Home Is Where The Hearth Is

2 - A Destitute Migrant

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"Um, thank you for helping me earlier, Joel-san."

The far-eastern man bashfully said from his position at the back as he sat inside a wooden cart, removing the last of the sticks and leaves in his hair. The conveniently placed bush below the cliff came in clutch, saving him from fatal injuries/a horrifying death and allowing him to reach the defenseless man in time.

"Ha! Don't sweat it youngster, it was the least I could do after you saved me from those nasty dogs!"

After the whole fiasco, Joel set his wagon upright, carried the immobilized teen and placed him in it, and got his horse back, which ran away, all by his lonesome.

Bless him for his hard work and perseverance.

Once the young man finally recovered from what was apparently fatigue, he told him that he wasn't actually an adventurer and was a "traveler of sorts", and also asked if he could travel with him for a while, to which Joel happily agreed to.

The man continued asking the younger one questions as he drove to pass the time. He was stunned to learn that the travelling swordsman didn't have the blessings of a god and wondered how he defeated the monsters, but he quickly chalked it up to the powerful magic sword in his possession.

The young man only smiled when Joel asked, neither denying nor confirming it.....

Because he had no idea either.

His basic and special abilities were locked away, that he was sure of. But somehow, he's able to utilize one: The very first skill that appeared the second he was granted a status:

Total Concentration Breathing. A skill that raises physical and mental abilities to superhuman levels by using an advanced breathing technique. Although using it even once in his current state leaves him exhausted.

Yet that didn't explain how his sword lit up with flames. He didn't even use a sword technique.

Ah, whatever. Don't get him wrong, he was still very confused, but he wasn't complaining. Even if he'll never find out why, at least it's better to have something other than nothing.

"Oh! I almost forgot!"

A sudden exclamation snapped him out of his thoughts. Looking ahead, he spotted Joel rummaging through his shirt pockets before pulling out a small cylindrical glass containing blue liquid.

Oh.

"... Are you sure it's alright for me to take that?" He questioned, seeing the civilian man holding the health potion out to him.

"I'm not the one injured here am I?" Joel grinned cheekily, referring to the wounds he gained from his fall. "Not to worry, I have more of these back home. My relative runs an apothecary, you see."

".... If you insist then." The boy accepted it with a grateful nod. "Thank you for the hospitality."

He pulled the cap off with his thumb and dumped the contents over his head.

"..... You were supposed to drink it, but that's fine too I guess." The older man looked at him weirdly as the cuts and bruises gradually disappeared. "You know, you never really introduced yourself yet. Can you? I'd like to know my rescuer's name."

"Oh, r-right." The young man's ears went red with embarrassment at having forgotten such a simple custom.

He lightly bowed his head. "My name's Tsugikuni Yuuna..... or is it Yuuna Tsugikuni around here...?" He murmured to himself, still not used to the fact that the people of these lands present themselves with their given names first.