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

Input:
"Ah."
"Well, if that happened, I suppose I would not mind. We would have to remain in this lively town, and I will simply have to continue drinking."
"They're probably going to start asking you to pay if you did that."
Holo was famous in Salonia, and her spirited drinking earned her free booze here and there, but she was dangerously close to overstaying her welcome.
"All you do is think of stingy profits."
"When I think about how much I've spent on alcohol for you, I start to wonder if we should've made a vineyard instead of a bathhouse."
"You fool!" Holo took the hand she had intwined with Lawrence's and smacked his back. "Then we would be stuck drinking wine all the time!"
What she said did not exactly sound like a joke, so Lawrence had no choice but to stand down.
"And all sorts of drinks find their way to Nyohhira," she added. "Everything tastes good whilst soaking in the baths."
Elsa would surely scold her again if she heard that, but Lawrence knew he was partially responsible for always treating her to a drink, wanting to see her happy.
"We should see if we can find an alcohol spring instead."
"'Twould be most ideal, yes."
Even though their motives were likely not quite on the same page, Lawrence did not point that out; he only tugged her hand to lead her back to the fortress with a shake of his head.
Songs sung as monotonous manual labor was being done were repetitions of easy-to-remember stanzas and melodies. Both Lawrence and Holo quickly learned the tune, took their own tools for husking—two sticks connected together by a string—and joined in the villagers singing as they worked the wheat.
Holo had spent centuries in Pasloe, but she only ever helped with the harvest work herself a few times in the distant past; she had simply watched in the times after that.
The reason she quickly gave up husking the wheat was less out of boredom and more out of her inherent curiosity—she wanted to see what the other work was like.
She joined in with the ones who bit into the harvested wheat to see if it had dried completely and helped out with picking chaff and other contaminants from the wheat in a big washtub. There had been a particular trick to shaking out the washtub, and the other girls there giggled at her as she ended up shaking her hips more than the tub.
The harvesting work in the fortress would last for more than one or two days. And so, instead of persevering throughout the entire thing, people often changed jobs or stepped out briefly, giving the sense that they would carry on with this work in a relaxed manner for a long time.
Just as Lawrence found himself getting lost in the rhythm of the monotonous work, one of the villagers asked to switch with him, and he reluctantly handed over his husking sticks.
"Now, then." He glanced around the area to find Holo missing from the lively castle garden. He asked around and learned that once she was done helping pick out bad-quality grains from a mountain of the wheat, she had gone into the main house.
Though it was getting closer to the height of autumn, it was still rather hot when the sun was high in the sky. Lawrence wondered if she had worn herself out and was taking a rest since she had such a terrible hangover the day before. Holo was typically slothful, so she would sometimes push herself too far when it came to work like this and suddenly run out of energy.
Despite his worry, Lawrence thought she was likely all right if she had taken a break of her own accord, so he decided to wrap up the matter on the delivery of their goods. He fished out some parchment from their things and made his way into the great room, where the assistant priest was watching over everything.
"Have you chosen a field?"

Output:
The church in Salonia presently owned the privileges to the land once ruled over by one called the Hero Voragine, but owning those rights did not necessarily mean things would always go smoothly.
There was still the matter of managing the day-to-day activities on the land, bringing someone in to manage the harvest period, making sure it was collected for taxes, being conscious of the worst and best of the harvest, and trying to avoid being scammed or subject to any injustices.
The assistant priest, who seemed to have been left in charge of all those things, had been very kind to Lawrence and his entourage when they came to visit in relation to the tariff troubles. That was perhaps because he had been hoping to hand off some of the work to Lawrence, but when he saw just how exhausted he looked, he had a feeling that might happen.
"Yes, we found a nice spot, so I came to inform you."
Aside from the board, where the assistant priest had written down reports that came in from the villagers and the apprentice clergy boys diligently copied the sheer volume of numbers down onto paper, there was a rough map of the territory drawn in charcoal, and Lawrence pointed to it.
"The field right next to the first shrubs southwest from the fortress."
"There, yes. I'm glad you picked a spot easy to find. All the quarrelling over zone divisions causes us headaches throughout the year."
The easy-to-find point that Holo had indicated had apparently been very important.
The assistant priest took two of the deeds the bishop had given Lawrence, then turned to the apprentice clergy boy and named several villagers and ordered him to write down a zone about a pace wide where those villagers' locations intersected.
"These privileges become yours in God's name." The assistant priest looked between the two pieces of parchment and handed one back to Lawrence as he spoke.
"Glory be to God," Lawrence said.
The assistant priest exhaled in a way that could be either taken as a sigh or a sign of agreement, then rolled his head around his neck and shoulders.
"Thank you for all of your hard work," Lawrence added.
"I wish I could have taken a dip in the hot springs you built in Salonia."
"You're always welcome at our bathhouse," Lawrence said with a smile.
The assistant priest grimaced. "Aren't the hot springs in Nyohhira supposed to be a secret? I heard only archbishops are allowed there."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration. But even if it were true, then I suppose we would be welcoming you in the near future."
Though he was young, the assistant priest was canny enough to grow a beard to give himself a mature and dignified air. His lips stretched into a grin under his messy whiskers.
"I will be sure to send the wheat your way every year."
"You have my thanks."
Lawrence was certain this assistant priest would reach great heights and become a regular at their bathhouse.
As that thought crossed his mind, he rolled up the parchment and tucked it away in his pocket.
"Where has your wife gone, by the way? Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"
The assistant priest seemed keen to offer they stay here for the night, but as they stood here speaking, there was a line outside the door of people waiting to report to him.
Lawrence replied briefly, "We're hoping to leave before sunset and follow the river downstream."
"I see. Lovely."
The smile on his face suggested he was relieved there was one less thing he had to worry about on his plate.
"Thank you."
Lawrence gave a nod, which the assistant priest returned with a polite bow, and he was already back into work mode. Lawrence left the great room, sliding past all the people waiting in line, then planted his hands on his hips with a sigh.
"Now, where has that Holo gone?"
The old fortress was not small by any means. Though the sun was still high in the sky, the light did not reach the depths of the building, and a dreary ambiance settled in the darkest corners.


