‘Eavesdropping magic?’

There’s almost no chance it’s security magic installed by the owner. This isn’t a house, and no one would put expensive magical products in a real estate office. It was clear that the people monitoring me had made preparations in advance.

‘Well, I expected as much.’

For people who go as far as using familiars, eavesdropping magic is child’s play.

The question is how many of them are there and where they are…

“Here’s your coffee.”

I received the coffee cup with a polite smile.

“Ah, thank you.”

The thanks are sincere.

After all, she’s about to tell me where those guys are based.

“So, what brings our handsome young man here today?”

“I’m looking for a place.”

The voice transmitted by the eavesdropping magic was clear. Kim Joonsu, who had temporarily released the familiar magic, another team member, and the security team leader all looked at each other as if on cue.

“Didn’t this guy go to a real estate office recently?”

“Yes, he went to one in Goyang. That was before we were deployed, so Team Leader 1 got the information from Hong Woo-jin and passed it to us.”

“Joonsu is right. Later, when we checked the real estate office, we found he’d even put down a deposit.”

“How much does he have in his account right now?”

The security team already knew Jin Tae-kyung’s account status clearly.

At the team leader’s words, a team member quickly took out a tablet and pulled up a report.

“About 3.7 billion won. Of this, 3 billion won will go toward purchasing the new house.”

“Are you sure he’s buying it?”

“He said he’s setting a date with the owner to finalize the contract soon, so he’s definitely planning to buy. From our investigation, it seems to be the neighborhood where he grew up, so it probably has special meaning to him.”

“I see…” The security team leader frowned.

This guy is about to pour most of his fortune into a new house. Why would he be looking for another place in this neighborhood now?

‘And his guild is in Bucheon, too.’

Whatever he’s thinking, it gives me an uneasy feeling.

“Hey, turn up the volume a bit.”

“Yes, sir.”

The conversation flowed into the ears of the three people.

“What kind of conditions are you looking for?”

“Monthly rent or jeonse.”

“I have a few… As you know, this neighborhood is partly in a safety zone, so it’s a bit expensive.”

“That’s fine. I’m a hunter.”

“Oh my, a hunter? I thought your body looked good. What’s your grade? Ah, is it rude to ask?”

“Just average? Nothing too high.”

C-rank.

“Oh my, oh my. You must make good money. Can I touch your forearm? Ohoho!”

“Haha, if you show me some good properties, I’ll consider it. Actually, show me everything. Jeonse, purchase—if I like something, I might as well buy it.”

The three listening were dumbfounded.

“This guy is really having fun. Really having fun.”

“How could he not? After living as an F-rank and then re-awakening with big money coming in, his confidence must be soaring.”

“Hmm, that’s right. It’s that time for him.”

They all knew from experience. That feeling of stepping into a new world.

Luxury brands you couldn’t even look at before suddenly seem trivial, and the way people look at you changes.

“That guy is exactly in that state right now.”

“Buy if he likes something—bullshit. After paying the remaining balance on the house he contracted, your account will barely cover a jeonse, you fool.”

“Still, I’m envious. What does he eat to have such lush hair?”

Watching Jin Tae-kyung’s immature behavior made them snicker despite finding it pathetic.

The three had unwittingly relaxed. Their ears were open, but it felt like listening to a radio broadcast.

“How about this place? For jeonse, about 500 million won? Considering it’s in a safety zone, it’s much cheaper than market price.”

“That’s nice. Are there any others?”

“Of course there are. Right next to the place I just showed you, there’s another property… Ah, this one was taken recently. It was monthly rent with really good conditions.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. If you had come just a few days earlier, you could have snagged it. It was poorly maintained but had cheap rent. Well, that’s a problem that can be solved with remodeling if you have money.”

“That’s a shame.”

“I’m disappointed too. Some scary-looking man came and spoke in such a commanding tone. Does he think I’m keeping houses for him?… I’d much rather give it to a young, handsome bachelor like you. Right?”

“Ugh, sounds like a complete kkondae.”

“I thought he might be a gangster, so I couldn’t say a word. And the bachelor smell coming from him was so strong, I thought I was going to die. Hohoho.”

Grind.

The sound of teeth grinding came from beside them.

Kim Joonsu and the team member suppressed their laughter that was about to burst out.

‘It’s the team leader.’

‘It’s definitely the team leader.’

A gangster-like impression and bachelor smell.

Just hearing this much, they knew it was the security team leader.

His appearance was so fierce that there was even a rumor that when he first joined the Sangdong Guild, the interviewer was so scared they hired him without further consideration.

“Is that woman crazy…”

The team leader, grinding his teeth, suddenly turned his head. The two who had been trying not to laugh, their faces flushed red, hurriedly bowed their heads.

“Seems hard to hold it in?”

“N-no, sir.”

“Not at all, sir.”

Despite their desperate denials, the already irritated team leader stood up. For him, a single man in his mid-40s, the word “bachelor” was a sore spot that should never be touched.

“I’m going to the sauna to wash off this bachelor smell. Make sure to have a transcript ready for me to see as soon as I return.”

“Pardon?”

Kim Joonsu and the other team member were incredulous.

A C-rank hunter showing off in a real estate office and a chatty middle-aged woman. What kind of transcript would they need for such an inconsequential conversation?

