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

Input:
Thup, thup, thup went the sound.
"What could it be?" he murmured to himself.
Immediately he reached back to grasp the stick he was using as a walking staff.
"Wo—"
Wolf, he was about to shout, but he swallowed the word, raising his head and looking around.
Ba-bump, ba-bump roared a pulse in his ears. It was the sound of his own heart.
The beating of his heart seemed to force breath audibly from his mouth.
He swallowed hard and looked to the right. Then to the left.
The moon was in the sky, and visibility was good.
But he could see no sign of a wolf.
"Aryes, Aryes."
His palms were sweaty, and his throat was dry.
He shook Aryes's shoulder and looked around but could see nothing.
But whatever it was out there seemed to have noticed the change in Klass. He felt the change in the mood.
Anyone that slept in a barn knew—whether they wanted to know or not—that wolves were special.
Those golden eyes shining in the dark of night.
Though Aryes had finally awoken, her focus had yet to fall on him, and she was so seemingly helpless it made him want to fool her.
Klass pulled his staff close and looked out again over the land.
Wolves rarely attacked humans, or so Klass believed. Three times before they'd jumped over his head with a chicken in their jaws, but he couldn't help wondering if that was because there'd been chickens to eat.
There it was again, the sound—thup, thup, thup, thup—seemingly louder than it was before.
He was sure of it—they were watching him, sharpening their fangs.
What should I do? he asked himself silently over and over again. He wasn't considering taking Aryes and trying to run away, mostly because the moment he moved he was sure they would attack.
What should I do?
Aryes finally seemed to come completely awake and looked at Klass uncertainly.
It chilled him like cold water over his head, and he tried to put his finger to his lips.
"What's wrong?" asked Aryes, sitting up, just as they heard an indescribably beautiful howl.
"Wh-wha—?" Aryes looked frantically around, utterly bewildered.
In his gut, Klass felt like he wanted to cry, wanted to rage, but managed somehow to endure the stabbing feeling and jumped to his feet, looking ahead, and then he saw it.
He saw in a moment that the many shadows that fluttered atop the moonlit hills melted into the dark of night at the reverberation of the howl.
An instant later, his eyes met the golden irises of another's.
"Hurry—hurry, we have to go!" Trembling, his hand shook as he grabbed the burlap sack and took the hand of a bewildered Aryes.
And even then, he was frozen, unable to stand.
The wolves had stopped trying to hide their footfalls, which now sounded like a gust of wind blowing through the forest.
He was too scared to stop his teeth from chattering, but he mustered up enough courage to hold his staff at the ready.
He pushed Aryes behind him, terrified but brandishing his staff like a spear.
The wolves dove into a pool of darkness as they descended the hill, and then they charged back out of the depths.
Transfixed by their golden irises, he felt with strange clarity the sensation of his own mouth splitting in a wolflike smile.
Fear was forcing him to bare his teeth.
But the wolves, of course, were not flinching from their charge—
"—Huh?"
Suddenly, the lead wolf jumped sideways.
It was so jarring that for a moment, Klass wondered if someone had shot an arrow at it.
The wolves passed Klass and Aryes, hitting the ground and wheeling back around. They were so close that he could see every one of the hairs on their raised hackles.
But their gaze was not on Klass and Aryes, their intended prey—it was on something farther off, and they crouched low. Fangs bared, they growled, their forepaws poised to jump.
They could've pounced at any time, but they seemed less like they were hunting prey and more like they were turning to face an enemy.
Had they been shaken by Klass's courage?

Output:
It took a moment for Klass to realize that they had all run away.
They had fled farther and faster than they'd arrived.
The overwhelming sense of danger was entirely gone, without leaving so much as the feeling of having been saved.
Klass, stunned, watched the wolves retreat, and for a moment he didn't think about anything at all.
The only reason he looked back at Aryes was that she'd touched his back.
"Wh-what happened?" She was trembling slightly.
"There were wolves...That was a close one," he said, hands still tight around his staff. He had no intention of teasing Aryes for her shaking but still hadn't realized that he was shaking himself.
Aryes cocked her head slightly. "Wo...wolves?"
She sneezed charmingly. Aryes didn't know what a wolf was. That meant her shivering had to be out of nothing more than the chill.
Klass looked at the staff he'd brandished as a spear, his lip curling. Disappointed, he dropped it.
"Wolves. They were about to attack us just now, weren't they? They attack people, and they attack livestock."
"Oh, my. Are they...men?"
Klass wondered if she was making fun of him.
But then he remembered the words of the mansion's stable master, who'd been old enough to be his father. "Yeah. Men are wolves."
At those words, finally Aryes's face evidenced some fear, and she drew a quick breath, looking around.
"It's all right. They've all gone off some—"
But he didn't finish his sentence.
Since in the space of a moment, his face had been pressed into Aryes's soft chest, and he couldn't so much as breathe.
"Ngh...guh..."
"Do not worry! I will...er, no, ah—God will protect us. There is nothing to fear!" she said, hugging him tightly. Klass was now more scared of her than the wolves.
What if right here, he was to tell her the truth, that he was a boy? What would she do?
Even Klass knew that it was wrong to lie and to deceive people.
But when he moved his head slightly and caught his breath, Aryes's scent filled his nostrils.
The scent was more than enough to erase the memory of terror about the attack, though their lives had only just been saved.
He decided to stay quiet on the matter for a bit longer.
"Still, I wonder what scared them off."
He had definitely gotten the sense that the wolves had been startled.
What could possibly scare off an entire pack of wolves?
He glanced in the direction they'd been looking, but all he could see was the grassy landscape and the pools of darkness, and he felt nothing particularly ominous or monstrous about it.
Still in Aryes's arms, he could not, of course, answer the question for certain, but his nervousness was long gone. Evidently with the skin warmth that followed a cold sweat, sleepiness came soon after. He yawned hugely.
Aryes loosened her embrace when Klass squirmed a bit, and though it pained him to do so, he finally forced the words out.
"I think we're safe now. Let's sleep. There are still hours before morning."
Aryes finally nodded at those words.
It was then that the uncertainty disappeared from her face.
The next day started with the early-rising Aryes waking him.
For a moment he flashed back to the previous night, but there were no wolves to be seen, with only their footprints left in the plains as proof that the night's events hadn't been a dream.
The morning played out much as it had before.
The only parts that were different was the worry that came with their dwindling food and water supplies—that and Aryes's complexion having improved a bit and that she said her feet hurt.
Aryes's problem could be solved by taking a short break, but the water issue troubled Klass greatly. He'd heard from travelers that passed through the lord's estate that one could go a week on an empty stomach but that three days without water would kill a man.
"You don't happen to know where a river is, do you?" he asked Aryes, just in case.


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

Input:
It took a moment for Klass to realize that they had all run away.
They had fled farther and faster than they'd arrived.
The overwhelming sense of danger was entirely gone, without leaving so much as the feeling of having been saved.
Klass, stunned, watched the wolves retreat, and for a moment he didn't think about anything at all.
The only reason he looked back at Aryes was that she'd touched his back.
"Wh-what happened?" She was trembling slightly.
"There were wolves...That was a close one," he said, hands still tight around his staff. He had no intention of teasing Aryes for her shaking but still hadn't realized that he was shaking himself.
Aryes cocked her head slightly. "Wo...wolves?"
She sneezed charmingly. Aryes didn't know what a wolf was. That meant her shivering had to be out of nothing more than the chill.
Klass looked at the staff he'd brandished as a spear, his lip curling. Disappointed, he dropped it.
"Wolves. They were about to attack us just now, weren't they? They attack people, and they attack livestock."
"Oh, my. Are they...men?"
Klass wondered if she was making fun of him.
But then he remembered the words of the mansion's stable master, who'd been old enough to be his father. "Yeah. Men are wolves."
At those words, finally Aryes's face evidenced some fear, and she drew a quick breath, looking around.
"It's all right. They've all gone off some—"
But he didn't finish his sentence.
Since in the space of a moment, his face had been pressed into Aryes's soft chest, and he couldn't so much as breathe.
"Ngh...guh..."
"Do not worry! I will...er, no, ah—God will protect us. There is nothing to fear!" she said, hugging him tightly. Klass was now more scared of her than the wolves.
What if right here, he was to tell her the truth, that he was a boy? What would she do?
Even Klass knew that it was wrong to lie and to deceive people.
But when he moved his head slightly and caught his breath, Aryes's scent filled his nostrils.
The scent was more than enough to erase the memory of terror about the attack, though their lives had only just been saved.
He decided to stay quiet on the matter for a bit longer.
"Still, I wonder what scared them off."
He had definitely gotten the sense that the wolves had been startled.
What could possibly scare off an entire pack of wolves?
He glanced in the direction they'd been looking, but all he could see was the grassy landscape and the pools of darkness, and he felt nothing particularly ominous or monstrous about it.
Still in Aryes's arms, he could not, of course, answer the question for certain, but his nervousness was long gone. Evidently with the skin warmth that followed a cold sweat, sleepiness came soon after. He yawned hugely.
Aryes loosened her embrace when Klass squirmed a bit, and though it pained him to do so, he finally forced the words out.
"I think we're safe now. Let's sleep. There are still hours before morning."
Aryes finally nodded at those words.
It was then that the uncertainty disappeared from her face.
The next day started with the early-rising Aryes waking him.
For a moment he flashed back to the previous night, but there were no wolves to be seen, with only their footprints left in the plains as proof that the night's events hadn't been a dream.
The morning played out much as it had before.
The only parts that were different was the worry that came with their dwindling food and water supplies—that and Aryes's complexion having improved a bit and that she said her feet hurt.
Aryes's problem could be solved by taking a short break, but the water issue troubled Klass greatly. He'd heard from travelers that passed through the lord's estate that one could go a week on an empty stomach but that three days without water would kill a man.
"You don't happen to know where a river is, do you?" he asked Aryes, just in case.

