her doing.
I considered various guilds and clans, but none of them had a valid reason to do this.
There were also those three eccentric women who hung around me; they could be considered suspects, but it was hard to believe someone like Cha Hee-ra could hire a Magician to cast a spell on me.
Lee Jihye also lacked the time and ability to perform such magic, and I would have noticed if she had tried.
The only plausible explanation was that the spell had been cast while I was asleep in my room, and that could only mean Jung Hayan.
Just the thought of her watching me sleep sent shivers down my spine. "What is this...?"
I wondered when it had started, although I couldn't pinpoint an exact date. It felt strange to think that Jung Hayan was involved in this, but when I reflected on all those nights when I hadn't woken up since moving into the Guild House, it all began to make sense.
"It can't be a coincidence."
Every time I entered my room with the intention to sleep, I must have been so lost in thought that I had mistaken daily headaches for something normal.
It was speculative, but if my hunch was right, Jung Hayan must have received some kind of pre-sex education before we even arrived here.
"Huh..." I sighed, trying to clear my mind. When I looked up, I noticed Hwang Jeong-yeon gazing at me with an expression that suggested she had just committed a significant blunder.
I would have reacted the same way in her shoes; she had practically announced that someone was spying on me.
I didn't know how my relationship with Jung Hayan appeared to them, but I felt like I should have realized this sooner. I decided to seek a better explanation.
"Can you give me more details?" I asked.
Hwang Jeong-yeon hesitated before responding, making my anxiety grow. "Well, you see..."
"It's crucial that I understand the whole situation so that I can be cautious," I urged.
She stammered, making me even more anxious. I was worried that this spell might have hidden functions I didn't know about.
I hadn't heard of eavesdropping magic on the continent before, but it wouldn't surprise me if Jung Hayan had created something entirely new. If so, how much had she overheard?
"Can I be honest with you?" Hwang Jeong-yeon finally spoke.
"Please do. I'm a bit surprised, but I should have expected something like this to some extent. Anyway, I don't really care."
"If you say so... Miss Hayan really surprised me."
"Yeah, she can be a bit possessive at times. Maybe that's what drove her to do this."
"Oh my God, it's probably because of the rumors about the Red Mercenary Queen. I can understand why she would be worried."
"Somehow, she managed to conceal the presence of her spell quite well."
"Really?"
"The average person wouldn't even notice it, and most magicians aren't particularly sensitive to magic like me. It feels systematic and complicated to them. If I didn't have over 80 magic stats, I wouldn't have noticed it either. The magical power is also very faint, and above all, it was designed to blend with my unique magic power."
"Ah..."
"Frankly, I find it fascinating too. I didn't think magic could be used in this way, but the rumors did say Miss Hayan was a genius. Anyway, you said you're an alchemist?"
"Yes, I am."
"My class is a bit different from hers, but I can still explain the type of magic she used. The base enchantment is basic tracking magic, designed to help identify a target's location. That's not a big deal, but the second one is interesting."
"What is it?"
"It's like creating a safety zone within a dungeon, sending a signal when a creature enters a certain radius. On average, the radius is about 50 cm. In simpler terms, it sends a signal to the caster when a specific person approaches me within that area. We don't know who it is, but..."
"Yeah."
"To cast this kind of magic, you typically need a part of the subject's body or a catalyst, like blood. You do know that, right?"
"What would happen if it was done without a catalyst?"
"It's impossible to use this magic without a catalyst. This magic has transformed into a form similar to my magic, making the catalyst essential. Without it, the spell won't activate."
"I see..."
I couldn't recall ever giving Jung Hayan an abundance of my hair, but I had a hunch about what she had used – the tooth I lost back in the dungeon.
It felt ridiculous to remember that detail, and at that time, I never imagined she would use it like this.
Then it hit me that Jung Hayan had appeared during my conversation with Lee Jihye. The spell must have alerted her as Lee Jihye entered the trigger radius.
"That's why..." I realized why Jung Hayan had glared at Lee Jihye so intensely. It all made sense now.
Meanwhile, Hwang Jeong-yeon still watched me, resembling someone engrossed in their favorite drama show.
"Can this magic be used to eavesdrop on conversations or see what the person is doing?" I inquired.
"Given that there are two enchantments involved, it's hard to tell. It's unusual for a newcomer to create this kind of magic, especially with low magical power consumption. This could be groundbreaking for magical academia!" she replied.
I couldn't help but think of a fitting title for a paper on this subject: "How to Stalk Your Boyfriend."
"So, can you disarm the spell for me?" I asked.
"No, no, I'll be fine for now."
"Oh, you must be enjoying the intrigue. It sounds a bit strange to me, but it's almost romantic."
"Romantic, my ass."
Although this was incredibly shocking news, I was grateful that I managed to stay composed.
I already knew Jung Hayan was obsessed with me, but I hadn't realized the extent of it. Still, I was confident I could handle her.
However, that didn't mean it didn't creep me out.
I began to wonder if there were other hidden devices in my room.
"Would you mind coming up to my room with me?" I asked Hwang Jeong-yeon.
"Y-Yes?" Her expression suggested she had taken my offer the wrong way.
"No, no, not like that," I clarified. "I want you to check if there's any other magic in my room."
"Oh, I see!" She replied, her demeanor relaxing.
I knew I shouldn't have underestimated Jung Hayan's abilities, and I realized the importance of knowing what else might be lurking in my room.
As we climbed the stairs to the second floor, my steps felt heavier for some reason. But it was necessary.
"So this is where the seventh-generation members stay. I heard it's quite nice," Hwang Jeong-yeon commented.
"I can't really compare; I haven't seen the accommodations of the other generations."
She paused briefly in front of Park Deokgu's room, and a dreadful scenario crossed my mind. Shaking my head, I gently urged her toward my room.
I casually opened the door to my room. It was minimalistic, with various books and equipment scattered on my desk. It looked messier than I would have liked, but I couldn't help it.
"Your room is really tidy," Hwang Jeong-yeon noted.
"A-ah..."
"Oh my goodness, you have more books than I do..."
"I gave up on reading most of them halfway through."
"Still, it's good for studying... Oh, I got distracted. You wanted me to check for other magic, right?"
"Yeah, exactly."
"Wait."
Hwang Jeong-yeon began to inspect the room with her magic-infused senses.
I never thought I'd be so eager to find out about hidden magic spells. I realized I should never have underestimated Jung Hayan's capabilities.
After a while, Hwang Jeong-yeon's expression subtly changed. Whatever she had found seemed to amuse her, and she struggled to contain her smile.
My anxiety heightened at this display, and I couldn't help but ask,
"Is there something?"
"Yes," she replied. "I can see it on the wall and on the bed."