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

Input:
Still staring at the cart, Lawrence bit into the rest of his sandwich, chewed, then swallowed.
"On top of that, she's more stubborn than a mule. Let's say that she finds the faintest hint of her friend somewhere during our travels. If it seems like it'll be a little far away, I'm sure she will simply decide not to go. She'll insist it's too much effort. Even though she's always badgering me to buy food, that'll be the only time she'll prioritize the budget I'm always worried about."
Selim could somehow imagine Holo acting exactly as described. Holo's personality was generally kind, and Selim thought that her naturally timid nature was a strength of hers.
But when she thought about how Holo bared it all to her beloved Lawrence, it gave Selim, who had yet to fall in love, a strange feeling—one of envy but also sadness.
"That's why I packed in so much sulfur. That's why I called in the craftsmen to make this so sturdy."
The conversation suddenly came full circle, and Selim felt like she had awoken from a dream.
"All so I can say, Look at all the sulfur we have left from the other bathhouses. We can't go back until we sell it all."
The heady realization hit her.
This cart was packed full of Lawrence's feelings for Holo.
She thought it was a wonderful thing, but at the same time, Selim was at a loss for words.
As she listened to him speak, it seemed like their journey would continue forever.
She knew that Lawrence would travel to the ends of the earth with Holo if it was for her sake.
"Our return might be a little delayed because of that...so please forgive Holo's selfishness for my sake."
When Lawrence finally uttered those words, Selim smiled in defeat.
Afterward, Lawrence asked Selim to go fetch Holo, who still hadn't come back yet, so she returned to the bathhouse. Her steps seemed endless because she had a bad feeling.
She could see herself sitting forlornly at the front desk, continuing to wait for them long past their original return date.
Selim stumbled through the hall, walked down the corridor, and entered the kitchen.
What caught her by surprise then was Holo, coat in hand, working diligently on something.
"Oh, 'tis you."
Holo glanced at her, and then returned to her work. Selim had thought she would be snacking, just as Lawrence said, but that did not seem to be the case.
Selim looked to Hanna, wondering what was going on, but Hanna just shrugged in vexation.
"Erm, Master Lawrence is calling for you..."
"Mm."
Holo gave a short response, shook out the coat, and then placed it on the counter again.
She seemed to be sewing something into the inside of the coat.
"I shall be tidying up here in a brief moment, so please wait."
There were also waist sashes and other articles of clothing on the shelf next to her. As Selim watched, wondering what she was doing, Holo sewed with a practiced hand on a piece of scrap fabric of the same color as the coat and then slowly stuffed a folded scrap of paper in between the gaps.
"Oh—"
When Selim unwittingly made a sound, Holo glanced up at her.
"Mm-hmm. 'Tis what your brother brought over."
She appeared to be taking the notes of information about their kin that Selim's brother provided and concealing them among her clothes.
"I forgot how reliable he is. Although I am happy that Hanna received it for me, things would only become more of a hassle should that fool of mine see this."
"Huh?"
Selim recalled the conversation she just had with Lawrence and couldn't help but raise her voice.
It appeared that Lawrence was fully committed to pretending to not know what Holo was up to. If that hadn't been the case, he wouldn't have deliberately let Hanna be the one to accept the notes from Aram.
Selim felt like she was going mad—could she keep up the facade?—but then Holo dropped her gaze to her hands and continued.
"It would only be trouble. That man is a true fool, you know."
Holo evidently thought Selim was at a loss for words simply because she was surprised.

Output:
There were not too many notes, and Holo was dexterous, so the job was completed rather quickly.
Yet, Selim still did not understand why Holo was doing this.
"B-but, Lady Holo."
"Mm-hmm?"
Selim opened her mouth in spite of herself only to recoil under Holo's gaze.
As she hesitated over whether she should say anything, she figured it would be stranger if she stayed quiet.
"Erm...I believe Master Lawrence would be more than happy to help you search for our kin..."
Even if she had not just discussed that very topic with him, she would have thought the same.
Holo stared at Selim in return, then suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled darkly.
"Exactly. He would be so proactive about it; it would tire me terribly," she said, sticking her tongue out as though she was going to belch. "After all this time has passed, I do not intend to obsess over things. All I would like is a slight hint. That is all."
Selim was taken by surprise at her unexpected response, and Holo offered a troubled smile.
"You have been so considerate of me; your brother wrote down all sorts of things with such precision. But in reality, I have no intentions of an earnest search. Nothing will come of such a short jaunt anyway."
Those were Selim's exact apprehensions. Holo possessed such great intellect that she had once been extolled as the wisewolf, and she had eyes sharp enough to see through anything. She was already well aware of how wide the world truly was.
"U-um..."
"And you wish to know why, no?"
Holo's question beat her to it, and Selim nodded as she tensed her shoulders.
Holo continued to sew as she spoke with a carefree attitude.
"'Tis all for that fool, you see."
She showed her fangs as though she was suppressing something, which was most likely her shy smile.
"We cannot return to the village until we conclude everyone's business, no?"
Holo spoke carefully as she neatly sewed on another scrap of fabric, then squinted to make sure it did not stand out. It would likely not be noticed if she wore it normally.
"However, he treats the old promise he solemnly swore to me with such gravity. Well, back in those days, he was also a massive fool who wandered into danger while insisting he would turn a profit. At least he says that he will no longer do such a thing. But still." Holo stood from her chair and reached up to the ceiling to stretch. Her ears and tail shivered. "I do not wish to become his baggage. And I cannot bear the thought of the villagers saying this and that to him if he insists one day that we return to the village out of concern for me. That is when these notes will come into play."
"Oh..."
When Selim responded absently, Holo folded the coat and the sash and cradled them in her arms.
"Should I say that my friend could be just beyond this town, that fool would continue traveling, saying 'tis all for my sake."
Selim stood slack-jawed—but not because of what Holo was talking about.
It was because she had just heard a very similar story.
"And so I believe our return may be a little delayed because of that...I hope you will forgive us. I promise to repay you, in the name of the wisewolf."
They were exactly the same when it came to things like this; Selim felt like she was looking at an odd painting.
It was like a picture of a staircase that seemed to endlessly go up that traveling street performers would parade around on the corner while shouting, The strange, the marvelous, the bizarre!
Lawrence said he had decided to accept lots of requests from the villagers because Holo wanted to search for her old friend. On the other hand, Holo saw that Lawrence had taken on an enormous task from the villagers, and so she deliberately came up with a reason to continue their journey in order to ensure his work was properly completed.
And both of them apologized to Selim, explaining that they might return later than expected.


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

Input:
There were not too many notes, and Holo was dexterous, so the job was completed rather quickly.
Yet, Selim still did not understand why Holo was doing this.
"B-but, Lady Holo."
"Mm-hmm?"
Selim opened her mouth in spite of herself only to recoil under Holo's gaze.
As she hesitated over whether she should say anything, she figured it would be stranger if she stayed quiet.
"Erm...I believe Master Lawrence would be more than happy to help you search for our kin..."
Even if she had not just discussed that very topic with him, she would have thought the same.
Holo stared at Selim in return, then suddenly raised an eyebrow and smiled darkly.
"Exactly. He would be so proactive about it; it would tire me terribly," she said, sticking her tongue out as though she was going to belch. "After all this time has passed, I do not intend to obsess over things. All I would like is a slight hint. That is all."
Selim was taken by surprise at her unexpected response, and Holo offered a troubled smile.
"You have been so considerate of me; your brother wrote down all sorts of things with such precision. But in reality, I have no intentions of an earnest search. Nothing will come of such a short jaunt anyway."
Those were Selim's exact apprehensions. Holo possessed such great intellect that she had once been extolled as the wisewolf, and she had eyes sharp enough to see through anything. She was already well aware of how wide the world truly was.
"U-um..."
"And you wish to know why, no?"
Holo's question beat her to it, and Selim nodded as she tensed her shoulders.
Holo continued to sew as she spoke with a carefree attitude.
"'Tis all for that fool, you see."
She showed her fangs as though she was suppressing something, which was most likely her shy smile.
"We cannot return to the village until we conclude everyone's business, no?"
Holo spoke carefully as she neatly sewed on another scrap of fabric, then squinted to make sure it did not stand out. It would likely not be noticed if she wore it normally.
"However, he treats the old promise he solemnly swore to me with such gravity. Well, back in those days, he was also a massive fool who wandered into danger while insisting he would turn a profit. At least he says that he will no longer do such a thing. But still." Holo stood from her chair and reached up to the ceiling to stretch. Her ears and tail shivered. "I do not wish to become his baggage. And I cannot bear the thought of the villagers saying this and that to him if he insists one day that we return to the village out of concern for me. That is when these notes will come into play."
"Oh..."
When Selim responded absently, Holo folded the coat and the sash and cradled them in her arms.
"Should I say that my friend could be just beyond this town, that fool would continue traveling, saying 'tis all for my sake."
Selim stood slack-jawed—but not because of what Holo was talking about.
It was because she had just heard a very similar story.
"And so I believe our return may be a little delayed because of that...I hope you will forgive us. I promise to repay you, in the name of the wisewolf."
They were exactly the same when it came to things like this; Selim felt like she was looking at an odd painting.
It was like a picture of a staircase that seemed to endlessly go up that traveling street performers would parade around on the corner while shouting, The strange, the marvelous, the bizarre!
Lawrence said he had decided to accept lots of requests from the villagers because Holo wanted to search for her old friend. On the other hand, Holo saw that Lawrence had taken on an enormous task from the villagers, and so she deliberately came up with a reason to continue their journey in order to ensure his work was properly completed.
And both of them apologized to Selim, explaining that they might return later than expected.

