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

Input:
And since all of that lumber was going straight to Eve, it was not unthinkable to suspect that Eve might have orchestrated a grand plan to pocket these riches, considering the scale of festivities in the tavern.
It made sense that Matthias, who was stalwart and hardy and had no interest in anything flashy, would be disappointed in what Eve was doing, and it was perfectly reasonable that he would wonder if the Karlan merchants were being deceived by her.
"Matthias's objectives and Karlan's plan all lead to Eve. Not only that, it sounds like she's been staying here for the past few days, even though this place isn't very big. If Eve's taking on such a big job herself, then she would have way too much to do, and that must mean there is a lot of money in this."
He could only think that she was plotting something nefarious yet again, but all he had pictured at the beginning quickly crumbled like a tower of sugar, and Holo licked her lips.
All he knew was that even if there were no bad people here, that did not mean a tragedy was not on the horizon. That was simply the way of the world.
The truth was that the Tonneburg Woods were very much in danger.
"I believe Eve herself will answer our last question, at least."
There came a round of applause louder than all the rest. The dancing girl had returned to Eve and was showered in appreciation and praise. The tavern patrons seemed intent on continuing to enjoy the festivities, but Eve and all the distinguished guests around her exchanged handshakes. It seemed their business was finished.
When Holo saw that, she began stuffing her mouth with the meat, as though recognizing she had made too much pointless conversation.
"We can just take that home, you know," Lawrence said with a sigh.
Holo, whose cheeks were stuffed like a squirrel's, hurriedly swallowed and said, "It matters not. Can you order another?"
She gave an innocent smile, meat juices dripping from the corner of her mouth. When Lawrence saw that, he gave the deepest sigh he had made all day.
Lawrence and Holo sat in the carriage Eve hired for them, traversing Karlan's bumpy roads.
He thought the carriage was a bit much, considering Karlan was not all that big, but Eve was based away from the city center at the seaport.
"Why here?"
It was in an inconvenient spot, loud throughout the day with the constant loading and unloading of cargo, and it took the brunt of bad weather coming from the sea. The only buildings that stood here were warehouses owned by trading companies—it was hardly a place for a traveler with money to find a comfortable stay.
One of Eve's underlings waited for their return at a big door, one half of the entrance open—it was clearly a loading dock. The windows on the second and third floors were reinforced with metal framing to withstand harsh wind and rain.
The walls even had metallic rat guards on them, ones that looked like decoration and were meant to keep away brazen thieves. It was immediately obvious that it was not comfortable inside.
"It's what I'm used to. Whenever I sleep in an unfamiliar town, I always pick buildings reminiscent of the old eras of war."
Lawrence's smile in response was tense—what she said made it seem like she was still crossing dangerous bridges.
There was likely a reason she always stayed by the sea, too. It was easier to escape if the need ever arose.
"But it seems like you still need a few drinks, don't you?"
Eve glanced behind Lawrence at Holo and smiled wryly. In Holo's arms were packets stuffed with food, and the bag atop her head was filled with freshly baked bread.
"A feast always comes with food and drink."
Though he would likely mask it as not wanting Holo to eat alone, Lawrence had scarcely eaten everything since the conversation had distracted him, and she had hopefully saved him a portion, too.
"There is no moon tonight, but no clouds either. Let's head to the courtyard."
Eve gave orders to her subordinates and led both of them inside.

Output:
It was likely that Eve herself was doing some trading herself, but Lawrence also knew that stacking wares like this was a tactic to prevent attackers from swarming her at once. A friendly mercenary had told him that once.
Old buildings often came with a central courtyard where defenders could hole up in case of a siege. It was also a place where preserved foods could be buried in the ground, or alternatively it could be turned into a plot to grow food.
But the era where such things were needed was long past.
Now it was a neatly maintained garden, one with a few fruit-bearing trees.
A table was soon brought out, and candles were lit.
"Oh ho. Perhaps we should hold events like this at the bathhouse," Holo suggested, but all the guests were thoroughly drunk come nightfall, and nothing this fancy ever took place.
"To our reunion." Eve first lifted her glass for the toast. "But goodness me. Just look at you."
Lawrence thought she was talking about Holo, who was busy chomping on her meat, but she was, in fact, looking at him.
"You live in the remote land of Nyohhira, running a bathhouse. You made that fairy tale come true. But here you are again, back in the mortal world. Making some quick coin?"
"We actually...left for a few reasons."
Lawrence felt deflated, his response mumbled. It was almost hard to think that not long ago he was so worked up, he wanted to tie Eve to a chair and interrogate her. He found refuge in strong, good-quality wine.
"This fool worries for his daughter," Holo interjected.
Eve nodded in understanding. "Col is a grown man now, after all." She immediately understood, and she gave a strained smile.
"Reminds me of when my granddad used to be around."
Eve used to be a daughter of nobility.
"The letters have stopped coming recently. And..." Lawrence glanced at Holo. "Without our noisy daughter and precious Col around, someone's been feeling a little lonely. It's quiet in the bathhouse now."
Their days had been happy, but Holo had been afraid that they would slip from her fingers and forget it all.
The time she spent hugging her diary had lessened, perhaps because she had been enjoying the traveling, but Holo bared her canines when he brought it up.
"You're so cute," Eve smiled in her delight, and her gaze darted toward the entrance.
There came the girl who had been dancing at the tavern—she seemed refreshed, as though she had just come from the bath. She first gave Eve, and then Lawrence a willowy smile.
Eve said something to her in a foreign language, and then poured her a drink.
"All business talks go very smoothly whenever I bring her to the taverns," Eve said. It sounded somewhat like an excuse, but Lawrence simply nodded in agreement.
"Now. I believe your wife will have explained to you that I'm not ruthlessly making money here."
Lawrence took a sip of his wine, switching the gears in his head.
"Lord Tonneburg has informed me of the situation, too. He must offer the lumber from his forest in exchange for protection from the Twilight Cardinal."
All things had a price. Yet the reason Col had left the bathhouse was because he had been unable to accept the Church's blatant greed.
This whole plan seemed to be completely at odds with Col's values.
"Let's cut this problem down to size," Eve said, putting her filled glass down. "We've received word that both Karlan and Tonneburg want to side with the Twilight Cardinal. That is the truth. But the lumber is not the price for that."
"Then what is it for?"
"Wool."
That caught Lawrence by such surprise that he found himself glancing toward Holo. Her cheeks were full of marinated beef shank as she stared at him blankly in return, which told him that Eve was not lying.
"I could make ridiculous amounts of money if I wanted. I am certainly in a position to do so. But I already decided that I would not betray little Col."
Lawrence narrowed his eyes, doubtful, and Eve drew up her shoulders.


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

Input:
It was likely that Eve herself was doing some trading herself, but Lawrence also knew that stacking wares like this was a tactic to prevent attackers from swarming her at once. A friendly mercenary had told him that once.
Old buildings often came with a central courtyard where defenders could hole up in case of a siege. It was also a place where preserved foods could be buried in the ground, or alternatively it could be turned into a plot to grow food.
But the era where such things were needed was long past.
Now it was a neatly maintained garden, one with a few fruit-bearing trees.
A table was soon brought out, and candles were lit.
"Oh ho. Perhaps we should hold events like this at the bathhouse," Holo suggested, but all the guests were thoroughly drunk come nightfall, and nothing this fancy ever took place.
"To our reunion." Eve first lifted her glass for the toast. "But goodness me. Just look at you."
Lawrence thought she was talking about Holo, who was busy chomping on her meat, but she was, in fact, looking at him.
"You live in the remote land of Nyohhira, running a bathhouse. You made that fairy tale come true. But here you are again, back in the mortal world. Making some quick coin?"
"We actually...left for a few reasons."
Lawrence felt deflated, his response mumbled. It was almost hard to think that not long ago he was so worked up, he wanted to tie Eve to a chair and interrogate her. He found refuge in strong, good-quality wine.
"This fool worries for his daughter," Holo interjected.
Eve nodded in understanding. "Col is a grown man now, after all." She immediately understood, and she gave a strained smile.
"Reminds me of when my granddad used to be around."
Eve used to be a daughter of nobility.
"The letters have stopped coming recently. And..." Lawrence glanced at Holo. "Without our noisy daughter and precious Col around, someone's been feeling a little lonely. It's quiet in the bathhouse now."
Their days had been happy, but Holo had been afraid that they would slip from her fingers and forget it all.
The time she spent hugging her diary had lessened, perhaps because she had been enjoying the traveling, but Holo bared her canines when he brought it up.
"You're so cute," Eve smiled in her delight, and her gaze darted toward the entrance.
There came the girl who had been dancing at the tavern—she seemed refreshed, as though she had just come from the bath. She first gave Eve, and then Lawrence a willowy smile.
Eve said something to her in a foreign language, and then poured her a drink.
"All business talks go very smoothly whenever I bring her to the taverns," Eve said. It sounded somewhat like an excuse, but Lawrence simply nodded in agreement.
"Now. I believe your wife will have explained to you that I'm not ruthlessly making money here."
Lawrence took a sip of his wine, switching the gears in his head.
"Lord Tonneburg has informed me of the situation, too. He must offer the lumber from his forest in exchange for protection from the Twilight Cardinal."
All things had a price. Yet the reason Col had left the bathhouse was because he had been unable to accept the Church's blatant greed.
This whole plan seemed to be completely at odds with Col's values.
"Let's cut this problem down to size," Eve said, putting her filled glass down. "We've received word that both Karlan and Tonneburg want to side with the Twilight Cardinal. That is the truth. But the lumber is not the price for that."
"Then what is it for?"
"Wool."
That caught Lawrence by such surprise that he found himself glancing toward Holo. Her cheeks were full of marinated beef shank as she stared at him blankly in return, which told him that Eve was not lying.
"I could make ridiculous amounts of money if I wanted. I am certainly in a position to do so. But I already decided that I would not betray little Col."
Lawrence narrowed his eyes, doubtful, and Eve drew up her shoulders.

