The Old Basket of Grandfather
Returning to the office, Taeseong sat at his desk, replaying the conversation he’d had with Taesan. Across from him, Lee Eunha was still stealing glances at him, her disbelief obvious.
“A manager promoted to Delta grade in less than a month since joining? It took me five years to get to Delta… And he does it in under a year? Is it because he’s a returnee? Still, how is it possible? A rookie managing to scar that monstrous team leader’s body… If I’d known, I would’ve come in earlier to see it myself.”
Her blatant staring could have been irritating, but Taeseong paid it no mind, focusing instead on analyzing his recent discussion.
Conversation Flashback
“Are you aware that there’s a training institution for nurturing new managers within the Tree?”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it.”
“Good. As you’d expect, there’s a severe shortage of personnel to manage all the entities present on Earth. To address this, the Tree established a training facility specifically for cultivating managers. We call it ‘The Nest.’ I first encountered your sister, Lee Sooah, when I was dispatched there as a temporary instructor.”
“What kind of child was my sister?”
“A remarkably gifted one. Among her peers, none could compare. Her talent was undeniable, and it was clear to me at first glance that she would be the top candidate. However, that very talent turned out to be her curse.”
“A curse?”
“Yes. Are you aware that your sister is an elemental ability user?”
“I am.”
“Elemental abilities are rare as it is, but your sister was uniquely chosen by fire—pure and untainted. The Tree’s assessment of her potential future rank was Beta. Do you know what that means?”
“…No.”
“It means she held the potential to obliterate an entire metropolis on her own. However, as managers, we are also entities ourselves. Do you know what that entails?”
“…”
“It means the higher-ups could classify us as dangerous entities at any time, depending on their judgment. Your sister demonstrated that potential. As you know, decisions from the Tree’s higher-ups are absolute.”
At this point, Taesan paused, his expression shadowed.
“Do you see this scar covering half my face? Your sister, Lee Sooah, is the one who gave me this injury. It happened shortly after I arrived at the Nest. The most common incident among elemental ability users is what we call a ‘rampage.’ When the manifested ability overpowers its wielder, they lose control and go berserk. They become mindless, acting purely on instinct. In your sister’s case, that instinct was to burn everything around her—herself included. She rampaged once already, and while the instructors and I managed to subdue her, it was nearly too late.”
Taesan lightly touched his scar as if it still stung, continuing in a calm tone.
“That’s the story. Frankly, there’s not much of a connection between us—nothing dramatic, anyway. I merely dressed it up to provoke you. For that, I apologize.”
“No, not at all. Thank you for helping my sister.”
Having reflected on the conversation, Taeseong felt a sense of clarity. Regardless of Taesan’s attitude toward him, the team leader had saved his sister, making him an undeniable benefactor. Taeseong, who valued such relationships deeply, immediately regarded Taesan as an ally.
“Team Leader Choi Harin likely knew all of this as well,” he reasoned. As someone designated to be the next Intelligence Chief, it seemed impossible for her not to know about his sister’s abilities. This meant she’d intentionally chosen not to disclose this information to him.
“Perhaps she thought there was no need to agitate me unnecessarily,” he concluded.
Breaking free from his thoughts, Taeseong stood up, turning to Lee Eunha, whose prying gaze had been relentless.
“Lee Eunha, do you have something to say to me?”
Startled, Lee Eunha stammered, “N-No? Nothing at all.”
“Understood.”
Taeseong sat back down, unbothered. After a few moments, however, Eunha approached his desk.
“Um, Taeseong. I know you’ve been promoted to Delta level, but there are still rules to follow, don’t you think? As you know, this isn’t an ordinary company. Even among employees of the same grade, strict hierarchies are maintained. My position is Assistant Manager, and you’re still a Supervisor. At the very least, you should address me with respect.”
Before Taeseong could reply, Haeyoung interjected with her usual cheerful demeanor.