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

Input:
The church in Salonia presently owned the privileges to the land once ruled over by one called the Hero Voragine, but owning those rights did not necessarily mean things would always go smoothly.
There was still the matter of managing the day-to-day activities on the land, bringing someone in to manage the harvest period, making sure it was collected for taxes, being conscious of the worst and best of the harvest, and trying to avoid being scammed or subject to any injustices.
The assistant priest, who seemed to have been left in charge of all those things, had been very kind to Lawrence and his entourage when they came to visit in relation to the tariff troubles. That was perhaps because he had been hoping to hand off some of the work to Lawrence, but when he saw just how exhausted he looked, he had a feeling that might happen.
"Yes, we found a nice spot, so I came to inform you."
Aside from the board, where the assistant priest had written down reports that came in from the villagers and the apprentice clergy boys diligently copied the sheer volume of numbers down onto paper, there was a rough map of the territory drawn in charcoal, and Lawrence pointed to it.
"The field right next to the first shrubs southwest from the fortress."
"There, yes. I'm glad you picked a spot easy to find. All the quarrelling over zone divisions causes us headaches throughout the year."
The easy-to-find point that Holo had indicated had apparently been very important.
The assistant priest took two of the deeds the bishop had given Lawrence, then turned to the apprentice clergy boy and named several villagers and ordered him to write down a zone about a pace wide where those villagers' locations intersected.
"These privileges become yours in God's name." The assistant priest looked between the two pieces of parchment and handed one back to Lawrence as he spoke.
"Glory be to God," Lawrence said.
The assistant priest exhaled in a way that could be either taken as a sigh or a sign of agreement, then rolled his head around his neck and shoulders.
"Thank you for all of your hard work," Lawrence added.
"I wish I could have taken a dip in the hot springs you built in Salonia."
"You're always welcome at our bathhouse," Lawrence said with a smile.
The assistant priest grimaced. "Aren't the hot springs in Nyohhira supposed to be a secret? I heard only archbishops are allowed there."
"That's a bit of an exaggeration. But even if it were true, then I suppose we would be welcoming you in the near future."
Though he was young, the assistant priest was canny enough to grow a beard to give himself a mature and dignified air. His lips stretched into a grin under his messy whiskers.
"I will be sure to send the wheat your way every year."
"You have my thanks."
Lawrence was certain this assistant priest would reach great heights and become a regular at their bathhouse.
As that thought crossed his mind, he rolled up the parchment and tucked it away in his pocket.
"Where has your wife gone, by the way? Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"
The assistant priest seemed keen to offer they stay here for the night, but as they stood here speaking, there was a line outside the door of people waiting to report to him.
Lawrence replied briefly, "We're hoping to leave before sunset and follow the river downstream."
"I see. Lovely."
The smile on his face suggested he was relieved there was one less thing he had to worry about on his plate.
"Thank you."
Lawrence gave a nod, which the assistant priest returned with a polite bow, and he was already back into work mode. Lawrence left the great room, sliding past all the people waiting in line, then planted his hands on his hips with a sigh.
"Now, where has that Holo gone?"
The old fortress was not small by any means. Though the sun was still high in the sky, the light did not reach the depths of the building, and a dreary ambiance settled in the darkest corners.

Output:
Lawrence had brought Holo to the lively harvesting work area so that she would not be suddenly overwhelmed by the gaping hole left by the busy and exciting time spent with Elsa and Tanya. Jumping from the roof of a five-story building would surely cause great bodily harm, but jumping down to the four-story building next door, then to the three-story one, then the two-story storehouse and then onto the street would make it possible to walk home.
He thought it would be nice to take a breather with the lively harvest workers, then return to the river and take a boat downstream. They would be awash in the lively atmosphere—not just the shanties sung by the captain, but calls from those pulling the boat downstream, and excited greetings from those traversing the roads that ran alongside the river. There were also regular checkpoints built along the river, so they would surely find vendors in those places. And then, once they came to the port on the sea at the mouth of the river, that would provide even further relief.
Elsa would surely tell Lawrence that he was coddling Holo again, but he believed it was his life's work to do whatever he could to help her.
And as of late, Lawrence had grown fond of her demure squirming as he catered to her needs.
He searched the building with those thoughts in mind, and eventually heard that Holo had ventured into the third-floor storage area with a mug of booze in hand.
He passed the women sitting around the hearth on the second floor doing the mending, stepped through men who were reattaching polished scythe blades to their handles, weaved through children sitting on the stairs, picking out whatever looked edible from the poor-quality grains, and headed for the third floor.
There were plenty of people busily going to and fro on the third floor, lending to a constant buzz throughout the area; Lawrence doubted she was here moping.
But as he wandered, lost, not sure exactly where the storage room was, he saw four men emerge carrying a pot meant for making food for all the people who had come to work—it was big enough for a fully-grown adult to use as a bath. Behind them was Holo, a stack of three pots on her head and a spoon large enough to hold a baby under her left arm.
"...What are you doing?"
Lawrence's eyes widened when he saw her peculiar dress; if someone told him that she was wearing a costume for a festival, he would believe them. Holo, carrying herself in a strange fashion so that the pots on her head would not fall, jerked her chin toward the storage room.
"Do not just stand there. The spears for roasting the meat are in there. Bring them out. Put all the firewood and charcoal you can find into the tub!"
That was all Holo said to him as she followed the men carrying the large pot, making sure the ones on her head didn't topple over.
Sitting by the door to the storage was a half-drunk mug of ale; she had likely been resting there when the men came by, and so she had jumped back into work.
The reason she was so enthused was likely because she was expecting to get a tasty meal out of it.
He had fully assumed she would be sitting by a window or in a dark corner of the storage room, so he was relieved to see that this was not the case. He did as he was told and carried as much as he could bear down the stairs.
Merchants who came while the villagers were working, aiming to purchase this year's wheat at its peak, also came by, and the alcohol and meat they brought made their lunch break feel just like a mini festival.
A whole pig had been skewered and was being roasted over a makeshift stove in the garden. Thick plumes of smoke billowed into the air whenever a drop of fat landed on the hot coals and wafted over the people as they sliced off thin pieces with a knife as big as an adult's arm. The meat was then messily placed on some bread and handed around to the others. Holo, soot staining her cheek, added plenty of mustard onto one of the smoky pieces of pork before biting into it.


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

Input:
Lawrence had brought Holo to the lively harvesting work area so that she would not be suddenly overwhelmed by the gaping hole left by the busy and exciting time spent with Elsa and Tanya. Jumping from the roof of a five-story building would surely cause great bodily harm, but jumping down to the four-story building next door, then to the three-story one, then the two-story storehouse and then onto the street would make it possible to walk home.
He thought it would be nice to take a breather with the lively harvest workers, then return to the river and take a boat downstream. They would be awash in the lively atmosphere—not just the shanties sung by the captain, but calls from those pulling the boat downstream, and excited greetings from those traversing the roads that ran alongside the river. There were also regular checkpoints built along the river, so they would surely find vendors in those places. And then, once they came to the port on the sea at the mouth of the river, that would provide even further relief.
Elsa would surely tell Lawrence that he was coddling Holo again, but he believed it was his life's work to do whatever he could to help her.
And as of late, Lawrence had grown fond of her demure squirming as he catered to her needs.
He searched the building with those thoughts in mind, and eventually heard that Holo had ventured into the third-floor storage area with a mug of booze in hand.
He passed the women sitting around the hearth on the second floor doing the mending, stepped through men who were reattaching polished scythe blades to their handles, weaved through children sitting on the stairs, picking out whatever looked edible from the poor-quality grains, and headed for the third floor.
There were plenty of people busily going to and fro on the third floor, lending to a constant buzz throughout the area; Lawrence doubted she was here moping.
But as he wandered, lost, not sure exactly where the storage room was, he saw four men emerge carrying a pot meant for making food for all the people who had come to work—it was big enough for a fully-grown adult to use as a bath. Behind them was Holo, a stack of three pots on her head and a spoon large enough to hold a baby under her left arm.
"...What are you doing?"
Lawrence's eyes widened when he saw her peculiar dress; if someone told him that she was wearing a costume for a festival, he would believe them. Holo, carrying herself in a strange fashion so that the pots on her head would not fall, jerked her chin toward the storage room.
"Do not just stand there. The spears for roasting the meat are in there. Bring them out. Put all the firewood and charcoal you can find into the tub!"
That was all Holo said to him as she followed the men carrying the large pot, making sure the ones on her head didn't topple over.
Sitting by the door to the storage was a half-drunk mug of ale; she had likely been resting there when the men came by, and so she had jumped back into work.
The reason she was so enthused was likely because she was expecting to get a tasty meal out of it.
He had fully assumed she would be sitting by a window or in a dark corner of the storage room, so he was relieved to see that this was not the case. He did as he was told and carried as much as he could bear down the stairs.
Merchants who came while the villagers were working, aiming to purchase this year's wheat at its peak, also came by, and the alcohol and meat they brought made their lunch break feel just like a mini festival.
A whole pig had been skewered and was being roasted over a makeshift stove in the garden. Thick plumes of smoke billowed into the air whenever a drop of fat landed on the hot coals and wafted over the people as they sliced off thin pieces with a knife as big as an adult's arm. The meat was then messily placed on some bread and handed around to the others. Holo, soot staining her cheek, added plenty of mustard onto one of the smoky pieces of pork before biting into it.