Output:
While some part of him still couldn't help but make light of Aryes's naiveté since she'd apparently lived within walls her entire life, even Klass himself had never realized the world was so very large.
It made him unreasonably angry, and he walked faster.
Midday passed and evening came, and despite the breaks for Aryes's sake and the slowness of their pace, they'd climbed their twelfth hill of the day, the most so far.
And all that met his eye was grass, trees, and hill after hill after hill.
When he looked back, he saw Aryes behind him, whose interest in insects and flowers had been replaced by the exhaustion of the long trek. She had stopped a ways down the hill, and showed no sign of walking any farther.
For his part, Klass could easily keep walking, and the fact that they'd failed to reach another town yet because of their slow pace frustrated him.
Aryes could walk farther, he was quite sure. Just as he sighed and was about to call out to her, she squatted down right where she stood.
Just a bit of water. The unseen next town. The sea at the end of the road, whether it was there or not. And the unimaginably wide world.
Such words floated up in his mind, stirring up his irritation. Up until the previous day the travel had been relaxed, but today all he could feel was that they were moving too slowly.
It made him want to click his tongue in frustration, and he didn't bother hiding it.
As usual, she didn't move.
"...Ugh."
He was so angry that he didn't want to bother raising his voice and for a moment even considered leaving here there.
It was just one road, so even she shouldn't get lost.
Just as he was thinking about how nice that would be, there was a strange sound.
***
He looked at Aryes, who had one hand on the ground.
And then—
"A-Aryes!"
She moved, and just as Klass thought she might get up, she vomited onto the ground.
It was so unexpected that he couldn't move. Aryes didn't so much as look up before collapsing onto her side.
Klass tossed his bag aside and ran to her.
"Aryes! Aryes!"
He was more stunned than worried.
Rushing to her side and picking her up in his arms, he pulled her hood back and called her name.
Aryes slumped, unmoving, and past her open mouth, he saw her slack tongue and couldn't help but think of a dying sheep.
"Aryes!"
It wasn't concern that replaced his surprise—it was terror.
Aryes was going to die.
Wanting to cry, he shook her shoulders. He slapped her face. But there was no reaction.
A wave of fear rose up within him—now Klass was the one who felt nauseated.
Immediately thereafter, Aryes vomited again.
Thank goodness, Klass thought. She's not dead.
His relief lasted but a moment, though, as with nothing more to expel, she curled into a ball and moaned in pain.
Klass rubbed the tears from his eyes, took the handkerchief from his side, and wiped Aryes's mouth with it.
After that, he didn't know what else to do.
The words healing herbs occurred to him, but he seriously doubted the grass that surrounded them would have any effect at all.
Aryes's pained breathing was getting quieter and quieter. It made him imagine her life as a flickering flame, and the thought brought tears anew.
He wondered if she hadn't been tired but ill.
If he'd known, he would have taken more breaks from walking.
The excuses and regrets swirled around in his heart, but no words save Aryes's name came from his mouth.
And yet he did call her name, shaking her slack shoulders.
"Ugh...what...what should I do...?"
He could not bring himself to say what he was thinking: Somebody help me.
No one would help him in a place like this.
And if someone did come, it would probably be the useless God that Aryes was always praying to.
Yet in the bottom of his heart, he wished deeply for someone—even that bogus deity—to come and save them.
"Oh, God..."
And when he heard it, he thought it was the voice of God: "Whatever happened here?"


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

Input:
While some part of him still couldn't help but make light of Aryes's naiveté since she'd apparently lived within walls her entire life, even Klass himself had never realized the world was so very large.
It made him unreasonably angry, and he walked faster.
Midday passed and evening came, and despite the breaks for Aryes's sake and the slowness of their pace, they'd climbed their twelfth hill of the day, the most so far.
And all that met his eye was grass, trees, and hill after hill after hill.
When he looked back, he saw Aryes behind him, whose interest in insects and flowers had been replaced by the exhaustion of the long trek. She had stopped a ways down the hill, and showed no sign of walking any farther.
For his part, Klass could easily keep walking, and the fact that they'd failed to reach another town yet because of their slow pace frustrated him.
Aryes could walk farther, he was quite sure. Just as he sighed and was about to call out to her, she squatted down right where she stood.
Just a bit of water. The unseen next town. The sea at the end of the road, whether it was there or not. And the unimaginably wide world.
Such words floated up in his mind, stirring up his irritation. Up until the previous day the travel had been relaxed, but today all he could feel was that they were moving too slowly.
It made him want to click his tongue in frustration, and he didn't bother hiding it.
As usual, she didn't move.
"...Ugh."
He was so angry that he didn't want to bother raising his voice and for a moment even considered leaving here there.
It was just one road, so even she shouldn't get lost.
Just as he was thinking about how nice that would be, there was a strange sound.
***
He looked at Aryes, who had one hand on the ground.
And then—
"A-Aryes!"
She moved, and just as Klass thought she might get up, she vomited onto the ground.
It was so unexpected that he couldn't move. Aryes didn't so much as look up before collapsing onto her side.
Klass tossed his bag aside and ran to her.
"Aryes! Aryes!"
He was more stunned than worried.
Rushing to her side and picking her up in his arms, he pulled her hood back and called her name.
Aryes slumped, unmoving, and past her open mouth, he saw her slack tongue and couldn't help but think of a dying sheep.
"Aryes!"
It wasn't concern that replaced his surprise—it was terror.
Aryes was going to die.
Wanting to cry, he shook her shoulders. He slapped her face. But there was no reaction.
A wave of fear rose up within him—now Klass was the one who felt nauseated.
Immediately thereafter, Aryes vomited again.
Thank goodness, Klass thought. She's not dead.
His relief lasted but a moment, though, as with nothing more to expel, she curled into a ball and moaned in pain.
Klass rubbed the tears from his eyes, took the handkerchief from his side, and wiped Aryes's mouth with it.
After that, he didn't know what else to do.
The words healing herbs occurred to him, but he seriously doubted the grass that surrounded them would have any effect at all.
Aryes's pained breathing was getting quieter and quieter. It made him imagine her life as a flickering flame, and the thought brought tears anew.
He wondered if she hadn't been tired but ill.
If he'd known, he would have taken more breaks from walking.
The excuses and regrets swirled around in his heart, but no words save Aryes's name came from his mouth.
And yet he did call her name, shaking her slack shoulders.
"Ugh...what...what should I do...?"
He could not bring himself to say what he was thinking: Somebody help me.
No one would help him in a place like this.
And if someone did come, it would probably be the useless God that Aryes was always praying to.
Yet in the bottom of his heart, he wished deeply for someone—even that bogus deity—to come and save them.
"Oh, God..."
And when he heard it, he thought it was the voice of God: "Whatever happened here?"

Output:
He rubbed them and looked again.
There was no one there.
"What...?"
Tears began to well up again.
"What happened here, boy?"
Behind him.
Klass looked back, and indeed, someone was standing there, backlit by the sun.
"Ill, is she?"
The clear voice didn't seem to match its tone. Since the figure was backlit and Klass was still sitting, he couldn't ascertain its height or face.
But pathetically, the simple fact that someone other than him was now present caused tears to overflow anew.
"I-I-I don't know...Sh-she just fell over, and..."
"Hmm," the shadowy figure murmured, lightly whirling around to regard Klass from in front of him.
It was a woman.
She peered at Aryes's profile. "Hmph, this looks like—" Klass unconsciously straightened.
The woman continued.
"'Tis simple exhaustion," she proclaimed anticlimactically.
"...Huh?"
"Look at how hard her legs are," said the woman, reaching out to put her hand on the prone Aryes's calf.
"B-b-but—"
"She asked many times for a rest, did she not?" added the woman flatly. "And worse, she hasn't been eating properly. 'Tis no surprise she fell."
Now that it had been said, it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world.
But as soon as he realized it, something strange occurred to him.
"How did you know that?"
"Curses. Slip of the tongue." She deliberately put her hand to her mouth and looked the other way.
There was no mistaking it: She must have been watching them from somewhere.
But Klass had gotten a good view of their surroundings every time they'd crested a hill.
There was nowhere for anyone to hide.
So where had she been watching from?
"In truth, I'd planned not to say anything to you. But this was simply too pathetic." The woman patted Aryes's side and shot Klass an accusing look.
A hot feeling stabbed through his chest. "N-no, I always tried to—"
"Tried to think about her? Hmph. You knew perfectly well that her body and yours are quite different."
He flinched at the words.
It wasn't just that he was at a loss for something to say—he was stunned.
"Heh. I've been watching you since last night. You know well and truly that she and you are not alike," she said, her expression shifting to a sticky smile.
Klass could feel his face becoming hotter and hotter.
He'd been watched.
"I suppose that's what they mean when they say, 'The luck to be born a man.' Still"—the woman stood with her hands on her hips, lips curling into a fang-baring smile—"you had the pluck to stand your ground before the wolves. That much is praise-worthy."
"Wha...ah!"
"Hmph. Not a very discerning lad, are you?" sneered the woman past her fangs, looking down at the boy.
No, it wasn't just that.
He'd just that moment realized something.
It had been so strange that he simply hadn't seen it until that moment.
The woman that stood before him wore a cloak around her shoulders and a sash tied around her waist, with fine fur-lined trousers. Her hair was chestnut brown, but atop her head there was something strange.
"If you're just noticing these, you must not have noticed this!"
Her cloak swished dramatically.
"Ah...ah...!"
"'Tis fine fur, indeed, no?"
The puff of fur swished audibly.
The grandly furred wolf tail swayed, and the beast ears atop her head flicked.
In that moment, the memory of the wolves' actions the previous night flashed through his head.
"C-could it be—"
"Could it be?"
The woman's gaze pierced him, as though testing him.
"Last night, the one who saved us, that was..."
A breath of wind caused both the hem of the woman's cloak and the tip of her tail to flutter.
The light of the setting sun fell across her profile. "Indeed," she said as Klass was at a loss for words.
"It...it was you! You chased the wolves away!"
"I merely happened to be sleeping nearby. They realized I was there and turned tail of their own accord."
The woman sounded almost bored. Klass swallowed after closing his gaping mouth.


