I am a Guide Who Killed an Esper.

“Well, what can you do? No team leader wants to come to the junkyard,” Woojoo joked. This time, a few more people smiled at his comment—albeit bitterly.

A place despised by Espers, often referred to as the “junkyard” or the “waste disposal site.” It was the final resting place for misfits in the organization—those who couldn’t adapt or whose abilities didn’t measure up to their years of experience. That was the derogatory nickname Espers had for the Talent Management Team.

Before being assigned here, Jeong Yoonui had thought the same way. And to be honest, his opinion hadn’t really changed. But jokes aside, it was undeniable that this team was essential to the organization. Even the simplest of their routine tasks—managing absentees—was critical. After all, military police composed of civilians couldn’t exactly arrest Espers who failed to return from leave. And that didn’t even include the specialized responsibilities unique to the team leader role. Yet, despite its importance, the team was treated poorly. Yoonui sighed and grumbled.

“I’m not asking for much—just cut down on the grunt work a little.”

“Seriously. Even if it’s just an administrative team leader who isn’t an Esper, it’d help,” Woojoo added.

Most of the routine tasks were handled by staff under the team leader anyway, and the team leader’s unique responsibilities—things only Espers could perform—could be covered by someone like Yoonui. If someone else could just deal with the paperwork, it would make a world of difference.

But upper management was firm: this position belonged to the Ministry of Defense, and since it handled top-level classified information, no administrative staff could ever take the role.

When they requested more Espers to share the workload, the response was always the same: all available Espers were already tied up with field operations, leaving no reinforcements.

As a last-ditch effort, they even suggested bringing in a washed-up guide—one who had the seniority but no active role—to act as team leader. But each time they asked, they were told that demand for rear-line guides had suddenly increased.

The truth was obvious: no one wanted this job.

Honestly, if it were him, he’d rather take 24-hour field assignments than become the Talent Management Team leader. No matter how well someone performed in this position, they wouldn’t get recognition or praise. In fact, the harder they worked, the more people resented them. Who would want that? Massaging his temples, Yoonui turned to Jungwoo and joked.

“I’m so exhausted these days.”

“I can tell,” Jungwoo replied.

“If I were an Esper, I’d have gone into a rampage at least 50 times by now. At least then we’d have gotten rid of 50 undisciplined Espers, and our workload would’ve lightened.”

“Senior, could you stop making those kinds of jokes?”

Jungwoo finally gave up humoring him and slumped over his desk with a defeated expression. Seeing Jungwoo’s broad, pitiful back, Yoonui finally let out a laugh.

“Ah, now I feel a little better.”

“You’re really the worst, Senior,” Jungwoo muttered, sitting back up and pouting.

Jeong Yoonui had a particularly annoying personality: he couldn’t go a day without making someone else miserable for his own amusement.

“Why don’t you stop picking on your juniors?” Joomin scolded, clicking her tongue.

“I need some small joys in my work life, don’t I?”

Ignoring Joomin’s nagging, Yoonui began organizing the printed reports on his desk. The 2 PM and 4 PM return groups had better show up on time. If even one absentee turned up, he’d be late for the executive meeting. He was already on thin ice with his superiors; if he showed up late, who knew what kind of lecture he’d get?

“Please, can I just live one day without getting yelled at…?”

But, of course, these damned Espers never made things easy for him. Three absentees from the 2 PM group and one from the 4 PM group kept him busy. He barely managed to subdue one screaming about not wanting to go to detention and sent them off before exploding.

“Seriously! These Espers have no discipline!”

“Sorry, Senior!” Jungwoo chirped.

“Sigh. Now I’m going to be late for the meeting and get yelled at.”

“You’re used to it, aren’t you?”

Look at this cheeky kid. Yoonui glared at Jungwoo, but since he needed his help at the moment, he couldn’t scold him. He’d deal with him after the meeting. Instead, he held out his hand.

“Beam me to headquarters.”

Since the meeting room had security restrictions, he couldn’t teleport directly inside. Jungwoo sent him to a nearby corridor, and Yoonui sprinted like mad, only to end up five minutes late.

As he opened the door, panting, sharp glares greeted him from all around the room.

If you care so much, why don’t you just fill the team leader position?

“My apologies for being late. There was an absentee from the 4 PM group,” Yoonui said, his tone polite while his eyes silently snapped back at their stares.

No one could criticize him for being late while actively working. The director, visibly displeased, motioned him toward an empty seat with a curt nod. Bowing briefly to the director and the Field Response Center head, Yoonui took his place.