Output:
Lawrence used his own finger to wipe the soot from her cheek, and bit into his own portion.
So much meat had been shaved off the pig, yet despite the fact that it had been worked nearly down to the bone, it kept spinning above the smoldering coals.
It was then that Lawrence took his horse's reins in hand, nudged a reluctant Holo, and they left the fortress together.
Outside the fortress were people lying in the grass, taking a break after their meal, and children chasing away the birds that had come in search of grains of wheat that had not quite made it to the fortress with peals of laughter.
Holo was lying down not on the driver's perch, but in the cart bed. She basked in the sun as it still hung high in the sky, her ears flitting about, listening to the commotion, and patted her stomach in satisfaction.
"Don't fall asleep yet," Lawrence said as he drove the cart forward.
"Fool," came the quiet reply, but her speech was already mumbled. "Yaaawn... Where are we going now?"
She was still lying down as she spoke. She was clearly ready to fall asleep.
With a shrug, Lawrence replied, "We'll head back to the river near town and take a boat downstream."
"Mm..."
"You can sleep once we get on the boat. Try to stay awake until we get there. I'd hate for you to fall into the river because you nodded off."
He didn't hear her call him a fool, so he glanced over his shoulder to see she had curled up and was sleeping soundly.
"My goodness," he said with a small smile, readjusting the grip on the reins and urging the cart forward.
Everything had gone according to plan so far.
He hid that thought beneath his smile as they traversed the road they came in on, and when they arrived at the river port, Holo woke up in a better mood than he thought.
"Ah, what excellent horsemanship," Holo remarked.
She spoke up after stepping on board the boat because she was impressed by the skill of the rider that would be delivering the horses of all the boat's passengers downstream. There were about ten horses in total, and the rider had them dashing ahead.
"Will we be retrieving the cart on the way back?" She glanced back at the boat tied to the back of the boat they were presently riding on and asked Lawrence. That particular boat was filled with their belongings, not the cart itself.
"No. We'll be hitting up a port town once we reach the end of the river, and we'll be able to get the same kind of cart when we get there. It costs a lot of money to bring it with us, you see."
"Mm. You are clever, as always. How convenient."
It was likely because he had money orders in mind—something that let a person walk around without any coins in their pocket—which led him to think of something similar.
"Oh, right. I need to tell you something. Just in case the boat tips over."
"Hmm?"
"I don't care if we lose the sulfur and whatever else. Just don't ever let go of this bag, okay?'
One bag, purposely separated from the others on the cart, now sat at Lawrence's and Holo's feet.
Inside was a pouch stuffed full of small coins they had gotten in Salonia.
"You fool. I will not sink to the bottom of the river with such a thing. If the boat tips over, we should try to save this instead," Holo said, patting a small barrel.
It was whisky they had gotten a significant discount for in Salonia—the drink had been nicknamed fire water.
"We will be able to reach port without drowning if we drink the contents and hold onto it, no?"
"...So long as you don't black out."
"Water is essential for sobering up."
Despite his exasperation, Lawrence decided he would quite enjoy seeing Holo drifting happily down the river.
"Right, well, we're off."
"Mm."


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

Input:
Lawrence used his own finger to wipe the soot from her cheek, and bit into his own portion.
So much meat had been shaved off the pig, yet despite the fact that it had been worked nearly down to the bone, it kept spinning above the smoldering coals.
It was then that Lawrence took his horse's reins in hand, nudged a reluctant Holo, and they left the fortress together.
Outside the fortress were people lying in the grass, taking a break after their meal, and children chasing away the birds that had come in search of grains of wheat that had not quite made it to the fortress with peals of laughter.
Holo was lying down not on the driver's perch, but in the cart bed. She basked in the sun as it still hung high in the sky, her ears flitting about, listening to the commotion, and patted her stomach in satisfaction.
"Don't fall asleep yet," Lawrence said as he drove the cart forward.
"Fool," came the quiet reply, but her speech was already mumbled. "Yaaawn... Where are we going now?"
She was still lying down as she spoke. She was clearly ready to fall asleep.
With a shrug, Lawrence replied, "We'll head back to the river near town and take a boat downstream."
"Mm..."
"You can sleep once we get on the boat. Try to stay awake until we get there. I'd hate for you to fall into the river because you nodded off."
He didn't hear her call him a fool, so he glanced over his shoulder to see she had curled up and was sleeping soundly.
"My goodness," he said with a small smile, readjusting the grip on the reins and urging the cart forward.
Everything had gone according to plan so far.
He hid that thought beneath his smile as they traversed the road they came in on, and when they arrived at the river port, Holo woke up in a better mood than he thought.
"Ah, what excellent horsemanship," Holo remarked.
She spoke up after stepping on board the boat because she was impressed by the skill of the rider that would be delivering the horses of all the boat's passengers downstream. There were about ten horses in total, and the rider had them dashing ahead.
"Will we be retrieving the cart on the way back?" She glanced back at the boat tied to the back of the boat they were presently riding on and asked Lawrence. That particular boat was filled with their belongings, not the cart itself.
"No. We'll be hitting up a port town once we reach the end of the river, and we'll be able to get the same kind of cart when we get there. It costs a lot of money to bring it with us, you see."
"Mm. You are clever, as always. How convenient."
It was likely because he had money orders in mind—something that let a person walk around without any coins in their pocket—which led him to think of something similar.
"Oh, right. I need to tell you something. Just in case the boat tips over."
"Hmm?"
"I don't care if we lose the sulfur and whatever else. Just don't ever let go of this bag, okay?'
One bag, purposely separated from the others on the cart, now sat at Lawrence's and Holo's feet.
Inside was a pouch stuffed full of small coins they had gotten in Salonia.
"You fool. I will not sink to the bottom of the river with such a thing. If the boat tips over, we should try to save this instead," Holo said, patting a small barrel.
It was whisky they had gotten a significant discount for in Salonia—the drink had been nicknamed fire water.
"We will be able to reach port without drowning if we drink the contents and hold onto it, no?"
"...So long as you don't black out."
"Water is essential for sobering up."
Despite his exasperation, Lawrence decided he would quite enjoy seeing Holo drifting happily down the river.
"Right, well, we're off."
"Mm."