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

Input:
He rubbed them and looked again.
There was no one there.
"What...?"
Tears began to well up again.
"What happened here, boy?"
Behind him.
Klass looked back, and indeed, someone was standing there, backlit by the sun.
"Ill, is she?"
The clear voice didn't seem to match its tone. Since the figure was backlit and Klass was still sitting, he couldn't ascertain its height or face.
But pathetically, the simple fact that someone other than him was now present caused tears to overflow anew.
"I-I-I don't know...Sh-she just fell over, and..."
"Hmm," the shadowy figure murmured, lightly whirling around to regard Klass from in front of him.
It was a woman.
She peered at Aryes's profile. "Hmph, this looks like—" Klass unconsciously straightened.
The woman continued.
"'Tis simple exhaustion," she proclaimed anticlimactically.
"...Huh?"
"Look at how hard her legs are," said the woman, reaching out to put her hand on the prone Aryes's calf.
"B-b-but—"
"She asked many times for a rest, did she not?" added the woman flatly. "And worse, she hasn't been eating properly. 'Tis no surprise she fell."
Now that it had been said, it seemed like the most obvious thing in the world.
But as soon as he realized it, something strange occurred to him.
"How did you know that?"
"Curses. Slip of the tongue." She deliberately put her hand to her mouth and looked the other way.
There was no mistaking it: She must have been watching them from somewhere.
But Klass had gotten a good view of their surroundings every time they'd crested a hill.
There was nowhere for anyone to hide.
So where had she been watching from?
"In truth, I'd planned not to say anything to you. But this was simply too pathetic." The woman patted Aryes's side and shot Klass an accusing look.
A hot feeling stabbed through his chest. "N-no, I always tried to—"
"Tried to think about her? Hmph. You knew perfectly well that her body and yours are quite different."
He flinched at the words.
It wasn't just that he was at a loss for something to say—he was stunned.
"Heh. I've been watching you since last night. You know well and truly that she and you are not alike," she said, her expression shifting to a sticky smile.
Klass could feel his face becoming hotter and hotter.
He'd been watched.
"I suppose that's what they mean when they say, 'The luck to be born a man.' Still"—the woman stood with her hands on her hips, lips curling into a fang-baring smile—"you had the pluck to stand your ground before the wolves. That much is praise-worthy."
"Wha...ah!"
"Hmph. Not a very discerning lad, are you?" sneered the woman past her fangs, looking down at the boy.
No, it wasn't just that.
He'd just that moment realized something.
It had been so strange that he simply hadn't seen it until that moment.
The woman that stood before him wore a cloak around her shoulders and a sash tied around her waist, with fine fur-lined trousers. Her hair was chestnut brown, but atop her head there was something strange.
"If you're just noticing these, you must not have noticed this!"
Her cloak swished dramatically.
"Ah...ah...!"
"'Tis fine fur, indeed, no?"
The puff of fur swished audibly.
The grandly furred wolf tail swayed, and the beast ears atop her head flicked.
In that moment, the memory of the wolves' actions the previous night flashed through his head.
"C-could it be—"
"Could it be?"
The woman's gaze pierced him, as though testing him.
"Last night, the one who saved us, that was..."
A breath of wind caused both the hem of the woman's cloak and the tip of her tail to flutter.
The light of the setting sun fell across her profile. "Indeed," she said as Klass was at a loss for words.
"It...it was you! You chased the wolves away!"
"I merely happened to be sleeping nearby. They realized I was there and turned tail of their own accord."
The woman sounded almost bored. Klass swallowed after closing his gaping mouth.

Output:
Klass spoke in a tremulous whisper. "Could you be a...a spirit—?"
"Hardly!" said the woman with sudden irritation, tossing her head.
But the mysterious part-beast person before him soon made an awkward face.
"Hmph...well, 'tis true that some of your kind do call me such things. But I like it not."
Her expression of wry embarrassment at having shouted made her seem not so very much older than Klass.
And her face was unmistakably beautiful.
"H-how...shall I refer to you?" asked Klass, using the words he'd heard adults use in such situations, but the woman's brows only knitted in further irritation.
"I do not like that, either. And untangling your stumbling tongue is a nuisance."
Klass's face felt hot at the teasing being directed at him, but thinking the girl was some kind of spirit, he looked down.
Whereupon the sprit sighed and brought her face nearer to the ground.
"Come, look up. I only thought to aid you in your difficult travels. I did not reveal myself to you to endure your worship."
He was too scared to look up.
And yet, still timidly, he brought his gaze up to meet hers.
"Heh. You're still at the age where such an expression suits you."
The smile that greeted him when he looked up made him realize that there were many different kinds of smiles in the world. The instant he saw it, he looked down again, his face even redder than before but for a very different reason.
This time the spirit did not become angry.
"My name is Holo," said the spirit briefly as she squatted down.
It took Klass a few moments to realize that she'd introduced herself. "M-my name's Klass...ma'am."
"No need for 'ma'am' here."
"R-right."
The spirit named Holo smiled bitterly and stood. "And this one's name is Aryes?"
"Y-yes, that's right, but—"
"How do I know?"
Klass nodded.
"Did you not call her name out so charmingly and so many times? 'Aryes, Aryes!'?" said Holo, arms folded and clasping her own shoulders.
Klass had finally regained his composure but reddened again at this.
"I don't know that shaking a weakened comrade so is a kindness, though."
Startled, Klass looked at Aryes's face.
"Having lost consciousness, I'm sure she's calmed herself a bit. Just wipe her mouth clean and keep her warm now."
Nodding silently as though he had a piece of bread stuck in his throat, Klass moved Aryes from her unnatural-looking, collapsed position to a seemingly more comfortable state, then stood.
Though the bag he'd dropped was not so great a distance away, he was worried about leaving Aryes alone and thus hesitated to fetch it.
At which Holo said, "I'll watch her for you," then gestured to the bag with her chin.
Klass finally started running, but when he turned around to look over his shoulder, he saw Holo crouching down by Aryes, murmuring something to her.
He wondered if it was some sort of secret.
"Honestly, if this were wintertime, you'd be dead on the roadside somewhere," said Holo as she went through their things while Klass tended to Aryes. "You've no blankets! What were you intending to do in case of rain?"
"Huh? Er...," said Klass as he wiped Aryes's mouth clean with a moistened cloth.
Though he was trying to warm her up, he had no fuel for a fire, and as Holo pointed out, no blankets—so he was reduced to putting a simple jacket on her.
"Take shelter somewhere...I suppose..."
A sigh and a withering look were all that greeted him.
Klass looked down in spite of himself.
The fact was that there was no shelter to take as far as the eye could see.
"'Twas on a lark I decided to follow the strange pair wandering away across these plains without so much as a spring or a river, but to think you'd have been so unprepared!"
It angered Klass to hear her say this, but his fear kept him from saying anything.
"And while we're speaking of strange things, you're odd companions indeed. Why are two children traveling alone?"
Klass couldn't help but look up sharply at the word children.


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

Input:
Klass spoke in a tremulous whisper. "Could you be a...a spirit—?"
"Hardly!" said the woman with sudden irritation, tossing her head.
But the mysterious part-beast person before him soon made an awkward face.
"Hmph...well, 'tis true that some of your kind do call me such things. But I like it not."
Her expression of wry embarrassment at having shouted made her seem not so very much older than Klass.
And her face was unmistakably beautiful.
"H-how...shall I refer to you?" asked Klass, using the words he'd heard adults use in such situations, but the woman's brows only knitted in further irritation.
"I do not like that, either. And untangling your stumbling tongue is a nuisance."
Klass's face felt hot at the teasing being directed at him, but thinking the girl was some kind of spirit, he looked down.
Whereupon the sprit sighed and brought her face nearer to the ground.
"Come, look up. I only thought to aid you in your difficult travels. I did not reveal myself to you to endure your worship."
He was too scared to look up.
And yet, still timidly, he brought his gaze up to meet hers.
"Heh. You're still at the age where such an expression suits you."
The smile that greeted him when he looked up made him realize that there were many different kinds of smiles in the world. The instant he saw it, he looked down again, his face even redder than before but for a very different reason.
This time the spirit did not become angry.
"My name is Holo," said the spirit briefly as she squatted down.
It took Klass a few moments to realize that she'd introduced herself. "M-my name's Klass...ma'am."
"No need for 'ma'am' here."
"R-right."
The spirit named Holo smiled bitterly and stood. "And this one's name is Aryes?"
"Y-yes, that's right, but—"
"How do I know?"
Klass nodded.
"Did you not call her name out so charmingly and so many times? 'Aryes, Aryes!'?" said Holo, arms folded and clasping her own shoulders.
Klass had finally regained his composure but reddened again at this.
"I don't know that shaking a weakened comrade so is a kindness, though."
Startled, Klass looked at Aryes's face.
"Having lost consciousness, I'm sure she's calmed herself a bit. Just wipe her mouth clean and keep her warm now."
Nodding silently as though he had a piece of bread stuck in his throat, Klass moved Aryes from her unnatural-looking, collapsed position to a seemingly more comfortable state, then stood.
Though the bag he'd dropped was not so great a distance away, he was worried about leaving Aryes alone and thus hesitated to fetch it.
At which Holo said, "I'll watch her for you," then gestured to the bag with her chin.
Klass finally started running, but when he turned around to look over his shoulder, he saw Holo crouching down by Aryes, murmuring something to her.
He wondered if it was some sort of secret.
"Honestly, if this were wintertime, you'd be dead on the roadside somewhere," said Holo as she went through their things while Klass tended to Aryes. "You've no blankets! What were you intending to do in case of rain?"
"Huh? Er...," said Klass as he wiped Aryes's mouth clean with a moistened cloth.
Though he was trying to warm her up, he had no fuel for a fire, and as Holo pointed out, no blankets—so he was reduced to putting a simple jacket on her.
"Take shelter somewhere...I suppose..."
A sigh and a withering look were all that greeted him.
Klass looked down in spite of himself.
The fact was that there was no shelter to take as far as the eye could see.
"'Twas on a lark I decided to follow the strange pair wandering away across these plains without so much as a spring or a river, but to think you'd have been so unprepared!"
It angered Klass to hear her say this, but his fear kept him from saying anything.
"And while we're speaking of strange things, you're odd companions indeed. Why are two children traveling alone?"
Klass couldn't help but look up sharply at the word children.

