In the three months he was away, Earth had become more used to the Great Cataclysm.
Many safe buildings were newly built, and an official system to manage the dungeons was created. The ability user platoons managed by the countries also started taking shape, and the clans, which operated like companies, also solidified their place in the changing society.
The value of strong ability users increased more and more, and many industries and technology lost their meaning, and even more new industries started rising.
Of course, this was all an achievement made under the blood and sweat of many.
The mana concentrated in Japan spread around the world along with Orochi’s death, and the concentration of mana on Earth rose as a whole, which made the frequency of monster occurrences and dungeon occurrences much much higher. Anyone with power had to fight in order to protect their homes.
Meanwhile, the 26 clans who succeeded in getting higher standard weapons from Vanguard, shined brighter than any others.
The gear Yu IlHan sold were usable even after one became a 3rd class, and they just had to hunt the monsters while being careful not to damage it.
Their reputation rose by the day in their countries, and in the world, and in truth, their levels were rising incomparably faster than other clans to the point that the other clans couldn’t do anything to them even if they wanted to.
Then, what was left was desperateness.
They wished that Vanguard would sell them higher weapons, or even, just standard weapons on a large scale, before the gap became bigger.
It was funny, but the gear shop that Yu IlHan had set up since he did not want to suffer alone, had become the number one wish for everyone in the world. In a mere 4 months.
There were two others who received attention that was not inferior to Vanguard, which was the Lightning God Clan of Korea, and Suppression, who was the only organization under a country’s government, and was supplied gear by Yu IlHan.
[The Lightning God Clan of Korea conquers difficult dungeons one after the other!]
[Overwhelming growth of small scale clans. Everyone predicts the alliance of Vanguard.]
[The small tiger of Korea, Suppression, becomes an army admired by all.]
“Wow.”
[It seems your gear were pretty good.]
It seemed that the reputation of the Lightning God Clan, and Suppression was really high as he could read news about them despite still being in America.
They were mostly news about how the Lightning God Clan saved a clan who were isolated inside a dungeon, or about Suppression, who safely exterminated monsters in a danger zone in another country.
“Wow, the taegeukgi (Korean flag) is flapping everywhere.”
[Your share should be high too. Why don’t you ask them to deduct your taxes every time a taegukgi flaps?]
“Are you a genius?”
Of course, Vanguard should have influenced it since it opened in Gangnam of Seoul. The opinion that the Lightning God Clan had a deeper relationship with Vanguard than the other clans were floating around the net.
The Lightning God Clan neither acknowledged nor rejected that statement, but the people were sure about it
[Who is the owner of Vanguard, Yu IlHan?]
[Vanguard supplies weapons that could not be seen in any other world. The president, Yu IlHan, is believed to have a unique ability that can buff productive abilities……]
The people were at the point where they wrote novels about Vanguard, Lightning God, and Suppression, and making secondary versions of it. It was so serious that Yu IlHan read books about the life of ten different ‘Yu IlHan’s while heading to the airport with concealment.
“This world feels really stuffy.”
“The mana concentration is too low.”
“Haaa, Fuuu.”
The four elves that stuck to Yu IlHan in fear of concealment wearing off, were having a hard time due to the difference in concentration of mana between Dareu and Earth. Their long ears flapping were a proof of that.
They must feel like their power was draining. Yu IlHan was also feeling something similar in real time, so he knew very well. He spoke to them with a laugh.
“You probably won’t be able to bring your full powers out here.”
“We were prepared, but the pain is unimaginably more painful.”
“How can a hero like Your Majesty come out in a world that has only gone through the 1st Great Cataclysm?”
“I said don’t call me Your Majesty.”
“Ah, I’m very sorry, Your Majesty!”
Silently deciding that he should educate them properly when they go back, Yu IlHan lead them to the airport. Then, he ignored numerous people and stowed away. The elves just followed Yu IlHan onto the aeroplane without knowing anything.
“There really are interesting things, to think that such a lump of metal flies in the air.”
“There were some human countries that made things like this.”
“You’re right, they fell shortly after the 2nd Great Cataclysm though.”
The nonchalant talk of the elves made Yu IlHan shiver. It was as if they were foretelling that human civilization would fall.
[Earth may be different. All worlds have their own ways of living.]
“It would be good if it’s so.”
After a few hours, they arrived at Korea. A lot had changed in the three months in Korea as well, especially the cities that developed much faster than the non-cities.
The already high population density increased, and a portion of the monster danger zones were completely isolated. He felt as if looking at a completely different country.
What was more important than anything was that talks about Vanguard, Lightning God, and Suppression were talked at least 10 times as frequently here.
“This is His Majesty’s homeland!”
“It really is messy and noisy. Especially the buildings look quite strange.”
“I really can’t understand what they’re saying.”
“Ah.”
Yu IlHan finally realized that the elves did not know Korean, not to mention English. While Yu IlHan felt depressed thinking about whether he had to first teach them Korean, Erta spoke like it was nothing much.
[They just need an artifact each.]
“What!?”
[Heaven’s Army has tons of artifacts with translation magic cast on it. Although it isn’t like it can translate monster speak or dragon tongue, but it should be possible to translate between elven language of Dareu and a language spoken on Earth.]
Yu IlHan widened his mouth in disbelief.
“No way, there’s no way you guys are so capable.”
[Then forget it.]
“I’m very sorry. Please give them to me.”
[Heheh, then I’ll hand over some of them. Since your achievements were so big this time, 4 translation artifacts shouldn’t be so difficult.]