Output:
As he thought back on how different things were now compared to when he was a traveling merchant before meeting Holo, he could not help the smile that crossed his face.
"What is it?"
They sat on a thick blanket of wool, Holo nestled between Lawrence's legs, ready to fall asleep at any moment, and she felt him laugh on her back, and so she asked.
"I was just thinking about how luxurious our journey has been."
Holo's reddish-amber eyes went wide before creating half-moons to complement her contented smile. "Journeys such as this one suit me best."
"Indeed."
He placed his hand on her head, and she rubbed her head against it, demanding that he pet her more. Her wolf's dignity was nowhere to be found.
The weather was nice, and since it had not rained in quite a while, the river was calm and gently carried the boats downstream. The afternoon sun was warm, the faint song of the boatman filled the air around them, and the lively working sounds of those in the fields along the river were a gentle tickle in the ear.
While this indulgence was rather different from the excitement of a roaring fire, it was accompanied by a joy that came with traveling—much like eating one ripe grape at a time and savoring each bite.
Holo soon fell asleep again, her lips occasionally moving with leisure as she dreamed.
Lawrence wanted to say that everything was going as planned, but after they drifted for a while down the river, he realized that the boat was moving a lot slower than he had anticipated. He started to worry that they wouldn't reach the coast by nightfall; when he asked the boatman, the boatman explained that they would have had to take an early-morning boat in order to reach the port by evening, and that the only boats departing after noon that could make the journey were ones during melt season, or when it had rained upstream.
The boatman suggested they get a room at an inn in the large checkpoint just before they reach the sea.
Holo would surely assume that the body of water she saw when she awoke was the ocean, meaning she might scold him for his poor judgment. But he could not change the flow of the river, and the boatman told him that the checkpoint at which they planned on mooring was a rather lively river port, so Lawrence adjusted his expectations—perhaps it was not all that bad to spend the night at a nice riverside inn.
Warmed by the sun, Lawrence took Holo, her soot smell and all, into his embrace and closed his eyes. The next thing he knew, it was sundown.
They were still on the river when they awoke, so Holo gave Lawrence an earful, just as he expected, yet she watched over the buzz of activity unique to the river port with delight.
Lawrence took only their valuables from the ship, such as the pouch full of coins, had a branch from one of Salonia's companies watch after their things, and secured a room for himself and Holo in the meantime.
Rumors of their exploits had reached the port already, so that had been easy.
There seemed to still be quite a bit of distance to the ocean; so when he turned west, to where the ocean was supposed to be, Lawrence found himself faced with a terrifyingly vast open sky, a sensation only amplified by the featureless geography. The clear indigo of the night sky mixing with the fiery sunset was a stunning sight. As they sat at one of the riverside taverns, Holo had been so entranced by it that she almost forgot to drink any of the ale she had been served.
One could see a similar sight in Nyohhira by climbing to the top of a mountain, but being so close to the sea, which was essentially nothingness, the sky most certainly felt much bigger.
In previous travels, both Lawrence and Holo had gotten to see the sea, but the scenery changed with the time and place. Surely, once they reached the end of the river and came to the port, the sun setting over the sea would look much different from this.


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

Input:
As he thought back on how different things were now compared to when he was a traveling merchant before meeting Holo, he could not help the smile that crossed his face.
"What is it?"
They sat on a thick blanket of wool, Holo nestled between Lawrence's legs, ready to fall asleep at any moment, and she felt him laugh on her back, and so she asked.
"I was just thinking about how luxurious our journey has been."
Holo's reddish-amber eyes went wide before creating half-moons to complement her contented smile. "Journeys such as this one suit me best."
"Indeed."
He placed his hand on her head, and she rubbed her head against it, demanding that he pet her more. Her wolf's dignity was nowhere to be found.
The weather was nice, and since it had not rained in quite a while, the river was calm and gently carried the boats downstream. The afternoon sun was warm, the faint song of the boatman filled the air around them, and the lively working sounds of those in the fields along the river were a gentle tickle in the ear.
While this indulgence was rather different from the excitement of a roaring fire, it was accompanied by a joy that came with traveling—much like eating one ripe grape at a time and savoring each bite.
Holo soon fell asleep again, her lips occasionally moving with leisure as she dreamed.
Lawrence wanted to say that everything was going as planned, but after they drifted for a while down the river, he realized that the boat was moving a lot slower than he had anticipated. He started to worry that they wouldn't reach the coast by nightfall; when he asked the boatman, the boatman explained that they would have had to take an early-morning boat in order to reach the port by evening, and that the only boats departing after noon that could make the journey were ones during melt season, or when it had rained upstream.
The boatman suggested they get a room at an inn in the large checkpoint just before they reach the sea.
Holo would surely assume that the body of water she saw when she awoke was the ocean, meaning she might scold him for his poor judgment. But he could not change the flow of the river, and the boatman told him that the checkpoint at which they planned on mooring was a rather lively river port, so Lawrence adjusted his expectations—perhaps it was not all that bad to spend the night at a nice riverside inn.
Warmed by the sun, Lawrence took Holo, her soot smell and all, into his embrace and closed his eyes. The next thing he knew, it was sundown.
They were still on the river when they awoke, so Holo gave Lawrence an earful, just as he expected, yet she watched over the buzz of activity unique to the river port with delight.
Lawrence took only their valuables from the ship, such as the pouch full of coins, had a branch from one of Salonia's companies watch after their things, and secured a room for himself and Holo in the meantime.
Rumors of their exploits had reached the port already, so that had been easy.
There seemed to still be quite a bit of distance to the ocean; so when he turned west, to where the ocean was supposed to be, Lawrence found himself faced with a terrifyingly vast open sky, a sensation only amplified by the featureless geography. The clear indigo of the night sky mixing with the fiery sunset was a stunning sight. As they sat at one of the riverside taverns, Holo had been so entranced by it that she almost forgot to drink any of the ale she had been served.
One could see a similar sight in Nyohhira by climbing to the top of a mountain, but being so close to the sea, which was essentially nothingness, the sky most certainly felt much bigger.
In previous travels, both Lawrence and Holo had gotten to see the sea, but the scenery changed with the time and place. Surely, once they reached the end of the river and came to the port, the sun setting over the sea would look much different from this.

Output:
The way she looked made her seem entirely defenseless, as though every layer of her heart, right down to the thin film around her core, had been peeled away.
It was a strange expression—one that was not quite sad, yet hard to call optimistic—and Lawrence was certain that he would never be able to understand the feelings behind it. Those emotions belonged only to those who had lived for centuries, only when experiencing a sight that had not changed in hundreds of years.
And Lawrence had a feeling, too, that they were not happy feelings for her.
All he could do at times like these was just stay by her side and understand the plan he had painstakingly laid out to bring Holo joy was nothing before the overwhelming forces of nature.
He stared at the smudge on the table, created by a tear that had suddenly spilled from Holo's expressionless eyes, as he swallowed the tender, salty meat of his trout.
The only reason he could still taste it was not only because he knew how to show his understanding for the world's providence after becoming an adult. It was because now that his life was half over, he was starting to accept—reluctantly in defeat, even—that in the face of the immutable truths of the world, one could not stand one's ground, only let the flow take over.
"Your fish is getting cold," Lawrence said again, though not out of concern.
It was his way of showing defiance in the face of the flow of the immutable truths of the world.
Holo, standing in a perfectly still, mirror-like lake, could only find the shore by the help of those who boldly stepped in and caused ripples.
Though there was still some distance to the shore, when she turned to look at Lawrence, a relieved smile crossed her face.
"Yes, it smells good. 'Twould be a waste to let it go cold."
There were glimpses of unease behind Holo's expression, like she was taking in the scent in a dream. But when she, at last, hesitantly bit into her fish, she finally understood that this was not a dream.
"I think they'll be playing music soon."
Lawrence gestured with his chin to an open stall by the river, where some traveling musicians were preparing their instruments to busk. At the checkpoint, visible from where they sat, boats came in one after the other, and out of them came a stream of people on land eager to end their day with a cold pint.
Unlike cities encased in walls, the rules in riverside ports were lax. As he looked out at the lack of open seats, he could easily imagine how the lively chatter lasted well into the night every day.
"The fun's just beginning," Lawrence said.
Holo, consuming half her trout in a single bite, head-first, guts and all, looked up at him as the bones crunched between her teeth.
After swallowing, she devoured the rest of the fish with her second bite and licked her lips.
"I'm going to burp," she said.
Lawrence frowned at her, and she gave him an ironic, lopsided grin before pointing her skewer at him.
"Not because of the fish. Because of you."
Before Lawrence could ask what she meant, Holo took a large swig of ale, placed her wooden mug down on the table with a satisfied hum, and immediately ordered more.
"Of course 'tis because of you," she repeated, and finally belched loudly in quite an unladylike fashion.
Truly satisfied, as though she had managed to dislodge a bone from her throat, she turned to look at him.
"I spend all my days subject to your doting, and then I find that those days have come to an end."
Holo reached for a new trout skewer, bringing it up to her lips in a kiss, then mercilessly bit into it.
"Thus begins again a journey of two lonely people."
Despite how packed her cheeks were with fish, she didn't let a single morsel spill out.
After a gulp, she brought up some more ale to her lips.