Output:
"Foolish boy. I'm at least two centuries your elder."
"I-I'm sorry." It was strange—having had it pointed out to him, he could now see it.
After all, the girl was a spirit, so nothing about her would surprise him.
Having convinced himself of this, he found there was no reason to hide anything, so he answered her question.
Holo lay sideways, chewing noisily on a piece of oat bread she'd gotten out of Klass's things, and as Klass told his tale she acknowledged it with flicks of her tail.
"I daresay the mansion you were driven from was of a noble house called Antheo."
"Y-yes...you know them?"
"I heard a bit about them in a town I was in not long ago—that there was an eccentric nobleman out in the countryside. But I see—so he's dead, is he?"
Klass didn't know whether or not the lord of the mansion was an eccentric or not, but the word countryside bothered him.
The mansion was a magnificent place, and there were at least twenty servants and stone buildings like the one Aryes had occupied.
And nearby the estate there were grapevine trellises and villages, too.
As Klass thought about it, he became aware of Holo grinning at him.
"Indeed, you set out on a journey and were a helpless chick before long."
"..." He didn't know why he was being laughed at, but it was frustrating, and Klass looked away.
That seemed only to invite more laughter from Holo, who snickered covertly. "Be not angry, boy. Were you yourself not surprised at the size of the world?"
Stunned, he looked back at Holo.
"Nay, the reason I know that is because I felt the same way when I set out on my own travels."
Klass got the feeling that he was being manipulated this way and that, but she didn't seem to be lying.
"...Is that so?"
"Aye. The world is vast indeed. And—"
But her words cut off there. Klass followed her gaze and saw that at some point the sleeping Aryes's eyes had opened slightly.
"Aryes—" Klass called her name, forgetting all about Holo, and Aryes's eyes focused on him many times faster than her usual rate of awakening.
"Ah...wha—why—?"
She sat up, not seeming to understand the reason for her current position. Klass hurriedly tried to explain.
"You collapsed just a moment ago! Don't you remember?"
Having been reminded, she finally seemed to recall.
A bit of a flush began to creep into her much-improved complexion.
"As a servant of God, I am deeply ashamed. However, I am now well."
Despite the mere five days of their travel, Klass was beginning to understand her personality.
Though he might tell her to sleep, her tone revealed whether she was likely to do so or not.
He didn't try to stop her awakening, and thus she quite obviously noticed Holo.
"Oh, my...," she murmured and then paused.
The beast ears atop the head, the magnificent wolf tail—these were unmistakable signs of a spirit, and they were right before her eyes. Her surprise was understandable.
Aryes stared openly at Holo's inhuman attributes.
Klass was suddenly very worried that Holo would become angry at the rather rude staring. And just the previous night, Aryes had thought wolves to be men.
He would have to say something outrageous.
Just as he'd come to that conclusion and was about to try to whisper in her ear, the frozen Aryes seemed to come to a sudden understanding and nodded convincingly. "Oh...you're from far across the sea, aren't you?"
Klass was about to correct her mistaken notion—though the truth was just as strange—when Holo cut him off.
"Aye. I'm called Holo, and I've traveled here from far in the north."
Far from being angry, she smiled as though amused, and her tail wagged happily as though emphasizing the fact.
Aryes accepted the coat that Klass offered her, then bowed elegantly. "I am Aryes Belange," she said.
Klass had heard even kings bowed their heads before a spirit, and so while being in front of one was deeply intimidating, he found the idea of not knowing terrifying.


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

Input:
"Foolish boy. I'm at least two centuries your elder."
"I-I'm sorry." It was strange—having had it pointed out to him, he could now see it.
After all, the girl was a spirit, so nothing about her would surprise him.
Having convinced himself of this, he found there was no reason to hide anything, so he answered her question.
Holo lay sideways, chewing noisily on a piece of oat bread she'd gotten out of Klass's things, and as Klass told his tale she acknowledged it with flicks of her tail.
"I daresay the mansion you were driven from was of a noble house called Antheo."
"Y-yes...you know them?"
"I heard a bit about them in a town I was in not long ago—that there was an eccentric nobleman out in the countryside. But I see—so he's dead, is he?"
Klass didn't know whether or not the lord of the mansion was an eccentric or not, but the word countryside bothered him.
The mansion was a magnificent place, and there were at least twenty servants and stone buildings like the one Aryes had occupied.
And nearby the estate there were grapevine trellises and villages, too.
As Klass thought about it, he became aware of Holo grinning at him.
"Indeed, you set out on a journey and were a helpless chick before long."
"..." He didn't know why he was being laughed at, but it was frustrating, and Klass looked away.
That seemed only to invite more laughter from Holo, who snickered covertly. "Be not angry, boy. Were you yourself not surprised at the size of the world?"
Stunned, he looked back at Holo.
"Nay, the reason I know that is because I felt the same way when I set out on my own travels."
Klass got the feeling that he was being manipulated this way and that, but she didn't seem to be lying.
"...Is that so?"
"Aye. The world is vast indeed. And—"
But her words cut off there. Klass followed her gaze and saw that at some point the sleeping Aryes's eyes had opened slightly.
"Aryes—" Klass called her name, forgetting all about Holo, and Aryes's eyes focused on him many times faster than her usual rate of awakening.
"Ah...wha—why—?"
She sat up, not seeming to understand the reason for her current position. Klass hurriedly tried to explain.
"You collapsed just a moment ago! Don't you remember?"
Having been reminded, she finally seemed to recall.
A bit of a flush began to creep into her much-improved complexion.
"As a servant of God, I am deeply ashamed. However, I am now well."
Despite the mere five days of their travel, Klass was beginning to understand her personality.
Though he might tell her to sleep, her tone revealed whether she was likely to do so or not.
He didn't try to stop her awakening, and thus she quite obviously noticed Holo.
"Oh, my...," she murmured and then paused.
The beast ears atop the head, the magnificent wolf tail—these were unmistakable signs of a spirit, and they were right before her eyes. Her surprise was understandable.
Aryes stared openly at Holo's inhuman attributes.
Klass was suddenly very worried that Holo would become angry at the rather rude staring. And just the previous night, Aryes had thought wolves to be men.
He would have to say something outrageous.
Just as he'd come to that conclusion and was about to try to whisper in her ear, the frozen Aryes seemed to come to a sudden understanding and nodded convincingly. "Oh...you're from far across the sea, aren't you?"
Klass was about to correct her mistaken notion—though the truth was just as strange—when Holo cut him off.
"Aye. I'm called Holo, and I've traveled here from far in the north."
Far from being angry, she smiled as though amused, and her tail wagged happily as though emphasizing the fact.
Aryes accepted the coat that Klass offered her, then bowed elegantly. "I am Aryes Belange," she said.
Klass had heard even kings bowed their heads before a spirit, and so while being in front of one was deeply intimidating, he found the idea of not knowing terrifying.

Output:
"So, how can we assist you?"
This may have been appropriate back at the mansion, but here Klass couldn't stop himself from speaking up. "N-no! Ho—Holo...she saved you, Aryes."
He stumbled over her name when he realized he didn't know how polite he needed to be when referring to her.
In that instant, he had avoided calling her "Lady Holo" after seeing the sharp glint in her amber eyes. For whatever reason, she seemed to hate such reverence.
Aryes looked surprised anew and hastily corrected her sitting posture.
Klass doubted that Aryes would be able to properly express her thanks, but that doubt lasted but a moment.
Aryes straightened and suddenly looked surprisingly adult.
"My sincere apologies—and again, my thanks," she said, putting her hands together and bowing in much the same way she did when praying before a meal.
Klass was stunned at Aryes's composure, but when he looked at Holo, he saw she was delighted. He felt relief at having managed to avoid rousing her anger.
Still, he was shocked that Aryes had revealed herself to be so levelheaded.
"And if that is true, then I would very much like to repay the kindness you showed in saving me."
"Kindness, eh?"
"Yes. Unfortunately we are but travelers and are limited in what we can offer."
This was like a different person from the Aryes who'd asked why the flowers in the field did not wither without vases.
He suddenly felt shame at having so condescendingly explained so many things to her.
"Hmph. I need no material goods. Instead, let me see..." Holo glanced at Klass.
At the same time, Aryes, too, looked over her shoulder at him, and for some reason he suddenly felt like a frog enduring the gaze of a serpent.
Though each of them was very different, somehow Klass got the feeling that he was the odd man out.
Amused, Holo continued. "Would you let me travel with you for a while?"
"Huh?!" Klass said without thinking and again felt himself under the gaze of the other two.
It did not seem that any objections would be allowed.
Then Aryes turned back to Holo, smiling, and spoke. "If it would please you to do so."
"I'm thankful."
The two nodded to each other like old friends, then just continued on with their conversation.
Klass was not amused.
And yet—he was not sure why he was unamused.
"Well, my things are over yonder. Would you help me gather them?"
"Ah, yes." Aryes stood, and Klass stopped her.
"Aryes, you rest."
"But—"
"Just rest," he repeated a bit more forcefully, and the surprised Aryes gave a hesitant nod.
Holo watched the exchange amusedly, then said, "Over this way," as she began to walk. "Heh. You needn't have been so demanding," she said, immediately taking the lead.
"Uh...well..."
"You could've merely said physical work is for men, nay?"
She looked over her shoulder at him, and Klass could feel his face becoming hot under her gaze.
Holo knew everything.
She giggled. "Ah, such troubles!"
Her tail swished happily beneath her cloak.
"Still, I expect eight or nine of ten males would act the same way. 'Tis nothing you need worry over," she said as though to encourage him, patting his back—none of this made Klass any happier.
After all, her face was still smiling as though she might burst out laughing at any moment.
"Oh, come now, I'm your ally."
You liar were the words that he felt in his heart.
Even Klass knew when he was being teased.
"Heh, 'tis true I'm making sport of you. However—" Holo took a quick step ahead of Klass, then turned and peered down at him from above.
Her eyes were the eyes of a wolf gazing at its prey.
Klass, entranced, could not bring himself to look away from those amber eyes.
"Shall the three of us sleep together tonight? With you in the middle, of course."
No sooner had Klass heard those words than he imagined the scene and immediately thereafter tripped over his own feet.
When Holo had asked to travel with Aryes and the two of them had looked at him, he'd felt like a frog under the eyes of a serpent for just this reason.