Output:
"Oh, here comes the fool now."
Holo's ears stood straight up as she shoved the coat and sash toward Selim.
"Hold these."
"Oh, uh—"
The moment after she spoke, Holo stroked her own ears, shook out her tail, and ran her fingers through her fur, nodding with a satisfied hum as she left the kitchen.
"Oh, there you are. How long were you planning on snacking?"
"Fool. I was doing no such thing."
"Oh? Then I'll ask Miss Hanna."
"I mind not, but be prepared for your assumptions to be wrong."
Selim could hear the exchange from the other side of the wall.
As she held to her chest the clothes Holo handed her, she felt for some reason like she wanted to cry.
"Oh dear, a life on the road with this fool. I can hardly bear the thought."
"I could say the exact same thing."
They spoke spitefully to each other, yet they sounded like they were on the verge of bursting out into laughter.
The two lived within their own fairy tale.
Selim looked to Hanna, and when Hanna noticed Selim's gaze, she turned up the corners of her mouth in a vague smile and gave an exaggerated shrug.
Selim almost wanted to laugh at herself for being so worried about keeping the bathhouse running to the point where it was giving her nightmares.
That was because—
"Um—"
Selim exited the kitchen, calling out to them, and the couple, walking side by side, turned toward her at the same time.
"Um..."
Selim swallowed and then spoke.
"Please return from your travels quickly."
The words she was so convinced someone in her position could not possibly say came out with incredible ease.
And then, the moment Holo and Lawrence heard her, they immediately pointed to each other as though they had planned it.
""That depends on—""
They both spoke at the same time, and then they both regarded the other with a frown.
"Why are you pointing at me?"
"Yeah, exactly—I was about to ask you the same thing."
The two lived within their own fairy tale.
It was then that Selim knew she could take care of the bathhouse while they were gone.
That was because she understood the secret behind why this bathhouse thrived the way it did.
"Heh-heh."
Selim giggled, making Lawrence and Holo both stare at her blankly, and then they started blaming each other for being laughed at.
Selim laughed and laughed in a way she had forgotten to for years.
They would return, and everyone here in this bathhouse would be waiting for them.
This bathhouse had been created because the two were so happy, and people came here to watch them.
The Nyohhira bathhouse Spice and Wolf.
A renowned bathhouse said to be the spring of smiles and happiness.
***
If someone wanted to hold a lively conversation with a traveler who happened to be nearby, there were routine topics that could always be discussed.
The state of safety in the area, the market price of various coins, which towns had the best food, and so on.
There was, however, one topic that those who spent any serious time on the road could always lose themselves in.
And that was the question of which season was ideal for travel.
"Oh, I hate the hot and the cold."
"Then spring or autumn?"
"Spring is not bad, but I cannot stand being so dreadfully restless. The melting winter snows, after all, make it muddy as well."
The one speaking, combing fur spread across her lap as she sat on the driver's perch of a cart, was a young girl, a hood completely covering her head. Generally speaking, she appeared plain, given that the only ornamentation on her person was a pouch hanging around her neck, but on closer inspection, the hems on her sleeves and on her sash were perfectly intact.
The sight of a girl wearing plain yet well-made clothes combined with the long and beautiful flaxen-colored hair peeking out from under her hood pointed to the possibility that she was a traveling nun or perhaps a lady from a good house on her way to be courted at an arranged meeting in a faraway territory.
The truth was that this girl was neither a nun nor a noble—or even a human.


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

Input:
"Oh, here comes the fool now."
Holo's ears stood straight up as she shoved the coat and sash toward Selim.
"Hold these."
"Oh, uh—"
The moment after she spoke, Holo stroked her own ears, shook out her tail, and ran her fingers through her fur, nodding with a satisfied hum as she left the kitchen.
"Oh, there you are. How long were you planning on snacking?"
"Fool. I was doing no such thing."
"Oh? Then I'll ask Miss Hanna."
"I mind not, but be prepared for your assumptions to be wrong."
Selim could hear the exchange from the other side of the wall.
As she held to her chest the clothes Holo handed her, she felt for some reason like she wanted to cry.
"Oh dear, a life on the road with this fool. I can hardly bear the thought."
"I could say the exact same thing."
They spoke spitefully to each other, yet they sounded like they were on the verge of bursting out into laughter.
The two lived within their own fairy tale.
Selim looked to Hanna, and when Hanna noticed Selim's gaze, she turned up the corners of her mouth in a vague smile and gave an exaggerated shrug.
Selim almost wanted to laugh at herself for being so worried about keeping the bathhouse running to the point where it was giving her nightmares.
That was because—
"Um—"
Selim exited the kitchen, calling out to them, and the couple, walking side by side, turned toward her at the same time.
"Um..."
Selim swallowed and then spoke.
"Please return from your travels quickly."
The words she was so convinced someone in her position could not possibly say came out with incredible ease.
And then, the moment Holo and Lawrence heard her, they immediately pointed to each other as though they had planned it.
""That depends on—""
They both spoke at the same time, and then they both regarded the other with a frown.
"Why are you pointing at me?"
"Yeah, exactly—I was about to ask you the same thing."
The two lived within their own fairy tale.
It was then that Selim knew she could take care of the bathhouse while they were gone.
That was because she understood the secret behind why this bathhouse thrived the way it did.
"Heh-heh."
Selim giggled, making Lawrence and Holo both stare at her blankly, and then they started blaming each other for being laughed at.
Selim laughed and laughed in a way she had forgotten to for years.
They would return, and everyone here in this bathhouse would be waiting for them.
This bathhouse had been created because the two were so happy, and people came here to watch them.
The Nyohhira bathhouse Spice and Wolf.
A renowned bathhouse said to be the spring of smiles and happiness.
***
If someone wanted to hold a lively conversation with a traveler who happened to be nearby, there were routine topics that could always be discussed.
The state of safety in the area, the market price of various coins, which towns had the best food, and so on.
There was, however, one topic that those who spent any serious time on the road could always lose themselves in.
And that was the question of which season was ideal for travel.
"Oh, I hate the hot and the cold."
"Then spring or autumn?"
"Spring is not bad, but I cannot stand being so dreadfully restless. The melting winter snows, after all, make it muddy as well."
The one speaking, combing fur spread across her lap as she sat on the driver's perch of a cart, was a young girl, a hood completely covering her head. Generally speaking, she appeared plain, given that the only ornamentation on her person was a pouch hanging around her neck, but on closer inspection, the hems on her sleeves and on her sash were perfectly intact.
The sight of a girl wearing plain yet well-made clothes combined with the long and beautiful flaxen-colored hair peeking out from under her hood pointed to the possibility that she was a traveling nun or perhaps a lady from a good house on her way to be courted at an arranged meeting in a faraway territory.
The truth was that this girl was neither a nun nor a noble—or even a human.

Output:
"When we set out, it must be in autumn, like now. While the winds might be chilly, 'tis nice and warm when the sun peeks out, and I quite enjoy sipping on mulled spirits in the nighttime. And this calm, somewhat lonely air that carries us ever closer to winter. Does it not suit an intelligent wisewolf like me?"
Holo, brushing her tail on the driver's perch, seemed to be in a good mood as she chatted. Perhaps that was why the coat of fur on her tail seemed fluffier than usual.
Sitting beside her was a former merchant, Lawrence. Over ten years ago, he had met Holo entirely by accident, and they ended up staying together after a considerable adventure. These days, they lived in the hot spring village of Nyohhira, and it would soon be a little over a decade since he first opened his bathhouse, Spice and Wolf.
"True, the color of your fur pairs nicely with the fall colors of the forest."
Holo took great pride in her tail, and she was always genuinely happy whenever he complimented her wolf form's fur.
"But the real reason you like fall is because the food is so good in this season, isn't it?"
The reason Lawrence spoke with a wry smile was because Holo was stuffing her face at that very moment with roasted chestnuts even as she groomed herself.
"There is no greater happiness in this world than eating good food."
His teasing did not discourage her; she devoured a roasted chestnut with a joyful smile and continued to care for her tail.
With a small, tired sigh, Lawrence tightened his grip on the reins of the cart.
"Well, it's not like we're on a penny-pinching journey to make a profit. We'll enjoy ourselves and dine on anything good we find on the road."
Holo turned toward Lawrence with wide, wolf pup–like eyes and beamed in delight.
Besides quick errands that briefly pulled them out of the village, it had been over ten years since Lawrence and Holo had last sat atop a rumbling cart together.
Before opening up shop in Nyohhira, Lawrence could hardly have imagined a lifestyle where he stayed and lived in only one village. It was a given for a traveling merchant to cross vast distances, and of course he would often be filled with anticipation about when he might be able to set off to his next destination.
But running a bathhouse was incredibly hectic, and more importantly, it was fun. Or perhaps it was more apt to say that after their daughter had been born, Lawrence had no time to pine for the road anymore. Ten years had passed by in a flash.
Consequently, it was not Lawrence but Holo who had brought up the idea of leaving Nyohhira to travel around for a while.
However, it went without saying that Holo was much more of a homebody. She was the type to be perfectly happy lazing around, drinking liquor in the baths all day, so of course she had her reasons for suggesting a trip.
"Well, then...First, we should decide where to go, but I wonder where those two are now...Their last letter came from a town in the south of the Winfiel Kingdom, didn't it?"
A letter sat on top of the map that was unfolded across Lawrence's lap. Two signatures adorned it—one belonged to Myuri, his and Holo's only daughter. She was now maybe twelve or thirteen, which was right around the age when society expected them to start talking about marriage.
The other signature belonged to Col, the young man who set off on a journey of his own in hopes of becoming a priest. His handwriting showed how earnest he was in pursuing his dream.
He was someone Lawrence and Holo had come to know during their peddling journey, and he had helped run the bathhouse starting the day they opened. It was also probably apt to say that he had been taking care of Myuri ever since she was born.
Back at home, Myuri obviously adored Col, calling him "Brother."
While they were not related by blood, they had a loving brother-sister bond.