Output:
Holo was laughing, but Lawrence was not entirely sure that had been mentioned in any of the letters.
Col must have smoothed the rough edges of the incidents on their journey when he wrote about them in their letters so that they would not worry. That was the sort of person he was.
"And whenever it seemed like he was going to give up, he always had that silver wolf by his side. She's got way more energy than this wolf here. Only an idiot would make an enemy out of those two. And I am not an idiot."
Eve was not spineless enough to choose to side with them simply because she liked them (or not).
Lawrence did not know what sort of plot she had concocted, but she had likely planted the seed of gold, taking advantage of the chaos across the world that surrounded the Church.
"It seems there is a clear line between loss and profit here," Lawrence remarked. "I'm relieved."
Eve jerked her chin. "And their affection for each other gives you two a run for your money. I had front row seats to that."
Lawrence pursed his lips at her tease, and Holo cackled.
"Anyway. Everyone needs lumber right now. It's not easy to get in bulk. The Winfiel Kingdom, especially—it's the land of sheep. All the forests were cut down long ago, so they have no choice but to rely on the mainland for it."
Lawrence and Holo once ventured to the kingdom together. They had visited a monastery where sheep spirits lived secretly among the regular sheep, and had seen never-ending stretches of field.
"And so I'm here to secure some. But of course, I'm not here to trade the Twilight Cardinal's gracious authority for lumber, no matter how much they need. That cute little Col will be as furious with me as an inquisitor if I did."
***
A half-hearted smile crossed Lawrence's face at the exaggeration, but Eve did not smile.
"Forget that—I make him a little sad, and that stubborn little wolf will immediately turn her fangs on me. I think they're turning me into an angelic merchant."
It was Holo's discretion that allowed Myuri to accompany Col on his journey, and perhaps that ultimate judgment was the reason why she was called the wisewolf.
Col was earnest and had such a strong sense of right and wrong that it made Lawrence nervous sometimes; having an ally like Myuri, who unconditionally stuck by his side, armed with the raw power of fang and claw, was almost necessary.
Even if the unconditional part of that statement made her father Lawrence very antsy.
"I plan to trade lumber and wool at market price. But I've put in an order for as much lumber as possible. So if Lord Tonneburg feels like his forest is in danger, then that's the fault of the people from Karlan."
It was much too early to tell if Eve was shifting the blame for what was happening. Matthias himself did not trust the merchants from Karlan.
"He thinks that if he does not fulfill your order, then he won't get any protection from the Twilight Cardinal. What do you have to say about that?"
Lawrence's question was cutting, but Eve only canted her head to the side.
"They're welcome to think that, but we have no intention of doing so. I'm just here because I have a need to trade here."
Lawrence made a mental note to investigate whether or not that statement was true, and only nodded in affirmation for the moment.
"Then is the reason the Karlan merchants are trying to gather as much lumber as possible because they're trying to make this trade as big as they can, then make a profit through mediation fees?"
"That's possible," Eve said, and paused to think for a moment. "Have you heard about the tariffs in this town?"
The strangest topic arose at the most unexpected time.
"I have. I was wondering what sort of things they were planning," Lawrence said, but he also quietly wondered to himself if this was Eve's plan, as she was attempting to absorb as much cheap lumber as possible.


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

Input:
Holo was laughing, but Lawrence was not entirely sure that had been mentioned in any of the letters.
Col must have smoothed the rough edges of the incidents on their journey when he wrote about them in their letters so that they would not worry. That was the sort of person he was.
"And whenever it seemed like he was going to give up, he always had that silver wolf by his side. She's got way more energy than this wolf here. Only an idiot would make an enemy out of those two. And I am not an idiot."
Eve was not spineless enough to choose to side with them simply because she liked them (or not).
Lawrence did not know what sort of plot she had concocted, but she had likely planted the seed of gold, taking advantage of the chaos across the world that surrounded the Church.
"It seems there is a clear line between loss and profit here," Lawrence remarked. "I'm relieved."
Eve jerked her chin. "And their affection for each other gives you two a run for your money. I had front row seats to that."
Lawrence pursed his lips at her tease, and Holo cackled.
"Anyway. Everyone needs lumber right now. It's not easy to get in bulk. The Winfiel Kingdom, especially—it's the land of sheep. All the forests were cut down long ago, so they have no choice but to rely on the mainland for it."
Lawrence and Holo once ventured to the kingdom together. They had visited a monastery where sheep spirits lived secretly among the regular sheep, and had seen never-ending stretches of field.
"And so I'm here to secure some. But of course, I'm not here to trade the Twilight Cardinal's gracious authority for lumber, no matter how much they need. That cute little Col will be as furious with me as an inquisitor if I did."
***
A half-hearted smile crossed Lawrence's face at the exaggeration, but Eve did not smile.
"Forget that—I make him a little sad, and that stubborn little wolf will immediately turn her fangs on me. I think they're turning me into an angelic merchant."
It was Holo's discretion that allowed Myuri to accompany Col on his journey, and perhaps that ultimate judgment was the reason why she was called the wisewolf.
Col was earnest and had such a strong sense of right and wrong that it made Lawrence nervous sometimes; having an ally like Myuri, who unconditionally stuck by his side, armed with the raw power of fang and claw, was almost necessary.
Even if the unconditional part of that statement made her father Lawrence very antsy.
"I plan to trade lumber and wool at market price. But I've put in an order for as much lumber as possible. So if Lord Tonneburg feels like his forest is in danger, then that's the fault of the people from Karlan."
It was much too early to tell if Eve was shifting the blame for what was happening. Matthias himself did not trust the merchants from Karlan.
"He thinks that if he does not fulfill your order, then he won't get any protection from the Twilight Cardinal. What do you have to say about that?"
Lawrence's question was cutting, but Eve only canted her head to the side.
"They're welcome to think that, but we have no intention of doing so. I'm just here because I have a need to trade here."
Lawrence made a mental note to investigate whether or not that statement was true, and only nodded in affirmation for the moment.
"Then is the reason the Karlan merchants are trying to gather as much lumber as possible because they're trying to make this trade as big as they can, then make a profit through mediation fees?"
"That's possible," Eve said, and paused to think for a moment. "Have you heard about the tariffs in this town?"
The strangest topic arose at the most unexpected time.
"I have. I was wondering what sort of things they were planning," Lawrence said, but he also quietly wondered to himself if this was Eve's plan, as she was attempting to absorb as much cheap lumber as possible.

Output:
Back in Tonneburg, Lawrence had sat before the map and mused about this and that. Karlan was surrounded by opposing forces on all sides, and their only option for a trade breakthrough was the planned road through Tonneburg.
"Karlan wants to expand by lowering their taxes."
But what Eve ultimately said was so unexpected that Lawrence almost missed it.
"...What?"
"Don't give me that. You used to be a merchant, didn't you? Didn't you look at the duty listings at the towns you stopped in to see where its opinions lay?"
Lawrence blinked, hurriedly rummaging through his brain.
Tax was often thought as something the rich and powerful levied to line their own pockets, and while those cases did exist, they were mostly put to use for the sake of the public.
Tariffs were a specific type of tax that were unique, and their effects were slightly different from other taxes. In a way, they acted as a city's walls.
Tariffs dictated what goods could easily come in and out of a city. For example, if there was a city home to many furriers, then imported furs would be subject to high import fees to protect the artisans; any food that came into a town that could not produce its own foodstuffs was practically free, yet it would cost a pretty penny to take any food out of the town, which meant food would effectively gather within the town.
And so what sort of situation would bring about rumors that tariffs for all incoming items would be removed? Especially considering the town was planning on expanding.
"Is the city planning on absorbing all of the raw material?"
Eve nodded. "The people here have been wanting to cut down the Tonneburg Woods and build a road through it for ages, but it's too much work for only the people of a city this size to undertake. And while Lord Tonneburg isn't a fool, he's too kind. He said he would only agree to building the road if his people would not be whipped while working on it."
One often saw the commonfolk being treated like slave labor in large construction projects.
While Lawrence was both relieved and understanding that Matthias was not that sort of lord, they would still need a lot of workers to help cut down the forest. And hiring workers did not end when the call was put out and the desired number of people approached. They needed a place to sleep, they needed rations to eat and drink. In their old journeys, they had come across a place where a waterwheel was under construction, and he had made a fortune bringing in bread and grilled meats to the workers amid the chaos when they realized they were out of food.
If they were to collect all of the people needed to cut down the trees and build the road, then find a place to house them, then they would have to collect many raw building materials, even if it meant doing away with the city tariffs entirely.
"The city looked at its own circumstances, how the world was progressing, and came up with a plan. It's not a perfect plan, and it was easily ruined by some merchant out in Salonia. All that has agitated everything, and it's perfectly reasonable for people like Lord Tonneburg to start doubting if things will really be all right. There are fickle rich people out there like me, after all. But—" Eve gave a faint smile, looked at the drink in her hand, and closed her eyes. "—I just love that positive greed."
All Lawrence could do was try and picture what sort of business ventures were playing behind her eyelids.
Perhaps the fight she had with Lawrence in Lenos and the way she almost died in Kerube were fun memories for her now.
But as he studied her placid smile, a thought came to him.
Eve did not hate anything right now.
She was simply concentrating on what she loved most—trade—and was having the time of her life.
"Same with the tavern. They're trying so hard to learn about southern food and dances because it's part of their grand plan. They want to start accommodating trade ships from the south, you know."