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

Input:
The way she looked made her seem entirely defenseless, as though every layer of her heart, right down to the thin film around her core, had been peeled away.
It was a strange expression—one that was not quite sad, yet hard to call optimistic—and Lawrence was certain that he would never be able to understand the feelings behind it. Those emotions belonged only to those who had lived for centuries, only when experiencing a sight that had not changed in hundreds of years.
And Lawrence had a feeling, too, that they were not happy feelings for her.
All he could do at times like these was just stay by her side and understand the plan he had painstakingly laid out to bring Holo joy was nothing before the overwhelming forces of nature.
He stared at the smudge on the table, created by a tear that had suddenly spilled from Holo's expressionless eyes, as he swallowed the tender, salty meat of his trout.
The only reason he could still taste it was not only because he knew how to show his understanding for the world's providence after becoming an adult. It was because now that his life was half over, he was starting to accept—reluctantly in defeat, even—that in the face of the immutable truths of the world, one could not stand one's ground, only let the flow take over.
"Your fish is getting cold," Lawrence said again, though not out of concern.
It was his way of showing defiance in the face of the flow of the immutable truths of the world.
Holo, standing in a perfectly still, mirror-like lake, could only find the shore by the help of those who boldly stepped in and caused ripples.
Though there was still some distance to the shore, when she turned to look at Lawrence, a relieved smile crossed her face.
"Yes, it smells good. 'Twould be a waste to let it go cold."
There were glimpses of unease behind Holo's expression, like she was taking in the scent in a dream. But when she, at last, hesitantly bit into her fish, she finally understood that this was not a dream.
"I think they'll be playing music soon."
Lawrence gestured with his chin to an open stall by the river, where some traveling musicians were preparing their instruments to busk. At the checkpoint, visible from where they sat, boats came in one after the other, and out of them came a stream of people on land eager to end their day with a cold pint.
Unlike cities encased in walls, the rules in riverside ports were lax. As he looked out at the lack of open seats, he could easily imagine how the lively chatter lasted well into the night every day.
"The fun's just beginning," Lawrence said.
Holo, consuming half her trout in a single bite, head-first, guts and all, looked up at him as the bones crunched between her teeth.
After swallowing, she devoured the rest of the fish with her second bite and licked her lips.
"I'm going to burp," she said.
Lawrence frowned at her, and she gave him an ironic, lopsided grin before pointing her skewer at him.
"Not because of the fish. Because of you."
Before Lawrence could ask what she meant, Holo took a large swig of ale, placed her wooden mug down on the table with a satisfied hum, and immediately ordered more.
"Of course 'tis because of you," she repeated, and finally belched loudly in quite an unladylike fashion.
Truly satisfied, as though she had managed to dislodge a bone from her throat, she turned to look at him.
"I spend all my days subject to your doting, and then I find that those days have come to an end."
Holo reached for a new trout skewer, bringing it up to her lips in a kiss, then mercilessly bit into it.
"Thus begins again a journey of two lonely people."
Despite how packed her cheeks were with fish, she didn't let a single morsel spill out.
After a gulp, she brought up some more ale to her lips.

Output:
Holo smiled, genuinely delighted, before letting out a sigh.
When she turned to look back at the sky, the final vestiges of the setting sun threatening to be swallowed by night, her face was no longer expressionless.
"I know you are doting on me because you are worried, giving me constant joy in our travels so that I do not succumb to despair."
Her eyelids lowered, then shut as she tilted her head, fondly reliving her memories, before opening her eyes again.
"And what joy does it bring me. Even the ones that do not quite hit their mark and make me irritated."
Lawrence raised his hands in an admission of defeat, and Holo nodded to him like a benevolent queen.
"Every day I travel with you is a joy, thanks to that. But 'tis strange, because I find the dull moments just as delightful."
"Uh...hmm?"
Lawrence murmured in response, and Holo asked a passing tavern girl for more meat.
"I never noticed it when we were in the bathhouse, much less when I first met you."
Holo placed the skewer in her mouth and began nibbling on it.
"Even the sadness, the loneliness, the overwhelming pain I feel in the quiet moments between journeys brings me joy."
"That's, um...huh?"
Holo gave a shy smile in response to Lawrence's bewilderment.
"Isn't it strange? What is sad is sad, and what is painful is painful, but all the ups and downs, and even the depths of the abyss, where I sit with my knees to my chest—I find delight in it all."
She was clearly not saying this to bring Lawrence peace of mind, so he could only watch her, completely blank faced. Pork sausage was brought to their table, and Holo surprisingly cut Lawrence a piece, so he slowly brought it to his mouth.
The bursting fat was sweet, and he found himself desperately wanting a sip of ale.
"'Twas only after meeting you that I learned to enjoy everything life has to offer, I think," she said, biting into the sausage with an innocence that rivaled her daughter, Myuri. "I suppose 'tis like finding bitter ale delicious. So...mm. I will not tell you to stop doting on me. In a way, by marrying me, you made a promise to dote on me for the rest of your life."
Despite how bluntly she spoke the words, having her state it in such a clear manner only made the former merchant happy, considering how he understood the joy in another keeping to a contract.
"And so, I have a request for you. Days filled with joy do bring me joy, yes, but I want to feel the full range of sadness when I am by your side, as well. I want to enjoy whatever emotion comes to me when our exciting days spent with that vexing girl and the fluffy, annoying squirrel suddenly come to an end. I want to find delight in sadness that has no outlet, in finding a spot to sulk and mope."
That seemed unhealthy to Lawrence, but what told him it was not was how he saw the minstrels finish tuning their instruments. Each headed for different taverns—their own territory, presumably—greeted the customers, and began taking song requests.
At some point in his travels, Lawrence had learned one thing:
Songs played for money were not meant to rile up a crowd—they were sad tunes.
"Because I know I am safe when I cry beside you."
Living was not a series of constant joys. But that did not mean it was pain that constantly plagued faulty people, as the clergy spoke of it.
Having both joy and despair at opposite ends of the spectrum meant that they could find delight in the world in all different shades and hues.
"Shall we request a song?"
Holo called the minstrel over and jerked her chin at Lawrence. Lawrence, completely at Holo's whim, hurriedly pulled out some coins and placed them in the minstrel's hand.
"What sort of tune shall I play for you?"
This minstrel was unlike the ones who came to Nyohhira—he was on the shifty side, quite possibly the type to commit petty thievery.
Holo said to the minstrel, "Play us the most upbeat tune you have. One that will deafen me."
The minstrel's eyes widened in surprise before a dauntless smile crossed his face.