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

Input:
"When we set out, it must be in autumn, like now. While the winds might be chilly, 'tis nice and warm when the sun peeks out, and I quite enjoy sipping on mulled spirits in the nighttime. And this calm, somewhat lonely air that carries us ever closer to winter. Does it not suit an intelligent wisewolf like me?"
Holo, brushing her tail on the driver's perch, seemed to be in a good mood as she chatted. Perhaps that was why the coat of fur on her tail seemed fluffier than usual.
Sitting beside her was a former merchant, Lawrence. Over ten years ago, he had met Holo entirely by accident, and they ended up staying together after a considerable adventure. These days, they lived in the hot spring village of Nyohhira, and it would soon be a little over a decade since he first opened his bathhouse, Spice and Wolf.
"True, the color of your fur pairs nicely with the fall colors of the forest."
Holo took great pride in her tail, and she was always genuinely happy whenever he complimented her wolf form's fur.
"But the real reason you like fall is because the food is so good in this season, isn't it?"
The reason Lawrence spoke with a wry smile was because Holo was stuffing her face at that very moment with roasted chestnuts even as she groomed herself.
"There is no greater happiness in this world than eating good food."
His teasing did not discourage her; she devoured a roasted chestnut with a joyful smile and continued to care for her tail.
With a small, tired sigh, Lawrence tightened his grip on the reins of the cart.
"Well, it's not like we're on a penny-pinching journey to make a profit. We'll enjoy ourselves and dine on anything good we find on the road."
Holo turned toward Lawrence with wide, wolf pup–like eyes and beamed in delight.
Besides quick errands that briefly pulled them out of the village, it had been over ten years since Lawrence and Holo had last sat atop a rumbling cart together.
Before opening up shop in Nyohhira, Lawrence could hardly have imagined a lifestyle where he stayed and lived in only one village. It was a given for a traveling merchant to cross vast distances, and of course he would often be filled with anticipation about when he might be able to set off to his next destination.
But running a bathhouse was incredibly hectic, and more importantly, it was fun. Or perhaps it was more apt to say that after their daughter had been born, Lawrence had no time to pine for the road anymore. Ten years had passed by in a flash.
Consequently, it was not Lawrence but Holo who had brought up the idea of leaving Nyohhira to travel around for a while.
However, it went without saying that Holo was much more of a homebody. She was the type to be perfectly happy lazing around, drinking liquor in the baths all day, so of course she had her reasons for suggesting a trip.
"Well, then...First, we should decide where to go, but I wonder where those two are now...Their last letter came from a town in the south of the Winfiel Kingdom, didn't it?"
A letter sat on top of the map that was unfolded across Lawrence's lap. Two signatures adorned it—one belonged to Myuri, his and Holo's only daughter. She was now maybe twelve or thirteen, which was right around the age when society expected them to start talking about marriage.
The other signature belonged to Col, the young man who set off on a journey of his own in hopes of becoming a priest. His handwriting showed how earnest he was in pursuing his dream.
He was someone Lawrence and Holo had come to know during their peddling journey, and he had helped run the bathhouse starting the day they opened. It was also probably apt to say that he had been taking care of Myuri ever since she was born.
Back at home, Myuri obviously adored Col, calling him "Brother."
While they were not related by blood, they had a loving brother-sister bond.

Output:
It came entirely out of left field for Lawrence, but his wife and Myuri's mother, Holo, knew everything.
Holo had let Myuri go, so there was nothing more Lawrence could do.
Furthermore, he knew that one day he would have to send off his daughter to be married.
And if the person she would marry was Col, then he had no complaints.
While Lawrence tried to convince himself of that, he still felt uneasy on the inside.
"They sent us a letter from waters much colder than Nyohhira at the beginning of spring."
Whether or not Holo knew how Lawrence felt on the inside, she fervently twisted the ends of the fur on her tail as she spoke, as though suddenly remembering.
"Right. A region of islands up north that I've never been to. Afterward, they headed south to the Winfiel Kingdom, spent the spring there, let the summer pass, and now they're somewhere in the southern part of the kingdom...There's always so much time between their letters...I really think they must have had their struggles, even if they won't write about them..."
Lawrence knew well the dangers and hardships of traveling. He could not say anything so carefree as No news is good news.
Bandits frequented roads, and there were plenty of crooks lurking within towns. Even barring those hazards, there was disease and injury to worry about. Anyone unlucky enough to be caught out in the rain or snow would quickly learn that it was entirely possible to die of the cold or starvation.
As a father, Lawrence felt his heart almost rip apart when he thought of his adorable only daughter, but Holo spoke with something near indifference.
"What are you saying? There must be more enjoyable things to do than penning letters to send us, no?"
Lawrence turned to Holo. She must have reached a stopping point in her grooming, since she was cracking open more chestnuts, stuffing their contents into her mouth.
"All the letters they send come bearing the scent of fun."
"...Fun...I guess so. Traveling is fun. All the delicious food and beautiful scenery can just snatch away your heart."
Lawrence was speaking more to himself than Holo, and Holo gave him a sidelong glance.
"If that is what you believe, then I shall not say anything."
***
He looked at her with the eyes of a sad puppy that had been mistreated.
Holo didn't think she had done anything mean, and in fact seemed rather exasperated with Lawrence's inability to accept the inevitable.
Of course, Lawrence was quite aware of the reality of the situation.
He had steeled himself for it from the moment his daughter was born—she would certainly one day go to someone else.
"...As long as they're happy...Obviously, I'm fine with that...," he said in a thin voice, and Holo chuckled before leaning against him.
"How it vexes me to see a fool be plagued by such foolish thoughts."
Holo's vaunted tail rustled.
"I am the only one who will stay by your side always. No matter what happens."
She offered him a kind smile and looked straight at him.
The Holo he usually saw would often ask for a morning drink before falling back asleep, and it was a daily occurrence that she either refused to let go of the blankets or openly declared her desire to not work. There were even times when she would throw tantrums after hearing stories from their patrons about exotic delicacies of faraway lands because of how badly she wanted to eat them.
That was why he often forgot that Holo was a centuries-old wisewolf.
This trip was something she had suggested out of consideration for Lawrence.
Perhaps they could see Myuri and Col once, either to calm down Lawrence, who was beside himself with worry about his daughter, or to help him accept things as they were.
Lawrence was indescribably happy that Holo was showing him so much concern. He was honestly happier about that than being able to see Myuri.
He didn't need anything else as long as Holo was by his side.


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

Input:
It came entirely out of left field for Lawrence, but his wife and Myuri's mother, Holo, knew everything.
Holo had let Myuri go, so there was nothing more Lawrence could do.
Furthermore, he knew that one day he would have to send off his daughter to be married.
And if the person she would marry was Col, then he had no complaints.
While Lawrence tried to convince himself of that, he still felt uneasy on the inside.
"They sent us a letter from waters much colder than Nyohhira at the beginning of spring."
Whether or not Holo knew how Lawrence felt on the inside, she fervently twisted the ends of the fur on her tail as she spoke, as though suddenly remembering.
"Right. A region of islands up north that I've never been to. Afterward, they headed south to the Winfiel Kingdom, spent the spring there, let the summer pass, and now they're somewhere in the southern part of the kingdom...There's always so much time between their letters...I really think they must have had their struggles, even if they won't write about them..."
Lawrence knew well the dangers and hardships of traveling. He could not say anything so carefree as No news is good news.
Bandits frequented roads, and there were plenty of crooks lurking within towns. Even barring those hazards, there was disease and injury to worry about. Anyone unlucky enough to be caught out in the rain or snow would quickly learn that it was entirely possible to die of the cold or starvation.
As a father, Lawrence felt his heart almost rip apart when he thought of his adorable only daughter, but Holo spoke with something near indifference.
"What are you saying? There must be more enjoyable things to do than penning letters to send us, no?"
Lawrence turned to Holo. She must have reached a stopping point in her grooming, since she was cracking open more chestnuts, stuffing their contents into her mouth.
"All the letters they send come bearing the scent of fun."
"...Fun...I guess so. Traveling is fun. All the delicious food and beautiful scenery can just snatch away your heart."
Lawrence was speaking more to himself than Holo, and Holo gave him a sidelong glance.
"If that is what you believe, then I shall not say anything."
***
He looked at her with the eyes of a sad puppy that had been mistreated.
Holo didn't think she had done anything mean, and in fact seemed rather exasperated with Lawrence's inability to accept the inevitable.
Of course, Lawrence was quite aware of the reality of the situation.
He had steeled himself for it from the moment his daughter was born—she would certainly one day go to someone else.
"...As long as they're happy...Obviously, I'm fine with that...," he said in a thin voice, and Holo chuckled before leaning against him.
"How it vexes me to see a fool be plagued by such foolish thoughts."
Holo's vaunted tail rustled.
"I am the only one who will stay by your side always. No matter what happens."
She offered him a kind smile and looked straight at him.
The Holo he usually saw would often ask for a morning drink before falling back asleep, and it was a daily occurrence that she either refused to let go of the blankets or openly declared her desire to not work. There were even times when she would throw tantrums after hearing stories from their patrons about exotic delicacies of faraway lands because of how badly she wanted to eat them.
That was why he often forgot that Holo was a centuries-old wisewolf.
This trip was something she had suggested out of consideration for Lawrence.
Perhaps they could see Myuri and Col once, either to calm down Lawrence, who was beside himself with worry about his daughter, or to help him accept things as they were.
Lawrence was indescribably happy that Holo was showing him so much concern. He was honestly happier about that than being able to see Myuri.
He didn't need anything else as long as Holo was by his side.