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

Input:
Back in Tonneburg, Lawrence had sat before the map and mused about this and that. Karlan was surrounded by opposing forces on all sides, and their only option for a trade breakthrough was the planned road through Tonneburg.
"Karlan wants to expand by lowering their taxes."
But what Eve ultimately said was so unexpected that Lawrence almost missed it.
"...What?"
"Don't give me that. You used to be a merchant, didn't you? Didn't you look at the duty listings at the towns you stopped in to see where its opinions lay?"
Lawrence blinked, hurriedly rummaging through his brain.
Tax was often thought as something the rich and powerful levied to line their own pockets, and while those cases did exist, they were mostly put to use for the sake of the public.
Tariffs were a specific type of tax that were unique, and their effects were slightly different from other taxes. In a way, they acted as a city's walls.
Tariffs dictated what goods could easily come in and out of a city. For example, if there was a city home to many furriers, then imported furs would be subject to high import fees to protect the artisans; any food that came into a town that could not produce its own foodstuffs was practically free, yet it would cost a pretty penny to take any food out of the town, which meant food would effectively gather within the town.
And so what sort of situation would bring about rumors that tariffs for all incoming items would be removed? Especially considering the town was planning on expanding.
"Is the city planning on absorbing all of the raw material?"
Eve nodded. "The people here have been wanting to cut down the Tonneburg Woods and build a road through it for ages, but it's too much work for only the people of a city this size to undertake. And while Lord Tonneburg isn't a fool, he's too kind. He said he would only agree to building the road if his people would not be whipped while working on it."
One often saw the commonfolk being treated like slave labor in large construction projects.
While Lawrence was both relieved and understanding that Matthias was not that sort of lord, they would still need a lot of workers to help cut down the forest. And hiring workers did not end when the call was put out and the desired number of people approached. They needed a place to sleep, they needed rations to eat and drink. In their old journeys, they had come across a place where a waterwheel was under construction, and he had made a fortune bringing in bread and grilled meats to the workers amid the chaos when they realized they were out of food.
If they were to collect all of the people needed to cut down the trees and build the road, then find a place to house them, then they would have to collect many raw building materials, even if it meant doing away with the city tariffs entirely.
"The city looked at its own circumstances, how the world was progressing, and came up with a plan. It's not a perfect plan, and it was easily ruined by some merchant out in Salonia. All that has agitated everything, and it's perfectly reasonable for people like Lord Tonneburg to start doubting if things will really be all right. There are fickle rich people out there like me, after all. But—" Eve gave a faint smile, looked at the drink in her hand, and closed her eyes. "—I just love that positive greed."
All Lawrence could do was try and picture what sort of business ventures were playing behind her eyelids.
Perhaps the fight she had with Lawrence in Lenos and the way she almost died in Kerube were fun memories for her now.
But as he studied her placid smile, a thought came to him.
Eve did not hate anything right now.
She was simply concentrating on what she loved most—trade—and was having the time of her life.
"Same with the tavern. They're trying so hard to learn about southern food and dances because it's part of their grand plan. They want to start accommodating trade ships from the south, you know."

Output:
Though it was not exactly refined, it was plenty exotic.
"Don't those kinds of ships all go to Kerube?"
"Pretend you've come a long way and you've been served local food you don't really understand. What would you do if you knew there was a place offering familiar food from your own hometown? Even if it is a little out of the way, everyone would still go there instead."
In all honesty, Lawrence had led a wanderer's life for so long that he did not really understand what sort of meaning food could have.
But once, when he and Holo first started traveling together, she had been so nervous and upset that all the places they visited had transformed beyond her recognition. And so when a dish she used to eat was served to her, she had shed tears of relief.
"And it's thanks to Col that all the big southern companies that deal in luxury goods have been thrown into utter chaos. Their highest-paying customers have traditionally been from the Church, only they've all stopped buying. The big companies who deal in expensive items from the deserts all complain while they send boats up north this way. Even though they were ones that never gave us product, no matter how much we asked."
And that was the only time Eve flashed a wicked smile.
They were trading partners that had given even her a rough time.
Lawrence felt like he had gotten just a tiny glimpse of the troubles that plagued the Debau Company, the people who safely delivered all the goods they needed for the bathhouse; when he realized how wretched he was for thinking it would be cheaper to obtain those very same things via Karlan, he immediately regretted it.
"The large port cities that used to be the main ones have been constantly betrayed by the southerners' greed, so they're trying to beat down prices in retaliation. So here, if they put Karlan in their debt and manage to secure this deal, then it'll be a huge investment into the future."
Lawrence would never say that running the bathhouse in Nyohhira was easy or boring.
But he got a whiff of grand, noble trade from Eve's story that did not come with the day-to-day minutiae of the bathhouse.
Anyone who had walked silently on their own two feet for profit to the top of the hill could picture the brilliant future in the distance.
The moment he recalled the scent of the dusty earth from that point in time, he was kicked under the table. He looked over in his shock to see that Holo was grumpily eating her meat, not even looking at him.
Perhaps Holo had gotten the same sense that he did when he saw her gaze deep into the forest outside the Tonneburg smithy. He reached out to pat her head, to tell her that he was not going anywhere, but she swatted his hand away.
He gave a self-effacing smile at her indifference and turned to Eve.
"I now understand why you were making merry, why the tavern seemed as gaudy as it did, and why Lord Tonneburg doubts the eager Karlan merchants. And that you are not trampling over Col and Myuri's feelings or working against them."
Eve only closed her eyes and shrugged.
"The last thing I want to ask you is if you really need all the lumber the forest has to offer."
Eve's eyes remained closed, and Holo's red irises stared at her.
"What on earth could you be using all that for?"
Lawrence knew that everyone needed lumber at the present.
Eve was not making unfair demands, and it seemed she was getting what she could by bartering wool. And he could tell that Karlan was using Matthias, Lord of Tonneburg, their lumber supplier, as a way to gain Col's protection.
But in a plan where everyone benefits, it seemed Tonneburg was the only one that was losing out.
What happened in Salonia caused something in Lawrence's chest to pang, but that just meant he could do some more work here to protect Tonneburg, just like last time.


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

Input:
Though it was not exactly refined, it was plenty exotic.
"Don't those kinds of ships all go to Kerube?"
"Pretend you've come a long way and you've been served local food you don't really understand. What would you do if you knew there was a place offering familiar food from your own hometown? Even if it is a little out of the way, everyone would still go there instead."
In all honesty, Lawrence had led a wanderer's life for so long that he did not really understand what sort of meaning food could have.
But once, when he and Holo first started traveling together, she had been so nervous and upset that all the places they visited had transformed beyond her recognition. And so when a dish she used to eat was served to her, she had shed tears of relief.
"And it's thanks to Col that all the big southern companies that deal in luxury goods have been thrown into utter chaos. Their highest-paying customers have traditionally been from the Church, only they've all stopped buying. The big companies who deal in expensive items from the deserts all complain while they send boats up north this way. Even though they were ones that never gave us product, no matter how much we asked."
And that was the only time Eve flashed a wicked smile.
They were trading partners that had given even her a rough time.
Lawrence felt like he had gotten just a tiny glimpse of the troubles that plagued the Debau Company, the people who safely delivered all the goods they needed for the bathhouse; when he realized how wretched he was for thinking it would be cheaper to obtain those very same things via Karlan, he immediately regretted it.
"The large port cities that used to be the main ones have been constantly betrayed by the southerners' greed, so they're trying to beat down prices in retaliation. So here, if they put Karlan in their debt and manage to secure this deal, then it'll be a huge investment into the future."
Lawrence would never say that running the bathhouse in Nyohhira was easy or boring.
But he got a whiff of grand, noble trade from Eve's story that did not come with the day-to-day minutiae of the bathhouse.
Anyone who had walked silently on their own two feet for profit to the top of the hill could picture the brilliant future in the distance.
The moment he recalled the scent of the dusty earth from that point in time, he was kicked under the table. He looked over in his shock to see that Holo was grumpily eating her meat, not even looking at him.
Perhaps Holo had gotten the same sense that he did when he saw her gaze deep into the forest outside the Tonneburg smithy. He reached out to pat her head, to tell her that he was not going anywhere, but she swatted his hand away.
He gave a self-effacing smile at her indifference and turned to Eve.
"I now understand why you were making merry, why the tavern seemed as gaudy as it did, and why Lord Tonneburg doubts the eager Karlan merchants. And that you are not trampling over Col and Myuri's feelings or working against them."
Eve only closed her eyes and shrugged.
"The last thing I want to ask you is if you really need all the lumber the forest has to offer."
Eve's eyes remained closed, and Holo's red irises stared at her.
"What on earth could you be using all that for?"
Lawrence knew that everyone needed lumber at the present.
Eve was not making unfair demands, and it seemed she was getting what she could by bartering wool. And he could tell that Karlan was using Matthias, Lord of Tonneburg, their lumber supplier, as a way to gain Col's protection.
But in a plan where everyone benefits, it seemed Tonneburg was the only one that was losing out.
What happened in Salonia caused something in Lawrence's chest to pang, but that just meant he could do some more work here to protect Tonneburg, just like last time.