“Senior, I think Taeseong just doesn’t know much about our system yet! It’s only been a short while since he joined, so—”
“Haeyoung.”
“Y-Yes?”
“How many times have I told you not to interrupt when I’m speaking?”
“…Sorry.”
With her spirits visibly dampened, Haeyoung retreated to her desk like a scolded puppy.
“Well, Taeseong. All I’m saying is, please keep the rules in mind. Your skills might be extraordinary, but…”
“I understand.”
“…What?”
“I’ll be mindful of that. My apologies, Assistant Manager Lee Eunha.”
“Oh, um, alright then.”
The unexpected response caught Eunha off guard, leaving her speechless as she awkwardly returned to her seat.
Moments later, Team Leader Taesan and Kim Ho-jin returned to the office. Ho-jin’s pale face suggested things hadn’t gone according to plan.
“Sorry to keep you all waiting. The interviews with the new recruits took longer than expected. I must say, this batch shows great promise—I’m very optimistic.”
“Please don’t be,” muttered Ho-jin under his breath.
Taesan’s booming laughter filled the room. “Let’s keep it brief. I’ll introduce the team, explain our tasks, and get you started right away. If you have questions, raise your hand.”
“Understood.”
The introductions followed, with each team member sharing their background. When it was Taeseong’s turn, he summarized:
“My name is Lee Taeseong. I’m 28 years old and a Delta-level manager. Like the team leader, I’m a returnee, though due to memory loss, I’m unaware of the world I returned from.”
Eunha raised her hand. “I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“The unidentified entity captured at the abandoned hospital was designated Gamma grade. Is it true you subdued it without any assistance?”
“Yes.”
His unwavering response left Eunha momentarily speechless. Taesan, however, broke into a hearty laugh.
“Haha! See? I told you this guy’s the real deal! Eunha, you can rest easy. I guarantee his capabilities. I’ve faced him myself, so I know there’s no exaggeration here.”
“…Understood.”
Now It was Ho-jin’s turn.
“Hello, I’m Kim Ho-jin. I’m thirty-two years old this year, and my rank is Epsilon. Before being assigned to the Management Team, I worked on the Investigation Team under the Intelligence Division. During one operation, my teammates…”
As Hojin finished his introduction, Taesan spoke.
“You all heard him. These are the new members of our Management Team 4. Get along and don’t fight.”
“Team Leader! You forgot about Senior Yeonghui!”
“Oh, my bad. I left out Chief Go Yeonghui, who’s currently on assignment. Including her, there are six members in total in Management Team 4. Now, I’ll briefly explain what it means to be a manager, what we do, and why it’s necessary.”
“……”
“Of course, Assistant Manager Eunha will handle that explanation.”
With a sigh that suggested she was used to this, Eunha stepped forward.
“A manager, as the name implies, refers to those who manage the entities confined within the Tree. Management here involves a far broader scope than you might imagine. Capturing, containing, eliminating, persuading, and caring for entities—managers handle all entity-related tasks on-site. Think of it that way, and you’ll understand. Any questions so far?”
Ho-jin asked, “What exactly does ‘caring’ mean?”
“Just what it sounds like. It’s about stabilizing the entity’s psychological state and, if possible, building connection and fostering harmony. For example, it could be as simple as having a conversation, playing chess with an entity that enjoys it, or discussing martial arts with one interested in it. There are many other methods, but higher-ranked entities are more likely to make demands that directly threaten a manager’s life. The higher the entity’s rank, the more their worldview diverges from ours. Some enjoy in blood-soaked conflict, while others may only desire one-sided slaughter.”
The implication was clear: the higher-ranked the entity, the harder it was to comprehend their demands from a human perspective.
Hearing this grim explanation, Ho-jin’s face darkened.
“Of course, our job is to ‘manage’ them, not to throw ourselves into certain death. We’re not obligated to comply with every demand. Striking a balance in such situations is what makes a good manager.”
