Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
It seemed like it was complicated, even for the self-professed wisewolf.
"In their minds, it would no longer be a matter of trade, but revenge. The natural conclusion would be that Eve isn't thinking about profits and simply wants to take Kerube down even if it means ruining herself. It would be incredibly unwise to face her in a stand-up fight. Anyone who doesn't want to be dragged into a quagmire will have to make some sort of compromise. That means Eve would win without having to fight at all. That's what makes her a formidable merchant."
This natural deterrence could have been the reason Kerube had not resorted to violently obstructing the plans of their rivals. Eve was no ordinary merchant. She had not only accumulated great wealth, but she was now also on familiar terms with the Twilight Cardinal himself. In other words, she was a politically connected business owner. Not even Lawrence could imagine how the Kingdom of Winfiel and others would retaliate if she were to be harmed.
"But it's unlikely that Eve actually holds a serious grudge, and since she's in Col's court, I think she wants talks to go smoothly. And so from her perspective, she might be uneasy about how far she can go with this deterrent. That's why she wants us to throw me in the middle of all this before her bluff gets called."
It was hard to determine someone's true intentions when they wouldn't show their face. If an attendant sent to deal with an issue reports that something is black, even the whitest things can start to look different. That was what Lawrence had been asked to do.
"Mm...," Holo hummed, thought for a moment, then said, "Then how do you plan to negotiate? You must have something in mind."
"I don't," Lawrence replied readily.
Holo's eyes went wide, then narrowed in displeasure.
"I'm not teasing you. I'm serious. But it's not like I'm going in empty-handed."
She seemed like she did not understand at all.
Lawrence continued, "No one is going to be completely happy with the outcome. We just have to plan things out in order."
"In order?"
Holo's right ear twitched, followed by her left.
"For example, let's say we negotiated with Kerube just in case before Eve, Karlan, and Tonneburg finalized their contract. That would be a bad move."
Holo stepped away from the window, sat beside Lawrence, and thumped her tail against the bed, indicating that she did not understand.
"A chain can't be any stronger than its weakest link. The negotiations with Kerube will likely be drawn out and rough, so it's possible Matthias will raise the white flag and give up on the whole thing."
The wolf hummed again.
"First we talk to Matthias, then realize the contract with Col through Eve. A lord values their honor, so Matthias will probably hold up his end of the bargain once he signs it."
Matthias was trustworthy in that regard from what Holo had seen in the forest; she thought back on it, and was satisfied.
"And on top of that, we have to calm Kerube's anger. How we do that will...honestly depend on whether Kerube approaches this aggressively. But that's a technique you use all the time, so you're probably familiar with it."
"I am?"
"Forcing someone to pay back a debt you pushed onto them."
Though Holo flashed him a frown, she did not retaliate. That was likely because she had recalled how readily she had taken the mead from Meyer before listening to what he had to say, which then forced Lawrence to do exactly that. They would be using the same tactic here.
She folded her arms and listened, puffing out her cheeks as though ruminating over the bitter fact, but she soon made a face like sand had been mixed in with her food.
"Which means that fool...is trying to use you for more than she lets on."
"Huh?"
"You are ideal. No—she would have jumped for joy if we were the ideal negotiators for her."
How would Holo be of use in negotiations with Kerube?
As Lawrence followed her line of thought, she quickly elaborated on her point.

Output:
"The Wisewolf."
No matter how many times Lawrence got embroiled in trouble, Holo would always send fools packing. That put them at an advantage for many things.
Though it was hard to tell whether Eve was planning on throwing them to the wolves from the beginning, it was a fact that the two of them were ones she could send off without too much worry.
"...I bet she learned this by watching Col and Myuri."
He pictured Myuri, the hair on her tail standing on end as she stood to protect the unreliable Col.
As a wry smile drew across his face, Holo bumped her shoulder against him.
"And this brings something else to my mind as well." Holo, arms still folded across her chest, brought her legs up onto the bed and crossed them in thought. "We will not die in her neglect, yet she still throws us into a most troublesome negotiation."
"That's right."
"Then that does not mean she will be promptly moving onto her next business venture, does it?"
"It—"
—doesn't, was what he wanted to say, but could not say for certain.
Because she would be avoiding aimless negotiations, and she would still be winning if Kerube ran out of patience; the only problem was who would be taking the brunt of that wasted time.
"We have left our mountain bathhouse to leisurely check up on our daughter. She perhaps wrongly assumes we have too much time on our hands."
Her glum tone was not finding fault with Eve's craftiness but poking at the foolish sheep's mind.
"And...we cannot bother little Col and Myuri."
Because even if they could discern Eve's true intentions, they had no choice but to work to make sure the plan reached completion. At the end of the day, they were essentially cleaning up the messes left in their children's wake.
"It is almost as though it had been decided that you would be cornered here ever since you decided to stand before her," Holo said. She was not finding fault with Eve after all; she was getting annoyed with the simple mind of this sheep before her, whose destination could be easily manipulated once put on the fence.
"You are quite easy to read for how comfortable you are with doing things with little foresight. I am surprised you survived long enough to meet me."
***
All Lawrence could do was smile at that. The man she knew that was comfortable with doing things without thinking ahead had honestly been minding his business with mundane trade deals before he met her.
If he were to name the reason why he started doing things with little foresight, Holo would grin and wag her tail.
Because she already knew the reason why.
The reason she teased him like this now was because she wanted to hear him say it.
Holo had also skillfully corralled Lawrence in the direction she liked, but what set her and Eve apart was that Holo's emotions were apparent in her ears and tail.
"The reason I constantly run into danger is because whenever I look at you, I always get carried away."
Though his words had come out a bit stilted, it was exactly what Holo wanted to hear.
Holo looked at Lawrence like a taskmaster watching her apprentice during an examination. At length, she huffed, and then a satisfied expression crossed her face.
"You truly adore me, don't you?"
Her freshly brushed tail whipped through the air.
Though their interactions had scarcely changed in the past decade, Lawrence had grown.
And so he wrapped his arms around the satisfied Holo and asked, "...Can you turn a blind eye to the Tonneburg Woods?"
Doing as Eve wished and advancing the project would mean convincing Matthias to join, too, and going through with the plan to cut down the woods. That would mean Lawrence would be giving up on protecting the forest for Holo's sake.
Since they had Col and Myuri to think about, Holo understood that there was no other choice. And since she did not want Lawrence to push himself any more than he already had, she had prepared a way out for him.
"I do not mind. The lushest forests are no joy walked through alone."


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
"The Wisewolf."
No matter how many times Lawrence got embroiled in trouble, Holo would always send fools packing. That put them at an advantage for many things.
Though it was hard to tell whether Eve was planning on throwing them to the wolves from the beginning, it was a fact that the two of them were ones she could send off without too much worry.
"...I bet she learned this by watching Col and Myuri."
He pictured Myuri, the hair on her tail standing on end as she stood to protect the unreliable Col.
As a wry smile drew across his face, Holo bumped her shoulder against him.
"And this brings something else to my mind as well." Holo, arms still folded across her chest, brought her legs up onto the bed and crossed them in thought. "We will not die in her neglect, yet she still throws us into a most troublesome negotiation."
"That's right."
"Then that does not mean she will be promptly moving onto her next business venture, does it?"
"It—"
—doesn't, was what he wanted to say, but could not say for certain.
Because she would be avoiding aimless negotiations, and she would still be winning if Kerube ran out of patience; the only problem was who would be taking the brunt of that wasted time.
"We have left our mountain bathhouse to leisurely check up on our daughter. She perhaps wrongly assumes we have too much time on our hands."
Her glum tone was not finding fault with Eve's craftiness but poking at the foolish sheep's mind.
"And...we cannot bother little Col and Myuri."
Because even if they could discern Eve's true intentions, they had no choice but to work to make sure the plan reached completion. At the end of the day, they were essentially cleaning up the messes left in their children's wake.
"It is almost as though it had been decided that you would be cornered here ever since you decided to stand before her," Holo said. She was not finding fault with Eve after all; she was getting annoyed with the simple mind of this sheep before her, whose destination could be easily manipulated once put on the fence.
"You are quite easy to read for how comfortable you are with doing things with little foresight. I am surprised you survived long enough to meet me."
***
All Lawrence could do was smile at that. The man she knew that was comfortable with doing things without thinking ahead had honestly been minding his business with mundane trade deals before he met her.
If he were to name the reason why he started doing things with little foresight, Holo would grin and wag her tail.
Because she already knew the reason why.
The reason she teased him like this now was because she wanted to hear him say it.
Holo had also skillfully corralled Lawrence in the direction she liked, but what set her and Eve apart was that Holo's emotions were apparent in her ears and tail.
"The reason I constantly run into danger is because whenever I look at you, I always get carried away."
Though his words had come out a bit stilted, it was exactly what Holo wanted to hear.
Holo looked at Lawrence like a taskmaster watching her apprentice during an examination. At length, she huffed, and then a satisfied expression crossed her face.
"You truly adore me, don't you?"
Her freshly brushed tail whipped through the air.
Though their interactions had scarcely changed in the past decade, Lawrence had grown.
And so he wrapped his arms around the satisfied Holo and asked, "...Can you turn a blind eye to the Tonneburg Woods?"
Doing as Eve wished and advancing the project would mean convincing Matthias to join, too, and going through with the plan to cut down the woods. That would mean Lawrence would be giving up on protecting the forest for Holo's sake.
Since they had Col and Myuri to think about, Holo understood that there was no other choice. And since she did not want Lawrence to push himself any more than he already had, she had prepared a way out for him.
"I do not mind. The lushest forests are no joy walked through alone."