Output:
He knew there was a lot of hope in the thought, but he wanted to make sure it was possible.
But Eve's expression coolly saw through his wishes.
"This isn't a nice answer," she said, looking to Lawrence with a sharpness that reminded him of the past.
"Merchants never want to hear nice answers."
The wolfish merchant gave a grin and lifted her head. "Col and Myuri are causing quite a stir."
"They are."
"Big enough to split the world in two. There are storms whipping up everywhere."
Eve swirled the glass in her hand, creating a whirlpool with her drink.
She kept going, and some droplets eventually leaped out.
"Look at that. People are getting ejected from the equation left and right."
The girl sitting next to her reached out to wipe her wet hand, but Eve instead lifted it and licked away the droplets.
"Merchants might be different in their likes, personalities, and thought processes, but they'll always reach a deal when there's profit to be had. But there are things we can't always profit on, and one of those things is faith."
In that moment, Lawrence recalled how nervous Matthias looked when he informed Lawrence which side of the church conflict he took.
"There are people who the local rulers decided have different faiths, and are treating them like heretics of the past. But Col and Myuri have gained too much power for even the Church conservatives to simply brush them off as mere heretics. And so while the Church is not threatening them with excommunication or being burned at the stake, it's a lot like finding pebbles in a sack filled with wheat. You're going to have to get those out at some point."
Lawrence nodded slowly. "Are you working to save these displaced people?"
Eve scrunched up her face when she heard that, acting like a child that wanted to be seen as an evil merchant. When she spoke, it came out quickly, like an excuse.
"I have a lot resting on Col. If he stumbles, then my business fails. I'm just getting rid of the pebbles that don't belong."
Lawrence could easily picture Col pained by the news that his own actions were causing people to be chased from their homes. He wondered what Eve thought when she saw the same sight.
Holo trusted her, which meant she had to be a good person deep down.
"Then is it true you want to settle talks before winter comes?"
Eve sulked, averting her eyes as she answered. "The kingdom is colder than it is here. If we did accept refugees only to end up treating them like beggars, then Col's reputation would fall."
They would have to build houses to shelter them. And with more people, they would need more kindling to warm the houses. No amount of lumber would ever be enough.
"We'd need ships to transport the refugees. And honestly, if we had the ships, they'd rather—"
"Hmm?"
Eve suddenly fell silent; Lawrence looked at her curiously.
She sighed and shrugged. "It's nothing. You should ask them for the details yourself. That's why you left the bathhouse, isn't it?"
What was this about ships? Lawrence and Holo found themselves exchanging glances.
"Col and that little knight of a wolf are a whole lot more reckless than our generation. I'm worried."
Her expression was anxious; this was not an act.
But it was not so much apprehension regarding genuine danger, but a nervousness about what was to come.
Though it did not seem to be that they were in any sort of pressing situation, Col still had the rambunctious Myuri by his side, and it was very likely that she was plotting something ridiculous.
Lawrence decided that once this was all squared away, he would ask Eve where the two of them were, and check up on them.
"Anyway, back on topic. The gist of all of this is that we don't have enough of anything."
Lawrence nodded, and a thought came to him.
"Could Karlan be counting on these refugees to cut down the Tonneburg Woods?"


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

Input:
He knew there was a lot of hope in the thought, but he wanted to make sure it was possible.
But Eve's expression coolly saw through his wishes.
"This isn't a nice answer," she said, looking to Lawrence with a sharpness that reminded him of the past.
"Merchants never want to hear nice answers."
The wolfish merchant gave a grin and lifted her head. "Col and Myuri are causing quite a stir."
"They are."
"Big enough to split the world in two. There are storms whipping up everywhere."
Eve swirled the glass in her hand, creating a whirlpool with her drink.
She kept going, and some droplets eventually leaped out.
"Look at that. People are getting ejected from the equation left and right."
The girl sitting next to her reached out to wipe her wet hand, but Eve instead lifted it and licked away the droplets.
"Merchants might be different in their likes, personalities, and thought processes, but they'll always reach a deal when there's profit to be had. But there are things we can't always profit on, and one of those things is faith."
In that moment, Lawrence recalled how nervous Matthias looked when he informed Lawrence which side of the church conflict he took.
"There are people who the local rulers decided have different faiths, and are treating them like heretics of the past. But Col and Myuri have gained too much power for even the Church conservatives to simply brush them off as mere heretics. And so while the Church is not threatening them with excommunication or being burned at the stake, it's a lot like finding pebbles in a sack filled with wheat. You're going to have to get those out at some point."
Lawrence nodded slowly. "Are you working to save these displaced people?"
Eve scrunched up her face when she heard that, acting like a child that wanted to be seen as an evil merchant. When she spoke, it came out quickly, like an excuse.
"I have a lot resting on Col. If he stumbles, then my business fails. I'm just getting rid of the pebbles that don't belong."
Lawrence could easily picture Col pained by the news that his own actions were causing people to be chased from their homes. He wondered what Eve thought when she saw the same sight.
Holo trusted her, which meant she had to be a good person deep down.
"Then is it true you want to settle talks before winter comes?"
Eve sulked, averting her eyes as she answered. "The kingdom is colder than it is here. If we did accept refugees only to end up treating them like beggars, then Col's reputation would fall."
They would have to build houses to shelter them. And with more people, they would need more kindling to warm the houses. No amount of lumber would ever be enough.
"We'd need ships to transport the refugees. And honestly, if we had the ships, they'd rather—"
"Hmm?"
Eve suddenly fell silent; Lawrence looked at her curiously.
She sighed and shrugged. "It's nothing. You should ask them for the details yourself. That's why you left the bathhouse, isn't it?"
What was this about ships? Lawrence and Holo found themselves exchanging glances.
"Col and that little knight of a wolf are a whole lot more reckless than our generation. I'm worried."
Her expression was anxious; this was not an act.
But it was not so much apprehension regarding genuine danger, but a nervousness about what was to come.
Though it did not seem to be that they were in any sort of pressing situation, Col still had the rambunctious Myuri by his side, and it was very likely that she was plotting something ridiculous.
Lawrence decided that once this was all squared away, he would ask Eve where the two of them were, and check up on them.
"Anyway, back on topic. The gist of all of this is that we don't have enough of anything."
Lawrence nodded, and a thought came to him.
"Could Karlan be counting on these refugees to cut down the Tonneburg Woods?"