Output:
A smile broke out naturally on Lawrence's face when he took in Holo's sincere expression.
"Yeah, you're right. I have you."
When he said that, Holo grinned. It was the smile of a long-lived and kindhearted wisewolf.
Lawrence gently wrapped his arm around Holo's shoulder and pulled her closer. When he squeezed tighter, Holo's tail started happily bouncing back and forth.
Heading out on a journey like this was worthwhile even if only because it meant they would have more time alone together.
"Oh."
"Hmm?"
Holo stirred in Lawrence's arms, and she looked up at him.
"I believe we should head to Svernel first."
"Svernel?"
It was the biggest town located near Nyohhira.
"Mm. The sheep and pigs and chickens there must have gotten plump over the summer, no? And that fool Millike must be around as well. I like it because there are always sweets."
Millike was another animal avatar who had a centuries-long life span like Holo. He was also a man of influence in Svernel.
While the two of them always looked like they did not get along, they were surprisingly good friends.
The last time Holo and Lawrence visited him, they were served sweets that were sugared purple flower petals.
"...We'd be farther from the sea if we went to Svernel," Lawrence replied, his eyes dropping to the map, and he suddenly felt a gaze boring into his cheek.
"We are not in a hurry."
"Well, yeah, that's true...," Lawrence said, looking at the cheerful Holo with a cool gaze. "Don't tell me you acted so admirably just now all to convince me to take a detour to Svernel..."
"Wh—?"
Holo's wolf ears stood up straight and she widened her eyes, at a loss for words.
"I...I was simply thinking of you..."
Her ears drooped, her shoulders sagged, and her tail slumped; her entire body seemed to deflate.
Her slender frame made things worse—she looked so pitiful, but it wasn't as if Lawrence had lived with her for over a decade with nothing to show for it.
"Honeyed peaches."
***
Holo's wolf ears perked up even though she clearly didn't intend for them to do so.
Lawrence regarded her with narrowed eyes, and she opened hers again to glare back.
"Is that all you think of me?!"
He would never doubt the depth of Holo's concern for him, but ulterior motives were ulterior motives.
"We just started our trip. If we indulge in luxuries from the get-go, we won't have any money left for the rest of it."
"You fool! Are you not supposed to be selling the cargo behind us in the first place?! A town filled with lots of people will be a good opportunity for you!"
Holo was referring to the great number of sacks piled on the cart bed. Inside was sulfur powder, sourced from the Nyohhira hot springs, given to them by the other bathhouse owners when they found out the couple was going on a trip, so it could be sold along the way.
It had been over ten years since Lawrence first opened his bathhouse in the village, but since he was still considered the newcomer, he didn't hold a very influential position. When his seniors asked him to do something, he couldn't refuse.
Lawrence would have to sell all the cargo while he and Holo were on the road, but sheer quantity made that difficult.
"The Nyohhira bathhouses order everything from Svernel. The market there is fully stocked with the sulfur from the baths, so we won't have much luck selling there."
"Grrr..."
"Let's head west and follow the river down to a port town called Atiph. The catches should've all been unloaded by this time of year, so the town should be overflowing with fish. They're all fatty and really good."
"Fish do not fill me up...Ooh...stuffed chicken...roasted pig...beef shoulder..."
Holo groaned in a faint voice like a maidservant who never received enough food.
Just a moment earlier, she had been stuffing her face full of roasted chestnuts—Lawrence could feel only exasperation.
Well, perhaps she simply craved something savory after feasting on the sweet chestnuts.


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

Input:
A smile broke out naturally on Lawrence's face when he took in Holo's sincere expression.
"Yeah, you're right. I have you."
When he said that, Holo grinned. It was the smile of a long-lived and kindhearted wisewolf.
Lawrence gently wrapped his arm around Holo's shoulder and pulled her closer. When he squeezed tighter, Holo's tail started happily bouncing back and forth.
Heading out on a journey like this was worthwhile even if only because it meant they would have more time alone together.
"Oh."
"Hmm?"
Holo stirred in Lawrence's arms, and she looked up at him.
"I believe we should head to Svernel first."
"Svernel?"
It was the biggest town located near Nyohhira.
"Mm. The sheep and pigs and chickens there must have gotten plump over the summer, no? And that fool Millike must be around as well. I like it because there are always sweets."
Millike was another animal avatar who had a centuries-long life span like Holo. He was also a man of influence in Svernel.
While the two of them always looked like they did not get along, they were surprisingly good friends.
The last time Holo and Lawrence visited him, they were served sweets that were sugared purple flower petals.
"...We'd be farther from the sea if we went to Svernel," Lawrence replied, his eyes dropping to the map, and he suddenly felt a gaze boring into his cheek.
"We are not in a hurry."
"Well, yeah, that's true...," Lawrence said, looking at the cheerful Holo with a cool gaze. "Don't tell me you acted so admirably just now all to convince me to take a detour to Svernel..."
"Wh—?"
Holo's wolf ears stood up straight and she widened her eyes, at a loss for words.
"I...I was simply thinking of you..."
Her ears drooped, her shoulders sagged, and her tail slumped; her entire body seemed to deflate.
Her slender frame made things worse—she looked so pitiful, but it wasn't as if Lawrence had lived with her for over a decade with nothing to show for it.
"Honeyed peaches."
***
Holo's wolf ears perked up even though she clearly didn't intend for them to do so.
Lawrence regarded her with narrowed eyes, and she opened hers again to glare back.
"Is that all you think of me?!"
He would never doubt the depth of Holo's concern for him, but ulterior motives were ulterior motives.
"We just started our trip. If we indulge in luxuries from the get-go, we won't have any money left for the rest of it."
"You fool! Are you not supposed to be selling the cargo behind us in the first place?! A town filled with lots of people will be a good opportunity for you!"
Holo was referring to the great number of sacks piled on the cart bed. Inside was sulfur powder, sourced from the Nyohhira hot springs, given to them by the other bathhouse owners when they found out the couple was going on a trip, so it could be sold along the way.
It had been over ten years since Lawrence first opened his bathhouse in the village, but since he was still considered the newcomer, he didn't hold a very influential position. When his seniors asked him to do something, he couldn't refuse.
Lawrence would have to sell all the cargo while he and Holo were on the road, but sheer quantity made that difficult.
"The Nyohhira bathhouses order everything from Svernel. The market there is fully stocked with the sulfur from the baths, so we won't have much luck selling there."
"Grrr..."
"Let's head west and follow the river down to a port town called Atiph. The catches should've all been unloaded by this time of year, so the town should be overflowing with fish. They're all fatty and really good."
"Fish do not fill me up...Ooh...stuffed chicken...roasted pig...beef shoulder..."
Holo groaned in a faint voice like a maidservant who never received enough food.
Just a moment earlier, she had been stuffing her face full of roasted chestnuts—Lawrence could feel only exasperation.
Well, perhaps she simply craved something savory after feasting on the sweet chestnuts.

Output:
Deep in the mountains of Nyohhira, river fish aside, most of the fare that crossed their tables was cured. Most seafood consisted of herring, though cod and flounder sometimes made an appearance. It was typically not the kind of food most people wanted to eat every day.
But fresh fish that couldn't be had anywhere but seaside towns could be boiled or fried.
"And if the point is to find a place where we can trade, then you should know that Atiph probably has fresh wine."
Holo's ears perked.
"They might have dried grapes or, if we're lucky, fresh ones."
Grapes could be found only in places that were relatively warm, so it was normally uncommon to find them fresh in this region.
Holo turned away in a huff with no intention of listening to Lawrence, but she swallowed.
"Well?"
She stayed quiet.
There was only the clip, clop of the horse's hooves and the rattling of the cart.
Above them on the road that cut through the forest, several little birds flew by, singing.
When Lawrence peered up at the sky and squinted, appreciating the fine season, he felt a headbutt on his shoulder.
"...You fool," a sulking Holo said curtly. She had apparently given up.
Seeing Holo acting so childishly, Lawrence found himself smiling wryly. But some of that sentiment was also directed toward himself.
He had fought his share of battles with Holo's appetite in the bathhouse, of course. However, that duty generally fell to their worker Hanna, who was in charge of the kitchen, so this was the first time in a while that Lawrence got to do this head-on; it not only brought back memories, but it was also rather fun.
They had always been like this when he was traveling as a merchant.
A smile broke out on his face because he so adored these conversations of theirs.
"It finally feels like we're on a journey."
His manner of speech sounded so different that Holo's ears and tail stood on end.
Not long after, Holo begrudgingly stared up at Lawrence.
"Then—"
"Well, making my heart flutter still won't loosen my purse strings."
When he said that, Holo responded with a dejected look.
"Hmph. 'Twould be much too pitiful to be swindled out of it all right from the start."
"You say that all the time."
"What does that mean?"
"What about it?"
As they talked, the cart rolled lazily down the road.
In the end, they both stared at each other and burst out laughing.
There was a river that flowed through the mountain hot spring village of Nyohhira, so visitors often came and went by boat when they were in a hurry or when the snowdrifts swelled.
But when it came to loading a horse and cart on board, it became necessary to rent a ship with enough space to accommodate them, and a single crewman wouldn't cut it.
After reviewing their budget and other considerations, Lawrence and Holo had finally departed on their journey atop their cart, and even after the sky started to display the colors of evening, they were still on the road. They strung a tarp between two trees, and at the small firepit they had shaped with rows of stones, Holo sat hugging her knees, pouting.
"...Camping straightaway..."
They had thought it might be possible to reach an inn at the nearest checkpoint if they tried their best, but it had been so long since they last took a cart along a mountain road, and they went slower than they had hoped.
"A soft bed...a thick blanket...a warm bath...plenty of meat and wine..."
Holo murmured, as though believing that if she closed her eyes and prayed, what she wanted most would surely appear right before her, but Lawrence ignored her pleas and handed her a dark piece of bread that was half-wheat and half-rye.
"Come on—we got this bread baked for us. It has some rye mixed in. Doesn't it remind you of the good old days?"
On their previous peddling journey, Holo and Lawrence had rarely ever gotten to eat white wheat bread. They often dejectedly dunked wood-hard black loaves of rye in ale to soften them as much as they could.