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

Input:
"So, how can we assist you?"
This may have been appropriate back at the mansion, but here Klass couldn't stop himself from speaking up. "N-no! Ho—Holo...she saved you, Aryes."
He stumbled over her name when he realized he didn't know how polite he needed to be when referring to her.
In that instant, he had avoided calling her "Lady Holo" after seeing the sharp glint in her amber eyes. For whatever reason, she seemed to hate such reverence.
Aryes looked surprised anew and hastily corrected her sitting posture.
Klass doubted that Aryes would be able to properly express her thanks, but that doubt lasted but a moment.
Aryes straightened and suddenly looked surprisingly adult.
"My sincere apologies—and again, my thanks," she said, putting her hands together and bowing in much the same way she did when praying before a meal.
Klass was stunned at Aryes's composure, but when he looked at Holo, he saw she was delighted. He felt relief at having managed to avoid rousing her anger.
Still, he was shocked that Aryes had revealed herself to be so levelheaded.
"And if that is true, then I would very much like to repay the kindness you showed in saving me."
"Kindness, eh?"
"Yes. Unfortunately we are but travelers and are limited in what we can offer."
This was like a different person from the Aryes who'd asked why the flowers in the field did not wither without vases.
He suddenly felt shame at having so condescendingly explained so many things to her.
"Hmph. I need no material goods. Instead, let me see..." Holo glanced at Klass.
At the same time, Aryes, too, looked over her shoulder at him, and for some reason he suddenly felt like a frog enduring the gaze of a serpent.
Though each of them was very different, somehow Klass got the feeling that he was the odd man out.
Amused, Holo continued. "Would you let me travel with you for a while?"
"Huh?!" Klass said without thinking and again felt himself under the gaze of the other two.
It did not seem that any objections would be allowed.
Then Aryes turned back to Holo, smiling, and spoke. "If it would please you to do so."
"I'm thankful."
The two nodded to each other like old friends, then just continued on with their conversation.
Klass was not amused.
And yet—he was not sure why he was unamused.
"Well, my things are over yonder. Would you help me gather them?"
"Ah, yes." Aryes stood, and Klass stopped her.
"Aryes, you rest."
"But—"
"Just rest," he repeated a bit more forcefully, and the surprised Aryes gave a hesitant nod.
Holo watched the exchange amusedly, then said, "Over this way," as she began to walk. "Heh. You needn't have been so demanding," she said, immediately taking the lead.
"Uh...well..."
"You could've merely said physical work is for men, nay?"
She looked over her shoulder at him, and Klass could feel his face becoming hot under her gaze.
Holo knew everything.
She giggled. "Ah, such troubles!"
Her tail swished happily beneath her cloak.
"Still, I expect eight or nine of ten males would act the same way. 'Tis nothing you need worry over," she said as though to encourage him, patting his back—none of this made Klass any happier.
After all, her face was still smiling as though she might burst out laughing at any moment.
"Oh, come now, I'm your ally."
You liar were the words that he felt in his heart.
Even Klass knew when he was being teased.
"Heh, 'tis true I'm making sport of you. However—" Holo took a quick step ahead of Klass, then turned and peered down at him from above.
Her eyes were the eyes of a wolf gazing at its prey.
Klass, entranced, could not bring himself to look away from those amber eyes.
"Shall the three of us sleep together tonight? With you in the middle, of course."
No sooner had Klass heard those words than he imagined the scene and immediately thereafter tripped over his own feet.
When Holo had asked to travel with Aryes and the two of them had looked at him, he'd felt like a frog under the eyes of a serpent for just this reason.

Output:
But before Klass could feel anger at the jab, he realized he was comparing Holo's smile with Aryes's in his mind, and now at his wit's end, he stayed prostrate on the ground.
He could not help feeling as though he was a truly pathetic creature, indeed.
When he hit his own head a few times and looked up, Holo spoke, her expression now gentle.
"I'll make a proper male of you yet."
Klass collapsed again.
Thus the journey of the three fatigued travelers had begun.
Klass awoke sneezing, the first sneeze he'd had in some time.
I've been so warm these past few days and yet—he thought to himself, curled up in a blanket. But then he remembered that it was not so.
Yesterday, for the first time in a while, he'd slept alone atop a hill, the horizon yet uninterrupted.
Until then, he'd slept beside his traveling companion in order to conserve warmth—with a slightly odd girl named Aryes.
Just thinking about it was enough to take the edge off the cold, but there was a good reason why he hadn't been able to do it the previous night.
Klass and Aryes, having been driven out of the mansion in which they'd lived, were slowly traveling a road that led to the sea and had encountered a mysterious guest. Her name was Holo, and she claimed to be Klass and Aryes's senior by two centuries, despite looking merely Aryes's age, or perhaps a little older. But as she had a beast's ears atop her head, a wolf's tail at her waist, and sharp fangs in her mouth, Klass could not doubt her claims about her age.
And as for the reason Klass was enduring the cold and sleeping alone—that was Holo's doing.
"Let us all sleep together," Holo had said the previous day.
Klass had only been able to sleep with Aryes before that because of Aryes's extreme naiveté—she didn't realize Klass was a boy.
But Holo was different.
Holo had made the suggestion only to tease him.
No matter how majestic a spirit she might be, he could not take her up on it.
So in the end, Klass had borrowed the blanket and slept alone. Aryes and Holo had slept together, using their robe and cloak in place of the blanket—and yet Klass pictured the two of them curled up together fast asleep and could not help but feel he'd wasted an opportunity.
Holo was surprisingly mean for a spirit, and Aryes was, well, Aryes and tended not to understand things very well, but there was no mistaking the fact that they were both beautiful.
Of course, he couldn't very well go and ask to be allowed between them now, but there would be no harm in just taking a look.
So Klass told himself as he poked his head out of the blanket—and right in front of his eyes, there was Holo.
"Shall I try to guess why you're making such a face?" Holo yawned and seemed to be grooming her tail.
Klass couldn't hide his face back under the blanket but feebly shook his head nonetheless.
"You're the last."
As Klass slowly emerged from the blanket, he saw that Aryes was indeed awake and a short distance away was saying her morning prayers.
He looked up at the sky, where God evidently was. It was cloudy again and a bit chilly.
And speaking of gods, the god right in front of him, Holo, tossed her tail aside after grooming it for a while, then produced a crust of bread from within her own possessions and broke off a generous piece for Klass.
Despite the fact that it was no harvest festival that day, it was wheat bread—wheat!
"'Twas a gift. No need for restraint."
Even if he'd been told to restrain himself, Klass's hand would've taken the bread of its own accord.
Still, he was worried about Aryes, who flatly refused to eat breakfast.
"Oh, that? I've already persuaded her. Look," said Holo.
She turned to Aryes, who was returning from her prayers, and tossed a piece of bread at her.
Aryes hastily extended both hands and caught the bread against her chest, as though she were saving an infant. Even Klass, who was far from well mannered himself, was surprised at Holo's impropriety. "Y-you're throwing food—!"


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

Input:
But before Klass could feel anger at the jab, he realized he was comparing Holo's smile with Aryes's in his mind, and now at his wit's end, he stayed prostrate on the ground.
He could not help feeling as though he was a truly pathetic creature, indeed.
When he hit his own head a few times and looked up, Holo spoke, her expression now gentle.
"I'll make a proper male of you yet."
Klass collapsed again.
Thus the journey of the three fatigued travelers had begun.
Klass awoke sneezing, the first sneeze he'd had in some time.
I've been so warm these past few days and yet—he thought to himself, curled up in a blanket. But then he remembered that it was not so.
Yesterday, for the first time in a while, he'd slept alone atop a hill, the horizon yet uninterrupted.
Until then, he'd slept beside his traveling companion in order to conserve warmth—with a slightly odd girl named Aryes.
Just thinking about it was enough to take the edge off the cold, but there was a good reason why he hadn't been able to do it the previous night.
Klass and Aryes, having been driven out of the mansion in which they'd lived, were slowly traveling a road that led to the sea and had encountered a mysterious guest. Her name was Holo, and she claimed to be Klass and Aryes's senior by two centuries, despite looking merely Aryes's age, or perhaps a little older. But as she had a beast's ears atop her head, a wolf's tail at her waist, and sharp fangs in her mouth, Klass could not doubt her claims about her age.
And as for the reason Klass was enduring the cold and sleeping alone—that was Holo's doing.
"Let us all sleep together," Holo had said the previous day.
Klass had only been able to sleep with Aryes before that because of Aryes's extreme naiveté—she didn't realize Klass was a boy.
But Holo was different.
Holo had made the suggestion only to tease him.
No matter how majestic a spirit she might be, he could not take her up on it.
So in the end, Klass had borrowed the blanket and slept alone. Aryes and Holo had slept together, using their robe and cloak in place of the blanket—and yet Klass pictured the two of them curled up together fast asleep and could not help but feel he'd wasted an opportunity.
Holo was surprisingly mean for a spirit, and Aryes was, well, Aryes and tended not to understand things very well, but there was no mistaking the fact that they were both beautiful.
Of course, he couldn't very well go and ask to be allowed between them now, but there would be no harm in just taking a look.
So Klass told himself as he poked his head out of the blanket—and right in front of his eyes, there was Holo.
"Shall I try to guess why you're making such a face?" Holo yawned and seemed to be grooming her tail.
Klass couldn't hide his face back under the blanket but feebly shook his head nonetheless.
"You're the last."
As Klass slowly emerged from the blanket, he saw that Aryes was indeed awake and a short distance away was saying her morning prayers.
He looked up at the sky, where God evidently was. It was cloudy again and a bit chilly.
And speaking of gods, the god right in front of him, Holo, tossed her tail aside after grooming it for a while, then produced a crust of bread from within her own possessions and broke off a generous piece for Klass.
Despite the fact that it was no harvest festival that day, it was wheat bread—wheat!
"'Twas a gift. No need for restraint."
Even if he'd been told to restrain himself, Klass's hand would've taken the bread of its own accord.
Still, he was worried about Aryes, who flatly refused to eat breakfast.
"Oh, that? I've already persuaded her. Look," said Holo.
She turned to Aryes, who was returning from her prayers, and tossed a piece of bread at her.
Aryes hastily extended both hands and caught the bread against her chest, as though she were saving an infant. Even Klass, who was far from well mannered himself, was surprised at Holo's impropriety. "Y-you're throwing food—!"

