The boatman sneered. "Hmph! Where did you get the nerve? Can't you see? This is an official vessel of the Land of Water. You commoners... maybe you think you can act like this? Pah! Get out. Get out! If you don't leave, I'll make you regret it!"
Hey! Fury blazed in Mirai's heart as he said, "What kind of hell is this? So we're all lowly commoners, and you're the only one sitting high above us." Damn it, if I don't teach you a lesson today, I don't deserve to be called the Toad Sage!
Just as Mirai was about to reach out, someone grabbed him from behind. Turning around, he saw the man who had said nothing all this time.
With a much friendlier attitude, the man led Mirai onto another boat and said, "Brother, about earlier... thank you for standing up for me. I've been pretty angry lately too, so I just... hehe, don't take offense."
"Oh, it's nothing. Brother, are you familiar with the waters of this country?" Mirai asked.
"Heh, you've come to the right person. I'm afraid no one knows this place better than I do..."
Seeing that the man was not particularly old, yet spoke with such confidence, Mirai could not help but feel doubtful. The man saw through his thoughts and hurriedly said, "Hey, hey, don't doubt me. I'm telling the truth!"
"My family has been merchants for six generations. For the last three generations, we've spent most of our time traveling to and from the Land of Water. I can say that, over the past year alone, I've made at least twenty business trips to the Land of Water."
"Oh? Then you must be quite wealthy, brother... But what kind of business do you do? Tell me about it..."
The man pulled