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

Input:
Holo smiled, genuinely delighted, before letting out a sigh.
When she turned to look back at the sky, the final vestiges of the setting sun threatening to be swallowed by night, her face was no longer expressionless.
"I know you are doting on me because you are worried, giving me constant joy in our travels so that I do not succumb to despair."
Her eyelids lowered, then shut as she tilted her head, fondly reliving her memories, before opening her eyes again.
"And what joy does it bring me. Even the ones that do not quite hit their mark and make me irritated."
Lawrence raised his hands in an admission of defeat, and Holo nodded to him like a benevolent queen.
"Every day I travel with you is a joy, thanks to that. But 'tis strange, because I find the dull moments just as delightful."
"Uh...hmm?"
Lawrence murmured in response, and Holo asked a passing tavern girl for more meat.
"I never noticed it when we were in the bathhouse, much less when I first met you."
Holo placed the skewer in her mouth and began nibbling on it.
"Even the sadness, the loneliness, the overwhelming pain I feel in the quiet moments between journeys brings me joy."
"That's, um...huh?"
Holo gave a shy smile in response to Lawrence's bewilderment.
"Isn't it strange? What is sad is sad, and what is painful is painful, but all the ups and downs, and even the depths of the abyss, where I sit with my knees to my chest—I find delight in it all."
She was clearly not saying this to bring Lawrence peace of mind, so he could only watch her, completely blank faced. Pork sausage was brought to their table, and Holo surprisingly cut Lawrence a piece, so he slowly brought it to his mouth.
The bursting fat was sweet, and he found himself desperately wanting a sip of ale.
"'Twas only after meeting you that I learned to enjoy everything life has to offer, I think," she said, biting into the sausage with an innocence that rivaled her daughter, Myuri. "I suppose 'tis like finding bitter ale delicious. So...mm. I will not tell you to stop doting on me. In a way, by marrying me, you made a promise to dote on me for the rest of your life."
Despite how bluntly she spoke the words, having her state it in such a clear manner only made the former merchant happy, considering how he understood the joy in another keeping to a contract.
"And so, I have a request for you. Days filled with joy do bring me joy, yes, but I want to feel the full range of sadness when I am by your side, as well. I want to enjoy whatever emotion comes to me when our exciting days spent with that vexing girl and the fluffy, annoying squirrel suddenly come to an end. I want to find delight in sadness that has no outlet, in finding a spot to sulk and mope."
That seemed unhealthy to Lawrence, but what told him it was not was how he saw the minstrels finish tuning their instruments. Each headed for different taverns—their own territory, presumably—greeted the customers, and began taking song requests.
At some point in his travels, Lawrence had learned one thing:
Songs played for money were not meant to rile up a crowd—they were sad tunes.
"Because I know I am safe when I cry beside you."
Living was not a series of constant joys. But that did not mean it was pain that constantly plagued faulty people, as the clergy spoke of it.
Having both joy and despair at opposite ends of the spectrum meant that they could find delight in the world in all different shades and hues.
"Shall we request a song?"
Holo called the minstrel over and jerked her chin at Lawrence. Lawrence, completely at Holo's whim, hurriedly pulled out some coins and placed them in the minstrel's hand.
"What sort of tune shall I play for you?"
This minstrel was unlike the ones who came to Nyohhira—he was on the shifty side, quite possibly the type to commit petty thievery.
Holo said to the minstrel, "Play us the most upbeat tune you have. One that will deafen me."
The minstrel's eyes widened in surprise before a dauntless smile crossed his face.

Output:
Fortunately, a crowd of sailors had just thronged into the tavern.
It was the perfect opportunity to spark the crowd.
"Lend me your ears! This tune will be the envy of legends!"
He strummed his instrument, and the customers turned to look.
When he began to stomp his feet, the excitable members of the crowd began to join in.
There was visible concern on a serving girl's face. She was likely worried about whether or not the platform over the river would hold. The stakes that sprouted from the river began to creak under the pressure, causing little ripples in the water.
As the raucous uproar grew, Lawrence and Holo instead found a quiet moment between them.
"I believe my ears will be ringing by the time we go to sleep tonight," Lawrence said, exhausted.
"What? The one thing I can find no joy in is a hangover," replied Holo calmly.
Lawrence shot her a look—perhaps she need not drink so much, then. But she gave him a pure smile and tilted her head; she deliberately downed her ale before asking for another mug.
Lawrence and Holo's journey would continue.
The hour would grow late, and no matter how cold the wind blew, they would not be alone.
And the sun would rise in the east, yet again, on the morrow.
***
Hello, this is Isuna Hasekura. It's been a year and nine months since the last volume, so I apologize for the wait. I've been busy writing Wolf and Parchment and busy with jobs relating to Spice and Wolf VR, so Spice and Wolf has not vanished from my life completely, but I was not actually working on any manuscripts. I really need to get to work...
That said, I put some themes I had been wanting to use to good use this time around, had Elsa and Tanya doing a lot of work, so as the author, I am very pleased (I really hope you, the readers, enjoy it). I would call this a short story collection, and I believe you will find things that are more fantasy-esque than in the original series, so it was a lot of fun to write.
Now let me tell you some of the things that served as inspiration for the stories. Spoilers.
The Gem of the Sea and Wolf: I've always wanted to write about the coral fishing from the Maghreb region, so I did. They really do throw metal hooks into the water and then reel them in. In present-day society, I think we would be scared of messing up the sea floor.
Summer's Harvest and Wolf: The mushroom in this chapter is the Xylaria polymorpha, or the dead man's fingers. Look it up online, and you'll see why Myuri was so shocked!
An Old Hound's Sigh and Wolf: The tracks left by the great serpent are what we call cropmarks. You'll find lots of aerial photographs if you search that term online, and it is cool to see exactly what they look like.
You won't find much on those things in documents related to medieval Europe, so it is difficult to just wait until I happen across something interesting. But I am certain there are more things that would suit a fantasy world, so I have a feeling Spring Log will continue for the time to come (I know the last chapter felt very final, but it isn't. Just in case).
Be patient, and more will come.
I have some space left... This is very recent, but I have been really craving the American-style donuts from Yamazaki Baking, so I searched all of the stores in my neighborhood but came up empty-handed. Maybe Daily Yamazaki will have them! I thought, and hopped on the train to the closest branch, but again, nothing!
Maybe they don't sell them in the summertime. Nothing beats how moist they are, the aggressive presence of sugar and oil. Oh, American-style donuts! If I talk about how much weight I've gained in my next afterword, then please rest easy knowing that I managed to find them. Until next time.
Isuna Hasekura
Download all your Fav Light Novels from Just Light Novels
***
No one knows what will happen on a journey.