Output:
They would need more people to keep the city functioning, but people did not grow on trees or in the fields. They were not so easy to gather.
"Exactly. There are some who prefer to be on contiguous land with their homeland instead of separated by sea in the kingdom. But in my view, there are only so many people this city can take."
"It seems to me there's plenty of room for expansion, though," Lawrence said, and then immediately realized how shallow the thought was. "Oh, right... Mouths to feed."
Everyone needed to work to survive, but a population increase did not necessarily mean the same amount of work would suddenly pop up.
"There's the road to build, at least for the time being."
But then one day, there would be no more clearing work.
At last, all the things Meyer told him connected in Lawrence's head.
"And that's why they're going to build new smithies and coal-burning huts in anticipation of that..."
Meyer was indignant that Karlan was selfishly trying to absorb all of what the forest had to offer, but that was not quite what was going on here.
Karlan was putting together a stopgap plan, but one that did actually account for the future.
While some stopgap apprehension was unavoidable, Lawrence could clearly see that they had thought through this, trying to prevent such a big plan from failing under its own size and weight.
"But...will this genuinely work out?"
Even if new industries came about from the cutting of the forest, that still meant they would not be able to feed the livestock, and the wheat fields would go through a poor harvest, and thus the people would starve.
It was dangerous to keep making speculations like this, and history could teach them that the problem of importing people was a difficult one. To accept a great number of people escaping the fires of war out of the mercy of one's heart—only for that same city to eventually fail—was a story that had repeated itself over and over in times of war. There was good reason why Rahden, who had built a pond for his hatchery to feed his people, had been called a bishop and worshipped.
"I am not a god," Eve said with divine arrogance. "Trade is always an uncertain gamble. And Karlan has decided to take on a huge gamble. Lord Tonneburg may have agreed reluctantly, but he still agreed because he saw profit in it. And so he's still at the table."
And that was when Lawrence finally realized that whether Matthias left the table hinged on what sort of report Lawrence brought back for him.
"Are you being kind to me right now so that I'll bring back good word to Lord Tonneburg?"
Instead of giving an answer either way, Eve grinned. Perhaps she had told them about Col and Myuri in order to bind their hearts. She knew that since they had left Nyohhira out of worry for their children, then they would not make decisions that would render all their hard work moot.
And yet, Matthias scarcely had any choice left. If anything, Lawrence wanted to praise Karlan for an incredible amount of self-control for not immediately preying upon Matthias's weaknesses after hearing the whole story. The people of Karlan were genuinely thinking about the development of their city; they were looking at things in the long term and were determined to build a favorable relationship with Tonneburg.
"I know you're a perfectly capable merchant. That's why I don't think you're going to manipulate this decision."
That's a rich thing to say, Lawrence thought, flashing a smile he would never use when running the bathhouse.
"Instead, I'm going to ask you to light a little fire under that wooden ass of his."
"Regardless of whether he says yes or no?"
Winter was not very far away, and it was likely that a stream of refugees from the continent were already on their way. If their plan to procure lumber fell through now, then they would have to immediately move on to the next step.
Though that is what Lawrence initially thought, Eve shook her head and furrowed her brow.


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

Input:
They would need more people to keep the city functioning, but people did not grow on trees or in the fields. They were not so easy to gather.
"Exactly. There are some who prefer to be on contiguous land with their homeland instead of separated by sea in the kingdom. But in my view, there are only so many people this city can take."
"It seems to me there's plenty of room for expansion, though," Lawrence said, and then immediately realized how shallow the thought was. "Oh, right... Mouths to feed."
Everyone needed to work to survive, but a population increase did not necessarily mean the same amount of work would suddenly pop up.
"There's the road to build, at least for the time being."
But then one day, there would be no more clearing work.
At last, all the things Meyer told him connected in Lawrence's head.
"And that's why they're going to build new smithies and coal-burning huts in anticipation of that..."
Meyer was indignant that Karlan was selfishly trying to absorb all of what the forest had to offer, but that was not quite what was going on here.
Karlan was putting together a stopgap plan, but one that did actually account for the future.
While some stopgap apprehension was unavoidable, Lawrence could clearly see that they had thought through this, trying to prevent such a big plan from failing under its own size and weight.
"But...will this genuinely work out?"
Even if new industries came about from the cutting of the forest, that still meant they would not be able to feed the livestock, and the wheat fields would go through a poor harvest, and thus the people would starve.
It was dangerous to keep making speculations like this, and history could teach them that the problem of importing people was a difficult one. To accept a great number of people escaping the fires of war out of the mercy of one's heart—only for that same city to eventually fail—was a story that had repeated itself over and over in times of war. There was good reason why Rahden, who had built a pond for his hatchery to feed his people, had been called a bishop and worshipped.
"I am not a god," Eve said with divine arrogance. "Trade is always an uncertain gamble. And Karlan has decided to take on a huge gamble. Lord Tonneburg may have agreed reluctantly, but he still agreed because he saw profit in it. And so he's still at the table."
And that was when Lawrence finally realized that whether Matthias left the table hinged on what sort of report Lawrence brought back for him.
"Are you being kind to me right now so that I'll bring back good word to Lord Tonneburg?"
Instead of giving an answer either way, Eve grinned. Perhaps she had told them about Col and Myuri in order to bind their hearts. She knew that since they had left Nyohhira out of worry for their children, then they would not make decisions that would render all their hard work moot.
And yet, Matthias scarcely had any choice left. If anything, Lawrence wanted to praise Karlan for an incredible amount of self-control for not immediately preying upon Matthias's weaknesses after hearing the whole story. The people of Karlan were genuinely thinking about the development of their city; they were looking at things in the long term and were determined to build a favorable relationship with Tonneburg.
"I know you're a perfectly capable merchant. That's why I don't think you're going to manipulate this decision."
That's a rich thing to say, Lawrence thought, flashing a smile he would never use when running the bathhouse.
"Instead, I'm going to ask you to light a little fire under that wooden ass of his."
"Regardless of whether he says yes or no?"
Winter was not very far away, and it was likely that a stream of refugees from the continent were already on their way. If their plan to procure lumber fell through now, then they would have to immediately move on to the next step.
Though that is what Lawrence initially thought, Eve shook her head and furrowed her brow.

Output:
Holo, who was full from her food and was now nursing her drink, pricked up her ears under her hood at the thorny tone of Eve's words.
"There are people out there who've been raring to ruin this entire transaction."
"There are?"
The first thing Lawrence thought of were the people in the Church that Col and Myuri were currently pressuring. It would not be a particular surprise if the Church old guard dispatched an army to subjugate Tonneburg if they realized they would be siding with Col. Declaring them heretics would be a simple justification.
Though that was his first thought, he realized something strange about that right away.
Matthias had to join Col's camp precisely to prevent that from happening. If joining Col's side meant declaring himself a heretic, then Matthias would have to go against his personal beliefs and side with the Church old guard. Just as Eve explained, if an entity was seen as a part of Col's side once, then they could no longer easily reach out to the conservative side of the Church. It would have to have been a definitive decision to join Col's side.
And so, if the Church really were the ones ruining things, then the entire situation would only be going around in circles.
That meant the ones meddling with the plan could not be the Church.
Who were they, then?
Lawrence thought, and recalled what the forest-loving ranger said to him.
"A mean-spirited...older brother?"
Eve snorted. "There's no way Kerube is just sitting to the side and watching this deal happen quietly."
Trade was the act of taking gold from one another, where there were limited places for gold to go, and Karlan was in the middle of its plans to expand its territory. And what about those whose territory was at risk of being taken?
"Do you know who rules Kerube right now? A pain in my neck," Eve said and reached up to rub at said neck.
Years ago, when Lawrence and Eve were still young, they had gotten embroiled in such an intense trade battle that they had drawn daggers at each other.
After earning her money, Eve had been strung up and almost died.
Who was the one she had faced at the time?
When she smiled, she looked like a wolf baring its fangs.
In the distance, they could hear a howl going up.
***
A brisk, clear sky extended beyond the open window.
As Lawrence sat staring over the town, a gentle breeze, smelling faintly of the sea, brushed over his cheek.
The soft sounds of a comb running through fur tickled his ears, and an occasional sweet fragrance drifted past him and out the window.
He turned back to look into the room to see Holo tending to her tail, so thick and luxurious with fur that it would shock even a noble's daughter, with three bottles of expensive oils lying beside her on the bed.
He could almost hear Elsa scolding him; but as he watched Holo absently, he continued to think.
After the meeting from the previous night, Eve had said to him, "No matter what happens, conflict with Kerube is unavoidable."
Though she had not drunk to excess, Holo had still consumed enough that she was wheedling him for attention; and when he took her back to the inn, he had finally gotten the entire picture of the situation in his head, and it weighed on him.
What sat before him was not a simple situation where a regional lord's personal forest was being sold off. It was a situation that would affect the flow of trade for the entirety of the region well into the future, and even had to do with Col's fight against the Church, which had effectively split the world in two.
This was not something a mere bathhouse owner should be sticking his neck into, but for some reason, he had connections with each of the major parties in play. And more importantly, he was the one who lit the spark by preventing the lowering of lumber tariffs in Salonia.
If Lawrence had any faith, then he would consider this a God-given trial.
"I must add more pages to my journal."


