"Waaah! Gold, my gold!... Main God! My gold!..."
"Sukeichiro, what are you wailing about? As a samurai, how can you shed tears so easily? Even if you are in adversity, you must endure..."
"Waaah! Murakami, I won't be able to see the promised Gold Mountain! That's gold!... Murakami, can you, can you help me dig more gold, then bring it back and share some with me..."
"Ah! Sukeichiro, after we part today, you'll remain on the island, and I'll continue east... I don't know if we'll ever have another chance to meet... If you want gold so badly, then... then I'll give you this Gold Amulet!... If you, on this great island near our homeland, ever have the chance in this life to return to Ezo Land, then please tell my lord and my wife about me..."
"Ah! Lord Murakami!..."
Beside the crude pier of Great Whale Port, the samurai were carrying the food and water for resupply, and the sailors were busy arranging the sails. Scholar Miki stood on the shore, giving Assistant Priest Shi Bo his final instructions that horse breeding must be treated as the first priority. When he heard the voices and turned his head, he saw the tearful horse keeper Sukeichiro, and Ship Magistrate Murakami Suemichi, who had taken off his gold amulet and given it to Sukeichiro.
"Hmm?... What is this?..."
Scholar Miki asked a couple of puzzled questions, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Ichiro, you can't bear to part with the Gold Mountain I promised?... Ahahaha! Then I'll reward you with two more gold amulets!... Remember, as long as you raise the horses well, there will be a Gold Mountain, and even a fief and title will all be yours!..."
As he spoke, Scholar Miki groped around for a while, then took out