Output:
She flashed her canines in her smile, and then pressed her face into his shoulder.
"And the men of the forest are genuinely worried about their home. They will do everything they can, even if they cannot protect all of it. How could I call that a lost cause or wasted effort?"
When she lifted her head, her expression was at once wistful and somehow refreshed.
There was a great difference in their life spans, and Lawrence could not make Holo happy forever. This well of joy would one day dry up.
But to sate one's thirst was not a wasted effort at all, and it was not a mistake to work hard to make it last just a little longer.
If it were, then they would have parted ways back in Lenos.
"But perhaps it would not be a bad idea to give that gluttonous squirrel a good kick in the pants and bring her here to plant some of those acorns."
Tanya was a squirrel spirit who had brought life roaring back to a mountain stripped of its forest due to mining.
That she only planted trees that bore her favorite nuts was her one obvious flaw, but trees that bore nuts typically lost their leaves in winter. That would prevent the forest from becoming an empty sea of conifers.
"Then we should move with haste. Let's talk to Matthias."
"Aye."
"I'll ask Eve to get me a fast horse, and you stay—ow!"
Lawrence, shocked by how Holo pinched his arm, looked down at her. She glared coolly at him.
"But wouldn't it be strange if we both went together to send an urgent message?"
He would have no excuses if Matthias interpreted Holo's presence as a lack of seriousness on his part. All he really had to do was think back on the past. Back to the time he went around asking for loans with Holo in tow and got yelled at for taking business lightly. Bringing that up now would only remind them both of awkward memories.
Though Holo knew this, she found the idea of staying behind on her own unbearable. That was not her childish spirit acting up, but her wolfish instinct to care for her pack. As that thought crossed Lawrence's mind, she fixed him with another cool stare.
"This is precisely why I call you a foolish sheep."
"Huh?"
Holo's red eyes narrowed, and said with pronounced exasperation, "You tell me there is something shady about all this, yet you insist on leaving on your own. How do you intend on returning alive?"
Lawrence gulped, his gaze darting out the window.
"Is someone watching us?"
"That does not seem to be the case for now, but the moment you reach the forest, I wonder if some fellows with bows and arrows will just so happen to arrive at precisely the same time."
Kerube wanted to put a stop to Karlan's plan. But this was not the simple matter of a single company losing out on profits—this was a situation where a sizable city could be expected to hire a person or two who would be more than happy to do their dirty work.
Eve may have been glaring daggers at them, warning them that there would be dire consequences if they meddled in any way, but there was no telling how long that would last. Not only that, Tonneburg was a vulnerable target, and key to Karlan's plans.
"So, um..."
"In truth, I would like to carry you on my back, but...it would also be strange if you were to appear not on horseback. You may go on horse. I will follow behind. The talks can take place in the forest, no? I will be able to pick out your voice well enough that way."
Lawrence had known Holo for a long time, but he sometimes still stepped on her tail.
"Good grief. There are times I think you are impossibly elusive yet here you are, a simple fool!"
She was displeased because not only was Eve using him, but because he still did not understand a woman's heart.
She stood from the bed without waiting for his answer and began preparations to head for Tonneburg, the fur on her tail still standing on end. As he watched her, Lawrence found himself amused.
Nyohhira was not a terrible place by any means, but he could only have interactions with Holo like this in the outside world.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
She flashed her canines in her smile, and then pressed her face into his shoulder.
"And the men of the forest are genuinely worried about their home. They will do everything they can, even if they cannot protect all of it. How could I call that a lost cause or wasted effort?"
When she lifted her head, her expression was at once wistful and somehow refreshed.
There was a great difference in their life spans, and Lawrence could not make Holo happy forever. This well of joy would one day dry up.
But to sate one's thirst was not a wasted effort at all, and it was not a mistake to work hard to make it last just a little longer.
If it were, then they would have parted ways back in Lenos.
"But perhaps it would not be a bad idea to give that gluttonous squirrel a good kick in the pants and bring her here to plant some of those acorns."
Tanya was a squirrel spirit who had brought life roaring back to a mountain stripped of its forest due to mining.
That she only planted trees that bore her favorite nuts was her one obvious flaw, but trees that bore nuts typically lost their leaves in winter. That would prevent the forest from becoming an empty sea of conifers.
"Then we should move with haste. Let's talk to Matthias."
"Aye."
"I'll ask Eve to get me a fast horse, and you stay—ow!"
Lawrence, shocked by how Holo pinched his arm, looked down at her. She glared coolly at him.
"But wouldn't it be strange if we both went together to send an urgent message?"
He would have no excuses if Matthias interpreted Holo's presence as a lack of seriousness on his part. All he really had to do was think back on the past. Back to the time he went around asking for loans with Holo in tow and got yelled at for taking business lightly. Bringing that up now would only remind them both of awkward memories.
Though Holo knew this, she found the idea of staying behind on her own unbearable. That was not her childish spirit acting up, but her wolfish instinct to care for her pack. As that thought crossed Lawrence's mind, she fixed him with another cool stare.
"This is precisely why I call you a foolish sheep."
"Huh?"
Holo's red eyes narrowed, and said with pronounced exasperation, "You tell me there is something shady about all this, yet you insist on leaving on your own. How do you intend on returning alive?"
Lawrence gulped, his gaze darting out the window.
"Is someone watching us?"
"That does not seem to be the case for now, but the moment you reach the forest, I wonder if some fellows with bows and arrows will just so happen to arrive at precisely the same time."
Kerube wanted to put a stop to Karlan's plan. But this was not the simple matter of a single company losing out on profits—this was a situation where a sizable city could be expected to hire a person or two who would be more than happy to do their dirty work.
Eve may have been glaring daggers at them, warning them that there would be dire consequences if they meddled in any way, but there was no telling how long that would last. Not only that, Tonneburg was a vulnerable target, and key to Karlan's plans.
"So, um..."
"In truth, I would like to carry you on my back, but...it would also be strange if you were to appear not on horseback. You may go on horse. I will follow behind. The talks can take place in the forest, no? I will be able to pick out your voice well enough that way."
Lawrence had known Holo for a long time, but he sometimes still stepped on her tail.
"Good grief. There are times I think you are impossibly elusive yet here you are, a simple fool!"
She was displeased because not only was Eve using him, but because he still did not understand a woman's heart.
She stood from the bed without waiting for his answer and began preparations to head for Tonneburg, the fur on her tail still standing on end. As he watched her, Lawrence found himself amused.
Nyohhira was not a terrible place by any means, but he could only have interactions with Holo like this in the outside world.

Output:
And she was like this when she was serious, too. They had no choice but to do the job given to them, according to Eve's will. Lawrence stood from the bed and began his own preparations to depart on a fast horse.
"I wonder what Eve would have done if we hadn't shown up."
Holo could think in terrible situations and would pull on Lawrence's reins, and had the strength to challenge any chaos if it came to that. But what about Tonneburg?
When Matthias came to them, he had appeared with conscripted soldiers who only took up arms and armor because it was their turn to do so.
He had a feeling things would be settled very quickly if Kerube sent some ruffians to make a mess of things.
"That forest guardian was skilled with his bow," Holo remarked, recalling how Meyer had shot a rabbit from horseback. "But he cannot win against numbers. Nor can he remain attached to the lord the entire time, and the old priest may be targeted as well."
Such a large territory did not lend itself well to defense. If they were supposed to defend their partners in this plan, then at least Matthias alone should remain in the town of Karlan. Or perhaps he regarded Eve with such suspicion that he might interpret that as being held prisoner.
"Mm. No, perhaps that fool was deliberately trying to provoke the lord into action."
For a moment, Lawrence did not understand, but he did after a moment of thought. Matthias was not a foolish ruler, so if Kerube was going to resort to force, he knew that he would likely be the first target.
Perhaps he had no choice but to take on the contract with Eve and Karlan in order to guarantee his own safety.
If Kerube were to genuinely threaten Matthias, then that would give Matthias an excuse to believe Eve. She would take him under the protection of the Twilight Cardinal while giving him that last bit of encouragement he needed to agree to the plan.
"But it's a risky gamble."
There was no telling if the thugs could rough up Matthias in the right way. It was unknown how they would break Matthias's spirit, and it was hard to think of it as a gamble with good chances.
As Holo carefully thought about how much meat she should pack, a thought suddenly came to Lawrence.
"Could...Eve be planning on doing that herself?"
There was a riddle: What was the best way to make a prophecy come true?
The answer was: Fulfill it yourself.
Eve would threaten Matthias without a second's hesitation to secure certainty.
"Eve never changes," Lawrence said, drawing his lips in a grimace, and tossed his things into his bag.
It felt like he himself had been dropped into the bag.
"Huh?"
In that moment, he had clearly seen the shadow of something unfathomably large. It was as though he was walking along the eaves of the buildings that lined the main street to cool off, only to pass beneath a massive creature instead of a building.
Lawrence had been, without question, walking the path of logic, yet it felt like he had come across an inconsistency in the most unexpected of places.
In his desperation, he reviewed his memories, seeing what facts he had lined up.
Due to the shady connection with Kerube, Holo had insisted on going with Lawrence in order to protect him. Tonneburg, especially, was an easy target. The ones protecting Matthias were levies of farmers who typically tended the fields, so it perhaps made more sense to keep him in Karlan.
But Matthias himself was not on very good terms with Eve or Karlan, so it was possible he would equate being asked to stay in the city with being taken captive.
It was then that Eve, who was overseeing the plan like so many pieces on a chessboard, would swoop in. In her kindness, it was unlikely she would worry too much about Matthias's safety. She might think that letting him get attacked would solidify the more indecisive parts of his attitude. But instead of gambling on the bad actors from Kerube hurting him just enough, it made more sense for her to orchestrate the violence and attack Matthias herself.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
And she was like this when she was serious, too. They had no choice but to do the job given to them, according to Eve's will. Lawrence stood from the bed and began his own preparations to depart on a fast horse.
"I wonder what Eve would have done if we hadn't shown up."
Holo could think in terrible situations and would pull on Lawrence's reins, and had the strength to challenge any chaos if it came to that. But what about Tonneburg?
When Matthias came to them, he had appeared with conscripted soldiers who only took up arms and armor because it was their turn to do so.
He had a feeling things would be settled very quickly if Kerube sent some ruffians to make a mess of things.
"That forest guardian was skilled with his bow," Holo remarked, recalling how Meyer had shot a rabbit from horseback. "But he cannot win against numbers. Nor can he remain attached to the lord the entire time, and the old priest may be targeted as well."
Such a large territory did not lend itself well to defense. If they were supposed to defend their partners in this plan, then at least Matthias alone should remain in the town of Karlan. Or perhaps he regarded Eve with such suspicion that he might interpret that as being held prisoner.
"Mm. No, perhaps that fool was deliberately trying to provoke the lord into action."
For a moment, Lawrence did not understand, but he did after a moment of thought. Matthias was not a foolish ruler, so if Kerube was going to resort to force, he knew that he would likely be the first target.
Perhaps he had no choice but to take on the contract with Eve and Karlan in order to guarantee his own safety.
If Kerube were to genuinely threaten Matthias, then that would give Matthias an excuse to believe Eve. She would take him under the protection of the Twilight Cardinal while giving him that last bit of encouragement he needed to agree to the plan.
"But it's a risky gamble."
There was no telling if the thugs could rough up Matthias in the right way. It was unknown how they would break Matthias's spirit, and it was hard to think of it as a gamble with good chances.
As Holo carefully thought about how much meat she should pack, a thought suddenly came to Lawrence.
"Could...Eve be planning on doing that herself?"
There was a riddle: What was the best way to make a prophecy come true?
The answer was: Fulfill it yourself.
Eve would threaten Matthias without a second's hesitation to secure certainty.
"Eve never changes," Lawrence said, drawing his lips in a grimace, and tossed his things into his bag.
It felt like he himself had been dropped into the bag.
"Huh?"
In that moment, he had clearly seen the shadow of something unfathomably large. It was as though he was walking along the eaves of the buildings that lined the main street to cool off, only to pass beneath a massive creature instead of a building.
Lawrence had been, without question, walking the path of logic, yet it felt like he had come across an inconsistency in the most unexpected of places.
In his desperation, he reviewed his memories, seeing what facts he had lined up.
Due to the shady connection with Kerube, Holo had insisted on going with Lawrence in order to protect him. Tonneburg, especially, was an easy target. The ones protecting Matthias were levies of farmers who typically tended the fields, so it perhaps made more sense to keep him in Karlan.
But Matthias himself was not on very good terms with Eve or Karlan, so it was possible he would equate being asked to stay in the city with being taken captive.
It was then that Eve, who was overseeing the plan like so many pieces on a chessboard, would swoop in. In her kindness, it was unlikely she would worry too much about Matthias's safety. She might think that letting him get attacked would solidify the more indecisive parts of his attitude. But instead of gambling on the bad actors from Kerube hurting him just enough, it made more sense for her to orchestrate the violence and attack Matthias herself.

