The Mummy Has Returned

"Hello, Returnee."

I was sure I'd closed my eyes peacefully for the last time. But when I came to, a suit-wearing salaryman straight out of some past-life movie was bowing before me. He had pitch-black horn-rimmed glasses and the faint wrinkles of middle age just starting to crease his mouth.

And not content with that—Returnee?!

"I'm Lee Cheol-su, an agent with the Returnee Management Bureau."

"Where... is this?"

A total stranger. A government official, no less. Yet my tongue slipped naturally into the informal. A haughty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠intent laced with the lofty timbre of plucked organ strings. The habits of courtesy from my days as a denizen of the Land of Propriety and Ritual had long evaporated. In their place overflowed the overwhelming charisma I'd built as the supreme sovereign of the empire.

"Does the name Republic of Korea ring a bell?"

"It comes back to me, at least. This is that Republic of Korea?"

"Yes, exactly. You, who experienced isekai reincarnation or possession, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠returned to Earth on April 6, 2024. I can imagine your confusion from prior cases, but would you indulge us in a brief conversation to explain the situation?"

Utterly businesslike, yet polite. And just as guarded.

"From what I've heard so far, it sounds like there are others like me."

"Yes. Three in Korea right now. A little over thirty confirmed worldwide. Thanks to those precedents, we were able to respond this quickly."

Unlike the other agents lurking in the back, this Lee Cheol-su didn't seem afraid. Still... yeah.

"Most of them possess tremendous power. So long as there's minimal cooperation, I promise no interference or harm beyond what you experienced in your previous life."

"Pretty bold of you. Do you have any idea what kind of power we wield, to keep your head so stiff?"

"Who knows. But if we can learn bit by bit going forward, that'd be ideal."

Cheeky bastard. But his guts were amusing enough.

"Fine. Spill it."

Having lived my whole life as one above all beneath heaven, satisfying diversions were few, and a life full of yes-men had grown dull. Earth, as I recalled, was a far more colorful civilization. Maybe something fun would come of it.

With that in mind, I nodded and snapped my fingers.

"This is..."

"As you see, a chair. Made of fire. Your butt won't burn if you sit, so relax."

"My thanks for the consideration. Per the Special Act on Returnees, we first provide all returnees with a mana device or lecture covering a brief overview of Earth's current common knowledge. Then, through various negotiations, we guarantee access to isekai information or material exchanges, identity on Earth, contact with family and acquaintances. All returnees can appoint a professional lawyer free of charge during this process..."

The explanation dragged on longer than expected. Tedious procedure. But it inspired far more trust than the slapdash bureaucracy in webnovels. Plus, they seemed to grasp that other world better than I'd thought.

"Judging by your first-person usage, you must be royalty. What is Your Majesty's name?"

"Kishea Arcradiel."

"Arcradiel... That would be the Tediel Empire. East, West, or New Star—which Tediel Empire?"

He knew even the future of my empire that I didn't. Of course, it was gibberish to me right now. I tilted my head and asked back.

"Tediel is the Tediel Empire. What, like Rome with all those titles...?"

"Pardon?"

"Allow a reintroduction: We are Kishea Arcradiel, Fourth Pharaoh of the Tediel Empire. You said there are plenty of returnees from the same world. And they don't know this name...?"

"Ah, well... There's a huge time gap, you could say."

Cheol-su broke a light sweat but soon calmly summoned a subordinate agent.

"You there, fetch a history book on the Zion Continent. Yeah... the one they started compiling the year before last."

"Time gap? You don't mean..."

"Your Majesty, please stay calm and listen. After Your Majesty passed in the isekai, 3,800 years passed..."

And so I learned precisely how my empire splintered, fell, and became not even sacred New Star Tediel, but something else entirely. This wasn't Sejong the Great learning about the Japanese occupation and losing his mind...!

"This concludes the Returnee Management Bureau's current understanding of the isekai world, Mother's history."

"Argh... aaah!"

Some time later. My first summer on Earth after returning—me, Kishea Arcradiel.

"This room's barely big enough for a booger..."

That was my mutter from the penthouse of a state-of-the-art apartment I'd earned after some socialization. Complaining about a home I couldn't have dreamed of in my past life? Deceptive, right?

"Our place back home couldn't even fit a dog, and you're whining?"

Grumbling that it was cozy enough to tolerate, I flopped onto the bed made of science rather than magic.

"Poor me!"

I shouted for no reason, but a smile tugged at my lips. The cause? This rectangular gadget in my hand.

The overwhelming dignity of modern civilization, inaccessible even to those above all beneath heaven in that world! I had a smartphone.

"One sleek smartphone, and who needs a palace?!"

Anyone could tell from that alone—I was adapting better than expected.

"Earth's way more comfy than that world, Mother."

Gates to twisted corners of isekais had been opening on Earth for over 20 years now. Hunters wielding mana and such were commonplace. Departments studying the miscellany of other ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worlds had sprung up. Isekais were massively influencing Earth's civilization.

And I, living proof of ancient history and lost tech from those worlds, was irreplaceable on 21st-century Earth.

"In that sense, this invitation to the Ancient Zion History Conference..."

Just showing up adds a zero or two to the bank—massive payout anyway. Truth be told, the topic itself intrigued me. The issue? I'd never been to anything like it.

As those worries bubbled up, my phone buzzed briefly.

"Hm...?"

"Returnee... community?"

I hadn't been big on galleries in my past life, but I remembered them vaguely.

"A demon den full of folks crapping out posts on one topic all day."

Not the most socially esteemed place, from what I recalled. But the pharaoh's whim is law. Plus, "other returnees" tugged at my hand.

"Sealed on an internet site? Whatever."

I punched in the number from the message. Definitely not your standard site. My phone screen flashed unnaturally bright, revealing the contents.

......

This place seemed risky in all sorts of ways. I thought about turning back.

But I was the dangerously overpowered one here. Not a criminal, mind you. Physically speaking.

My fingers flew busily. Replies piled up fast.

"Profile from that world, huh..."

Expressing this body's greatness in text? Not exactly fun. But easy enough!

"Hah...?"

But the response? Brutal.