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

Input:
Deep in the mountains of Nyohhira, river fish aside, most of the fare that crossed their tables was cured. Most seafood consisted of herring, though cod and flounder sometimes made an appearance. It was typically not the kind of food most people wanted to eat every day.
But fresh fish that couldn't be had anywhere but seaside towns could be boiled or fried.
"And if the point is to find a place where we can trade, then you should know that Atiph probably has fresh wine."
Holo's ears perked.
"They might have dried grapes or, if we're lucky, fresh ones."
Grapes could be found only in places that were relatively warm, so it was normally uncommon to find them fresh in this region.
Holo turned away in a huff with no intention of listening to Lawrence, but she swallowed.
"Well?"
She stayed quiet.
There was only the clip, clop of the horse's hooves and the rattling of the cart.
Above them on the road that cut through the forest, several little birds flew by, singing.
When Lawrence peered up at the sky and squinted, appreciating the fine season, he felt a headbutt on his shoulder.
"...You fool," a sulking Holo said curtly. She had apparently given up.
Seeing Holo acting so childishly, Lawrence found himself smiling wryly. But some of that sentiment was also directed toward himself.
He had fought his share of battles with Holo's appetite in the bathhouse, of course. However, that duty generally fell to their worker Hanna, who was in charge of the kitchen, so this was the first time in a while that Lawrence got to do this head-on; it not only brought back memories, but it was also rather fun.
They had always been like this when he was traveling as a merchant.
A smile broke out on his face because he so adored these conversations of theirs.
"It finally feels like we're on a journey."
His manner of speech sounded so different that Holo's ears and tail stood on end.
Not long after, Holo begrudgingly stared up at Lawrence.
"Then—"
"Well, making my heart flutter still won't loosen my purse strings."
When he said that, Holo responded with a dejected look.
"Hmph. 'Twould be much too pitiful to be swindled out of it all right from the start."
"You say that all the time."
"What does that mean?"
"What about it?"
As they talked, the cart rolled lazily down the road.
In the end, they both stared at each other and burst out laughing.
There was a river that flowed through the mountain hot spring village of Nyohhira, so visitors often came and went by boat when they were in a hurry or when the snowdrifts swelled.
But when it came to loading a horse and cart on board, it became necessary to rent a ship with enough space to accommodate them, and a single crewman wouldn't cut it.
After reviewing their budget and other considerations, Lawrence and Holo had finally departed on their journey atop their cart, and even after the sky started to display the colors of evening, they were still on the road. They strung a tarp between two trees, and at the small firepit they had shaped with rows of stones, Holo sat hugging her knees, pouting.
"...Camping straightaway..."
They had thought it might be possible to reach an inn at the nearest checkpoint if they tried their best, but it had been so long since they last took a cart along a mountain road, and they went slower than they had hoped.
"A soft bed...a thick blanket...a warm bath...plenty of meat and wine..."
Holo murmured, as though believing that if she closed her eyes and prayed, what she wanted most would surely appear right before her, but Lawrence ignored her pleas and handed her a dark piece of bread that was half-wheat and half-rye.
"Come on—we got this bread baked for us. It has some rye mixed in. Doesn't it remind you of the good old days?"
On their previous peddling journey, Holo and Lawrence had rarely ever gotten to eat white wheat bread. They often dejectedly dunked wood-hard black loaves of rye in ale to soften them as much as they could.

Output:
"Why not just have regular wheat bread...?"
"Pure wheat bread goes bad fast. It might be fine in the dead of winter, but some days are still warm this time of year, and that will be especially true once we get off the mountain."
Lawrence placed a small iron pot onto the firepit as he spoke, cutting thin slices of cured meat and putting them in.
Holo finally sighed, giving in as she started munching on her bread now that she had confirmed the presence of meat.
"Cut thicker slices."
"Frugality, frugality."
Holo glared at Lawrence with teary eyes as he quickly put away the hunk of cured meat.
"If we have any spare change left over, we'll treat ourselves on the way back."
When he offered Holo his merchant's smile, the centuries-old, self-proclaimed wisewolf pouted and frowned like a little girl.
"You fool...Come now—fry the meat. This dark bread is so bitter and sour, I cannot stand it without meat."
"Yeah, just wait a second...Hoo, ho...Hmm?"
Lawrence was hunched over, striking the flint together, but the tinder of plant buds didn't react at all.
"It is dry, right...? Here we go..."
He clacked the stones together again, but they weren't making sparks very well. He never kindled the fires himself at the bathhouse, so he was entirely out of practice.
After a short struggle, Lawrence's hands and hunched back started to ache, so he stretched out with a groan. That was when he noticed Holo's cool stare.
"...Just...just a little more."
"I hope so," Holo said with a sigh, and Lawrence started striking the flint together again, refusing to give up.
He then heard three very deliberate-sounding yawns from Holo, but the fire still would not light.
"...I should've practiced before we left..."
"I worry for the future."
He looked reproachfully at Holo as she muttered, but she turned away.
"Mrgh..."
As he stayed crouched, striking the flints together, all sorts of spots on his body began to hurt. His joints were clearly stiffer than they used to be.
He was amazed, finally understanding what it meant to get older, and came back to his senses when Holo remarked, "Honestly," with a sigh. "If anger could start fires, then all I would have to do is tease you."
Holo obviously had no intentions of blaming him anymore, and her attitude invited Lawrence to give an indignant response.
"No, if that was the case, then things would be faster if I invited a passing shepherdess to eat with us."
"Oh, and what does that mean?"
"The Great Wisewolf should know what that means right away."
Lawrence and Holo glared at each other and then sighed at the same time.
"'Tis fine, since we are not in the cold of winter yet, but...hard, dark bread and raw cured meat horrify me. Shall I make a quick run back to the bathhouse to retrieve some live coals for today?"
Holo's true form was a massive, towering wolf; it would be easy for her to cross three mountains in a single night.
"No...Let's leave that as our last resort...I appreciate the offer, though."
"Hmm? Very well, then. I know you have your pride as a boy."
Holo teased him, but he no longer believed that he would be able to kindle a satisfying fire.
"Considering how this is going, I feel like Myuri would be able to thrive outside the village much better than we can..."
Lawrence was truly upset at how pitiful he felt, and Holo, who was fundamentally a kind person, offered a troubled smile.
"True. She manages to hunt in the mountains in her human form, after all. Even I cannot do such a thing."
While she could display her power as a wolf in all sorts of important ways, Holo was generally the little girl she appeared to be when in her human form.


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

Input:
"Why not just have regular wheat bread...?"
"Pure wheat bread goes bad fast. It might be fine in the dead of winter, but some days are still warm this time of year, and that will be especially true once we get off the mountain."
Lawrence placed a small iron pot onto the firepit as he spoke, cutting thin slices of cured meat and putting them in.
Holo finally sighed, giving in as she started munching on her bread now that she had confirmed the presence of meat.
"Cut thicker slices."
"Frugality, frugality."
Holo glared at Lawrence with teary eyes as he quickly put away the hunk of cured meat.
"If we have any spare change left over, we'll treat ourselves on the way back."
When he offered Holo his merchant's smile, the centuries-old, self-proclaimed wisewolf pouted and frowned like a little girl.
"You fool...Come now—fry the meat. This dark bread is so bitter and sour, I cannot stand it without meat."
"Yeah, just wait a second...Hoo, ho...Hmm?"
Lawrence was hunched over, striking the flint together, but the tinder of plant buds didn't react at all.
"It is dry, right...? Here we go..."
He clacked the stones together again, but they weren't making sparks very well. He never kindled the fires himself at the bathhouse, so he was entirely out of practice.
After a short struggle, Lawrence's hands and hunched back started to ache, so he stretched out with a groan. That was when he noticed Holo's cool stare.
"...Just...just a little more."
"I hope so," Holo said with a sigh, and Lawrence started striking the flint together again, refusing to give up.
He then heard three very deliberate-sounding yawns from Holo, but the fire still would not light.
"...I should've practiced before we left..."
"I worry for the future."
He looked reproachfully at Holo as she muttered, but she turned away.
"Mrgh..."
As he stayed crouched, striking the flints together, all sorts of spots on his body began to hurt. His joints were clearly stiffer than they used to be.
He was amazed, finally understanding what it meant to get older, and came back to his senses when Holo remarked, "Honestly," with a sigh. "If anger could start fires, then all I would have to do is tease you."
Holo obviously had no intentions of blaming him anymore, and her attitude invited Lawrence to give an indignant response.
"No, if that was the case, then things would be faster if I invited a passing shepherdess to eat with us."
"Oh, and what does that mean?"
"The Great Wisewolf should know what that means right away."
Lawrence and Holo glared at each other and then sighed at the same time.
"'Tis fine, since we are not in the cold of winter yet, but...hard, dark bread and raw cured meat horrify me. Shall I make a quick run back to the bathhouse to retrieve some live coals for today?"
Holo's true form was a massive, towering wolf; it would be easy for her to cross three mountains in a single night.
"No...Let's leave that as our last resort...I appreciate the offer, though."
"Hmm? Very well, then. I know you have your pride as a boy."
Holo teased him, but he no longer believed that he would be able to kindle a satisfying fire.
"Considering how this is going, I feel like Myuri would be able to thrive outside the village much better than we can..."
Lawrence was truly upset at how pitiful he felt, and Holo, who was fundamentally a kind person, offered a troubled smile.
"True. She manages to hunt in the mountains in her human form, after all. Even I cannot do such a thing."
While she could display her power as a wolf in all sorts of important ways, Holo was generally the little girl she appeared to be when in her human form.