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

Input:
Holo, who was full from her food and was now nursing her drink, pricked up her ears under her hood at the thorny tone of Eve's words.
"There are people out there who've been raring to ruin this entire transaction."
"There are?"
The first thing Lawrence thought of were the people in the Church that Col and Myuri were currently pressuring. It would not be a particular surprise if the Church old guard dispatched an army to subjugate Tonneburg if they realized they would be siding with Col. Declaring them heretics would be a simple justification.
Though that was his first thought, he realized something strange about that right away.
Matthias had to join Col's camp precisely to prevent that from happening. If joining Col's side meant declaring himself a heretic, then Matthias would have to go against his personal beliefs and side with the Church old guard. Just as Eve explained, if an entity was seen as a part of Col's side once, then they could no longer easily reach out to the conservative side of the Church. It would have to have been a definitive decision to join Col's side.
And so, if the Church really were the ones ruining things, then the entire situation would only be going around in circles.
That meant the ones meddling with the plan could not be the Church.
Who were they, then?
Lawrence thought, and recalled what the forest-loving ranger said to him.
"A mean-spirited...older brother?"
Eve snorted. "There's no way Kerube is just sitting to the side and watching this deal happen quietly."
Trade was the act of taking gold from one another, where there were limited places for gold to go, and Karlan was in the middle of its plans to expand its territory. And what about those whose territory was at risk of being taken?
"Do you know who rules Kerube right now? A pain in my neck," Eve said and reached up to rub at said neck.
Years ago, when Lawrence and Eve were still young, they had gotten embroiled in such an intense trade battle that they had drawn daggers at each other.
After earning her money, Eve had been strung up and almost died.
Who was the one she had faced at the time?
When she smiled, she looked like a wolf baring its fangs.
In the distance, they could hear a howl going up.
***
A brisk, clear sky extended beyond the open window.
As Lawrence sat staring over the town, a gentle breeze, smelling faintly of the sea, brushed over his cheek.
The soft sounds of a comb running through fur tickled his ears, and an occasional sweet fragrance drifted past him and out the window.
He turned back to look into the room to see Holo tending to her tail, so thick and luxurious with fur that it would shock even a noble's daughter, with three bottles of expensive oils lying beside her on the bed.
He could almost hear Elsa scolding him; but as he watched Holo absently, he continued to think.
After the meeting from the previous night, Eve had said to him, "No matter what happens, conflict with Kerube is unavoidable."
Though she had not drunk to excess, Holo had still consumed enough that she was wheedling him for attention; and when he took her back to the inn, he had finally gotten the entire picture of the situation in his head, and it weighed on him.
What sat before him was not a simple situation where a regional lord's personal forest was being sold off. It was a situation that would affect the flow of trade for the entirety of the region well into the future, and even had to do with Col's fight against the Church, which had effectively split the world in two.
This was not something a mere bathhouse owner should be sticking his neck into, but for some reason, he had connections with each of the major parties in play. And more importantly, he was the one who lit the spark by preventing the lowering of lumber tariffs in Salonia.
If Lawrence had any faith, then he would consider this a God-given trial.
"I must add more pages to my journal."

Output:
She was somewhat shy, so knowing that she was in familiar company allowed her to talk freely about Col, Myuri, and even memories of Kerube rather than feel obligated to discuss the unfamiliar likes of Tonneburg and Karlan.
She was occasionally more maiden-like than her own daughter, but that was something she often forgot.
"Just because we know all these people, that doesn't mean this is going to be a carefree affair. We're up against real merchants here." Lawrence stepped away from the window, sat down on his bed, and looked over at Holo in the bed beside his. "Kieman almost killed Eve during the narwhal incident, but the moment their interests aligned, they started working together. He will be a genuine enemy if our interests conflict again."
Holo lightly furrowed her brow as though surprised by the reminder.
"But it did not seem as though she was lying when she spoke of little Col and that fool Myuri."
Her tone when she said "I'm worried," seemed forced, but that had apparently been her genuine feelings on the matter.
"In my perspective, it does not seem like she chases profit at the cost of everything else anymore. Which, I feel, means this will not lead to the trouble she might have once caused."
Holo ran her hand through her tail one final time, pleased with how glossy it was.
"On a personal level, sure. But both Eve and Kieman are merchants who have always chased what they think will be big game."
Holo, her tail still in her hand, went blank for a brief moment. That was because Lawrence had been laying the groundwork to become a great merchant in the Debau Company, yet it was her own fault that his access to that path was cut off. And that bothered her. That praiseworthy look on her face, one he saw not too long ago, tickled him; he continued.
"Big doesn't always mean better."
As he said that, he considered how Holo may have seemed a slender girl, but her true form was a towering wolf.
"When things get big, then all sorts of other things get tangled up in it, even if it has nothing to do with your own personal motivations. Think of a bull in a porcelain shop."
"A bull?" Holo blinked.
"Try and picture a huge bull in a small shop full of porcelain. That can only end in tragedy."
"Mm."
"It means that bigger things will also make things a lot tighter."
Holo would certainly understand—she had been under immense pressure when humans decided she was a divine being and worshipped her purely because of the majesty of her powerful wolf form. Perhaps taking on the appearance of a delicate girl and letting others dote on her as much as she liked was a sort of retaliation.
"Kieman represents Kerube, and Eve is working for Col. There might not be a lot of room for either of them to factor in their personal feelings. Even if they wanted to compromise or concede in certain ways, everyone else around them won't let them do that." Lawrence lay down on the bed as he spoke. "If Eve wanted to get serious about this, then she would pull Karlan's plan together in an instant with the force of a thunderclap. Both Matthias and Meyer are good people, and looking at the tavern back in Karlan, I'd say the merchants they're working with are just as positive as they are. The tavern owners are inviting in people of high status and even learning how to cook new dishes in order to help their city grow—that's not something you hear about very often. If a bad person like Eve wanted to, she could take control of this entire situation."
Holo had some personal opinions when it came to how optimistic people walked without ever watching their step. She gave a thoughtful nod.
"Then, once she's used clever ways to settle the matter, she would collect her profits, not caring what problems she caused on the way out, then totally vanish. But she's not doing that. She's letting things play out as they will, which means I think she's genuinely doing this for Col's sake."


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

Input:
She was somewhat shy, so knowing that she was in familiar company allowed her to talk freely about Col, Myuri, and even memories of Kerube rather than feel obligated to discuss the unfamiliar likes of Tonneburg and Karlan.
She was occasionally more maiden-like than her own daughter, but that was something she often forgot.
"Just because we know all these people, that doesn't mean this is going to be a carefree affair. We're up against real merchants here." Lawrence stepped away from the window, sat down on his bed, and looked over at Holo in the bed beside his. "Kieman almost killed Eve during the narwhal incident, but the moment their interests aligned, they started working together. He will be a genuine enemy if our interests conflict again."
Holo lightly furrowed her brow as though surprised by the reminder.
"But it did not seem as though she was lying when she spoke of little Col and that fool Myuri."
Her tone when she said "I'm worried," seemed forced, but that had apparently been her genuine feelings on the matter.
"In my perspective, it does not seem like she chases profit at the cost of everything else anymore. Which, I feel, means this will not lead to the trouble she might have once caused."
Holo ran her hand through her tail one final time, pleased with how glossy it was.
"On a personal level, sure. But both Eve and Kieman are merchants who have always chased what they think will be big game."
Holo, her tail still in her hand, went blank for a brief moment. That was because Lawrence had been laying the groundwork to become a great merchant in the Debau Company, yet it was her own fault that his access to that path was cut off. And that bothered her. That praiseworthy look on her face, one he saw not too long ago, tickled him; he continued.
"Big doesn't always mean better."
As he said that, he considered how Holo may have seemed a slender girl, but her true form was a towering wolf.
"When things get big, then all sorts of other things get tangled up in it, even if it has nothing to do with your own personal motivations. Think of a bull in a porcelain shop."
"A bull?" Holo blinked.
"Try and picture a huge bull in a small shop full of porcelain. That can only end in tragedy."
"Mm."
"It means that bigger things will also make things a lot tighter."
Holo would certainly understand—she had been under immense pressure when humans decided she was a divine being and worshipped her purely because of the majesty of her powerful wolf form. Perhaps taking on the appearance of a delicate girl and letting others dote on her as much as she liked was a sort of retaliation.
"Kieman represents Kerube, and Eve is working for Col. There might not be a lot of room for either of them to factor in their personal feelings. Even if they wanted to compromise or concede in certain ways, everyone else around them won't let them do that." Lawrence lay down on the bed as he spoke. "If Eve wanted to get serious about this, then she would pull Karlan's plan together in an instant with the force of a thunderclap. Both Matthias and Meyer are good people, and looking at the tavern back in Karlan, I'd say the merchants they're working with are just as positive as they are. The tavern owners are inviting in people of high status and even learning how to cook new dishes in order to help their city grow—that's not something you hear about very often. If a bad person like Eve wanted to, she could take control of this entire situation."
Holo had some personal opinions when it came to how optimistic people walked without ever watching their step. She gave a thoughtful nod.
"Then, once she's used clever ways to settle the matter, she would collect her profits, not caring what problems she caused on the way out, then totally vanish. But she's not doing that. She's letting things play out as they will, which means I think she's genuinely doing this for Col's sake."

