The Sunlight Tree Eve in the Sea Forest glowed brilliantly, its light shimmering through the deep sea as though they were on land.
Fisher Tiger drew back his fist. The blood on his knuckles spread through the seawater, turning into a faint red mist.
He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, suppressing the fury in his eyes and becoming the composed traveler once more.
"Rear Admiral Gern, the Sea Forest is one of Fish-Man Island's few natural wonders."
Fisher Tiger's voice regained its calm, as though the heated confrontation had never happened.
He returned to introducing Fish-Man Island's scenery to Gern, just as he had when he first accepted the task Neptune had assigned him.
"This place has existed for a thousand years, bearing witness to the rise and fall of the Fish-Man Race."
"It certainly is magnificent." Gern smiled faintly. Rather than expose his pretense, he followed his lead.
"The Sea Forest lives up to its name. It really is an underwater forest!"
Fisher Tiger nodded and continued in the tone of a tour guide. "Legend has it that the Sea Forest was the ancient mermaid princess's favorite place to sit quietly.
According to the stories on Fish-Man Island, she wept all day because she could not meet the person she was waiting for, and her tears gathered to form this forest."
"A beautiful legend." Gern's gaze swept over the coral before finally settling on the inscribed stone bearing Joy Boy's apology to the mermaid princess.
"But legends often conceal a crueler truth, don't they?"
Fisher Tiger fell silent for a moment and did not respond.
He turned and pointed to the other side. "Over there is the Ship Graveyard.
Many ships that sank before reaching Fish-Man Island are carried here by the currents."
Gern