Output:
She could flourish on her own in the mountains if they sent her out there.
"Mm, indeed. That little fool did try it once before, no?"
"Hmm?"
Holo stood as though recalling something, leaving the canopy to approach the cart.
As Lawrence wondered what she was doing, she pulled out a bag from the luggage piled on the cart bed.
"See, she once heard that the yellow powder could be used as kindling and made such a commotion when she tried it in the hearth, remember?"
"Right."
Lawrence instantly remembered and smiled wryly.
When he recalled that moment, he could actually detect the bitter taste filling his mouth again.
"She learned that from Mr. Luward, didn't she? A way to start a fire quickly."
"Why not give it a go? I'm sure 'twould not be a problem if it smells foul...Well, I shall still separate myself," Holo said as she placed the bag before him. It was stuffed with the sulfur powder harvested from the baths.
"I've heard that a pure hunk of sulfur is better for kindling, but...Well, I'll give it a shot."
He suspected that his trouble was because of his failure to use the flint effectively in the first place, but Holo wasn't alone in rejecting the idea of camping outside without a fire. Lawrence decided to try everything he could, so he scattered the sulfur onto the tinder and even rubbed some on the dried grasses and twigs.
He then crouched down and struck the flint together...and a bright-red flame suddenly burst from the cottony tinder.
"Ooh!"
Even though it wouldn't have been such an event way back when, Lawrence could not help voicing his delight. The sulfur probably had very little to do with it; he was sure he had recovered his strength after a bit of a rest.
Either way, he didn't plan on letting the embers go to waste, so he covered them with his hand, breathed on them, and once smoke started to rise, he transferred the flame to the dried grass. It grew larger in an instant.
Why, it's easy after all.
Lawrence got up with a radiant look, and just as he was about to say those exact words to Holo, he realized she was gone. He looked around the area and found her hiding behind a distant tree, only her face showing.
"You don't have to be so..."
It happened just as Lawrence started laughing.
He then heard a sputtering noise as though something was burning. He turned around and saw thick smoke rising from the fire.
Immediately afterward, he covered his face once he noticed the offensive stench.
It was metallic, like charred iron—the smell of sulfur. The discomfort didn't stop at his nose—it left a bitter taste in his mouth and brought tears to his eyes.
***
The odor was repulsive enough in his memory, but facing it in reality proved it smelled much worse than he remembered.
When Myuri had thrown the powder into the hearth without thinking, Lawrence could detect the nasty tang throughout the house for nearly a week afterward, and Holo had been sniffing it for nearly a month.
Not even Lawrence could bear the smoke anymore, so he ran toward Holo.
"You fool! Don't come this way!"
Holo genuinely rejected him, as though the day they exchanged vows of love to stay together until death had never happened. Though Lawrence was slightly hurt, he stopped in his tracks because he saw Holo was holding bread.
He did not want to eat his dinner by that hellish fire, either.
He held his breath and returned to the fire, collecting his bread and the small cask full of ale before rushing to Holo.
Holo seemed grumpy as her nose wrinkled at his approach, but when Lawrence handed her the cask of ale, she reluctantly allowed him to sit next to her.
But she still gave Lawrence a displeased sniff and scrunched up her face.
"You shall be sleeping on your own tonight."


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

Input:
She could flourish on her own in the mountains if they sent her out there.
"Mm, indeed. That little fool did try it once before, no?"
"Hmm?"
Holo stood as though recalling something, leaving the canopy to approach the cart.
As Lawrence wondered what she was doing, she pulled out a bag from the luggage piled on the cart bed.
"See, she once heard that the yellow powder could be used as kindling and made such a commotion when she tried it in the hearth, remember?"
"Right."
Lawrence instantly remembered and smiled wryly.
When he recalled that moment, he could actually detect the bitter taste filling his mouth again.
"She learned that from Mr. Luward, didn't she? A way to start a fire quickly."
"Why not give it a go? I'm sure 'twould not be a problem if it smells foul...Well, I shall still separate myself," Holo said as she placed the bag before him. It was stuffed with the sulfur powder harvested from the baths.
"I've heard that a pure hunk of sulfur is better for kindling, but...Well, I'll give it a shot."
He suspected that his trouble was because of his failure to use the flint effectively in the first place, but Holo wasn't alone in rejecting the idea of camping outside without a fire. Lawrence decided to try everything he could, so he scattered the sulfur onto the tinder and even rubbed some on the dried grasses and twigs.
He then crouched down and struck the flint together...and a bright-red flame suddenly burst from the cottony tinder.
"Ooh!"
Even though it wouldn't have been such an event way back when, Lawrence could not help voicing his delight. The sulfur probably had very little to do with it; he was sure he had recovered his strength after a bit of a rest.
Either way, he didn't plan on letting the embers go to waste, so he covered them with his hand, breathed on them, and once smoke started to rise, he transferred the flame to the dried grass. It grew larger in an instant.
Why, it's easy after all.
Lawrence got up with a radiant look, and just as he was about to say those exact words to Holo, he realized she was gone. He looked around the area and found her hiding behind a distant tree, only her face showing.
"You don't have to be so..."
It happened just as Lawrence started laughing.
He then heard a sputtering noise as though something was burning. He turned around and saw thick smoke rising from the fire.
Immediately afterward, he covered his face once he noticed the offensive stench.
It was metallic, like charred iron—the smell of sulfur. The discomfort didn't stop at his nose—it left a bitter taste in his mouth and brought tears to his eyes.
***
The odor was repulsive enough in his memory, but facing it in reality proved it smelled much worse than he remembered.
When Myuri had thrown the powder into the hearth without thinking, Lawrence could detect the nasty tang throughout the house for nearly a week afterward, and Holo had been sniffing it for nearly a month.
Not even Lawrence could bear the smoke anymore, so he ran toward Holo.
"You fool! Don't come this way!"
Holo genuinely rejected him, as though the day they exchanged vows of love to stay together until death had never happened. Though Lawrence was slightly hurt, he stopped in his tracks because he saw Holo was holding bread.
He did not want to eat his dinner by that hellish fire, either.
He held his breath and returned to the fire, collecting his bread and the small cask full of ale before rushing to Holo.
Holo seemed grumpy as her nose wrinkled at his approach, but when Lawrence handed her the cask of ale, she reluctantly allowed him to sit next to her.
But she still gave Lawrence a displeased sniff and scrunched up her face.
"You shall be sleeping on your own tonight."

Output:
Though true winter was still a while away, the mountain nights were cold. Having Holo's fluffy tail and her childlike high body temperature made a big difference.
But that said, if he forced her to sleep together, she might actually grow angry with him.
Lawrence sighed, stared at the smoke billowing from the fire, and then sighed again.
Seeing how the first day of their trip had turned out made him worry about what was to come.
The next morning, Lawrence awoke with a sneeze, only to find Holo already sitting on the driver's perch.
She was concentrating on writing something, probably her diary; she had not been able to write the night before because she refused to get close to the fire.
It frightened him slightly to imagine what sort of curses and complaints she was writing about him.
Whether it was because the sulfur powder had completely burned away or because his nose simply got used to the smell, he had managed to fall asleep by the fire the night before when it stopped smelling too terrible. Now, in the white ashes, the charcoal was glowing red.
"Is the smell gone?"
When Lawrence asked, Holo gave a big sigh. It was not terribly cold, but the air was damp, so her white breath danced in the morning sun.
"Somehow. Honestly, 'twould be very effective if you sold that as wolf repellent."
"...I'll think about it."
Holo had meant it as a joke, so she flinched in response to Lawrence's sincere reply.
"I guess we'll have breakfast for now...We couldn't eat anything warm last night."
"You ate the meat from the pot, no?"
Lawrence shrugged as he added more fuel to the ash.
"I told you that it didn't smell as bad as I thought it would, but you didn't believe me."
Holo groaned and stepped down from the driver's perch.
"The sulfur on the cart is not as terrible, but you must quickly do something about all this."
Last night, she had slept in the gaps between the bags of sulfur on the cart.
"You always used to get mad when I put something on the cart on our old trip. Fish, metal, anything."
Once the fire started growing, Lawrence set up the iron pot, filling it with the cured meat and some eggs they had brought from Nyohhira. As long as the shells didn't break, eggs kept well and added variety to meals, which made them valuable. They were often buried inside things like flour when stored for travel. Of course, on this trip, they were being kept inside the sulfur powder. As long as the eggs weren't left in the bags for too long, the contents shouldn't start tasting like the powder they were packed in.
"I would not be so angry if you brought along anything more delicious. Something like dried fruits or perhaps sugared ones."
Her tail wagged as she spoke in rapt attention.
"Fool. Sweets are expensive."
As Lawrence copied Holo's usual insult, he made a slice in some bread, scooped up a serving of fried egg and cured meat with a spatula just as it was done cooking, then stuffed it into the bread along with a topping of cheese.
"Here."
"Hmm."
Holo took the bread, and just as he thought she would bite right into it, she stared fixedly at it.
"What is it?"
"Hmm."
Holo stayed in place, her head hanging low from staring down at her food, only lifting her gaze to look at Lawrence.
"I did not eat any meat yesterday. I believe I should receive more now to make up for lost meat."
He was astonished by the extent of her gluttony first thing in the morning, but he collected himself—he should not give in to her cajoling.
"No. Trips have itineraries. You know from our previous peddling journey that not sticking to the plan will land us in trouble."
Holo always seemed like she wanted to do things her way, but she understood when pushing and prodding wouldn't get her anywhere and could pull back at those times. That was because she could see the difference from Lawrence's usual demeanor that often led to him spoiling her whenever she pressured him.
That was why when he spoke firmly for a change, Holo was evidently dissatisfied, but she nodded reluctantly.