Output:
Eve had acted the part of wounded wolf and bared her fangs, making the whole world her enemy, yet before her a larger wolf walked alongside a foolish sheep just a few paces ahead of her.
Something about that must have seemed ridiculous to her.
Her guards had been hard at work, and the dancing girl had genuinely enjoyed dancing.
Eve had come out of the hollow of her tree, found allies she could trust, and changed the way she interacted with the world.
"But she's letting Kerube get in the way because of it. That's what I think, at least."
"Mm. But how exactly are they getting in the way? Kerube is not close enough that the shadow of their house darkens Karlan's home. There is quite a distance between the two cities, so why do they feel the need to fight?"
From Holo's perspective, who knew just how lively Kerube could be, Karlan was a small little place that was completely eclipsed by the other city on several levels. She did not understand why the massive Kerube would be genuinely angry if Karlan were to expand its trading area by just a small bit.
"Kerube was originally a port city that thrived off fur and lumber that came from Lenos. And so the trade makeup in Kerube and Karlan is already very similar. If they both participate in sea trade, then the products they deal in would only grow even more similar. There's nothing more unpleasant to have in a trade rival than this, and I bet they're already competing daily for wool from the kingdom."
Wool was Winfiel's special export, and it was valued in markets throughout the world. It was considered a product that brought in endless profits. The more you could get, the better.
Eve's main business these days was the wool trade, and she was apparently moving wool for a number of trading companies. Though she might not be using her connection with Col for nefarious purposes, there was no doubt she was shrewdly claiming the most favorable position as the merchant who stood closest to the Twilight Cardinal, who in turn held sway over the trends of the kingdom.
So when Karlan decided to become a bigger city, it was unlikely that determination of theirs had much effect on Eve. The biggest reason she was here was because she wanted to buy Karlan's favor for cheap, sell her wool at a high price, and get as much lumber as she possibly could.
And nothing was infinite, so she was likely deducting the increased portion of wool imported to Karlan from Kerube's allotment.
"You merchants are truly fools. None of you have any flexibility."
It was a sound statement, but Holo was the sort to grab everything for herself when served delicious food at a tavern. Lawrence smiled as he gazed at her, and she returned it with a sharp glare.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
"Nothing at all." Lawrence shrugged and continued, "And I think the one spurring this on might be Eve, who might be provoking Kerube deliberately, to a degree."
***
Holo's shapely brows arched like a cat's long tail.
"Kerube is the oldest port city in this region, and of the biggest scale. That means they're a powerful trade partner for the wool merchants from the kingdom. Not only that, Kerube deals in lumber from Lenos, too. The kingdom merchants don't have forests back home—they probably don't have much room to negotiate when dealing with Kerube."
"Do you mean that because they are taken advantage of in the lumber trade, they return the favor when the time comes to trade in wool?"
Lawrence shrugged, and Holo seemed tired of the incessant fights in the human world.
Just as Karlan wanted to avoid the territories of existing lords by building a road through the Tonneburg Woods, it would not be at all strange if Eve and the Winfiel Kingdom's wool merchants who worked with her wanted to secure a new place to sell their wool and where they could purchase lumber, a place that did not rely on Kerube, which was a tough trade partner. And this plan to develop Karlan was a valuable chance for them to make that happen.


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

Input:
Eve had acted the part of wounded wolf and bared her fangs, making the whole world her enemy, yet before her a larger wolf walked alongside a foolish sheep just a few paces ahead of her.
Something about that must have seemed ridiculous to her.
Her guards had been hard at work, and the dancing girl had genuinely enjoyed dancing.
Eve had come out of the hollow of her tree, found allies she could trust, and changed the way she interacted with the world.
"But she's letting Kerube get in the way because of it. That's what I think, at least."
"Mm. But how exactly are they getting in the way? Kerube is not close enough that the shadow of their house darkens Karlan's home. There is quite a distance between the two cities, so why do they feel the need to fight?"
From Holo's perspective, who knew just how lively Kerube could be, Karlan was a small little place that was completely eclipsed by the other city on several levels. She did not understand why the massive Kerube would be genuinely angry if Karlan were to expand its trading area by just a small bit.
"Kerube was originally a port city that thrived off fur and lumber that came from Lenos. And so the trade makeup in Kerube and Karlan is already very similar. If they both participate in sea trade, then the products they deal in would only grow even more similar. There's nothing more unpleasant to have in a trade rival than this, and I bet they're already competing daily for wool from the kingdom."
Wool was Winfiel's special export, and it was valued in markets throughout the world. It was considered a product that brought in endless profits. The more you could get, the better.
Eve's main business these days was the wool trade, and she was apparently moving wool for a number of trading companies. Though she might not be using her connection with Col for nefarious purposes, there was no doubt she was shrewdly claiming the most favorable position as the merchant who stood closest to the Twilight Cardinal, who in turn held sway over the trends of the kingdom.
So when Karlan decided to become a bigger city, it was unlikely that determination of theirs had much effect on Eve. The biggest reason she was here was because she wanted to buy Karlan's favor for cheap, sell her wool at a high price, and get as much lumber as she possibly could.
And nothing was infinite, so she was likely deducting the increased portion of wool imported to Karlan from Kerube's allotment.
"You merchants are truly fools. None of you have any flexibility."
It was a sound statement, but Holo was the sort to grab everything for herself when served delicious food at a tavern. Lawrence smiled as he gazed at her, and she returned it with a sharp glare.
"Is there something you wish to say?"
"Nothing at all." Lawrence shrugged and continued, "And I think the one spurring this on might be Eve, who might be provoking Kerube deliberately, to a degree."
***
Holo's shapely brows arched like a cat's long tail.
"Kerube is the oldest port city in this region, and of the biggest scale. That means they're a powerful trade partner for the wool merchants from the kingdom. Not only that, Kerube deals in lumber from Lenos, too. The kingdom merchants don't have forests back home—they probably don't have much room to negotiate when dealing with Kerube."
"Do you mean that because they are taken advantage of in the lumber trade, they return the favor when the time comes to trade in wool?"
Lawrence shrugged, and Holo seemed tired of the incessant fights in the human world.
Just as Karlan wanted to avoid the territories of existing lords by building a road through the Tonneburg Woods, it would not be at all strange if Eve and the Winfiel Kingdom's wool merchants who worked with her wanted to secure a new place to sell their wool and where they could purchase lumber, a place that did not rely on Kerube, which was a tough trade partner. And this plan to develop Karlan was a valuable chance for them to make that happen.

Output:
When Lawrence said that, Holo released her tail as though she had enough, then curled up on the bed.
"I know it's a bit hard to understand with trade, but you'd understand wheat fields, right? Let's say there's a field that's just scarcely managed to support a village of a hundred people, but the neighboring village takes half of it. What do you think would happen to the first village?"
"Mm..."
Holo's ears both flicked nervously in every which way.
"You can't expand on your fields forever. That's the heart of the problem. The size of the field determines how many villagers get fed, so if you want everyone to eat their fill, you either make the fields bigger or you lower the number of mouths you need to feed."
Terrible talks of sending people away or selling people off into slavery was not something that ever came up during Holo's time in her old village, but not every farming community out in the world had been as lucky.
So why did conflict never cease?
"It's the same with trade. People who don't work don't get to eat, and if goods aren't transported, then no jobs are created. And all goods in circulation are limited. More product means more jobs, and more jobs means trading companies will take on new hires and help apprentices who worked long and hard to start their own businesses. But if that doesn't happen, then they can't bring in new blood, and apprentices are kept on much longer than they're supposed to. The master artisans would feel ashamed being unable to reward the people who've toiled at their sides. If business slows down because of this, then even keeping their apprentices employed can become a challenge. And that's when they all start looking for new territory."
The reason Matthias agreed to have the forest cut down was likely an extension of that line of thought. Though Meyer feared that with the loss of all the forest had to offer, the surrounding wheat fields would not be as productive, Matthias still believed that cutting down the forest would, in the long run, be more beneficial for the people.
That was because expanding anything—be it a forest or a field—required land, and it was unlikely he would ever get more land without war. What options remained open to him depended on how efficiently he could make use of the forest.
Running a road through it and building smithies might dramatically deplete the forest, but thinking about Tonneburg as a whole, it might end up keeping the people better fed in the long run.
Upon hearing Lawrence's explanation, the hairs on Holo's freshly combed tail stood on end, making it seem much bigger than normal. That was not because her ignorance had been pointed out, but because she was angry at how cruel this world could be.
"So it isn't really anyone's fault."
Every camp had their excuses, and every camp had people worth protecting.
"But there is a difference in size."
There might be a way to save a hundred people by making ten people suffer.
Holo immediately frowned and got up from the bed, her desire to sleep gone.
When she came to stand by the window, she gazed out upon the peaceful city of Karlan.
Though a trade war would most certainly transform the forest, the conflict itself was invisible to the eye, unlike a bloody war.
Holo finally realized that this lively, yet peaceful city stood at the crossroads of its own fate.
"Can you not do something about this?"
He was flattered that she thought so highly of him, but he could not find anything nice to say in response.
Though he had drawn the line in the matter—his request that she not be angry with him no matter what the outcome—that still did not make her feel any better about it.
"It's a merchant's job to make both parties walk away happy after a deal has been struck, but trading bread for bread doesn't help fill our bellies. That would be magic," Lawrence sighed and looked to the ceiling. "I have a feeling that's what Eve is trying to get me to do."
Holo turned around to look at him.