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

Input:
Fortunately, a crowd of sailors had just thronged into the tavern.
It was the perfect opportunity to spark the crowd.
"Lend me your ears! This tune will be the envy of legends!"
He strummed his instrument, and the customers turned to look.
When he began to stomp his feet, the excitable members of the crowd began to join in.
There was visible concern on a serving girl's face. She was likely worried about whether or not the platform over the river would hold. The stakes that sprouted from the river began to creak under the pressure, causing little ripples in the water.
As the raucous uproar grew, Lawrence and Holo instead found a quiet moment between them.
"I believe my ears will be ringing by the time we go to sleep tonight," Lawrence said, exhausted.
"What? The one thing I can find no joy in is a hangover," replied Holo calmly.
Lawrence shot her a look—perhaps she need not drink so much, then. But she gave him a pure smile and tilted her head; she deliberately downed her ale before asking for another mug.
Lawrence and Holo's journey would continue.
The hour would grow late, and no matter how cold the wind blew, they would not be alone.
And the sun would rise in the east, yet again, on the morrow.
***
Hello, this is Isuna Hasekura. It's been a year and nine months since the last volume, so I apologize for the wait. I've been busy writing Wolf and Parchment and busy with jobs relating to Spice and Wolf VR, so Spice and Wolf has not vanished from my life completely, but I was not actually working on any manuscripts. I really need to get to work...
That said, I put some themes I had been wanting to use to good use this time around, had Elsa and Tanya doing a lot of work, so as the author, I am very pleased (I really hope you, the readers, enjoy it). I would call this a short story collection, and I believe you will find things that are more fantasy-esque than in the original series, so it was a lot of fun to write.
Now let me tell you some of the things that served as inspiration for the stories. Spoilers.
The Gem of the Sea and Wolf: I've always wanted to write about the coral fishing from the Maghreb region, so I did. They really do throw metal hooks into the water and then reel them in. In present-day society, I think we would be scared of messing up the sea floor.
Summer's Harvest and Wolf: The mushroom in this chapter is the Xylaria polymorpha, or the dead man's fingers. Look it up online, and you'll see why Myuri was so shocked!
An Old Hound's Sigh and Wolf: The tracks left by the great serpent are what we call cropmarks. You'll find lots of aerial photographs if you search that term online, and it is cool to see exactly what they look like.
You won't find much on those things in documents related to medieval Europe, so it is difficult to just wait until I happen across something interesting. But I am certain there are more things that would suit a fantasy world, so I have a feeling Spring Log will continue for the time to come (I know the last chapter felt very final, but it isn't. Just in case).
Be patient, and more will come.
I have some space left... This is very recent, but I have been really craving the American-style donuts from Yamazaki Baking, so I searched all of the stores in my neighborhood but came up empty-handed. Maybe Daily Yamazaki will have them! I thought, and hopped on the train to the closest branch, but again, nothing!
Maybe they don't sell them in the summertime. Nothing beats how moist they are, the aggressive presence of sugar and oil. Oh, American-style donuts! If I talk about how much weight I've gained in my next afterword, then please rest easy knowing that I managed to find them. Until next time.
Isuna Hasekura
Download all your Fav Light Novels from Just Light Novels
***
No one knows what will happen on a journey.

Output:
And so, who could blame a girl who set out on a journey of her own when she stopped sending letters home, despite how much worry it would cause her parents? As it turned out, that was reason enough to encourage the girl's mother and father to descend from their hot spring village nestled deep in the mountains and see the world again.
In the course of retracing Myuri's and Col's footsteps, Lawrence and Holo found themselves inextricably drawn into world events. They met a squirrel spirit, reunited with old traveling friends, and even came close to becoming rulers of their own domain.
Though the matter of lordship had occupied Lawrence's mind for a time, he ultimately chose easygoing travels with the self-proclaimed Wisewolf, along with her penchant for jerky and booze. Then they departed from the city of Salonia by boat and headed toward the open sea.
They headed downriver, sipping drinks and listening to the shanties.
Lawrence believed they would hear more about a certain rambunctious girl and her adoptive older brother in the next seaside city, but—
"Hmm...? What did you say?"
Puffy eyes peeked out from a messy mop of hair to peer at Lawrence.
He had not minded it so much in his sleep, but after waking up, leaving the room, washing his face at the well, preparing breakfast while collecting information from early-morning travelers, and then finally returning to the room, the strong smell of alcohol that still filled the air caused him to scrunch up his face.
"You've been drinking too much."
Lawrence glanced briefly at Holo as she lay whining in bed before he threw open the windows and took a deep breath of fresh air.
"'Tis too bright..."
He might have felt inclined to shield a moss-laden forest spirit from the harsh rays of sunlight, but he felt no pity for the wisewolf who had been entranced by the musical performance of the tavern bards and ended up dancing the night away, drink in hand the entire time.
"Even the most boring parts of a journey are filled with delight when I travel with you"—she had just moved him with such touching words, and now this. Though Elsa was not around to scold him about it, he still felt like he really did spoil Holo a bit too much. Of course, it was a little late for that epiphany.
"Good grief. Well, you look like you regret being alive at the moment, so I've got great news for you. No boats are heading downstream right now."
Lawrence sat in the chair, waiting for the fresh air from outside to replace the strong smell of ale as he bit into a piece of bread he had purchased.
"Mm... That smell..."
Holo, who would normally leap from bed at the first whiff of freshly baked bread, instead scrunched up her face and groaned. Lawrence had seen this sight so many times he was genuinely quite tired of it, but he knew it would be a massive pain to clean up if she vomited, and he also knew he might have to pay the inn an exorbitant amount if it turned out particularly badly. And so, with a sigh, he moved his chair away from Holo to avoid bothering her nose.
"Something's going on in the port city downriver. I think we'll be stuck here a while."
***
Lawrence could usually tell when Holo was listening by watching her ears, but they did not so much as twitch.
He swallowed his sigh with a bite of bread and continued, "It looks like our options are either wait here for things to blow over or get a horse and cart to travel by land."
Lawrence paused, wondering if he would get an answer, but he received none. Her typically beautiful tail was all ruffled and messy, reminding him of a stray dog that had been tragically run over by a wagon.
This was all her own fault to begin with.
"If we go by land, then we may as well head straight south to Kerube. It might be easier to find information on Myuri and Col there. It's the busiest city in the area, so I know they'll have lots of good food."
The fur on her tail twitched at the words good food, so now he was sure he had her attention.


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

Input:
And so, who could blame a girl who set out on a journey of her own when she stopped sending letters home, despite how much worry it would cause her parents? As it turned out, that was reason enough to encourage the girl's mother and father to descend from their hot spring village nestled deep in the mountains and see the world again.
In the course of retracing Myuri's and Col's footsteps, Lawrence and Holo found themselves inextricably drawn into world events. They met a squirrel spirit, reunited with old traveling friends, and even came close to becoming rulers of their own domain.
Though the matter of lordship had occupied Lawrence's mind for a time, he ultimately chose easygoing travels with the self-proclaimed Wisewolf, along with her penchant for jerky and booze. Then they departed from the city of Salonia by boat and headed toward the open sea.
They headed downriver, sipping drinks and listening to the shanties.
Lawrence believed they would hear more about a certain rambunctious girl and her adoptive older brother in the next seaside city, but—
"Hmm...? What did you say?"
Puffy eyes peeked out from a messy mop of hair to peer at Lawrence.
He had not minded it so much in his sleep, but after waking up, leaving the room, washing his face at the well, preparing breakfast while collecting information from early-morning travelers, and then finally returning to the room, the strong smell of alcohol that still filled the air caused him to scrunch up his face.
"You've been drinking too much."
Lawrence glanced briefly at Holo as she lay whining in bed before he threw open the windows and took a deep breath of fresh air.
"'Tis too bright..."
He might have felt inclined to shield a moss-laden forest spirit from the harsh rays of sunlight, but he felt no pity for the wisewolf who had been entranced by the musical performance of the tavern bards and ended up dancing the night away, drink in hand the entire time.
"Even the most boring parts of a journey are filled with delight when I travel with you"—she had just moved him with such touching words, and now this. Though Elsa was not around to scold him about it, he still felt like he really did spoil Holo a bit too much. Of course, it was a little late for that epiphany.
"Good grief. Well, you look like you regret being alive at the moment, so I've got great news for you. No boats are heading downstream right now."
Lawrence sat in the chair, waiting for the fresh air from outside to replace the strong smell of ale as he bit into a piece of bread he had purchased.
"Mm... That smell..."
Holo, who would normally leap from bed at the first whiff of freshly baked bread, instead scrunched up her face and groaned. Lawrence had seen this sight so many times he was genuinely quite tired of it, but he knew it would be a massive pain to clean up if she vomited, and he also knew he might have to pay the inn an exorbitant amount if it turned out particularly badly. And so, with a sigh, he moved his chair away from Holo to avoid bothering her nose.
"Something's going on in the port city downriver. I think we'll be stuck here a while."
***
Lawrence could usually tell when Holo was listening by watching her ears, but they did not so much as twitch.
He swallowed his sigh with a bite of bread and continued, "It looks like our options are either wait here for things to blow over or get a horse and cart to travel by land."
Lawrence paused, wondering if he would get an answer, but he received none. Her typically beautiful tail was all ruffled and messy, reminding him of a stray dog that had been tragically run over by a wagon.
This was all her own fault to begin with.
"If we go by land, then we may as well head straight south to Kerube. It might be easier to find information on Myuri and Col there. It's the busiest city in the area, so I know they'll have lots of good food."
The fur on her tail twitched at the words good food, so now he was sure he had her attention.

