As the words left his mouth, he found himself surprised by how quickly he aswered Joshua's question. It was unnatural, as a person who had just recently lost his identity he should have pondered on it for a bit longer, yet he anwered as if it has always been his name, aswering it like it was second nature.
Nonetheless, he couldn't deny that the name he had came up with in a single second was one that did indeed deeply resonate with him. Not for any specific reason just merely because he liked how it rolled off the tongue.
So he had decided that from this moment forth he would be called 'Helios' that is unless he had to abandon this name for reasons yet unknown to him.
Soon he finished clothing himself and got to the front of the carriege to meet up with Joshua.
"Okay, so Helios, what have you been doing around here naked?" his thought were quickly interrupted by Joshua's question
Having only just realized the truth of his situation, Helios couldn't come up with a believable lie on the spot. So instead of lying, he relied on a trick he'd learned in the past: telling the truth, well, half of it at least. But still, it was the truth.
"I don't know too much myself, I suspect I may have gotten drunk while drinking with my friends and got into some sort of accident." answered Helios
"Oh that sounds possible." said Joshua with a straight face.
'It does? I gave a half hearted anwer, but he still found no problems with it. Really?'
Without waiting for Helios to process the information Joshua started talking once again.
"Maybe you encountered a rogue Teleporter along the way or maybe one of your friends did it it's entirely possible"
'A rogue Teleporter huh, so there really is magic in this world' thought Helios to himself
Trying to divert the topic Helios asked "So, you here for busines, Mr. Abrams?"
"Yeah, as you can see I'm just your everyday traveling merchant. And please just call me Joshua I can't take it when people are so formal with me." answered Joshua.
"Right, Joshua. So, what kind of things are you dealing in? I couldn't get a good look while I was 'changing' back there." asked Helios with brimming curiosity
Without having to think even for a moment Joshua answered "Clothes, as you already know, some enhanced items, and, most recently, weapons too."
"Weapons?" Helios asked with a shocked expression
"Yeah, recent rumors of a potential war between the Holy Kingdom and Gait have really boosted weapon sales. These days, almost every merchant is dealing in them."
'War, thanks to the nature of modern society I never had to experience it, but they say there is a first for everyone, and this may be it for me.'
'Also I finally know the name of two countries, the Holy Kingdom and Gait. Considering how the weapon sales went up recently it would be reasonable to assume I am currently in one of these two countries. Should I start digging some more?'
"Really, I myself haven't heard much of these rumors. Though that could just be my fault." said Helios
"You must be quite the sheltered noble, if you haven't heard of these rumors. Among the commonfolk it has been the center of all discussion. People have been saying that, with most of the Newcomers landing in Gait, they won't be able to resist trying to take over the Renis mountain range."
'The Renis mountain range looks like the mountains in the back, and the clear disdain for Gait, considering everything I should be in the Holy Kingdom.'
'Also what is a Newcomer they seem to be people from what I can gather, but I can't say for certain guess I'll have to dig deeper'
But before Helios could try to dig any deeper, he realized that the once distant houses of Alt Village were already right next to him. They have arrived at Alt Village.
The village was small, like really small, all he could see were a few houses numbering in the tens, a nice looking temple and mandatory tavern for drinking.
Upon reaching the village, the people there all flooded out of their respective houses, trying to be the first to greet the arrival of Joshua and now Helios.
"Oh, Joshua you've come back with some nice clothes again, I hope." said an elderly lady
"Of course, I've tried my hardest Mrs. Wallace I hope you'll find something that's to your liking." said Joshua
"Hey! Hey! Joshua have you brought the enhanced items I've asked for?" asked a kid seemingly in his early teens
"Yes, Otto I've brought it and you can have it so long as you have the funds for it." said Joshua
And just like that many more came to greet Joshua, most with specific requests or questions, while others merely came to greet and old friend passing through.
"It seems they really like you here." whispered Helios to Joshua
"Well, that's what happens when you've been a traveling merchant all your life, you make connection all around. It's fun right?" said Joshua
'You ask me that like I have ever been a merchant, but still I guess it does look like a nice environment to be in'
"I guess so." aswered Helios
"And who are you? Are you a noble?" asked the kid named Otto
'Wait do I really look like noble? Even with these cheap clothes on.'
Upon thinking about it, he hasn't looked in the mirror or really looked at himself even once since coming here, this was somewhat expected of him considering that he had even forgotten to notice himself being naked till he met up with Joshua.
Considering the fact that he was missing clothes it was possible that something else had also happened to him while coming to this new world.
But first of all he had to answer the kid's question. And out of precaution, he decided it would be best to keep larping as a noble, till he parted with Joshua, unless he wanted even more cracks to appear in his already shaky story.
"Yes I'm a noble from the capital" said Helios with great confidence
"Really? Hey, what clan are you from, are you from the Nightwing clan, the Teleporter clan or are you perhaps from the Pheonix clan?
'While initially he wanted to say the Teleporter clan to mend some holes in his story, he realized that it would create an even greater hole that being: "Why are you still here, why did you need the carriage and so on and so forth". So he decided against it instead he thought of a better way.'
"Why don't you guess first? I'll tell you if you get it right." said Helios, thinking he could just go along with the whatever image the kids thought fit him best, that is if it wasn't the Teleporter clan that choice was off the table.
"You have to be from the noble Pheonix clan!" said Otto enthusiastically
But before Helios could anwer another kid chimed in "No he has to be a Teleporter otherwise why would he be so close to the border in a small village"
"No, he has to be from the Pheonix clan, look at his him he looks just like a Pheonix." said another kid even younger then the other two before
Seriously, for how small this village is there sure are a lot of kids here. Also was that just now an insult or a compliment.
Upon hearing what the youngest kid had said the two before and even some other kids started to seriously stare at Helios's face to the point where it almost made him uncomfortable.
"He's right such long golden hair, and those red eyes, he can only be from the noble Pheonix clan!"
'Wait my appearance changed that much, while I did call Joshua a boring shade of brown that was only becuase I looked just as boring myself. And also, how did I not notice that my hair was long while putting on the clothes. I really should go to a doctor.'
Suddenly there was quite in the village, and then one of the kids stared counting down from five.
Once the countdown reached zero they all started shouting their answer together.
"You are from the noble Pheonix clan!" they all said in unison
While gesturing with his hands Helios said "You've got me, I am from the noble Pheonix clan."
Even if he didn't know anything about the noble Pheonix clan, he would try his hardest to do so from now on, since this is the label that he ended up putting on himself, the least he could do was to play his role properly as a noble of the Pheonix clan.
But just as things have started to calm down, sudden darkness engulfed the world.
But Helios already had way too many surprises today so considering the situation his reaction this time around was tame at best.
But while Helios was still confused he have noticed, that all others around him have already put themselves into a praying posing.
Not being sure of the reason he tried his hardest to follow their exemple.
Suddenly the small village was filled with the sound of many as they all said in unison:
"May the Goddess Remia grant us another peaceful night"