Output:
Lawrence took another step forward, and he felt like there was something he should have noticed.
"Argh... What is it? Damn it!"
He groaned and slapped his own forehead. His mind was stuffed full of the minutiae of running the bathhouse—there was no space for him to speculate as he so often did in his previous peddling journey. He cursed his fogged mind and began slowly piling up the bricks scattered across his thoughts.
And then there was the big assumption.
Ever since Holo brought up speaking to Eve in Nyohhira, Lawrence had let his guard down. But was Eve truly someone he could trust?
That did not have anything to do with whether or not Eve was a bad person, and as someone who walked the very same path of commerce as she did, he should have thought about her prowess first.
What was most alarming here was that Eve did not seem to hold any ill intent.
And to expand upon that, that meant it was likely the truth.
Not only that, but if on the off chance she was leading them into a trap, then she would not only sour her relationship with Col and Myuri, but she would also make an enemy of Holo. Eve knew it was impossible to run or hide if she truly earned Holo's ire.
And Lawrence was simple, much to Holo's chagrin. More importantly, since they shared a merchant's perspective, Eve saw him as a pawn she did not need to dupe.
In reality, the conclusion he and Holo had come up with together would have to be the truth if Eve was indeed manipulating the situation.
Which meant...
Was it his own imagination that made it seem like things did not add up?
No—this was much too odd. Kerube's desire to interfere and Matthias's defenselessness were faults too big for Eve to have overlooked.
And that told Lawrence there was still a piece of the puzzle he had not seen yet.
He thought, still as though listening for something, and looked around the room before his gaze settled on the open window.
What had they been through since leaving Salonia?
And...
"Dear, I would like some of the southern spices I had for dinner yesterday. Could you buy—"
Holo, who was treating this like a stroll in the woods, stopped.
Lawrence's lips twisted into a smile; he was simply delighted by how formidable Eve always was.
"Why... Why are you smiling?" Holo asked.
Lawrence sighed deeply and said, "It's nothing. We'll head to Tonneburg like planned. But—"
"But?"
Holo, whose arms were full with meat or the pot or one thing or another, looked up at him in confusion.
"—I want to make a detour."
Eve Bolan was a bad wolf, or perhaps a sly fox.
Her spells could not only set in motion great mischief, but could even align the stars and planets in her favor.
Lawrence sent word to Eve that they would be heading straight for Tonneburg in order to speak with Matthias.
Eve was not particularly alarmed, nor was she jumping for joy; her response was as usual, like she was telling them to neatly take care of business.
After getting a horse, Lawrence and Holo both rode out of Karlan. And after riding a good distance in the direction of Tonneburg, the sun eventually set; and when the sun cast long shadows of the hills over the ground, they dismounted for a time. They tied up the horse to whatever tree they could find, and Holo braided loose hairs from her tail into its mane. It was unlikely thieves would find it after one night, and Holo's scent would keep the wild dogs away.
"I am not saying this because I am vexed." Holo, in her wolf form, allowed Lawrence to climb on her back, swiveling her head back to look at him with her large, red eyes. "But are you not thinking too hard about this?"
"If you said the same thing to me right after telling me about her, what do you think would've happened?"
Eve was absorbed in her self-indulgent pleasures and was hard to trust. She was using Col's dignity as a shield to do awful things as she pleased.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
Lawrence took another step forward, and he felt like there was something he should have noticed.
"Argh... What is it? Damn it!"
He groaned and slapped his own forehead. His mind was stuffed full of the minutiae of running the bathhouse—there was no space for him to speculate as he so often did in his previous peddling journey. He cursed his fogged mind and began slowly piling up the bricks scattered across his thoughts.
And then there was the big assumption.
Ever since Holo brought up speaking to Eve in Nyohhira, Lawrence had let his guard down. But was Eve truly someone he could trust?
That did not have anything to do with whether or not Eve was a bad person, and as someone who walked the very same path of commerce as she did, he should have thought about her prowess first.
What was most alarming here was that Eve did not seem to hold any ill intent.
And to expand upon that, that meant it was likely the truth.
Not only that, but if on the off chance she was leading them into a trap, then she would not only sour her relationship with Col and Myuri, but she would also make an enemy of Holo. Eve knew it was impossible to run or hide if she truly earned Holo's ire.
And Lawrence was simple, much to Holo's chagrin. More importantly, since they shared a merchant's perspective, Eve saw him as a pawn she did not need to dupe.
In reality, the conclusion he and Holo had come up with together would have to be the truth if Eve was indeed manipulating the situation.
Which meant...
Was it his own imagination that made it seem like things did not add up?
No—this was much too odd. Kerube's desire to interfere and Matthias's defenselessness were faults too big for Eve to have overlooked.
And that told Lawrence there was still a piece of the puzzle he had not seen yet.
He thought, still as though listening for something, and looked around the room before his gaze settled on the open window.
What had they been through since leaving Salonia?
And...
"Dear, I would like some of the southern spices I had for dinner yesterday. Could you buy—"
Holo, who was treating this like a stroll in the woods, stopped.
Lawrence's lips twisted into a smile; he was simply delighted by how formidable Eve always was.
"Why... Why are you smiling?" Holo asked.
Lawrence sighed deeply and said, "It's nothing. We'll head to Tonneburg like planned. But—"
"But?"
Holo, whose arms were full with meat or the pot or one thing or another, looked up at him in confusion.
"—I want to make a detour."
Eve Bolan was a bad wolf, or perhaps a sly fox.
Her spells could not only set in motion great mischief, but could even align the stars and planets in her favor.
Lawrence sent word to Eve that they would be heading straight for Tonneburg in order to speak with Matthias.
Eve was not particularly alarmed, nor was she jumping for joy; her response was as usual, like she was telling them to neatly take care of business.
After getting a horse, Lawrence and Holo both rode out of Karlan. And after riding a good distance in the direction of Tonneburg, the sun eventually set; and when the sun cast long shadows of the hills over the ground, they dismounted for a time. They tied up the horse to whatever tree they could find, and Holo braided loose hairs from her tail into its mane. It was unlikely thieves would find it after one night, and Holo's scent would keep the wild dogs away.
"I am not saying this because I am vexed." Holo, in her wolf form, allowed Lawrence to climb on her back, swiveling her head back to look at him with her large, red eyes. "But are you not thinking too hard about this?"
"If you said the same thing to me right after telling me about her, what do you think would've happened?"
Eve was absorbed in her self-indulgent pleasures and was hard to trust. She was using Col's dignity as a shield to do awful things as she pleased.

