Location-tracking Magic !

The second floor of the Guild House, usually bustling with activity, now lay strangely quiet. I struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar tranquility that enveloped me.

"It isn't a bad thing, though," I murmured to myself. 

My party members had departed just a few hours ago, leaving me with this unexpected solitude. 

Loneliness crept in, but I understood it was a natural response to a sudden change in my surroundings.

In truth, I couldn't deny a tinge of happiness. Having my comrades around came with its own peculiar discomforts. 

Jung Hayan's incessant nagging, Park Deokgu's surprise visits, and Sun Hee-young's ceaseless requests for help had always cut my personal time short. 

Fortunately, Kim Ye-ri was the quietest among them, sparing me the loss of every ounce of privacy.

For now, I had to manage all the basic chores myself, but it felt strangely like a vacation.

"However, the fact that we're on a time crunch presents a different type of urgency," I mused. 

To attain the third job and stats Kim Hyunsung desired, I needed to act swiftly. The path to my growth remained uncertain, but I had a few ideas.

It was hard to believe I was in a dire situation. 

Equipped with hero-grade alchemy gear, numerous catalysts, and materials, my eventual growth was assured. 

My intelligence stats posed no issues. My problem now lay in raising my other stats—a seemingly insurmountable task.

This is why my third job was pivotal. I hadn't initially considered a combat-oriented job, but following my party's growth with a job solely dependent on intelligence would prove challenging.

As we continued to evolve, I needed to explore other avenues.

Solutions to my current problems had to exist. I had to find a way to secure a combat-type job without forsaking my identity as an alchemist.

"First of all, Homunculus," I contemplated. 

This would open doors to other opportunities. Having a creature like a pet, one not reliant on magic consumption, could be advantageous at this juncture. 

Ramus Tucker's Introduction to Alchemy delved deeply into the subject.

"[Homunculus means an artificially created creature that does not need a mother's womb. Since each school has different interpretations on the subject, I will at least define Homunculus as a unique creation. Of course, it doesn't mean that it is like the chimera. Unlike the chimera that creates something out of Yu, the concept of Homunculus that our alchemist deals with is the concept of creating something out of nothing.]"

In essence, Homunculus represented the creation of artificial life. 

Details about its appearance and creation were elusive. Even Tucker's book offered nothing but theories.

While the chimera was explained in comparatively greater detail, it was a concept of genetic manipulation, distinct from the creation of Homunculus.

"Perhaps for Tucker, Homunculus was an uncharted territory," I pondered. 

"No, if he had indeed succeeded in creating new life, he wouldn't have spoken of it as a mere possibility. Perhaps one could consider it a divine concept."

"The second option is to create a potion," I considered. Relying on potions to enhance my combat abilities didn't appeal to me; it remained a theory.

"Can you put magic in potions?" I questioned. 

Magic principles on this continent were simple: construct a Tower of Magic, cast a spell to bring it to reality, and the completed spell would reside within the caster's arm or mind, triggered only by them.

But was it feasible to place a Spell of Staying within a potion or a specific item rather than on one's body? It was an experiment.

While some items could hold magic, they were not man-made but already finished products. 

Magicians had enchanted select items, but the results were inefficient due to the high costs.

An alchemist capable of sealing disposable magic through alchemy might achieve both commercial success and personal advancement.

"The third option is to pursue the chimera route," I contemplated. 

Creating a pet through cell or gene manipulation seemed highly probable. 

It was the simplest path. In a world where monsters were of great interest, manufacturing a chimera was supposedly quite achievable.

Some monsters shared remarkably similar genes, even after genetic experimentation. 

However, this endeavor was the domain of a warlock, not an alchemist. The challenge lay in controlling a chimera with my own magic.

Of course, I could find a young creature and attempt to cultivate it, but success was uncertain. I didn't want to become prey to my own creation.

"In addition," I considered, there were numerous directions I could take, but my survival was paramount. 

While experimenting on my own body and creating the Sage's Stone had crossed my mind, I doubted their effectiveness. It was time to focus solely on sparking my growth.

But not all could be accomplished quickly. Failed experiments wasted time I couldn't afford to lose. Perhaps I should seek assistance.

"Maybe I should seek help," I contemplated. 

It was common sense to seek aid when facing questions beyond one's expertise. 

Magic and alchemy shared the same roots, as did other jobs. Seeking guidance from an experienced magic user seemed wise.

"Wouldn't the Magic Guild be the best option?" I wondered aloud.

My thoughts led me into a crowded restaurant, where a woman addressed me.

"Are you eating alone today?" she inquired.

"Ah," I replied, turning to see a woman slightly younger than me. 

She introduced herself as Hwang Jeong-yeon, in charge of the second party of the Blue Guild.

"Ah, it's nice to meet you. I am…"

"I know. You are Alchemist Kee Miyoung of the seventh party, am I right?" she interrupted.

"Yeah."

"How was your visit to the Garden of Terror?"

It seemed like an odd question, but I soon realized why she had asked. She was one of the discoverers of the dungeon.

"Thank you very much for the opportunity. Thanks to you, I had a great experience," I replied.

"As I've heard, you're very quick to notice things," she complimented.

"Haha, I'll take that as a compliment."

"Of course, it's a compliment. Actually, I feel a little apologetic. It would have been nice if you'd had a purely good experience. I have a friend from the Black Swans who wants to apologize to you."

"Ah! No… I have already received an apology from them, and everything has gone well. I also recognized my own shortcomings in the process."

"Ah, that soothes me. It's my first time talking to someone from the seventh party, and it's been great so far," Hwang Jeong-yeon remarked.

She appeared to be a skilled Magician, and her relaxed demeanor hinted at her confidence in magical combat.

"Hm… This could be useful," I thought. Perhaps I didn't need to rely on the Magic Guild anymore. 

Hwang Jeong-yeon seemed approachable, and I was sure she wouldn't mind if I asked her questions.

"It's embarrassing to admit this, but I've been feeling very disoriented lately," I confided.

"Oh, I understand. We've all been there," she empathized.

"There are so many options to choose from, but I don't know which direction to take…"

"I get you. It happens to everyone, most especially to you, Mr. Kee."

"Hm?"

"You're worrying about the Mercenary Queen and Jung Hayan, right? One is your lover from Earth, and the other is living here with us. It's hard to choose, isn't it?"

"Ah…"

"In fact, it may be difficult to surpass the modern ethics of monogamy, but choosing both might be the best option for you."

My embarrassment grew, and I realized we were thinking of different things. Hwang Jeong-yeon laughed off the misunderstanding.

"Ah. That wasn't what you meant, was it?"

"Yes…"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! You had such a serious expression on your face that I thought…"

She flashed an embarrassed expression and changed the subject.

"Look at me going off like that. I'm so sorry. I've been watching you guys for so long that I couldn't help but ramble about it."

"Ah… I see, I see…"

"I know the two of you are close. Whenever I see Jung Hayan and you together, I often find myself smiling without knowing it. I think Jung Hayan really likes you. I guess that's why you're wearing that type of magic."

"What magic?"

"Location-tracking magic. I don't know if I should be here with you right now. I don't want Miss Hayan thinking of the wrong thing…"

"What?"

"You don't have to act so shy. You let her cast the magic on you, didn't you? I find that so romantic."

"…Oh, you didn't know about it, did you…?"

"Ah… can you pretend not to have heard what I said?"

I was left stunned by this revelation, sensing that my path had taken an unexpected turn.