“Seriously, what could the ‘Administrative Department’ possibly be so busy with….”

The pointed remark came from Park, the manager of the Field Response Center, who loudly rapped his desk with the meeting materials. His tone was dripping with disdain, referring to the “Administrative Department” as if it only dealt with safe, boring paperwork—a common insult aimed at the Operations and Talent Management Teams.

The Operations Manager’s face darkened at the blatant insult, but he was too timid to confront the powerful Esper manager, who held significant sway at headquarters.

However, things were different for Jeong Yoonui, the guide with the blue lanyard who was known as “the enemy of Espers.” He was a fellow member of the Ministry of Defense, already sidelined after his career path derailed, with no aspirations beyond that. He had nothing to lose and could afford to challenge his superiors.

“Exactly. Normally, we don’t even have that much work, but lately, Espers’ sense of duty has been in the gutter. It’s so bad that even we, the supposedly idle administrative department, can’t catch a break,” Yoonui quipped.

Already irritated by Yoonui, Manager Park immediately raised his voice at the sarcasm directed toward Espers.

“What do you mean by bringing up my team?”

“Do you even know how many Espers failed to return from leave today alone? I’ve sent them all to detention, so make sure to pick them up in two weeks.”

Yoonui’s sharp retort elicited stifled laughter from the Center side. The volume made it clear they weren’t even trying to hide it. It was undoubtedly coming from Lim Hyungwan, the Field Support Center manager, a fellow guide.

Despite both being part of the Ministry of Defense, the two center managers—one a guide, the other an Esper—didn’t get along. To be more precise, the Response Center Manager didn’t seem to get along with anyone. Confirming the faint smile on the Operations Manager’s face, Yoonui continued.

“Really, can’t even follow the most basic rule of returning from leave. And they claim they’re protecting the nation…”

He deliberately exaggerated a sigh, making his mockery even more apparent. Eventually, the director had to step in to mediate. Shooting Yoonui a warning glance, the director turned to Park and gave him a light directive.

“Manager Park, you should pay more attention to managing your team.”

But as an Esper, Park wasn’t someone who would obediently listen to an administrative superior. He responded with defiance.

“My team is doing just fine, thank you.”

“Fine, you say…”

“Hey!”

“Now, now, Manager Park! Not in front of the director!”

The Operations Manager had to step in and diffuse the escalating argument. He also warned Yoonui to mind his rank and be cautious with his words, though neither seemed inclined to heed the advice.

With a pointed expression, Yoonui submitted a report on Espers’ failure to return from leave and its connection to rampages.

“While most absences are due to negligence or lack of discipline, there’s been a noticeable rise in cases where rampages were cited as the reason for failing to return.”

“Hmm…”

“How… exactly are you managing them so well?”

Yoonui stopped himself from saying what he really wanted to, swallowing the snarky remark out of sheer professionalism. Of course, his eyes betrayed him, clearly conveying the unspoken words.

Park, catching the look, immediately shifted his attack toward the Support Center.

“Isn’t this due to a lack of competence among the guides? If the guiding were sufficient, our Espers wouldn’t be rampaging so often.”

But Lim Hyungwan, the Support Center Manager, wasn’t someone who had climbed to her position by sheer luck.

At 50 years old, she was a seasoned A-class guide whose rapid promotion was rumored to have been expedited by the deaths or resignations of her peers. Despite the rumors, her professional and political skills were undeniably sharp. Smiling faintly, she effortlessly shut down the offensive remark.

“Well, we do ensure every Esper receives adequate guiding before they leave. But what they do while on leave? That’s beyond our control. Honestly, some of the things they get up to…”

“What do you mean, ‘some of the things’? Say it properly!”

“It’s not something I’m comfortable saying out loud,” Lim replied, tapping her fingers on the meeting materials.

Curious, everyone opened the documents. There, under the section on various guiding cases submitted by the Support Center, the bold heading ‘Alcohol Dependency in Espers’ stood out.

“Our Field Support Center exists to assist Espers who have sustained physical or mental injuries in the line of duty—not to act as a rehab center for alcohol addiction.”

Lim’s cutting words were delivered with infuriating composure, blatantly mocking the high rate of alcohol dependency among Espers.

“What? Alcohol addiction? Are you serious?”

“I’m far from done,” she replied coolly. “This was brought up in last week’s meeting as well. Instead of only focusing on what you want to say, how about taking the time to review the reports from other departments for a change?”