Output:
Lawrence realized the exact same pattern was evident in this situation.
"Eve hasn't said anything specific about Kieman or Kerube."
Holo began to walk with light, easy steps, and slowly increased her speed. The sun had not yet fully hidden behind the horizon, so she was making doubly sure that no one could see them.
That included Eve's underlings.
It was likely that Eve told them about Holo's true form. They would be putting a lot of distance between them if they were to be following the couple, which meant that so long as they managed to get back on track the following morning, they would not be found out, even if they did take a detour.
"The one thing we should've taken into consideration wasn't Eve's intentions. We should have questioned whether Kerube wanted to get in Karlan's way in the first place."
Holo went even faster, and Lawrence felt himself becoming a part of the wind.
The scenery around him melted, and all that was certain around him was the warmth of her fur and the power of her breath.
Yet Lawrence continued speaking.
"Every part of what Eve told us is based on the assumption that Kerube is our enemy. She spoke like it's a hard fact, like there's no point in questioning it. Of course, it's hard to imagine that Kerube is going to outright accept what Karlan is doing, so no doubt there's a conflict of interest between the two towns. Yet it's entirely possible that the actual nature of the conflict itself is entirely different."
Holo reached her full speed—even if a traveler did catch a glimpse at her from afar, she would only seem like a speck of dust in the shape of a wolf.
"The reason Eve has not directly negotiated with Kerube might not be because she's wary of interference or because she's throwing them off. Kerube might be troubled by their weak position in the matter."
Lawrence felt like the only reason Matthias was still safe as of now was because Kerube could not freely use force.
All they had heard about Kerube so far was secondhand through other people. Lawrence himself knew just how selfish and merciless the people of Kerube could be through his experience with the narwhal incident, so he assumed he had a general gist of the situation without Eve's detailed explanation. And he knew better than anyone else what she had gone through in that city.
The most important thing was that Eve knew everything as well. Plus, their interaction at the tavern should have shown her that Lawrence had not changed one bit.
The foolish sheep had jumped to conclusions after speaking with Matthias and marched right over to her.
All she needed to do was place her hands on his shoulders, change his trajectory, and he would willingly follow the path she wanted him to take.
"No falsehood escapes my ears."
As Lawrence lay sprawled across Holo's back, he could hear her voice reverberate into his body. He felt his stomach grow cold, and the floating sensation almost hurt his back.
Holo leaped from hill to hill, dashing down the sloped sides faster than rainfall.
"But I cannot hear what is not spoken. Just as you miss things when you jump to conclusions."
That was not so much cynicism or a pointed jab at him as it was self-deprecation.
"But it's only thanks to you we can make up for it."
It was unlikely Eve thought that Lawrence would go to Kerube of his own accord.
He pictured negotiations with Kerube as delicate and dangerous, and Lawrence did not get the sense that Eve was acting arbitrarily for her own gain.
And that meant Eve could pull this off.
She could convince the sheep that the noises coming from the other side of the forest were from a pack of wolves.
"But if I am the reason you fall into holes every time, I am unsure if helping you climb back out really makes up for it."


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
Lawrence realized the exact same pattern was evident in this situation.
"Eve hasn't said anything specific about Kieman or Kerube."
Holo began to walk with light, easy steps, and slowly increased her speed. The sun had not yet fully hidden behind the horizon, so she was making doubly sure that no one could see them.
That included Eve's underlings.
It was likely that Eve told them about Holo's true form. They would be putting a lot of distance between them if they were to be following the couple, which meant that so long as they managed to get back on track the following morning, they would not be found out, even if they did take a detour.
"The one thing we should've taken into consideration wasn't Eve's intentions. We should have questioned whether Kerube wanted to get in Karlan's way in the first place."
Holo went even faster, and Lawrence felt himself becoming a part of the wind.
The scenery around him melted, and all that was certain around him was the warmth of her fur and the power of her breath.
Yet Lawrence continued speaking.
"Every part of what Eve told us is based on the assumption that Kerube is our enemy. She spoke like it's a hard fact, like there's no point in questioning it. Of course, it's hard to imagine that Kerube is going to outright accept what Karlan is doing, so no doubt there's a conflict of interest between the two towns. Yet it's entirely possible that the actual nature of the conflict itself is entirely different."
Holo reached her full speed—even if a traveler did catch a glimpse at her from afar, she would only seem like a speck of dust in the shape of a wolf.
"The reason Eve has not directly negotiated with Kerube might not be because she's wary of interference or because she's throwing them off. Kerube might be troubled by their weak position in the matter."
Lawrence felt like the only reason Matthias was still safe as of now was because Kerube could not freely use force.
All they had heard about Kerube so far was secondhand through other people. Lawrence himself knew just how selfish and merciless the people of Kerube could be through his experience with the narwhal incident, so he assumed he had a general gist of the situation without Eve's detailed explanation. And he knew better than anyone else what she had gone through in that city.
The most important thing was that Eve knew everything as well. Plus, their interaction at the tavern should have shown her that Lawrence had not changed one bit.
The foolish sheep had jumped to conclusions after speaking with Matthias and marched right over to her.
All she needed to do was place her hands on his shoulders, change his trajectory, and he would willingly follow the path she wanted him to take.
"No falsehood escapes my ears."
As Lawrence lay sprawled across Holo's back, he could hear her voice reverberate into his body. He felt his stomach grow cold, and the floating sensation almost hurt his back.
Holo leaped from hill to hill, dashing down the sloped sides faster than rainfall.
"But I cannot hear what is not spoken. Just as you miss things when you jump to conclusions."
That was not so much cynicism or a pointed jab at him as it was self-deprecation.
"But it's only thanks to you we can make up for it."
It was unlikely Eve thought that Lawrence would go to Kerube of his own accord.
He pictured negotiations with Kerube as delicate and dangerous, and Lawrence did not get the sense that Eve was acting arbitrarily for her own gain.
And that meant Eve could pull this off.
She could convince the sheep that the noises coming from the other side of the forest were from a pack of wolves.
"But if I am the reason you fall into holes every time, I am unsure if helping you climb back out really makes up for it."

Output:
"Sounds like we were made for each other," Lawrence said breezily.
A shudder that was not that of Holo's feet hitting the ground resonated through his body.
"I, too, have grown foolish."
After all was said and done, Holo enjoyed the days they spent together.
"And it's possible that once we get to Kerube, we'll see that what Eve says is true. Don't get mad if it is."
"We shall see."
Though there was no obviously large dip in the road, Holo leaped a little higher than usual.
"It'll all be a nice memory of our journey, though!" Lawrence yelled from atop Holo's back.
Instead of giving an answer, Holo sped up, leaping high off the ground.
***
In the ten years since they last visited Kerube, it had grown into a city much livelier than they remembered. The north side of town, notably, which had been run down at the time, had now steadily developed, and the mouth of the river that separated the two sides of town was abuzz with a festive atmosphere.
Torchlight from the taverns reflected off the surface of the water, and melodies from bards came floating on the wind. If Lawrence left Holo to her own devices, she would surely spend the night here.
But perhaps she was satisfied after running as hard as she could from Karlan; with the fur on her tail mussed, she asked for only one cup of watered-down wine, and simply enjoyed the comfortable autumn breeze.
"...Well, if this isn't a surprise."
Lawrence, with Holo in tow, paid a visit to the Rowen Trade Guild trading house, and Kieman, who had sat around a table with other aged merchants, opened his eyes wide in surprise.
"I'm not imagining things, am I?"
It was a late hour where a more respectable merchant would return to their inn to prepare for the morrow. But who should appear out of the blue but an acquaintance who should, at the present moment, be working in the distant, deep mountains—of course even the most seasoned of merchants such as Kieman would be flustered.
"We have urgent business," Lawrence replied boisterously.
Kieman gradually regained his senses, after which, he allowed them into the back.
He broached the topic just as drinks were served by the errand boys, who had likely been sleeping in their own little corner of the trading house, considering the time.
"Is this about the Twilight Cardinal again?"
"Again?" Lawrence repeated, and Kieman blinked.
"Haven't you heard? Those two came by not too long ago. It was so sudden, and they came spouting what sounded like nonsense."
Lawrence wondered if they had missed something in one of Col and Myuri's letters; he glanced at Holo, but Holo only tilted her head.
Kieman watched the exchange and gave them a knowing nod.
"I doubt they're writing to you every detail of their adventure. It was the talk of the town for a while around these parts. People say the Twilight Cardinal guided a ghost ship to heaven."
Myuri had indeed written about a ghost ship with great excitement in one of the letters.
But Kieman's name had not been mentioned, nor was this heaven business.
What sort of adventures were they having beyond the content of their letters?
Lawrence hummed, and Kieman lifted his glass in a light chuckle.
"Anyway," he said, changing the subject. "You said you had urgent business?"
"—Apologies. We do. Sorry for arriving so late."
Kieman smiled. Holo sniffed her drink; the look on her face told Lawrence that what they were served at Eve's was much better.
"It seems we'll be working under Eve's name before long in Karlan."
Kieman froze—if witches existed and could petrify people with their spells, then this was probably what that would look like.
"...I see. This is appropriately urgent, then."
When he finally squeezed out his voice, there was a vexed look in his eyes. Yet the corners of his mouth were still lifted in a smile.
"That snake of a woman... Using Lawrence as her insurance, I see."
Holo, who had been sipping on her drink, glanced up at Lawrence. He noticed.
They were right.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
"Sounds like we were made for each other," Lawrence said breezily.
A shudder that was not that of Holo's feet hitting the ground resonated through his body.
"I, too, have grown foolish."
After all was said and done, Holo enjoyed the days they spent together.
"And it's possible that once we get to Kerube, we'll see that what Eve says is true. Don't get mad if it is."
"We shall see."
Though there was no obviously large dip in the road, Holo leaped a little higher than usual.
"It'll all be a nice memory of our journey, though!" Lawrence yelled from atop Holo's back.
Instead of giving an answer, Holo sped up, leaping high off the ground.
***
In the ten years since they last visited Kerube, it had grown into a city much livelier than they remembered. The north side of town, notably, which had been run down at the time, had now steadily developed, and the mouth of the river that separated the two sides of town was abuzz with a festive atmosphere.
Torchlight from the taverns reflected off the surface of the water, and melodies from bards came floating on the wind. If Lawrence left Holo to her own devices, she would surely spend the night here.
But perhaps she was satisfied after running as hard as she could from Karlan; with the fur on her tail mussed, she asked for only one cup of watered-down wine, and simply enjoyed the comfortable autumn breeze.
"...Well, if this isn't a surprise."
Lawrence, with Holo in tow, paid a visit to the Rowen Trade Guild trading house, and Kieman, who had sat around a table with other aged merchants, opened his eyes wide in surprise.
"I'm not imagining things, am I?"
It was a late hour where a more respectable merchant would return to their inn to prepare for the morrow. But who should appear out of the blue but an acquaintance who should, at the present moment, be working in the distant, deep mountains—of course even the most seasoned of merchants such as Kieman would be flustered.
"We have urgent business," Lawrence replied boisterously.
Kieman gradually regained his senses, after which, he allowed them into the back.
He broached the topic just as drinks were served by the errand boys, who had likely been sleeping in their own little corner of the trading house, considering the time.
"Is this about the Twilight Cardinal again?"
"Again?" Lawrence repeated, and Kieman blinked.
"Haven't you heard? Those two came by not too long ago. It was so sudden, and they came spouting what sounded like nonsense."
Lawrence wondered if they had missed something in one of Col and Myuri's letters; he glanced at Holo, but Holo only tilted her head.
Kieman watched the exchange and gave them a knowing nod.
"I doubt they're writing to you every detail of their adventure. It was the talk of the town for a while around these parts. People say the Twilight Cardinal guided a ghost ship to heaven."
Myuri had indeed written about a ghost ship with great excitement in one of the letters.
But Kieman's name had not been mentioned, nor was this heaven business.
What sort of adventures were they having beyond the content of their letters?
Lawrence hummed, and Kieman lifted his glass in a light chuckle.
"Anyway," he said, changing the subject. "You said you had urgent business?"
"—Apologies. We do. Sorry for arriving so late."
Kieman smiled. Holo sniffed her drink; the look on her face told Lawrence that what they were served at Eve's was much better.
"It seems we'll be working under Eve's name before long in Karlan."
Kieman froze—if witches existed and could petrify people with their spells, then this was probably what that would look like.
"...I see. This is appropriately urgent, then."
When he finally squeezed out his voice, there was a vexed look in his eyes. Yet the corners of his mouth were still lifted in a smile.
"That snake of a woman... Using Lawrence as her insurance, I see."
Holo, who had been sipping on her drink, glanced up at Lawrence. He noticed.
They were right.