Yu IlHan also laughed when he saw that Erta enjoyed the sense of superiority she hadn’t felt in a long time. However, that was for just a moment. Since the word ‘Haeven’s Army’ came out, he thought of someone and his face paled.
“Will Lita be alright?”
He couldn’t be sure of anything, but Yu IlHan was sure that the Destruction Demon Army was aiming for him in order to target Lita. Whether it was because Lita was strong and was a threat to them, or whether she had another value for them.
Since Yu IlHan had killed them all in reverse, not to mention getting caught, it was alright, but what if Lita was fooled by them? Even if she didn’t, what if she was defeated by them?
He sealed such thoughts in Dareu as he couldn’t relax his tension all the time, but now that he did think about her, he couldn’t calm down.
Erta spoke in a bitter smile after realizing what he wa thinking.
[If you’re so worried, should I go up and check?]
“Please.”
[I’ll check then.]
She headed to Heaven without saying much. Yu IlHan spoke to the elves who were blinking their eyes without knowing what happened since they weren’t able to see angels.
“Then let’s first go home.”
“To, to Your Majesty’s mansion? You can just give us a small room in a small annex.
“I have no such thing.”
The strongest of the four elves, the beauty greatsword warrior Mirey, tilted her head before shouting ‘aha!’ with a bulb above her head.
“Then, a separate palace!”
“You wanna get beaten up?”
“Then I’ll follow Your Majesty.”
“His Violent Majesty is cool too.”
“Shut up you idiot.”
The elves shut their mouths and followed Yu IlHan. Thinking that it was really fortunate that he had bought out an entire floor of an apartment building, Yu IlHan led them to the apartment in Gangnam.
On the way, they also passed by the building owned by Yu IlHan, and where Vanguard is,
He checked whether the building was still intact, or whether the angel’s protective magic was still there, and he contacted his parents when he almost arrived at the apartment.
Fortunately, his mother received his call.
[Son! You’ve been to another world? You sure took your time.]
“Yes, mom. Father’s still well, right?”
It wasn’t exactly wrong. Although it was an Abandoned World, wasn’t it still another world?
Now Yu IlHan was also a returnee! Although he did feel tragic thinking that whether it was worth it to become a returnee in this way!
However, just as Yu IlHan was immersed in his tragedy, his mother calmly spoke some words that would make Yu IlHan faint if he heard it in his highschool days.
[Your father quit work.]
“…….That’s good. But why?”
[The company went bankrupt. Well, all companies in this field went bankrupt. I think it will take some time until he can find new work.]
A simple and cool reason. Yu IlHan thought about sending money home, and thought that his father would never accept it even if he died, so he spoke to his mother.
“If father still wants to work, how about working at Vanguard, mom?”
Of course, his parents knew that he was the president of Vanguard. At first, the two of them thought that their son made some good ties in another world, setting up a gear shop, but watching Vanguard becoming the center of the world, they realized that the thin protective armor that Yu IlHan gave them before was the foreshadow for everything.
“Rather than specialized work, it’s more like managing the store, receiving calls……. and some bothersome work, since it’s the center of attention and all.”
[That’s good. This man should earn some money from his son to realize that his days are long gone.]
His mother took the bait. Even while sweating cold sweat at his mother’s direct words, Yu IlHan ended up scattering salt on the wound.
“How…… about just moving over to Gangnam?”
[Puh.]
His mother burst out laughing. Then, she scolded him.
[You didn’t contact us for three months, but it seems that you are worried about us, eh. It’s alright. Mother has some ability, and as for your father……. it will be fine if he stays next to your mother.]
All mothers were really quick witted. With a bitter smile, Yu IlHan gave up on moving his parents to Gangnam. Instead, he told them that he would go look for them in a few days, before going to the top floor of the apartment building with the four elves.
Although it was smaller than they expected, they exclaimed at the quite a big apartment building while asking.
“This giant building is owned by Your Majesty?”
“Just the top floor.”
“How is that possible?”
“Think of it as the providence of the universe.”
“Wow, what’s that on the wall, a button?”
“It’s the magic tool that calls for an extremely small scale war once ditching after pressing, the bell.”
Yu IlHan dragged the four elves who looked like RPG noobs trying to double click everything they could see and opened the door to his house at the top floor.
“First, don’t do anything and listen to me. I’ll explain you the lifestyle of Earth from alpha to omega.”
“Your Majesty is our alpha and omega!”
“Shut up and listen to……”
Just as he was about to explain to the four fanatics, he tilted his head. He could feel a presence in his bedroom.
He would think ‘that can happen’ if it was the intrusion of someone with malice towards himself, but this presence was one that he was really used to.
“Erta?”
Did she come back first after getting news of Lita? That was possible – Yu IlHan opened the door to the bedroom while thinking that.
On the king sized bed prepared by Yu IlHan, without holding back any money, as he thought that sleep was the most valuable thing on Earth, a beauty with ‘two pairs’ of wings, was sleeping on the bed while snoring.
Author’s notes
Yu IlHan unintentionally raised the reputation of his country.
Erta regained her face as a higher existence for the first time in a while.
Thank you for loving Everyone Else is a Returnee until now. From next chapter, Act 2, ‘I’m Also a Returnee’ will…… (This is also a lie)
Sorry? You expected IlHan to go to the Wall of Chaos in order to save Liera? It’s fun to break death flags and readers’ expectations!
Translator’s notes
FINALLY CAUGHT UP!
Translator: Chamber
Proofreader: Koukouseidesu