Output:
"Huh...?" Klass made an inadvertently foolish face while Aryes cocked her head as though someone were pinching her nose. Then, at length, she gave a vague nod.
Klass felt as though he was somehow being fooled, but he couldn't quite put his finger on how.
It was said that not even the wisest man could best a spirit.
"That's how it's done, lad," whispered Holo into Klass's ear, and he couldn't help being a bit impressed with her. "So, your destination was the sea, was it?"
Perhaps she was used to eating such bread; while Klass nibbled stingily at his portion, Holo downed hers with greedy gusto.
"M-more or less," said Klass.
"A meandering journey for two, eh?"
Klass shrunk back at the tease. "That's not really what it is, but..."
"If you're not truly wandering, then you've got to decide on a proper destination," said Holo definitively, popping the last bite into her mouth.
The word wandering echoed through Klass's mind for a moment.
He'd heard tales from such travelers, who migrated from nation to nation on horseback, faces gloomy and cloaks battered and worn.
But when he's spoken of such things, the other adults at the mansion all seemed to laugh in the same way, so he'd kept silent.
"Still, your eating is as slow as your waking is late."
"Huh?" At Holo's words, Klass looked down. He had not eat eaten even half of his bread.
He immediately thought that Holo's eating was merely too fast, but then he looked at Aryes.
"What is it that humans say? Eating like you need a knife and spoon, eh?"
Klass had often been told as much when his water-fetching and livestock chores were piling up.
For the nobility who used knives and spoons, the slower one ate, the better.
Naturally Klass had never used a spoon in his life.
He hastily crammed the remaining bread into his mouth.
Although the rich flavor of the bread now filled his mouth in a way it couldn't possibly have done so while he was nibbling on it, a few chews and a swallow later and that was it.
He was feeling as though it had been a bit of a waste, but it was gone now and what was done was done.
He'd been further pushed by the fact that even Aryes, who was normally a very slow eater, had finished.
"Right, then, let us gather our things and set off. The sea is yet far, but the next town is quite close."
At Holo's words, Klass immediately set about cleaning up.
He soon realized that he was the only one doing so, but he couldn't interrupt Aryes (who was now in the middle of her post-breakfast prayers) and ordering Holo to help him was out of the question.
Still, the one thing he couldn't abide was having to care for Holo's things in addition to his own.
In contrast to Klass and Aryes's meager belongings, Holo's bag contained everything a traveler needed. The heaviest part was a wineskin filled with wine.
"What do you mean, you can't carry it alone? How did you come this far, then?" Klass complained at the unreasonable request, which Holo flashed her fangs at and brought her face close to his, smiling mysteriously.
"You really want to know?"
There were several reasons for Klass's nervous gulp and nothing to make him nod in the affirmative.
Holo nodded, satisfied, and with a wave of her tail, she set off walking.
Klass had relinquished that pressure in exchange for this heavy burden; he sighed and walked after her. In any case, if this was the amount he was expected to carry, it was hardly impossible.
As he was considering the situation, he sensed a presence beside him. When he looked over, it was Aryes.
"Shall I help you?"
It was the first offer she'd made in six days of travel, but Klass knew she had collapsed of exhaustion just yesterday. He could hardly accept it and so demurred.
"But...," she began, looking more assaulted by personal guilt than concern, and so Klass gave her the food bag they'd originally been traveling with.
"Take this, then."
Aryes nodded and took the bag.
Klass didn't know why she was suddenly so eager to help but in any case was certainly happy she cared at all.


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

Input:
"Huh...?" Klass made an inadvertently foolish face while Aryes cocked her head as though someone were pinching her nose. Then, at length, she gave a vague nod.
Klass felt as though he was somehow being fooled, but he couldn't quite put his finger on how.
It was said that not even the wisest man could best a spirit.
"That's how it's done, lad," whispered Holo into Klass's ear, and he couldn't help being a bit impressed with her. "So, your destination was the sea, was it?"
Perhaps she was used to eating such bread; while Klass nibbled stingily at his portion, Holo downed hers with greedy gusto.
"M-more or less," said Klass.
"A meandering journey for two, eh?"
Klass shrunk back at the tease. "That's not really what it is, but..."
"If you're not truly wandering, then you've got to decide on a proper destination," said Holo definitively, popping the last bite into her mouth.
The word wandering echoed through Klass's mind for a moment.
He'd heard tales from such travelers, who migrated from nation to nation on horseback, faces gloomy and cloaks battered and worn.
But when he's spoken of such things, the other adults at the mansion all seemed to laugh in the same way, so he'd kept silent.
"Still, your eating is as slow as your waking is late."
"Huh?" At Holo's words, Klass looked down. He had not eat eaten even half of his bread.
He immediately thought that Holo's eating was merely too fast, but then he looked at Aryes.
"What is it that humans say? Eating like you need a knife and spoon, eh?"
Klass had often been told as much when his water-fetching and livestock chores were piling up.
For the nobility who used knives and spoons, the slower one ate, the better.
Naturally Klass had never used a spoon in his life.
He hastily crammed the remaining bread into his mouth.
Although the rich flavor of the bread now filled his mouth in a way it couldn't possibly have done so while he was nibbling on it, a few chews and a swallow later and that was it.
He was feeling as though it had been a bit of a waste, but it was gone now and what was done was done.
He'd been further pushed by the fact that even Aryes, who was normally a very slow eater, had finished.
"Right, then, let us gather our things and set off. The sea is yet far, but the next town is quite close."
At Holo's words, Klass immediately set about cleaning up.
He soon realized that he was the only one doing so, but he couldn't interrupt Aryes (who was now in the middle of her post-breakfast prayers) and ordering Holo to help him was out of the question.
Still, the one thing he couldn't abide was having to care for Holo's things in addition to his own.
In contrast to Klass and Aryes's meager belongings, Holo's bag contained everything a traveler needed. The heaviest part was a wineskin filled with wine.
"What do you mean, you can't carry it alone? How did you come this far, then?" Klass complained at the unreasonable request, which Holo flashed her fangs at and brought her face close to his, smiling mysteriously.
"You really want to know?"
There were several reasons for Klass's nervous gulp and nothing to make him nod in the affirmative.
Holo nodded, satisfied, and with a wave of her tail, she set off walking.
Klass had relinquished that pressure in exchange for this heavy burden; he sighed and walked after her. In any case, if this was the amount he was expected to carry, it was hardly impossible.
As he was considering the situation, he sensed a presence beside him. When he looked over, it was Aryes.
"Shall I help you?"
It was the first offer she'd made in six days of travel, but Klass knew she had collapsed of exhaustion just yesterday. He could hardly accept it and so demurred.
"But...," she began, looking more assaulted by personal guilt than concern, and so Klass gave her the food bag they'd originally been traveling with.
"Take this, then."
Aryes nodded and took the bag.
Klass didn't know why she was suddenly so eager to help but in any case was certainly happy she cared at all.

Output:
Aryes slung the bag's drawstring over her shoulder and followed obediently behind and to one side of him.
This was a first for their travels together, but as Holo was already striding ahead, Klass had to hurry to keep up.
He was worried that Aryes would collapse again, but it seemed as though they were approaching level ground as the rolling hills grew lower, and by the time they stopped for their midday meal, they'd been able to climb three small hills.
Just before that break, Aryes—who'd been silent the entire time—spoke up.
"I forgot to give my thanks for protecting me from the wolves, so thank you very much!"
Klass was a bit taken aback at her strangely stiff affect and phrasing, which made it seem as though she'd been trying to find the right moment to say this.
She was likely very serious about such things.
"Um, y-you're welcome."
At this answer, Aryes sighed in obvious relief and smiled weakly.
It was so oddly charming that Klass was about to hastily add, "Please, don't worry about it," but he saw Holo sitting down ahead of them at a bit of a remove and said nothing.
Her gaze was fixed elsewhere, but her ears were pointed at them.
"A-anyway, let's stop and eat."
In that moment, he noticed Holo's profile looking suddenly irritated.
Klass realized that Holo had likely made him carry her luggage in order to elicit this thanks from Aryes.
He wished she would mind her own business.
Such things were not why he was traveling with Aryes.
And yet, being thanked so directly by her was a simple joy.
After their midday meal was over, Holo sprawled out on the ground.
She was no doubt sleepy from the large amount of wine she'd gulped down.
She'd sent Klass and Aryes on ahead, saying she'd catch up with them later. They left behind only the blanket.
Since the party's walking speed was limited to what Aryes could manage, Holo could let them go ahead and still easily catch up. What made Klass sigh was the way Holo had so quickly invited herself along to travel with them and then just as easily did as she liked even after joining them.
Of course, no matter what Holo's conduct, it was more than made up for by the debt they owed her for sharing her bread with them.
One could not argue with the person who fed them.
Thus it was that for the moment, Klass was again traveling alone with Aryes.
But it seemed that the reason she'd walked alongside Klass without straying all morning long was her searching for the opportunity to say the thanks she felt she'd missed. Now she would walk for a while, then stop, looking at him questioningly.
The constant stopping was honestly irritating, but the questioning looks were not at all unpleasant.
Naturally he couldn't help but tell her whatever she wanted to know.
After some time, she let slip a sound that might well have been a cry, which Klass turned at, surprised.
"Aryes?!"
In an instant, the events of the previous night flashed through his mind, but he soon realized that if there were more wolves, Holo had said she would deal with them.
Aryes stood a short distance away; she looked at Klass, then pointed.
For a moment he thought it was terror that colored her features—but no, it was something else.
Not terror, but confusion.
"What's wrong?" The moment he heard her cry, Klass had nearly dropped the bags he was carrying to run to her side, but when he realized the lack of urgency in her voice, he re-shouldered the burden and simply walked over to her.
Leave one's things unattended and they were liable to be snatched away by a hawk you'd never seen. Klass thought of the times he'd lost his meal to opportunistic livestock when tending them back at the estate.
"Wh-what's that...?"
As Klass approached Aryes, the nuances of her expression became visible.
Her face wasn't confused as much as sad and worried.
He looked to where she was pointing.
There, just far enough away that it must have felt confident in its ability to escape should these strangers approach, was a brown rabbit.