Output:
Kieman inhaled, his chest expanding to the point of bursting, and then sighed deeply.
"Do you understand how much trouble this has caused us?"
The candlelight made him seem so much skinnier.
Or perhaps it was just anxiety.
"How are you getting involved in Karlan, Lawrence? You seem to be on her side, so why have you come all the way out here to see me?"
Though he did not explicitly voice his suspicions that this meeting was a part of Eve's strategy, Lawrence could see that it was a genuine question, but also the hesitation as to whether or not Kieman could trust them.
"It's complicated," Lawrence began. He informed him of the reason why they left Nyohhira, and Kieman was surprised by what happened in Salonia.
"That was you?!"
It was an exciting time, due to the festival, so word of the bizarre city had traveled across the land via mouths of the merchants. And Kerube, too, had likely been watching how things regarding Salonia's lumber might unfold.
"I had first heard of how things are in Karlan from the lord of Tonneburg and his ranger. And it seems Karlan and Kerube have not been on the best of terms for quite a long time, and it doesn't seem like Lord Tonneburg has built a very good relationship with Kerube, either."
The hedged wording was Lawrence's way of being considerate.
As Kieman's surprise faded, what Lawrence told him seemed to settle in.
"The Lord of Tonneburg must think of us as bloodsucking leeches or something, doesn't he?"
"Is Lord Tonneburg borrowing everything from the trading companies in this city?"
There was a slight chance that he proudly said he was not borrowing anything from Karlan.
And who owed who was a very important detail at this stage.
"It is a debt from a long time ago, you see. There is nowhere else to borrow from in this area. And if that lord owed Karlan, then I doubt they would jointly decide to cut down the forest."
Holo smiled wryly; they had been missing an important detail until now.
"Despite how he carries himself, he is a noble at heart," she said.
It was clear from the way she said it that it was not a genuine compliment.
"Is he wrestling with a feeling of inferiority because of the unequal footing due to the debt?"
"We can call it a sense of repulsion that comes from an inferiority complex. He probably thinks, Why must I be reserved when dealing with mere commoners?"
Matthias had been rather magnanimous with Lawrence, but that was because he owed him nothing. He would not be the same with someone to whom he owed generations' worth of debt. Especially not with one his family had been borrowing from for years, with whom he had a humiliating relationship.
"If he came to us, we would gladly talk to him about his debts and his problems with the Church. The lumber from that forest is valuable, after all. But I don't think he wants us to appraise his forest like that. And I think he agreed to Karlan's plan because they are on equal footing; Karlan, after all, can get the upper hand by using the lumber as a shield. In which case, anyone would treat him as a very important person. Particularly tempting for an undistinguished lord."
Kieman shrugged, but Lawrence's heart ached for the position Matthias had been forced to live in for many years. He was a good man; a great deal of self-restraint was necessary to preserve the forest that could fetch him mountains of gold with the snap of a finger.
"I think it is...right, in a way, that Karlan feels animosity toward us. They often have disputes with our merchants over suppliers, and the flow of goods in this area is most advantageous for us. They are hoping to change that flow by greatly lowering their taxes, however."
Lawrence was not sure how much of what Kieman said he should accept at face value, but perhaps the relationship between Karlan and Kerube was a lot more like his own metaphor than he originally thought.
A bull in a porcelain shop.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
Kieman inhaled, his chest expanding to the point of bursting, and then sighed deeply.
"Do you understand how much trouble this has caused us?"
The candlelight made him seem so much skinnier.
Or perhaps it was just anxiety.
"How are you getting involved in Karlan, Lawrence? You seem to be on her side, so why have you come all the way out here to see me?"
Though he did not explicitly voice his suspicions that this meeting was a part of Eve's strategy, Lawrence could see that it was a genuine question, but also the hesitation as to whether or not Kieman could trust them.
"It's complicated," Lawrence began. He informed him of the reason why they left Nyohhira, and Kieman was surprised by what happened in Salonia.
"That was you?!"
It was an exciting time, due to the festival, so word of the bizarre city had traveled across the land via mouths of the merchants. And Kerube, too, had likely been watching how things regarding Salonia's lumber might unfold.
"I had first heard of how things are in Karlan from the lord of Tonneburg and his ranger. And it seems Karlan and Kerube have not been on the best of terms for quite a long time, and it doesn't seem like Lord Tonneburg has built a very good relationship with Kerube, either."
The hedged wording was Lawrence's way of being considerate.
As Kieman's surprise faded, what Lawrence told him seemed to settle in.
"The Lord of Tonneburg must think of us as bloodsucking leeches or something, doesn't he?"
"Is Lord Tonneburg borrowing everything from the trading companies in this city?"
There was a slight chance that he proudly said he was not borrowing anything from Karlan.
And who owed who was a very important detail at this stage.
"It is a debt from a long time ago, you see. There is nowhere else to borrow from in this area. And if that lord owed Karlan, then I doubt they would jointly decide to cut down the forest."
Holo smiled wryly; they had been missing an important detail until now.
"Despite how he carries himself, he is a noble at heart," she said.
It was clear from the way she said it that it was not a genuine compliment.
"Is he wrestling with a feeling of inferiority because of the unequal footing due to the debt?"
"We can call it a sense of repulsion that comes from an inferiority complex. He probably thinks, Why must I be reserved when dealing with mere commoners?"
Matthias had been rather magnanimous with Lawrence, but that was because he owed him nothing. He would not be the same with someone to whom he owed generations' worth of debt. Especially not with one his family had been borrowing from for years, with whom he had a humiliating relationship.
"If he came to us, we would gladly talk to him about his debts and his problems with the Church. The lumber from that forest is valuable, after all. But I don't think he wants us to appraise his forest like that. And I think he agreed to Karlan's plan because they are on equal footing; Karlan, after all, can get the upper hand by using the lumber as a shield. In which case, anyone would treat him as a very important person. Particularly tempting for an undistinguished lord."
Kieman shrugged, but Lawrence's heart ached for the position Matthias had been forced to live in for many years. He was a good man; a great deal of self-restraint was necessary to preserve the forest that could fetch him mountains of gold with the snap of a finger.
"I think it is...right, in a way, that Karlan feels animosity toward us. They often have disputes with our merchants over suppliers, and the flow of goods in this area is most advantageous for us. They are hoping to change that flow by greatly lowering their taxes, however."
Lawrence was not sure how much of what Kieman said he should accept at face value, but perhaps the relationship between Karlan and Kerube was a lot more like his own metaphor than he originally thought.
A bull in a porcelain shop.