“Team Leader, all of this is automatically being recorded…”

“Also prepare a written opinion, one full A4 page each. Since this is an important target, we need to collect team members’ opinions.”

Since when did he ever ask for team members’ opinions? And how does it make sense for the team leader to go to a sauna with such an important target?

The two grimaced at the petty superior’s way of venting.

“Didn’t you hear me? Repeat after me, now!”

“…Yes.”

“…Now.”

“These kids, completely useless. Treating your team leader like dog shit.”

The security team leader glared at his subordinates and stormed out of the room.

Bang! As the apartment front door closed, the two remaining people simultaneously blurted out what they had been holding in.

“No way, shit.”

“Isn’t this going too far, even for him?”

“Why is he taking out his anger on us just because he has an ugly face and can’t get married?”

“Is it just his face that’s ugly? From what the woman said, he spoke in a commanding tone. His personality is rotten too.”

“Seriously, this is too dirty to deal with.”

“Ah, I really shouldn’t be stressed. It’s making more of my hair fall out.”

Kim Joonsu, speaking in a teary voice, touched his crown. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d lost about ten strands in that short time.

“What about the transcript and opinion?”

“What else can we do? If we don’t want to see the team leader throw a fit, we have to write it. Want me to go to the hospital and get a medical certificate instead?”

“Just write it half-heartedly. I’ll cover for you, saying you couldn’t write it because you were using familiar magic.”

The two sighed deeply and began to curse the team leader in earnest. Meanwhile, the conversation continued through the transmitter.

“Not bad. It’s south-facing, so it gets good sunlight. How about the building next door? Don’t tell me that one’s taken too?”

“Hmm? No. With the economy being bad, the recently vacated places are… But hey, young man.”

“Yes?”

“Your forearm is really solid. My goodness, just look at these muscles and veins!”

“Come back anytime, young man. Visit again!”

I left the real estate office, leaving behind the woman’s wistful farewell. Goosebumps covered my forearm where her hand had just brushed.

‘Whether it’s older women or men, when they age without maturing, they flirt with young people in similar ways.’

Though I fled from her sticky gaze, I had already achieved my purpose in visiting the real estate office, so I had no regrets.

‘Checking recently traded properties.’

Today marks exactly five days since the raid with Lim Changsoo.

This means the watchers couldn’t have been attached more than five days ago.

‘I did try to ask indirectly, acting like it wasn’t obvious…’

For someone who knew about the existence of eavesdropping magic, my behavior was quite intentional. I wanted to appear as a nothing-special C-rank hunter full of pretension and extravagance.

‘Whether they fell for it remains to be seen.’

The conversation with the real estate lady provided an important clue. I mentally recited the addresses I had memorized in advance.

‘Building 5, Unit 901. Building 4, Unit 302. Building 3, Unit 202.’

These are the three properties traded in the last five days.

The reference point is our house. I set the maximum range at 500 meters, the reach of familiar magic. The watchers are definitely within this area.

‘The question is how to find them.’

My goal isn’t to chase them away, but to catch them, rough them up, and find out who’s behind them. If I make a wrong move, they might flee.

‘Since they could be hiding in cars too, I should check the parking lot.’

If I start searching houses in the area, they’ll notice something’s up, but I can search the parking lot naturally.

Pretending to take a walk while scanning with [Qi Sense]—that’ll be game over for them.

[Lv.42 Kim Kwon-dong]

“Oh, we meet again?”

Yes, like this guy.

I greeted Kim Kwon-dong as he acknowledged me.

“Indeed. We meet again.”

“Weren’t you going to the real estate office? Are you already done?”

“I just made an inquiry. But when I actually looked into it, the housing prices were not trivial. I escaped right away.”

“That’s how this neighborhood is. Still, you’re a capable young man. At your age, I was just a burden at home, eating all the food.”

“Capable? Haha.”

If you knew what real capability was, you’d faint.

Unaware of my inner thoughts, Kim Kwon-dong laughed along and spoke.

“Well, I’ll be going now. I need to go around to the park over there.”

“You must enjoy walks?”

“Huh? It’s not that I enjoy it, but rather that I need it. You’ll find it tough too when you reach my age.”

He shows off his thin limbs demonstratively. Looking at his appearance alone, he’s the very image of a skinny middle-aged man with a protruding belly.

‘He does look like a civilian.’

Someone else might have been fooled by it.

But how could there be a civilian with level 42?

‘Probably a C-rank hunter. Judging by his body type, he’s specialized in stealth and pursuit.’

Once you know your opponent is a hunter, there’s a lot of information you can infer.

I said goodbye to Kim Kwon-dong.

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

“Well, maybe we’ll see each other, maybe not. Haha.”

I’m not so sure—I really want to see you.

Of course, when that time comes, we won’t part laughing like this. I’d like to knock him down right now, but it wasn’t the right time yet.

Bow.

I bowed slightly in farewell and was about to leave when I heard his voice from behind.

“Ah, that’s right. That cat seemed really smart, didn’t it? On my way here, I saw it’s still there.”

He even provides a kind broadcast reminding me not to forget the familiar.

And just as he said, the cat was waiting for me in the same spot as before.

Meow.

Yeah. Brother’s here, you little thing.