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

Input:
Though true winter was still a while away, the mountain nights were cold. Having Holo's fluffy tail and her childlike high body temperature made a big difference.
But that said, if he forced her to sleep together, she might actually grow angry with him.
Lawrence sighed, stared at the smoke billowing from the fire, and then sighed again.
Seeing how the first day of their trip had turned out made him worry about what was to come.
The next morning, Lawrence awoke with a sneeze, only to find Holo already sitting on the driver's perch.
She was concentrating on writing something, probably her diary; she had not been able to write the night before because she refused to get close to the fire.
It frightened him slightly to imagine what sort of curses and complaints she was writing about him.
Whether it was because the sulfur powder had completely burned away or because his nose simply got used to the smell, he had managed to fall asleep by the fire the night before when it stopped smelling too terrible. Now, in the white ashes, the charcoal was glowing red.
"Is the smell gone?"
When Lawrence asked, Holo gave a big sigh. It was not terribly cold, but the air was damp, so her white breath danced in the morning sun.
"Somehow. Honestly, 'twould be very effective if you sold that as wolf repellent."
"...I'll think about it."
Holo had meant it as a joke, so she flinched in response to Lawrence's sincere reply.
"I guess we'll have breakfast for now...We couldn't eat anything warm last night."
"You ate the meat from the pot, no?"
Lawrence shrugged as he added more fuel to the ash.
"I told you that it didn't smell as bad as I thought it would, but you didn't believe me."
Holo groaned and stepped down from the driver's perch.
"The sulfur on the cart is not as terrible, but you must quickly do something about all this."
Last night, she had slept in the gaps between the bags of sulfur on the cart.
"You always used to get mad when I put something on the cart on our old trip. Fish, metal, anything."
Once the fire started growing, Lawrence set up the iron pot, filling it with the cured meat and some eggs they had brought from Nyohhira. As long as the shells didn't break, eggs kept well and added variety to meals, which made them valuable. They were often buried inside things like flour when stored for travel. Of course, on this trip, they were being kept inside the sulfur powder. As long as the eggs weren't left in the bags for too long, the contents shouldn't start tasting like the powder they were packed in.
"I would not be so angry if you brought along anything more delicious. Something like dried fruits or perhaps sugared ones."
Her tail wagged as she spoke in rapt attention.
"Fool. Sweets are expensive."
As Lawrence copied Holo's usual insult, he made a slice in some bread, scooped up a serving of fried egg and cured meat with a spatula just as it was done cooking, then stuffed it into the bread along with a topping of cheese.
"Here."
"Hmm."
Holo took the bread, and just as he thought she would bite right into it, she stared fixedly at it.
"What is it?"
"Hmm."
Holo stayed in place, her head hanging low from staring down at her food, only lifting her gaze to look at Lawrence.
"I did not eat any meat yesterday. I believe I should receive more now to make up for lost meat."
He was astonished by the extent of her gluttony first thing in the morning, but he collected himself—he should not give in to her cajoling.
"No. Trips have itineraries. You know from our previous peddling journey that not sticking to the plan will land us in trouble."
Holo always seemed like she wanted to do things her way, but she understood when pushing and prodding wouldn't get her anywhere and could pull back at those times. That was because she could see the difference from Lawrence's usual demeanor that often led to him spoiling her whenever she pressured him.
That was why when he spoke firmly for a change, Holo was evidently dissatisfied, but she nodded reluctantly.

Output:
"Call it being careful."
Holo glanced at Lawrence and shrugged.
That was most likely a sign that she was surprised he had the nerve to call himself that when thinking back on their old travels together. On his journey with her, he often tried showing off in front of her, intentionally getting himself involved in risky business.
And more importantly, not even a full day had passed since the night they ran into trouble with just one campfire. Lawrence was not very convincing.
"...Yesterday was our first day on the road in a long time. Things will go smoother from now on."
He could not help but say that, sounding as though he was making excuses.
Holo, her mouth firmly attached to a bite of egg yolk, flitted her ears about as though reluctantly believing him.
Afterward, they reached the checkpoint along the river. Of all the tolls on the waterway, this one was the first or second largest. It was rather lively, considering it was also treated as the ending point of the highway that stretched all the way from the southern reaches of the continent.
Grains, processed meat, and metalwork flowed here from the continent; furs and lumber came from upstream; the bounties of the ocean and imports from faraway countries came from down the river.
Holo and Lawrence considered staying the night at an inn beside the checkpoint, but they arrived just before noon, so they simply broke for a meal and departed after a short break.
While they were doing so, the innkeeper suggested that they use a boat after hearing they were traveling along the river to reach the sea.
He was rather enthusiastic, but inns standing along the river often jointly owned boats with boatmen who went up and down the waterway, so convincing a guest to book passage on their boats meant innkeepers could make money from them twice over.
Monks not used to going abroad might readily take up the offer, but Lawrence was a former traveling merchant.
Holo hated camping outside and wanted to take the boat, but when Lawrence told her that the quality of food would go down accordingly after subtracting the price of the boat ride, she reluctantly accepted traveling across land.
Four days had gone by since they departed from Nyohhira.
"...So? What is it?"
Holo sat hunched over on the driver's perch, resting her chin in her palm.
Lawrence, in contrast, held a map in one hand as he wandered in circles, puzzled.
"...I'm lost."
Lawrence spoke in a frail voice, as though sentencing himself to death, fearfully looking up at Holo.
Holo did not smile at him kindly from her perch, but she was not angry, either.
"Hmm, I thought this might happen."
"Maybe it really was out of kindness that you suggested taking a boat..."
He knew where it had all gone wrong.
He did not think there would be a problem, since the path that followed the river went all the way to the sea, but there had been a terrible landslide along the way, so the road depicted on the map had become blocked off.
And so they traveled along the new path that the locals had set out, but that one ended up crossing the roads that the hunters and woodcutters used, so Holo and Lawrence ended up becoming lost along the way there.
The road was smooth and wide enough for a cart to pass through, and there were charcoal huts dotting the trail, so he had assumed that it was a commercial road. By the time he had realized that there shouldn't be any well-used charcoal huts on a new road, they had already cut across a bluff, passed over a ridge, and finally found themselves deep within woods that did not appear on their map at all.
"This is no longer my territory. Luckily, it does not seem there are any nuisances nearby."
Holo turned toward the sky and sniffed the air.
She might have been looking up, but the flora here was completely different from what populated Nyohhira, with incredibly tall and wide trees growing here and there that almost entirely blocked out the sky.


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

Input:
"Call it being careful."
Holo glanced at Lawrence and shrugged.
That was most likely a sign that she was surprised he had the nerve to call himself that when thinking back on their old travels together. On his journey with her, he often tried showing off in front of her, intentionally getting himself involved in risky business.
And more importantly, not even a full day had passed since the night they ran into trouble with just one campfire. Lawrence was not very convincing.
"...Yesterday was our first day on the road in a long time. Things will go smoother from now on."
He could not help but say that, sounding as though he was making excuses.
Holo, her mouth firmly attached to a bite of egg yolk, flitted her ears about as though reluctantly believing him.
Afterward, they reached the checkpoint along the river. Of all the tolls on the waterway, this one was the first or second largest. It was rather lively, considering it was also treated as the ending point of the highway that stretched all the way from the southern reaches of the continent.
Grains, processed meat, and metalwork flowed here from the continent; furs and lumber came from upstream; the bounties of the ocean and imports from faraway countries came from down the river.
Holo and Lawrence considered staying the night at an inn beside the checkpoint, but they arrived just before noon, so they simply broke for a meal and departed after a short break.
While they were doing so, the innkeeper suggested that they use a boat after hearing they were traveling along the river to reach the sea.
He was rather enthusiastic, but inns standing along the river often jointly owned boats with boatmen who went up and down the waterway, so convincing a guest to book passage on their boats meant innkeepers could make money from them twice over.
Monks not used to going abroad might readily take up the offer, but Lawrence was a former traveling merchant.
Holo hated camping outside and wanted to take the boat, but when Lawrence told her that the quality of food would go down accordingly after subtracting the price of the boat ride, she reluctantly accepted traveling across land.
Four days had gone by since they departed from Nyohhira.
"...So? What is it?"
Holo sat hunched over on the driver's perch, resting her chin in her palm.
Lawrence, in contrast, held a map in one hand as he wandered in circles, puzzled.
"...I'm lost."
Lawrence spoke in a frail voice, as though sentencing himself to death, fearfully looking up at Holo.
Holo did not smile at him kindly from her perch, but she was not angry, either.
"Hmm, I thought this might happen."
"Maybe it really was out of kindness that you suggested taking a boat..."
He knew where it had all gone wrong.
He did not think there would be a problem, since the path that followed the river went all the way to the sea, but there had been a terrible landslide along the way, so the road depicted on the map had become blocked off.
And so they traveled along the new path that the locals had set out, but that one ended up crossing the roads that the hunters and woodcutters used, so Holo and Lawrence ended up becoming lost along the way there.
The road was smooth and wide enough for a cart to pass through, and there were charcoal huts dotting the trail, so he had assumed that it was a commercial road. By the time he had realized that there shouldn't be any well-used charcoal huts on a new road, they had already cut across a bluff, passed over a ridge, and finally found themselves deep within woods that did not appear on their map at all.
"This is no longer my territory. Luckily, it does not seem there are any nuisances nearby."
Holo turned toward the sky and sniffed the air.
She might have been looking up, but the flora here was completely different from what populated Nyohhira, with incredibly tall and wide trees growing here and there that almost entirely blocked out the sky.