Output:
"Change location, and perspective changes drastically. You, Merchant Lawrence, should understand this."
But Lawrence was forgetting his basics—he had taken so long to start a fire.
Lawrence cleared his throat and said, "Er, well, I came here to see what sort of picture Eve is really trying to paint. And it seems she has not given us the whole story. But she doesn't seem to be as vicious as she used to be, so I'm not sure what to make of that."
The details on Kerube, most notably, were elusive.
How had Eve taken Kerube by the scruff and kept them down?
When Lawrence said that, Kieman narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line, as though telling him he was being ridiculous.
"That snake of a woman has only honed her viciousness."
Lawrence could feel Holo hold her breath beside him.
"What's worse is that it seems she'll be stringing us up for a full-frontal attack."
Lawrence glanced at Holo again. But Holo did not look at Lawrence; instead, her eyes glinted with dark curiosity, waiting for what Kieman would say next.
"She has woven herself such a precise plot, all to harass us."
"Which means?"
Kieman flattened his wild bangs with a hand.
"Wool. She is going to string us up with her wool."
Kieman suggested they change locations before continuing the conversation.
He said it would be easier to see the truth for themselves, because he knew it was his word up against Eve's.
And so Lawrence, Holo, and Kieman walked the nighttime streets of Kerube; they passed a handful of people as they did, and a good percentage of them greeted Kieman, and the patrolling guards bowed politely.
Kieman brought them to a place near the town harbor.
"What is this?"
"The wool exchange."
The tall brick wall vanished into the dark. It was a rather large place, and the walls were meant to protect the product within. Kieman spoke to the night guard, and they were let through the wooden gates, which led into a wide open courtyard—it was hard to imagine they were in the heart of a cramped city.
"Usually around this time of year, this building is stuffed full of all the wool sheared in the summer, making it look like a thick blanket of snow."
Holo sniffed the air, drew up her shoulders as though chilly, and came to stand beside Lawrence. Perhaps all her sweat from the run from Karlan had cooled her down.
"And it's because of that snake that it looks like this now."
"You can't get any wool?"
"That's correct. I don't know what sort of eye she has for this, but she stands out from the rest when it comes the wool trade. She's even earned herself a spot as the Twilight Cardinal's personal merchant, it seems. That means she commands great influence over the wool coming in from the kingdom. The wool merchants here on the mainland say you'll fall ill if you put her in a bad mood."
And what was it Eve was searching for in exchange of wool?
"She told us that if we want wool, we will have to lower the price of our lumber."
Lawrence's face froze taut halfway into a smile.
Eve had not taken Karlan's side and was standing opposed to Kerube.
She was agitating Karlan by offering them glimpses of Kerube's darkness all while intimidating Kerube with Karlan's plans to expand.
"If we end up in conflict, we will have no choice but to make it cheap..."
The reason Holo could put on such airs of importance every day was because she commanded Lawrence's attention alone.
Lawrence looked up to the night sky, fully visible, which was unusual for a city, and said, "If that were all, I would think this a common trade tactic, but..." Looking at Kieman, he could tell that was obviously not the case, so he added on a slight concession onto the end.
"You want to ask why we insist on wool? No, you want to know why we have to sell the lumber we get from Lenos to the kingdom for cheap, if that's the case. Right?"
"Yes. Money seems to sprout from the literal woodwork these days."
Anyone and everyone wanted lumber, to the point where Eve would resort to schemes.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
"Change location, and perspective changes drastically. You, Merchant Lawrence, should understand this."
But Lawrence was forgetting his basics—he had taken so long to start a fire.
Lawrence cleared his throat and said, "Er, well, I came here to see what sort of picture Eve is really trying to paint. And it seems she has not given us the whole story. But she doesn't seem to be as vicious as she used to be, so I'm not sure what to make of that."
The details on Kerube, most notably, were elusive.
How had Eve taken Kerube by the scruff and kept them down?
When Lawrence said that, Kieman narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line, as though telling him he was being ridiculous.
"That snake of a woman has only honed her viciousness."
Lawrence could feel Holo hold her breath beside him.
"What's worse is that it seems she'll be stringing us up for a full-frontal attack."
Lawrence glanced at Holo again. But Holo did not look at Lawrence; instead, her eyes glinted with dark curiosity, waiting for what Kieman would say next.
"She has woven herself such a precise plot, all to harass us."
"Which means?"
Kieman flattened his wild bangs with a hand.
"Wool. She is going to string us up with her wool."
Kieman suggested they change locations before continuing the conversation.
He said it would be easier to see the truth for themselves, because he knew it was his word up against Eve's.
And so Lawrence, Holo, and Kieman walked the nighttime streets of Kerube; they passed a handful of people as they did, and a good percentage of them greeted Kieman, and the patrolling guards bowed politely.
Kieman brought them to a place near the town harbor.
"What is this?"
"The wool exchange."
The tall brick wall vanished into the dark. It was a rather large place, and the walls were meant to protect the product within. Kieman spoke to the night guard, and they were let through the wooden gates, which led into a wide open courtyard—it was hard to imagine they were in the heart of a cramped city.
"Usually around this time of year, this building is stuffed full of all the wool sheared in the summer, making it look like a thick blanket of snow."
Holo sniffed the air, drew up her shoulders as though chilly, and came to stand beside Lawrence. Perhaps all her sweat from the run from Karlan had cooled her down.
"And it's because of that snake that it looks like this now."
"You can't get any wool?"
"That's correct. I don't know what sort of eye she has for this, but she stands out from the rest when it comes the wool trade. She's even earned herself a spot as the Twilight Cardinal's personal merchant, it seems. That means she commands great influence over the wool coming in from the kingdom. The wool merchants here on the mainland say you'll fall ill if you put her in a bad mood."
And what was it Eve was searching for in exchange of wool?
"She told us that if we want wool, we will have to lower the price of our lumber."
Lawrence's face froze taut halfway into a smile.
Eve had not taken Karlan's side and was standing opposed to Kerube.
She was agitating Karlan by offering them glimpses of Kerube's darkness all while intimidating Kerube with Karlan's plans to expand.
"If we end up in conflict, we will have no choice but to make it cheap..."
The reason Holo could put on such airs of importance every day was because she commanded Lawrence's attention alone.
Lawrence looked up to the night sky, fully visible, which was unusual for a city, and said, "If that were all, I would think this a common trade tactic, but..." Looking at Kieman, he could tell that was obviously not the case, so he added on a slight concession onto the end.
"You want to ask why we insist on wool? No, you want to know why we have to sell the lumber we get from Lenos to the kingdom for cheap, if that's the case. Right?"
"Yes. Money seems to sprout from the literal woodwork these days."
Anyone and everyone wanted lumber, to the point where Eve would resort to schemes.

Output:
In seaside port towns like this, they could easily put their lumber on a ship and send it wherever they pleased if they did not like where they were currently selling it to. The reason Lenos could not do such a thing was because it was not practical to drag heavy lumber across the land.
But Kerube had their own reasons for needing to sell the lumber they purchased to the kingdom. And that likely had to do with access to their wool.
"Is there any need to obtain wool outside of trade?"
Nighttime along the sea was cold at this time of year. Holo hugged herself, so Lawrence removed his coat and placed it over her shoulders.
"Wool is necessary to keep people warm," Kieman said, idly looking at Holo with Lawrence's warm jacket over her shoulders. "Through the hard work of the villagers over many years, and the deeds the Rowen Trade Guild have accomplished under my watch, Kerube has thrived. But the city has grown a bit too big as of late."
Kieman looked out over the wool exchange; he was not the same shrewd merchant he was years ago.
"Even if the town itself develops nicely, there will always be a portion of the population that suffers for one reason or another. And there are people who drift in from elsewhere."
Unlike Karlan, Kerube was a key location in traffic.
"Do you plan to warm them with wool?"
"Or something like it, yes. Those suffering come knock on this door and are given an armful of wool."
At last, it clicked for Lawrence.
"Spinning thread."
Kieman nodded, and Holo looked up curiously.
"Thread spinning does not cost much in terms of labor, and it is a job anyone can do. Anyone can start the very same day—no need to know how to read or write, or even speak the same language."
All one needed to do was divide the wool, brush it out, make sure all the hairs were lined up, and then twist it into thread. All one needed to work efficiently was the right tools, with or without experience, and anyone could do the work as long as they had a place to sit and a brush.
"It was a lot like the wheat mixing job you did," Lawrence said, and Holo finally understood.
Wheat brought in as trade goods was placed into storage, but if left alone, humidity would cause it to mold. It was necessary to mix the wheat to prevent this, but that work solely belonged to the women. Anyone could take on the job, even without great strength or reliability, so it was a job reserved those who often found themselves in dire straits.
"Wool has a better margin when woven into thread, so everyone wins."
Upon hearing that, Lawrence dropped his shoulders, tired.
Eve was most certainly taking a forward, aggressive stance, but the most important thing was that she was looking at Kerube's footing and forcing them to lower the prices on lumber. With word that lumber, as price for her wool, could just as easily be obtained from Karlan.
And Lawrence noticed one more thing.
"Do you have plans to take in religious refugees here, too?"
Like a shopkeeper asked if new stock would be coming in the following week, Kieman smiled.
"Of course. We are allies of the Twilight Cardinal, after all."
And Eve was Eve.
Everything she did was correct, following the principles of trade while also helping Col and Myuri, but when all the pieces were put together, everything was undeniably in her favor.
"I am starting to get a feel for how deep trade goes."
There was no need for any of them to get crafty. If he had the wits about him to move readily when he saw his chance like Eve, then all he needed to was turn all of his right options into raw material.
And so what should they do while they were playing second fiddle to the wolf?
Lawrence said, to confirm his next steps, "We were on our way to Tonneburg in order to talk to its ruling lord, who is stubbornly standing his ground until the very end, so that Eve may continue with her plan. But we decided to change course and we're visiting without sending official word."
"I see. To be honest, I should string you up right now."