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

Input:
When Lawrence said that, Holo released her tail as though she had enough, then curled up on the bed.
"I know it's a bit hard to understand with trade, but you'd understand wheat fields, right? Let's say there's a field that's just scarcely managed to support a village of a hundred people, but the neighboring village takes half of it. What do you think would happen to the first village?"
"Mm..."
Holo's ears both flicked nervously in every which way.
"You can't expand on your fields forever. That's the heart of the problem. The size of the field determines how many villagers get fed, so if you want everyone to eat their fill, you either make the fields bigger or you lower the number of mouths you need to feed."
Terrible talks of sending people away or selling people off into slavery was not something that ever came up during Holo's time in her old village, but not every farming community out in the world had been as lucky.
So why did conflict never cease?
"It's the same with trade. People who don't work don't get to eat, and if goods aren't transported, then no jobs are created. And all goods in circulation are limited. More product means more jobs, and more jobs means trading companies will take on new hires and help apprentices who worked long and hard to start their own businesses. But if that doesn't happen, then they can't bring in new blood, and apprentices are kept on much longer than they're supposed to. The master artisans would feel ashamed being unable to reward the people who've toiled at their sides. If business slows down because of this, then even keeping their apprentices employed can become a challenge. And that's when they all start looking for new territory."
The reason Matthias agreed to have the forest cut down was likely an extension of that line of thought. Though Meyer feared that with the loss of all the forest had to offer, the surrounding wheat fields would not be as productive, Matthias still believed that cutting down the forest would, in the long run, be more beneficial for the people.
That was because expanding anything—be it a forest or a field—required land, and it was unlikely he would ever get more land without war. What options remained open to him depended on how efficiently he could make use of the forest.
Running a road through it and building smithies might dramatically deplete the forest, but thinking about Tonneburg as a whole, it might end up keeping the people better fed in the long run.
Upon hearing Lawrence's explanation, the hairs on Holo's freshly combed tail stood on end, making it seem much bigger than normal. That was not because her ignorance had been pointed out, but because she was angry at how cruel this world could be.
"So it isn't really anyone's fault."
Every camp had their excuses, and every camp had people worth protecting.
"But there is a difference in size."
There might be a way to save a hundred people by making ten people suffer.
Holo immediately frowned and got up from the bed, her desire to sleep gone.
When she came to stand by the window, she gazed out upon the peaceful city of Karlan.
Though a trade war would most certainly transform the forest, the conflict itself was invisible to the eye, unlike a bloody war.
Holo finally realized that this lively, yet peaceful city stood at the crossroads of its own fate.
"Can you not do something about this?"
He was flattered that she thought so highly of him, but he could not find anything nice to say in response.
Though he had drawn the line in the matter—his request that she not be angry with him no matter what the outcome—that still did not make her feel any better about it.
"It's a merchant's job to make both parties walk away happy after a deal has been struck, but trading bread for bread doesn't help fill our bellies. That would be magic," Lawrence sighed and looked to the ceiling. "I have a feeling that's what Eve is trying to get me to do."
Holo turned around to look at him.

Output:
"You are an errand boy," Holo said, as though displeased someone else was using her own errand boy.
"You could at least call me an assistant."
Kieman, who was apparently running Kerube now, and Lawrence did know each other, of course.
And so Eve, who had occasionally gotten herself in trade quarrels with Kieman from across the strait, had decided that it would be much better to send Lawrence instead of going there herself.
At the end of their meeting the night before, Eve had asked him to be her assistant and negotiate with Kerube on her behalf.
"It's not like I can give up on this now anyway. I have to do it."
If they traced events back to the original cause of all this, then it led right back to the moment Lawrence ventured to Salonia to settle a little matter he had been asked to take care of. And now, he was negotiating on behalf of a town and region. Life often took people in unexpected directions, and things were connected in unexpected ways. It was surprising that the bonds he formed once as a traveling merchant had now left such a big mark on the world, yes, but following those lines would naturally allow the past to catch up with him.
Lawrence had left behind the life of a traveling merchant, become a bathhouse owner, and had watched his reckless daughter grow old enough to set off on a journey of her own. Perhaps he felt somewhat obligated to look back and clean up any messes he had left behind.
"It's weighing on me, of course."
It was not just because he could see this was going to be a very involved negotiation. Kieman was a member of Lawrence's old haunt, the Rowen Trade Guild. He was essentially an extended family member, making this a bit more complicated than a simple trade deal.
When they were building the Spice and Wolf bathhouse in Nyohhira, Kieman had helped out when they needed a loan from the Rowen Trade Guild, and even when Kieman's business was in danger of failing, he did not go back on his word.
Though Lawrence was no longer an official member of the guild since he had retreated to Nyohhira, bonds forged with fellow guild members were not so easily dissolved, much like those with blood relatives.
And because of all that, Lawrence was, quite frankly, not looking forward to negotiating with Kieman, and by extension, Kerube, in an official capacity.
Lawrence was very aware of how soft he was.
"If only either were obviously evil, then you could have simply used my fangs," Holo said, sensing what was on Lawrence's mind.
"You're right. In this kind of situation, the worst possible outcome is letting either side have a one-sided win."
Lawrence rubbed at his ticklish nose, possibly due to how Holo had been tending to her tail, and then his hand drifted up to his forehead.
"Our goal is to make this a draw, but Karlan and Kerube are just so different in size and history."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a matter of face."
As Holo was about to bite into a burnt slice of meat, she frowned. They had both experienced how old-timers treated newcomers at the Nyohhira bathhouse. And when it came to cities, whose histories stretched back for generations, the scale of it only grew.
"And the nobles of Kerube betrayed Eve during the narwhal incident in Kerube. They're probably wary about what she might do to get her revenge."
Lawrence wondered if Karlan actually knew this and decided to go along with it regardless. Maybe it was because they were aware that there was no love lost between Eve and Kerube that they were confident she would never betray them.
"I suppose we cannot speak too arrogantly about digging up the past, either."
Holo winced as she said that, while Lawrence shrugged.
"Eve doesn't seem to bothered by whether or not they hold a grudge."
"Hmm?"
"People around her might make assumptions, and I wonder if Eve's planning to use that to her advantage."
Lawrence sat up, recalling the ways trade wars were conducted—something he never got a taste of in Nyohhira.


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

Input:
"You are an errand boy," Holo said, as though displeased someone else was using her own errand boy.
"You could at least call me an assistant."
Kieman, who was apparently running Kerube now, and Lawrence did know each other, of course.
And so Eve, who had occasionally gotten herself in trade quarrels with Kieman from across the strait, had decided that it would be much better to send Lawrence instead of going there herself.
At the end of their meeting the night before, Eve had asked him to be her assistant and negotiate with Kerube on her behalf.
"It's not like I can give up on this now anyway. I have to do it."
If they traced events back to the original cause of all this, then it led right back to the moment Lawrence ventured to Salonia to settle a little matter he had been asked to take care of. And now, he was negotiating on behalf of a town and region. Life often took people in unexpected directions, and things were connected in unexpected ways. It was surprising that the bonds he formed once as a traveling merchant had now left such a big mark on the world, yes, but following those lines would naturally allow the past to catch up with him.
Lawrence had left behind the life of a traveling merchant, become a bathhouse owner, and had watched his reckless daughter grow old enough to set off on a journey of her own. Perhaps he felt somewhat obligated to look back and clean up any messes he had left behind.
"It's weighing on me, of course."
It was not just because he could see this was going to be a very involved negotiation. Kieman was a member of Lawrence's old haunt, the Rowen Trade Guild. He was essentially an extended family member, making this a bit more complicated than a simple trade deal.
When they were building the Spice and Wolf bathhouse in Nyohhira, Kieman had helped out when they needed a loan from the Rowen Trade Guild, and even when Kieman's business was in danger of failing, he did not go back on his word.
Though Lawrence was no longer an official member of the guild since he had retreated to Nyohhira, bonds forged with fellow guild members were not so easily dissolved, much like those with blood relatives.
And because of all that, Lawrence was, quite frankly, not looking forward to negotiating with Kieman, and by extension, Kerube, in an official capacity.
Lawrence was very aware of how soft he was.
"If only either were obviously evil, then you could have simply used my fangs," Holo said, sensing what was on Lawrence's mind.
"You're right. In this kind of situation, the worst possible outcome is letting either side have a one-sided win."
Lawrence rubbed at his ticklish nose, possibly due to how Holo had been tending to her tail, and then his hand drifted up to his forehead.
"Our goal is to make this a draw, but Karlan and Kerube are just so different in size and history."
"What do you mean?"
"It's a matter of face."
As Holo was about to bite into a burnt slice of meat, she frowned. They had both experienced how old-timers treated newcomers at the Nyohhira bathhouse. And when it came to cities, whose histories stretched back for generations, the scale of it only grew.
"And the nobles of Kerube betrayed Eve during the narwhal incident in Kerube. They're probably wary about what she might do to get her revenge."
Lawrence wondered if Karlan actually knew this and decided to go along with it regardless. Maybe it was because they were aware that there was no love lost between Eve and Kerube that they were confident she would never betray them.
"I suppose we cannot speak too arrogantly about digging up the past, either."
Holo winced as she said that, while Lawrence shrugged.
"Eve doesn't seem to bothered by whether or not they hold a grudge."
"Hmm?"
"People around her might make assumptions, and I wonder if Eve's planning to use that to her advantage."
Lawrence sat up, recalling the ways trade wars were conducted—something he never got a taste of in Nyohhira.

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