Output:
Though it was dense, they could see oddly deep into the forest; sometimes Lawrence sensed a strange gaze on him, which made him shiver.
Those glances mostly belonged to foxes and deer, so as long as he was with Holo, the king of kings of the forest, there was hardly anything he needed to fear.
But Lawrence was human. He felt an instinctual fear of the abyss of the woods.
"This seems to be a land humans rarely ever enter. The path, too, is less a road and more a nicely flattened channel made by the natural streams of water that appear during heavy rain. There are quite a number of fallen leaves, which make it hard to tell for certain."
Indeed—places similar to this that were very much like traps for humans existed in the mountains.
Luckily, their cart was stuffed with bags of terrible-smelling sulfur, and Holo had the nose of a wolf.
If all they needed to do was turn back, then there would be no problem.
"...Let's retrace our steps. We won't be able to tell which way we're going, since we can't know the position of the sun in a forest as thick as this."
Just as Lawrence got ready to bring the horse around, he realized something.
Holo had gone entirely expressionless.
Lawrence was ashamed of how much of an idiot he was and spoke.
"You can be mad at me."
That would put him more at ease.
Holo stared at Lawrence blankly.
"Mm-hmm...Mad?"
Lawrence shrugged in resignation, and Holo glanced around the area before sniffing.
"'Tis a regular thing for you to boast about taking care of everything."
There was no bite or malice in her words, but that just made them hurt even more. Worse, Lawrence had no room to make excuses, so he had no right to be cross with her.
"Besides, 'tis not terrible that we came here."
***
Holo's voice was calm like the forest in the rain.
"'Tis a nice wood."
Even though they ended up lost as a result of skimping on boat fees, Holo wore a faint smile.
This was much more unsettling than having her hurl abuse at him, but the reason Lawrence suddenly started panicking a little was because he got the sense that Holo might suddenly vanish among the trees.
He hurriedly shook his head and looked around him at the woods once more.
"Nice...? It looks like a normal forest to me..."
Rather, without many shorter trees and much underbrush, it seemed like a forest of little value to Lawrence. The wind did not find its way in easily, either, given how thick the canopy was, which meant that it would be hard to find mushrooms. If anyone started cutting down the massive trees, which represented the sole source of value in this forest, the whole area would soon be barren.
"It may seem that way to you, but...'tis the scent."
Holo closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Lawrence followed suit. He felt comforted by the smell of humus, but it was a common smell.
"Perhaps a human nose cannot tell. 'Tis the smell of syrup. The whole forest smells sweet. I think...these large trees are filled with syrup."
"It doesn't seem like there any are flowering, but...sap? If we can get some sap, we might be able to make a little side money."
If they mixed some with glue, then they could use it to fill in gaps or to add flavor to distilled spirits.
However, Holo looked at him with a strained smile when he spoke like a merchant.
"That is what you always say."
"It's important. I have a big eater at home, you know."
"And my master has no sense of direction."
He could not argue with her in this situation.
Lawrence gave up on a counterattack and led the horse at a walk.
"You'll have to tell me where to go. Or should we just press on and hope we come across a road that leads to the ocean?"
Holo seemed somewhat reluctant when she stared deep into the woods, eventually sighing lightly.
"Should I return to my wolf form, I will be able to sniff out the right direction straightaway. But even if I do, this cart cannot go straight through here. I believe it will be faster in the end if we return to a man-made road for now."


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

Input:
Though it was dense, they could see oddly deep into the forest; sometimes Lawrence sensed a strange gaze on him, which made him shiver.
Those glances mostly belonged to foxes and deer, so as long as he was with Holo, the king of kings of the forest, there was hardly anything he needed to fear.
But Lawrence was human. He felt an instinctual fear of the abyss of the woods.
"This seems to be a land humans rarely ever enter. The path, too, is less a road and more a nicely flattened channel made by the natural streams of water that appear during heavy rain. There are quite a number of fallen leaves, which make it hard to tell for certain."
Indeed—places similar to this that were very much like traps for humans existed in the mountains.
Luckily, their cart was stuffed with bags of terrible-smelling sulfur, and Holo had the nose of a wolf.
If all they needed to do was turn back, then there would be no problem.
"...Let's retrace our steps. We won't be able to tell which way we're going, since we can't know the position of the sun in a forest as thick as this."
Just as Lawrence got ready to bring the horse around, he realized something.
Holo had gone entirely expressionless.
Lawrence was ashamed of how much of an idiot he was and spoke.
"You can be mad at me."
That would put him more at ease.
Holo stared at Lawrence blankly.
"Mm-hmm...Mad?"
Lawrence shrugged in resignation, and Holo glanced around the area before sniffing.
"'Tis a regular thing for you to boast about taking care of everything."
There was no bite or malice in her words, but that just made them hurt even more. Worse, Lawrence had no room to make excuses, so he had no right to be cross with her.
"Besides, 'tis not terrible that we came here."
***
Holo's voice was calm like the forest in the rain.
"'Tis a nice wood."
Even though they ended up lost as a result of skimping on boat fees, Holo wore a faint smile.
This was much more unsettling than having her hurl abuse at him, but the reason Lawrence suddenly started panicking a little was because he got the sense that Holo might suddenly vanish among the trees.
He hurriedly shook his head and looked around him at the woods once more.
"Nice...? It looks like a normal forest to me..."
Rather, without many shorter trees and much underbrush, it seemed like a forest of little value to Lawrence. The wind did not find its way in easily, either, given how thick the canopy was, which meant that it would be hard to find mushrooms. If anyone started cutting down the massive trees, which represented the sole source of value in this forest, the whole area would soon be barren.
"It may seem that way to you, but...'tis the scent."
Holo closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Lawrence followed suit. He felt comforted by the smell of humus, but it was a common smell.
"Perhaps a human nose cannot tell. 'Tis the smell of syrup. The whole forest smells sweet. I think...these large trees are filled with syrup."
"It doesn't seem like there any are flowering, but...sap? If we can get some sap, we might be able to make a little side money."
If they mixed some with glue, then they could use it to fill in gaps or to add flavor to distilled spirits.
However, Holo looked at him with a strained smile when he spoke like a merchant.
"That is what you always say."
"It's important. I have a big eater at home, you know."
"And my master has no sense of direction."
He could not argue with her in this situation.
Lawrence gave up on a counterattack and led the horse at a walk.
"You'll have to tell me where to go. Or should we just press on and hope we come across a road that leads to the ocean?"
Holo seemed somewhat reluctant when she stared deep into the woods, eventually sighing lightly.
"Should I return to my wolf form, I will be able to sniff out the right direction straightaway. But even if I do, this cart cannot go straight through here. I believe it will be faster in the end if we return to a man-made road for now."

Output:
"Hmm?"
Holo sat up straight and stared into space.
"What is it?"
Holo's ears twitched left and right. Her ears were good enough to hear a flea cough.
There was no doubt that she would hear it right away if anybody tried to sneak up on them.
"What's wrong? Is it a bear or a stray? Or...bandits?"
Lawrence immediately leaped onto the driver's perch and took the dagger out from under his seat.
It was impossible to avoid danger during travel.
Just as he readied himself for whatever might come at them, Holo spoke.
"'Tis a bee. Unusual for this season."
"A bee?"
Before long, Lawrence could also hear the faint hum of wings.
But as he sat there, looking around trying to spot one, Holo suddenly grabbed his arm.
Her nails painfully dug into him.
"Wh-what?! Ouch, what's—?"
Holo's widening eyes cut Lawrence off, and the fur covering her ears and tail stood on end like a stiff brush.
"Oh, ah, ooh..."
Holo's voice barely made any coherent sounds, rumbling in the depths of her throat. Lawrence thought at first that there might be a huge swarm of bees approaching, but what slipped out from behind one of the large trees was just a single, regular bee.
But the moment he thought something seemed a little off, Holo screamed.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
Lawrence did not even have the time to be shocked by the scream the likes of which he had never heard coming from her before. She rubbed her face against his chest like a rabbit trying to crawl into its hole. Her ears lay flat on her head and her tail was puffed and swollen, like she was under a thundercloud.
He was puzzled, unsure of what was causing such alarm. Then he noticed the single bee lazily drawing closer.
It did not seem particularly angry. In fact, the bee seemed more confused as to why humans were there.
But as the buzzing grew louder, Holo started to tremble harder. It worried him—he had no idea she was so scared of bees. She loved honey and happily ate bee larvae fried in oil because it was hot and delicious like lily buds. Or perhaps it was because this was a special sort of bee? The bee was indeed a little odd. Its black-and-yellow-striped pattern seemed typical, but for some reason, a white string hung from its body.
Lawrence stared at the bee as it buzzed overhead.
Holo shivered in his arms like a squirrel afraid of a rampaging dragon.
As Lawrence watched the bee leisurely passing before them, he noticed something.
"Oh, it's..."
He unconsciously reached out.
He caught it easily.
It being the string hanging from the bee.
Lawrence immediately undid the hand towel on his waist and suddenly wrapped it around the struggling bee.
While he listened to the angry buzzing, he realized that Holo was staring at him, all the color having drained from her face.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
Holo wouldn't have made such a face even if he suddenly threw everything in his wallet onto the street. She gave a sidelong glance at the bundle of cloth like it was an atrocious thing and then immediately hid her face again.
"Throw it away, quickly!"
Lawrence shrugged and said, "What's the matter? It's just a bee."
Holo immediately tensed.
She had many traits that were maiden-like, but he felt like being afraid of bees was not one of them.
"Don't tell me this is a bee that's like one of you?"
—A creature that lived for centuries, that understood the human language, like a spirit of the forest.
If that was true, then he thought this was very rude of her, but Holo buried herself deeper into his chest and shook her head. Her tail was still quivering.
It was then that Lawrence, with a questioning look, peered at the bee angrily buzzing its wings inside the cloth.
"I—I...I cannot..."
"Hmm?"
"I cannot...bear it..."
Holo spoke weakly, her voice shaky due to her tears.
"That insect is being eaten by another insect...is it not? It sickens me to think of it..."
"Oh...Ohhh."
When she said that, it finally clicked.