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
In seaside port towns like this, they could easily put their lumber on a ship and send it wherever they pleased if they did not like where they were currently selling it to. The reason Lenos could not do such a thing was because it was not practical to drag heavy lumber across the land.
But Kerube had their own reasons for needing to sell the lumber they purchased to the kingdom. And that likely had to do with access to their wool.
"Is there any need to obtain wool outside of trade?"
Nighttime along the sea was cold at this time of year. Holo hugged herself, so Lawrence removed his coat and placed it over her shoulders.
"Wool is necessary to keep people warm," Kieman said, idly looking at Holo with Lawrence's warm jacket over her shoulders. "Through the hard work of the villagers over many years, and the deeds the Rowen Trade Guild have accomplished under my watch, Kerube has thrived. But the city has grown a bit too big as of late."
Kieman looked out over the wool exchange; he was not the same shrewd merchant he was years ago.
"Even if the town itself develops nicely, there will always be a portion of the population that suffers for one reason or another. And there are people who drift in from elsewhere."
Unlike Karlan, Kerube was a key location in traffic.
"Do you plan to warm them with wool?"
"Or something like it, yes. Those suffering come knock on this door and are given an armful of wool."
At last, it clicked for Lawrence.
"Spinning thread."
Kieman nodded, and Holo looked up curiously.
"Thread spinning does not cost much in terms of labor, and it is a job anyone can do. Anyone can start the very same day—no need to know how to read or write, or even speak the same language."
All one needed to do was divide the wool, brush it out, make sure all the hairs were lined up, and then twist it into thread. All one needed to work efficiently was the right tools, with or without experience, and anyone could do the work as long as they had a place to sit and a brush.
"It was a lot like the wheat mixing job you did," Lawrence said, and Holo finally understood.
Wheat brought in as trade goods was placed into storage, but if left alone, humidity would cause it to mold. It was necessary to mix the wheat to prevent this, but that work solely belonged to the women. Anyone could take on the job, even without great strength or reliability, so it was a job reserved those who often found themselves in dire straits.
"Wool has a better margin when woven into thread, so everyone wins."
Upon hearing that, Lawrence dropped his shoulders, tired.
Eve was most certainly taking a forward, aggressive stance, but the most important thing was that she was looking at Kerube's footing and forcing them to lower the prices on lumber. With word that lumber, as price for her wool, could just as easily be obtained from Karlan.
And Lawrence noticed one more thing.
"Do you have plans to take in religious refugees here, too?"
Like a shopkeeper asked if new stock would be coming in the following week, Kieman smiled.
"Of course. We are allies of the Twilight Cardinal, after all."
And Eve was Eve.
Everything she did was correct, following the principles of trade while also helping Col and Myuri, but when all the pieces were put together, everything was undeniably in her favor.
"I am starting to get a feel for how deep trade goes."
There was no need for any of them to get crafty. If he had the wits about him to move readily when he saw his chance like Eve, then all he needed to was turn all of his right options into raw material.
And so what should they do while they were playing second fiddle to the wolf?
Lawrence said, to confirm his next steps, "We were on our way to Tonneburg in order to talk to its ruling lord, who is stubbornly standing his ground until the very end, so that Eve may continue with her plan. But we decided to change course and we're visiting without sending official word."
"I see. To be honest, I should string you up right now."

Output:
"Our thinking was that if Eve was up to no good, then we would have to consider if this project should be abandoned for Lord Tonneburg's sake. That's what we've come to confirm."
Eve was greedy, but she was not evil.
But it was hard to call her actions just, so Lawrence hesitated.
"I cannot allow that snake of a woman to hog all the profits for herself."
That could have been interpreted as Kieman's personal stance, since he apparently saw Eve as a business rival, but there was a pragmatic meaning behind it as well.
That was because there were only so many profits to be made, and all of those profits would be coming from lumber.
And since that lumber would be coming from the Tonneburg Woods, it would ultimately be fastest to whittle away at Eve's profits if they wanted to save the forest.
"But what is your aim, then?" Kieman asked. "My thoughts are...I don't see you making any large profits after you make all your visits. If you want to discreetly support the Twilight Cardinal, then the outcome is largely the same, whether you get involved or not."
Regardless, the refugees would find homes in Karlan or Kerube. Each town needed to take responsibility and put their own minds together to properly prepare for them.
Lawrence's first consideration, of course, was to protect the Tonneburg Woods for Holo's sake, of course, but Kieman did not know what Holo truly was; he would not understand.
If he wanted to make sure Eve earned less than she had planned, then he would need to work with Kieman.
Lawrence then decided to rely on a little trick in order to earn Kieman's trust.
"You know what I learned—the forest's true value is in its underbrush, which serves as feed to fatten the livestock."
Kieman's brows raised as he turned to look at Lawrence.
"I hear it's a commodity that never finds its way to market shelves. The wheat yield depends heavily on the amount of livestock manure that has reached the fields, and if Tonneburg's forest were to fall to ruin, then it would affect a surprisingly large portion of the wheat harvest."
All markets were connected in one way or another; if one market changed its prices, then that would cause ripples. There was quite a distance between Kerube and the Tonneburg Woods, and the wheat fields this area relied on were not the same ones that fed Salonia. But if the wheat crop were to fail in the area around Salonia, then it would doubtlessly affect Kerube, too.
With that exposition out of the way, Lawrence continued.
"Also, did you hear about what happened in Salonia?"
"Salonia?"
"I stopped the lumber merchants from lowering tariffs for the Church's sake. And as a reward, I'll be receiving a portion of the wheat harvest as tribute."
Of course, that was nothing more than a courtesy from a plot of land no wider than the length of his arm span.
But it still was the truth, and it was likely that Kieman had already heard pieces of the affair. He nodded deeply.
In his view, he was starting to see what Lawrence sought to gain by protecting his interests in the wheat harvest.
"And so to tell you the truth, I don't actually want to talk to Lord Tonneburg, since it will affect the harvest. But as of present, Tonneburg itself is at risk of disappearing completely due to debt and suspicion of heresy. I suppose his decision is that this is better than losing everything."
Upon hearing Lawrence's explanation, Kieman shrugged, satisfied.
Lawrence continued, pressuring him further.
"When I heard the outline of Eve's project, I thought Karlan—a port city struggling to develop further—was putting together a revitalization plan with Lord Tonneburg. And the one they were working with just so happened to be Eve."
"And that makes us, Kerube, the villains in this situation."
Lawrence nodded. "But Kerube's evil shadow is meant to intimidate Karlan and Lord Tonneburg into coming together."


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
"Our thinking was that if Eve was up to no good, then we would have to consider if this project should be abandoned for Lord Tonneburg's sake. That's what we've come to confirm."
Eve was greedy, but she was not evil.
But it was hard to call her actions just, so Lawrence hesitated.
"I cannot allow that snake of a woman to hog all the profits for herself."
That could have been interpreted as Kieman's personal stance, since he apparently saw Eve as a business rival, but there was a pragmatic meaning behind it as well.
That was because there were only so many profits to be made, and all of those profits would be coming from lumber.
And since that lumber would be coming from the Tonneburg Woods, it would ultimately be fastest to whittle away at Eve's profits if they wanted to save the forest.
"But what is your aim, then?" Kieman asked. "My thoughts are...I don't see you making any large profits after you make all your visits. If you want to discreetly support the Twilight Cardinal, then the outcome is largely the same, whether you get involved or not."
Regardless, the refugees would find homes in Karlan or Kerube. Each town needed to take responsibility and put their own minds together to properly prepare for them.
Lawrence's first consideration, of course, was to protect the Tonneburg Woods for Holo's sake, of course, but Kieman did not know what Holo truly was; he would not understand.
If he wanted to make sure Eve earned less than she had planned, then he would need to work with Kieman.
Lawrence then decided to rely on a little trick in order to earn Kieman's trust.
"You know what I learned—the forest's true value is in its underbrush, which serves as feed to fatten the livestock."
Kieman's brows raised as he turned to look at Lawrence.
"I hear it's a commodity that never finds its way to market shelves. The wheat yield depends heavily on the amount of livestock manure that has reached the fields, and if Tonneburg's forest were to fall to ruin, then it would affect a surprisingly large portion of the wheat harvest."
All markets were connected in one way or another; if one market changed its prices, then that would cause ripples. There was quite a distance between Kerube and the Tonneburg Woods, and the wheat fields this area relied on were not the same ones that fed Salonia. But if the wheat crop were to fail in the area around Salonia, then it would doubtlessly affect Kerube, too.
With that exposition out of the way, Lawrence continued.
"Also, did you hear about what happened in Salonia?"
"Salonia?"
"I stopped the lumber merchants from lowering tariffs for the Church's sake. And as a reward, I'll be receiving a portion of the wheat harvest as tribute."
Of course, that was nothing more than a courtesy from a plot of land no wider than the length of his arm span.
But it still was the truth, and it was likely that Kieman had already heard pieces of the affair. He nodded deeply.
In his view, he was starting to see what Lawrence sought to gain by protecting his interests in the wheat harvest.
"And so to tell you the truth, I don't actually want to talk to Lord Tonneburg, since it will affect the harvest. But as of present, Tonneburg itself is at risk of disappearing completely due to debt and suspicion of heresy. I suppose his decision is that this is better than losing everything."
Upon hearing Lawrence's explanation, Kieman shrugged, satisfied.
Lawrence continued, pressuring him further.
"When I heard the outline of Eve's project, I thought Karlan—a port city struggling to develop further—was putting together a revitalization plan with Lord Tonneburg. And the one they were working with just so happened to be Eve."
"And that makes us, Kerube, the villains in this situation."
Lawrence nodded. "But Kerube's evil shadow is meant to intimidate Karlan and Lord Tonneburg into coming together."