Reflecting on her explanation, Taeseong murmured, “So, the key is to act proactively according to each entity’s needs.”
“Exactly. You’re quick to understand.”
“I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just eliminate these entities instead of isolating them?”
Eliminating threats. It was, after all, the simplest solution.
“Good question. But elimination isn’t always the answer. It’s only about half-right, assuming a perfect score of 100. The reason managers are necessary is that the Tree’s fundamental purpose is directly tied to humanity’s peace. Isolating and managing entities that threaten humanity is why we exist.”
“……”
“Among these entities are humans, like Mr. Taeseong, the Team Leader, or myself, who were once categorized as entities. We can’t simply execute every potentially dangerous individual. Our goal isn’t eradication but exclusion, and ideally, reformation. Some entities, like us humans, have found their way into the Tree from other dimensions, and some are too powerful for us to eliminate even if we wanted to. This is why we strive to maintain balance. The world doesn’t operate on simple principles.”
She added, “For instance, if we can negotiate to return an entity from another dimension to their original world in exchange for their cooperation, it would be a mutually beneficial deal. Of course, there are situations where elimination is deemed necessary, but that decision comes from higher up. I can’t tell you their criteria—I can only speculate. Some of what I’ve shared is based on my speculation, so take it as reference. Any more questions?”
“……”
“It seems not. Team Leader, is this sufficient?”
“Perfect. You’re amazing as always, Assistant Manager Eunha!”
“Hardly a surprise.”
“If that’s all, let’s get started. Chief Oh, take Hojin with you for his first assignment. Make sure he doesn’t die on his first day.”
Snapping a salute, Oh Haeyoung replied energetically, “Got it!”
“Don’t… die…”
Taesan’s gaze shifted to Taeseong and Eunha.
“Assitant Manager Eunha, you’ll work with Chief Taeseong on this task.”
Eunha glanced at Taeseong with mild discomfort. She didn’t dislike him but found working with him a bit awkward.
“…Me and Mr. Taeseong?”
“Why? Got a problem? Chief Taeseong, any thoughts?”
“No issues here.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“Understood.”
“Good. Don’t let your guard down. A clerk will bring the relevant documents shortly. Review them and head out.”
With that, Taesan left, and Haeyeong and Hojin headed to the isolation chamber for their task. This left Taeseong and Eunha alone.
For over five minutes, neither spoke.
“……”
“……”
Eventually, an employee wearing large glasses entered and handed over some documents. Taeseong began reading.
[E-Class Entity Management Report]
No. 0559
Entity Name: Mangtae Harabeom.
Rank: Epsilon.
Threat Level: 2 → 3.
Upon rampage, escalate to Delta rank.
Description:
An old man-shaped entity carrying a woven bag, suspected to originate from the folklore about Mangtae Harabeom, who abducts disobedient children. He is unaware of his origin as a mythical figure and repeats the same phrase constantly. While capable of basic intelligence, engaging him in meaningful conversation requires significant effort.
Key Caution:
Displays uncharacteristic anger when specific cuss words are used. Extreme caution advised.
[Observation Record #320]
- “Heeheehee. Naughty kids who don’t listen to their parents will get taken by Mangtae Harabeom!”
Today marks the 100th observation, yet the old entity repeats the same words. What could be inside that bag of his? I’ve asked multiple times, but he always gives the same answer. - “Heeheehee. Naughty kids who don’t listen to their parents will get taken by Mangtae Harabeom!
- “Sigh… That old fool says the same thing every day. Doesn’t he ever get tired of it?”
Exhausted from consecutive night shifts, I snapped and cursed at him in frustration. For the first time, Mangtae Harabeom’s ever-smiling face contorted into a demon-like visage. - “So, there’s a naughty kid here.”
That’s when I finally discovered what was inside his bag. - “Heeheehee. Kids, we’ve got a new friend. Say hello nicely. No fighting—be good, and you’ll all become nice kids.”