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

Input:
Aryes slung the bag's drawstring over her shoulder and followed obediently behind and to one side of him.
This was a first for their travels together, but as Holo was already striding ahead, Klass had to hurry to keep up.
He was worried that Aryes would collapse again, but it seemed as though they were approaching level ground as the rolling hills grew lower, and by the time they stopped for their midday meal, they'd been able to climb three small hills.
Just before that break, Aryes—who'd been silent the entire time—spoke up.
"I forgot to give my thanks for protecting me from the wolves, so thank you very much!"
Klass was a bit taken aback at her strangely stiff affect and phrasing, which made it seem as though she'd been trying to find the right moment to say this.
She was likely very serious about such things.
"Um, y-you're welcome."
At this answer, Aryes sighed in obvious relief and smiled weakly.
It was so oddly charming that Klass was about to hastily add, "Please, don't worry about it," but he saw Holo sitting down ahead of them at a bit of a remove and said nothing.
Her gaze was fixed elsewhere, but her ears were pointed at them.
"A-anyway, let's stop and eat."
In that moment, he noticed Holo's profile looking suddenly irritated.
Klass realized that Holo had likely made him carry her luggage in order to elicit this thanks from Aryes.
He wished she would mind her own business.
Such things were not why he was traveling with Aryes.
And yet, being thanked so directly by her was a simple joy.
After their midday meal was over, Holo sprawled out on the ground.
She was no doubt sleepy from the large amount of wine she'd gulped down.
She'd sent Klass and Aryes on ahead, saying she'd catch up with them later. They left behind only the blanket.
Since the party's walking speed was limited to what Aryes could manage, Holo could let them go ahead and still easily catch up. What made Klass sigh was the way Holo had so quickly invited herself along to travel with them and then just as easily did as she liked even after joining them.
Of course, no matter what Holo's conduct, it was more than made up for by the debt they owed her for sharing her bread with them.
One could not argue with the person who fed them.
Thus it was that for the moment, Klass was again traveling alone with Aryes.
But it seemed that the reason she'd walked alongside Klass without straying all morning long was her searching for the opportunity to say the thanks she felt she'd missed. Now she would walk for a while, then stop, looking at him questioningly.
The constant stopping was honestly irritating, but the questioning looks were not at all unpleasant.
Naturally he couldn't help but tell her whatever she wanted to know.
After some time, she let slip a sound that might well have been a cry, which Klass turned at, surprised.
"Aryes?!"
In an instant, the events of the previous night flashed through his mind, but he soon realized that if there were more wolves, Holo had said she would deal with them.
Aryes stood a short distance away; she looked at Klass, then pointed.
For a moment he thought it was terror that colored her features—but no, it was something else.
Not terror, but confusion.
"What's wrong?" The moment he heard her cry, Klass had nearly dropped the bags he was carrying to run to her side, but when he realized the lack of urgency in her voice, he re-shouldered the burden and simply walked over to her.
Leave one's things unattended and they were liable to be snatched away by a hawk you'd never seen. Klass thought of the times he'd lost his meal to opportunistic livestock when tending them back at the estate.
"Wh-what's that...?"
As Klass approached Aryes, the nuances of her expression became visible.
Her face wasn't confused as much as sad and worried.
He looked to where she was pointing.
There, just far enough away that it must have felt confident in its ability to escape should these strangers approach, was a brown rabbit.

Output:
Even if it was her first time seeing a rabbit, it had nothing of the presence of, say, a horse, and if anything was rather cute, Klass thought.
Just as he was wondering what she could possibly be so upset about, Aryes swallowed and answered his question.
"Its...Its ears..."
When Klass realized the reason for her sad, worried state, he couldn't help but laugh.
She thought its ears had gotten that way because someone had stretched them.
"All rabbits have ears like that. Those long ears are how they hear things far away."
Klass had heard the wolves' footfalls against the ground the night before, but when he'd slept in the estate's barn, he'd often heard the rabbits that lived in nearby dens thumping the ground with their feet.
When they hit the ground like that, their rabbit friends would hear the sound with their long ears and understand it as a warning of an approaching fox or wolf.
"Are you quite certain that...someone didn't do something terrible to it?"
"Yes," said Klass, which seemed to finally relieve Aryes. "Still, it sure looks tasty." The hare was chewing away as it watched the pair vigilantly. Its fur was fine and it was rather large. If it was roasted over a fire, Klass could easily imagine the thick, oily texture that would greet him if he bit into a roasted rabbit thigh almost hot enough to burn him as the juices trickled down his chin.
But once he'd said this, Aryes looked at him with utter disbelief.
"Huh? Uh, er, no, I-I meant the grass the rabbit is eating. It sure looks like it's tasty! That's all I meant!" Klass hastily amended his statement, and though Aryes was regarding him as though he was a scoundrel of the worst sort, she seemed finally to believe him, and her expression calmed.
"Ah, I see. I'm so sorry, I thought—"
"No, it's fine—I'm sorry I scared you."
In truth it was Klass who had been scared, but it seemed he'd managed to avoid Aryes's scorn.
Still, if that was so—had Aryes never eaten rabbit? Klass pondered this, and after a time Aryes spoke up uncertainly.
"There undoubtedly is—"
"Hmm?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I mean, there undoubtedly is much I don't know about in the world," she said, her gaze distant.
Though her profile was calm, it seemed tinged with a quiet awe.
Aryes had said that she'd lived her entire life within the stone-walled confines of that small building.
Klass's mouth moved of its own accord. "Well, let's see more of it!"
"Oh?"
"We'll go far away. To the ocean, to all over."
Holo had said they needed to have a destination or a goal.
It seemed like a grand idea to Klass to have traveling the world and seeing its sights itself be the destination.
But Aryes did not react for a time. For a moment it was as though his words had been a spell that turned her to stone, but her expression finally softened.
Klass was a bit surprised at the very adult smile she wore.
"Yes, let's. Though I suppose I'll need to walk a bit faster," she said, her smile now the one Klass knew well.
Klass, nonplussed, nodded three times, and then instead of clearing his throat, he rebalanced the bags over her shoulder. "So long as you don't collapse," he said teasingly.
At this Aryes drew her chin in and hid her face beneath her hood.
It was such a childish gesture, and Klass was relieved. "Let's be off," he said.
He started walking as Aryes followed.
The sun was setting by the time Holo finally rejoined them.
"...Guh..." The voiceless sound came out of his throat unbidden. No matter how he tried to feign otherwise, there was nothing for it—he coughed hoarsely.
"Heh-heh. I suppose you're a bit young yet."
Holo took the wineskin from the coughing Klass and grinned unpleasantly.
According to her, it contained filtered grape wine.
Klass had always heard the word grape wine and imagined something sweet, but what he drank was more like spoiled grape juice that burned even though it was cold.


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

Input:
Even if it was her first time seeing a rabbit, it had nothing of the presence of, say, a horse, and if anything was rather cute, Klass thought.
Just as he was wondering what she could possibly be so upset about, Aryes swallowed and answered his question.
"Its...Its ears..."
When Klass realized the reason for her sad, worried state, he couldn't help but laugh.
She thought its ears had gotten that way because someone had stretched them.
"All rabbits have ears like that. Those long ears are how they hear things far away."
Klass had heard the wolves' footfalls against the ground the night before, but when he'd slept in the estate's barn, he'd often heard the rabbits that lived in nearby dens thumping the ground with their feet.
When they hit the ground like that, their rabbit friends would hear the sound with their long ears and understand it as a warning of an approaching fox or wolf.
"Are you quite certain that...someone didn't do something terrible to it?"
"Yes," said Klass, which seemed to finally relieve Aryes. "Still, it sure looks tasty." The hare was chewing away as it watched the pair vigilantly. Its fur was fine and it was rather large. If it was roasted over a fire, Klass could easily imagine the thick, oily texture that would greet him if he bit into a roasted rabbit thigh almost hot enough to burn him as the juices trickled down his chin.
But once he'd said this, Aryes looked at him with utter disbelief.
"Huh? Uh, er, no, I-I meant the grass the rabbit is eating. It sure looks like it's tasty! That's all I meant!" Klass hastily amended his statement, and though Aryes was regarding him as though he was a scoundrel of the worst sort, she seemed finally to believe him, and her expression calmed.
"Ah, I see. I'm so sorry, I thought—"
"No, it's fine—I'm sorry I scared you."
In truth it was Klass who had been scared, but it seemed he'd managed to avoid Aryes's scorn.
Still, if that was so—had Aryes never eaten rabbit? Klass pondered this, and after a time Aryes spoke up uncertainly.
"There undoubtedly is—"
"Hmm?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I mean, there undoubtedly is much I don't know about in the world," she said, her gaze distant.
Though her profile was calm, it seemed tinged with a quiet awe.
Aryes had said that she'd lived her entire life within the stone-walled confines of that small building.
Klass's mouth moved of its own accord. "Well, let's see more of it!"
"Oh?"
"We'll go far away. To the ocean, to all over."
Holo had said they needed to have a destination or a goal.
It seemed like a grand idea to Klass to have traveling the world and seeing its sights itself be the destination.
But Aryes did not react for a time. For a moment it was as though his words had been a spell that turned her to stone, but her expression finally softened.
Klass was a bit surprised at the very adult smile she wore.
"Yes, let's. Though I suppose I'll need to walk a bit faster," she said, her smile now the one Klass knew well.
Klass, nonplussed, nodded three times, and then instead of clearing his throat, he rebalanced the bags over her shoulder. "So long as you don't collapse," he said teasingly.
At this Aryes drew her chin in and hid her face beneath her hood.
It was such a childish gesture, and Klass was relieved. "Let's be off," he said.
He started walking as Aryes followed.
The sun was setting by the time Holo finally rejoined them.
"...Guh..." The voiceless sound came out of his throat unbidden. No matter how he tried to feign otherwise, there was nothing for it—he coughed hoarsely.
"Heh-heh. I suppose you're a bit young yet."
Holo took the wineskin from the coughing Klass and grinned unpleasantly.
According to her, it contained filtered grape wine.
Klass had always heard the word grape wine and imagined something sweet, but what he drank was more like spoiled grape juice that burned even though it was cold.