Output:
"In our case," Kieman started—as any seasoned merchant could do, he could speak and think at the same time. After a pause, he continued, "We want to avoid her one-sided requests at all costs. She always finds the choicest parts of any particular opportunity, trying to get her hands on excessive profit while basking in everyone's praise and gratitude."
All he needed to do was picture what would happen once Eve's project came to fruition. Karlan would be able to expand their range of trade, and Matthias would be able to pay off his debts while receiving protection from the Twilight Cardinal, even solving their problems of faith. And from the perspective of Col and Myuri, those suffering as a direct result of their actions would be saved by Eve's work. That was because Eve would use the lumber to build houses, provide fuel for heating, and create the ships that would carry refugees to the kingdom.
On the other hand, if Kerube agreed to lower the price of lumber as requested, they would be able to safely obtain the wool that provided work for the needy as they always had.
In terms of losses and profits, Kerube might seem to be the only loser, but Karlan and Tonneburg's actual situations would not change much.
Karlan was trying to grow, but it was only a little port town as of now. There was no telling if they could support all the refugees they wanted to take in, yet they were doing just that on the assumption that the town would develop. All while recklessly doing away with their tariffs. Tonneburg, of course, was burdened by the danger of the impending disappearance of their forest, and so they decided to sell off lumber, ready to raise more smithies and coal-burning huts as well. They were facing their own challenges.
Eve alone made no risky bets, bore no burden of danger, and only used her wool as a bargaining chip to secure lumber, even earning herself a reputation for lending Col a hand.
None of this was foul play, of course.
Eve perfectly played the part of a benevolent merchant.
"But listen, dear," Holo said, clasping Lawrence's coat tighter around her, taking in its scent. "Should we foil her plans? It may be unfair, but there are a number she is helping by doing so, no? I see no reason to go out of our way to trouble them."
Eve was not trying to cause another's downfall. Karlan, Tonneburg, Kerube, and the refugees that could no longer stay in their homes, were all technically gaining something from this project.
But Eve's profits were almost too good. It felt unfair.
And Lawrence had the words to express the unfairness.
"It's a fundamental principle of trade."
"Hmm?"
"Reward is the price for risk. Eve is, in that regard, safer than any other player on the field, and earns too much from this. Of course there should be concessions."
"I hate to acknowledge that I'm losing out, but if she were to list all her profits, then it would be easier on everyone."
Tonneburg would be more prominent. If Eve lowered the price of wool, then the amount of lumber offered would dwindle, and the effects on the forest would lessen. If Karlan made even more money with the cheap wool, then it would be easier for them to secure the funds to help the refugees coming into the city. That would be the same as Kerube: If they were able to avoid the harrowing cuts to lumber prices, then they would be able to secure that much more wool and fill this empty wool exchange.
"And so if there is one thing we might be able to get Eve on..."
As Lawrence added the sights of Kerube into his mental map, he examined the path Eve took to get here.
"...it's her connection with Col."
It was an extremely powerful weapon that she had in her arsenal. With the backing of the Twilight Cardinal, everyone else danced to her tune.
The Twilight Cardinal, however, was receiving great sympathy for his causes worldwide; in Eve's case, that meant the responsibility of upholding his just ideals.


Instruction: Given first part of the popular LightNovel spice and wolf as input, continue the story the best you can.

Input:
"In our case," Kieman started—as any seasoned merchant could do, he could speak and think at the same time. After a pause, he continued, "We want to avoid her one-sided requests at all costs. She always finds the choicest parts of any particular opportunity, trying to get her hands on excessive profit while basking in everyone's praise and gratitude."
All he needed to do was picture what would happen once Eve's project came to fruition. Karlan would be able to expand their range of trade, and Matthias would be able to pay off his debts while receiving protection from the Twilight Cardinal, even solving their problems of faith. And from the perspective of Col and Myuri, those suffering as a direct result of their actions would be saved by Eve's work. That was because Eve would use the lumber to build houses, provide fuel for heating, and create the ships that would carry refugees to the kingdom.
On the other hand, if Kerube agreed to lower the price of lumber as requested, they would be able to safely obtain the wool that provided work for the needy as they always had.
In terms of losses and profits, Kerube might seem to be the only loser, but Karlan and Tonneburg's actual situations would not change much.
Karlan was trying to grow, but it was only a little port town as of now. There was no telling if they could support all the refugees they wanted to take in, yet they were doing just that on the assumption that the town would develop. All while recklessly doing away with their tariffs. Tonneburg, of course, was burdened by the danger of the impending disappearance of their forest, and so they decided to sell off lumber, ready to raise more smithies and coal-burning huts as well. They were facing their own challenges.
Eve alone made no risky bets, bore no burden of danger, and only used her wool as a bargaining chip to secure lumber, even earning herself a reputation for lending Col a hand.
None of this was foul play, of course.
Eve perfectly played the part of a benevolent merchant.
"But listen, dear," Holo said, clasping Lawrence's coat tighter around her, taking in its scent. "Should we foil her plans? It may be unfair, but there are a number she is helping by doing so, no? I see no reason to go out of our way to trouble them."
Eve was not trying to cause another's downfall. Karlan, Tonneburg, Kerube, and the refugees that could no longer stay in their homes, were all technically gaining something from this project.
But Eve's profits were almost too good. It felt unfair.
And Lawrence had the words to express the unfairness.
"It's a fundamental principle of trade."
"Hmm?"
"Reward is the price for risk. Eve is, in that regard, safer than any other player on the field, and earns too much from this. Of course there should be concessions."
"I hate to acknowledge that I'm losing out, but if she were to list all her profits, then it would be easier on everyone."
Tonneburg would be more prominent. If Eve lowered the price of wool, then the amount of lumber offered would dwindle, and the effects on the forest would lessen. If Karlan made even more money with the cheap wool, then it would be easier for them to secure the funds to help the refugees coming into the city. That would be the same as Kerube: If they were able to avoid the harrowing cuts to lumber prices, then they would be able to secure that much more wool and fill this empty wool exchange.
"And so if there is one thing we might be able to get Eve on..."
As Lawrence added the sights of Kerube into his mental map, he examined the path Eve took to get here.
"...it's her connection with Col."
It was an extremely powerful weapon that she had in her arsenal. With the backing of the Twilight Cardinal, everyone else danced to her tune.
The Twilight Cardinal, however, was receiving great sympathy for his causes worldwide; in Eve's case, that meant the responsibility of upholding his just ideals.

Output:
Kieman frowned. "That is also complicated. We are told that if we are to join the Twilight Cardinal's cause, then we will benefit from it later, and it's not unusual to buy products from the kingdom at a high price now."
"What?"
"The Twilight Cardinal resides in the Kingdom of Winfiel. Buying their goods is a way of supporting their reformation of the greedy Church. It's a donation, in a way. It's regarded as a symbol of doing good, and their goods are much sought after."
Though it might not have been a part of Col's intentions, Lawrence was aware that the world could be shallow. Merchants, especially, were the type to squeeze profit out of a situation like this.
Eve had a firm grasp on how the people felt and was leveraging her position for all it was worth.
"The city council does not want to oppose that snake of a woman. No matter how many times I find myself livid over her ways, or how many times help for the impoverished is delayed because of the depleted wool, the council only shrugs their shoulders. It's almost as though they're trying to get rid of the knots and stress from the whole incident surrounding the narwhal."
No one thought Eve would become such a big player in this game. Those who remembered how she once acted would be beside themselves with fear.
On the other hand, Lawrence took note of a surprising fact from the way Kieman spoke.
"Are you in charge of the city's assistance programs in the council?" Lawrence asked.
Like a child trying their best to put up a brave face after someone touches their frostbitten skin, Kieman gave a lopsided smile.
"I looked into the narwhal situation in my own way and vowed to do better. That was how I came to understand the importance of the beggars' information network."
It took Lawrence a few moments to understand.
Col had once pretended to be a wandering student and had collected all sorts of valuable information from the city's beggars.
"I at first thought about it in terms of loss and profits, knowing I needed to deepen my ties with them."
But it was likely that as he associated with them, he came to understand their circumstances, could no longer ignore them, and wanted to help them, though uncharacteristic of him as it was.
Their disposition, their desire to be seen as cold and intelligent merchants—Eve was much the same—was strangely quaint to Lawrence, who had taken a step away from that way of life.
Perhaps the reason Kieman was so infuriated with Eve's methods was that because they were similar.
"If you were evil, or if you figured out that Eve was putting together a corrupt plan, then I would have been able to rest a bit easier," Lawrence said.
Kieman laughed. "I agree. But all those getting caught up in her project are only trying to get a handle on what they need. She's manipulated that and made it a part of her own schemes."
Perhaps even all the things that prevented Karlan from developing until now were understandable reasons, if taking into consideration what the lords who managed the river checkpoints and those who oversaw the land of the roads had to say.
"So... If we have to end up going along with Eve's intentions, and if there is any sort of favor I could ask of you," Kieman paused, before continuing lightly. "Could you speak with Col and tell him that the fur from Lenos is perfect for protecting oneself from evil beliefs when worn?"
Fur and lumber traveled down the Roef River from Lenos to arrive in Kerube.
If the price of fur were to go up, then they could make up for the reduced price of lumber and still purchase the wool they needed.
But profiting off faith was the biggest reason why Col was fighting with the Church.
"...We have to take you up on your proposal, since you helped us when your bathhouse ran into trouble."
Kieman chuckled.
Lawrence said to him, "What we are most interested in is the Tonneburg Woods. Can we expect that the growth in trade that Karlan is planning for after the forest is cut down is not a temporary thing?"