Output:
Height had nothing to do with it, Klass wanted to say, but couldn't come up with a good retort.
Aryes had been able to drink it with a straight face, and if she could do it, he thought he could, too—right up until the miserable accounting he'd just given of himself.
"Wine is the blood of God. If you can't drink this, it's proof that God's teachings aren't entering your body," Aryes had scolded him.
Since Klass had never heard any of these supposed teachings, that was probably true, but in any case it was humiliating that she could do something he couldn't.
"Wine is meant to be enjoyed. There are other liquors to drink to prove your pluck." Told thus by the spirit, he had no choice but to back down. "Though I do pity you being unable to enjoy this pleasure."
These last words, though, were directed not at Klass, but at Aryes.
Aryes seemed perplexed for a moment and looked at Klass.
Still frustrated at having been coddled, Klass looked away.
"Still, when one constantly calls upon God after having received His blessing, failures will also increase," said Aryes.
"It pains me to hear it," said Holo, twitching her wolf ears as though flicking an insect away.
Aryes smiled, then unfolded and refolded her arms on her lap awkwardly, as though embarrassed. "The most common failure is being unable to wait as the juice drips from the cloth one has bound the grapes in..."
"And so you wring it out by hand, yes? And then for some reason, it tastes awful."
Aryes closed her eyes and put her hand to her right cheek. "'If grape wine is the blood of God, and the blood of God is the blessing taken from his body, then you are fools who seek blessings though it injures God,' I was told."
Klass didn't really understand what Aryes was talking about, but Holo seemed deeply amused, as though she'd told a joke of the best sort.
The only thing he did understand was that whenever Aryes had heard those words, her right cheek had been struck. She rubbed her cheek as though remembering the pain.
"I felt deeply sorry. I knew I would never do such a thing again."
"And so you leashed your craving, eh?"
Aryes opened one eye and looked at Holo, whose head was slightly cocked; the two let slip a little ripple of laughter.
"I keep God's teachings and receive only those blessings I have earned."
"Catching one drop at a time, then licking it from your finger would surely be...," said Holo with exaggerated relish, and Aryes closed her eyes again and smiled.
But now her hand on her right cheek was not there to remember the pain, but rather to savor the memory of tasting something delicious.
Aryes's new expression and manner transfixed Klass; he felt it deep in his chest.
For a moment he was startled by it, but then realized there had been a tingle there ever since he'd downed the wine and felt somewhat relieved.
"Still, 'twould be a poor life not to know this particular pleasure," said Holo.
At those words the two of them looked at him, and Klass suddenly felt like a very young child, and like a young child he turned away angrily.
The sun had set during the exchange, and thanks to the cloudy weather they were truly surrounded by darkness.
As they had no fire, once night came there was nothing to do but sleep.
It was the same group—Holo, Klass, Aryes—as the previous night, but perhaps having gotten bored with teasing, Holo did not suggest they all sleep together.
Klass was simultaneously relieved and disappointed at this; it was a strangely lonely sensation, and he was frightened of thinking about it too much, so he wrapped himself in his blanket and closed his eyes.
The moderate throb of pain in his temples was surely due to the wine.
When he thought of Aryes, who tired after only a bit of walking, whose questioning eyes turned to him every time she saw something new, and who easily drank the wine, he sighed.
He was the one who had to hold her hand and pull her down the path she so unsteadily walked.


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

Input:
Height had nothing to do with it, Klass wanted to say, but couldn't come up with a good retort.
Aryes had been able to drink it with a straight face, and if she could do it, he thought he could, too—right up until the miserable accounting he'd just given of himself.
"Wine is the blood of God. If you can't drink this, it's proof that God's teachings aren't entering your body," Aryes had scolded him.
Since Klass had never heard any of these supposed teachings, that was probably true, but in any case it was humiliating that she could do something he couldn't.
"Wine is meant to be enjoyed. There are other liquors to drink to prove your pluck." Told thus by the spirit, he had no choice but to back down. "Though I do pity you being unable to enjoy this pleasure."
These last words, though, were directed not at Klass, but at Aryes.
Aryes seemed perplexed for a moment and looked at Klass.
Still frustrated at having been coddled, Klass looked away.
"Still, when one constantly calls upon God after having received His blessing, failures will also increase," said Aryes.
"It pains me to hear it," said Holo, twitching her wolf ears as though flicking an insect away.
Aryes smiled, then unfolded and refolded her arms on her lap awkwardly, as though embarrassed. "The most common failure is being unable to wait as the juice drips from the cloth one has bound the grapes in..."
"And so you wring it out by hand, yes? And then for some reason, it tastes awful."
Aryes closed her eyes and put her hand to her right cheek. "'If grape wine is the blood of God, and the blood of God is the blessing taken from his body, then you are fools who seek blessings though it injures God,' I was told."
Klass didn't really understand what Aryes was talking about, but Holo seemed deeply amused, as though she'd told a joke of the best sort.
The only thing he did understand was that whenever Aryes had heard those words, her right cheek had been struck. She rubbed her cheek as though remembering the pain.
"I felt deeply sorry. I knew I would never do such a thing again."
"And so you leashed your craving, eh?"
Aryes opened one eye and looked at Holo, whose head was slightly cocked; the two let slip a little ripple of laughter.
"I keep God's teachings and receive only those blessings I have earned."
"Catching one drop at a time, then licking it from your finger would surely be...," said Holo with exaggerated relish, and Aryes closed her eyes again and smiled.
But now her hand on her right cheek was not there to remember the pain, but rather to savor the memory of tasting something delicious.
Aryes's new expression and manner transfixed Klass; he felt it deep in his chest.
For a moment he was startled by it, but then realized there had been a tingle there ever since he'd downed the wine and felt somewhat relieved.
"Still, 'twould be a poor life not to know this particular pleasure," said Holo.
At those words the two of them looked at him, and Klass suddenly felt like a very young child, and like a young child he turned away angrily.
The sun had set during the exchange, and thanks to the cloudy weather they were truly surrounded by darkness.
As they had no fire, once night came there was nothing to do but sleep.
It was the same group—Holo, Klass, Aryes—as the previous night, but perhaps having gotten bored with teasing, Holo did not suggest they all sleep together.
Klass was simultaneously relieved and disappointed at this; it was a strangely lonely sensation, and he was frightened of thinking about it too much, so he wrapped himself in his blanket and closed his eyes.
The moderate throb of pain in his temples was surely due to the wine.
When he thought of Aryes, who tired after only a bit of walking, whose questioning eyes turned to him every time she saw something new, and who easily drank the wine, he sighed.
He was the one who had to hold her hand and pull her down the path she so unsteadily walked.

Output:
It was only when he awoke, with a sensation like missing a stair-step, that he realized he'd fallen asleep.
"...Mph..."
He wiped a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth with the blanket.
"Maybe I shouldn't have," he murmured to himself, remembering that the blanket belonged to Holo. He finished wiping his mouth with his own sleeve, then still lying on his side, glanced up at the sky.
He felt like he'd been asleep for only a short time, but at some point the cloud cover had thinned, and a bit of moon-light was now escaping through. He shivered and drew the blanket tighter around himself but soon realized that the source of his shiver was not the cold.
If it had been pitch-dark, it would've been impossible to find his way back to the blanket after relieving himself, but fortunately his eyes could see in this light, so he sat up. If he tried to endure and went in his sleep, well—the thought was too awful to contemplate. There was the fact that he was right by Holo and Aryes, and above all the insects would be terrible.
He remembered a bed-wetting incident many years in the past and shivered again.
The reason he went a fair distance away from his blanket was both because he simply didn't like the idea of going near where he slept and because the idea of being seen by Aryes was flatly humiliating.
Once he got far enough away, he was finally able to relieve himself.
"Whew..." The moment of bliss over, Klass sighed, satisfied, and turned around.
But between the darkness and his sleepiness, he had difficulty retying his trousers' drawstring. He looked down at his fumbling hands as he walked lazily back.
As he was tottering back to where he'd slept, Klass murmured his thanks at having just finished his business.
"What, so you never noticed me?" There in the gloom that left only the barest outlines of the world visible, Holo's amusement-narrowed eyes were still strangely bright.
"Th-thought you were an owl spirit!"
"Hmph, and yet I am a wolf."
When he could not laugh, she stepped on his foot.
Klass hesitated to protest, whereupon Holo walked away, so he gave up entirely.
Once she was a short distance away, she looked over her shoulder at him and beckoned him near.
"Wh-what?"
Holo stopped and sat, motioning for Klass to sit beside her, which he did. Once they were sitting, they were roughly the same height, with Klass shorter than Holo only by the length of her ears.
"I've something I wish to ask you," she said.
"Something to ask me...?"
Klass wondered what it could possibly be that she would make a point of asking at this dark hour, when Holo slowly spoke.
"'Tis about Antheo, under whom you worked for a time."
"The lord?"
"Aye. Are you quite certain that he died?"
Klass remembered that when he was relating the events leading to his journey, Holo had seemed to take notice of the lord.
Perhaps they had been friends.
"'Quite certain,' you say...I just...I don't know."
The lord's younger brother had simply arrived with his retainers and declared it to be so, after all.
"Hmph...but from what I heard, he had a habit of going on long journeys."
"Ah, well, that is—after a while, he would come back with strange objects or people."
It was the collective opinion of the servants that his strangest habit of all was the stone building with Aryes in it.
"So what you're saying is that even at best you don't know where he traveled. Dim hope, indeed," said Holo with a sigh, lying down on the spot.
Not so much as a bug made a sound, and the only thing breaking the silence was the swishing of Holo's tail.
"Did you know him?" asked Klass.
"Me? No, nothing of the sort."
Holo lay sideways, propping her head up with an elbow on the ground.
From what he could tell of her form lit by the hazy moon-light, she was used to sleeping outside. Holo stayed like that for a while, looking at nothing in particular, and was silent, and Klass did not ask any further questions.
It was Holo who finally broke the silence.