Output:
"Well, we're not in any rush, so you can rest. Travelers coming from downstream should be arriving in the afternoon, and they should have a better idea of what's going on."
Lawrence thought he heard Holo say something, but soon all he could hear were her deep, sleeping breaths. She was probably just mumbling in her sleep.
With a weary smile, he put the half-eaten bread into his mouth and pulled the blanket over his princess.
Rivers, without fail, passed through several private lands, and that meant checkpoints sat in each one.
Most consisted of nothing more than a riverside hut run by one or two overbearing tax collectors, but some were lively places where multiple land-borne trade routes intersected. Those were proper post towns where inns and taverns meant for travelers could be easily found.
The place where Lawrence and Holo were staying was not the most developed, but there were at least three buildings that offered meals and lodging, as well as some local artisans who mended clothes and shoes—more than enough amenities for a traveler to rest in comfort.
As vexing as it was to be taxed at each checkpoint, this was a place meant for travelers. It was nice to sit outside a tavern and have a drink during the day without needing to worry about any judgmental glares.
Lawrence sipped at his cheap wine, which had become somewhat tasty only after he added a gratuitous amount of honey. At the same time, he gathered information as people passed him by.
The moment he realized a shadow had fallen over him, he also noticed a girl had brusquely taken the seat across from him.
"You seem quite comfortable on your own, no?"
The one who had decided to insult Lawrence without so much as glancing at him was a girl who seemed to be in her early teens.
But she seemed in her element by the way she raised her hand to catch the bartender's attention, and it was clear she knew what she was doing by the way she ordered a sweet yet sour juice that would one day become alcoholic cider. Today, however, its duty was to ease her hangover, and she made sure to order honey to make it even sweeter. Despite how young she looked, she was still the same centuries-old wolf.
"I am pleased. There is plenty of the good honey here."
"But that doesn't make it any cheaper."
"You fool," Holo said, eyes dropping to the piece of jerky by his hand. Though she frowned, likely not pleased by the prospect of eating tough food right after waking up, she still reached out and pulled the entire plate toward herself, as though deciding that she would make do with what he had.
"Shouldn't you have porridge or something instead?"
"Then order it for me. Make it hot."
Her drink that came shortly after was a deep red that likely came from steeped gooseberries. She took a swig and immediately squeezed her eyes shut—perhaps it was sour, even with the honey. After exhaling heavily, Holo bit into a piece of jerky.
Lawrence was glad she seemed healthier and asked for soup with breadcrumbs in it.
"And? What led you to leave me behind and come drinking, hmm?"
"You're not even sick. You wanted me to stay with you and hold your hand?"
Holo kicked Lawrence under the table. He could see it was partly their normal banter, yes, but what stood out to him was how she seemed genuinely frustrated with him.
Perhaps she did not mind so much that he was gone when she woke up, but that the open window had swept away most of his scent.
Even though this wolf seemed laidback at a glance, she had lived for much longer than any normal human lifespan; her waking moments were often plagued by the sneaking suspicion that everything was but an ephemeral dream. And in that moment of self-doubt, she must have rushed to the window only to find Lawrence enjoying a drink by himself. Most likely, that was what had set her off.
"You didn't hear a word I said this morning, did you?" Lawrence asked flatly.
"What are you talking about?" Holo narrowed her eyes at him.


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

Input:
"Well, we're not in any rush, so you can rest. Travelers coming from downstream should be arriving in the afternoon, and they should have a better idea of what's going on."
Lawrence thought he heard Holo say something, but soon all he could hear were her deep, sleeping breaths. She was probably just mumbling in her sleep.
With a weary smile, he put the half-eaten bread into his mouth and pulled the blanket over his princess.
Rivers, without fail, passed through several private lands, and that meant checkpoints sat in each one.
Most consisted of nothing more than a riverside hut run by one or two overbearing tax collectors, but some were lively places where multiple land-borne trade routes intersected. Those were proper post towns where inns and taverns meant for travelers could be easily found.
The place where Lawrence and Holo were staying was not the most developed, but there were at least three buildings that offered meals and lodging, as well as some local artisans who mended clothes and shoes—more than enough amenities for a traveler to rest in comfort.
As vexing as it was to be taxed at each checkpoint, this was a place meant for travelers. It was nice to sit outside a tavern and have a drink during the day without needing to worry about any judgmental glares.
Lawrence sipped at his cheap wine, which had become somewhat tasty only after he added a gratuitous amount of honey. At the same time, he gathered information as people passed him by.
The moment he realized a shadow had fallen over him, he also noticed a girl had brusquely taken the seat across from him.
"You seem quite comfortable on your own, no?"
The one who had decided to insult Lawrence without so much as glancing at him was a girl who seemed to be in her early teens.
But she seemed in her element by the way she raised her hand to catch the bartender's attention, and it was clear she knew what she was doing by the way she ordered a sweet yet sour juice that would one day become alcoholic cider. Today, however, its duty was to ease her hangover, and she made sure to order honey to make it even sweeter. Despite how young she looked, she was still the same centuries-old wolf.
"I am pleased. There is plenty of the good honey here."
"But that doesn't make it any cheaper."
"You fool," Holo said, eyes dropping to the piece of jerky by his hand. Though she frowned, likely not pleased by the prospect of eating tough food right after waking up, she still reached out and pulled the entire plate toward herself, as though deciding that she would make do with what he had.
"Shouldn't you have porridge or something instead?"
"Then order it for me. Make it hot."
Her drink that came shortly after was a deep red that likely came from steeped gooseberries. She took a swig and immediately squeezed her eyes shut—perhaps it was sour, even with the honey. After exhaling heavily, Holo bit into a piece of jerky.
Lawrence was glad she seemed healthier and asked for soup with breadcrumbs in it.
"And? What led you to leave me behind and come drinking, hmm?"
"You're not even sick. You wanted me to stay with you and hold your hand?"
Holo kicked Lawrence under the table. He could see it was partly their normal banter, yes, but what stood out to him was how she seemed genuinely frustrated with him.
Perhaps she did not mind so much that he was gone when she woke up, but that the open window had swept away most of his scent.
Even though this wolf seemed laidback at a glance, she had lived for much longer than any normal human lifespan; her waking moments were often plagued by the sneaking suspicion that everything was but an ephemeral dream. And in that moment of self-doubt, she must have rushed to the window only to find Lawrence enjoying a drink by himself. Most likely, that was what had set her off.
"You didn't hear a word I said this morning, did you?" Lawrence asked flatly.
"What are you talking about?" Holo narrowed her eyes at him.

Output:
She opened her mouth to say something, but she knew anything she said would have the opposite effect.
She pouted and sipped on her honeyed juice.
"There's some kind of big city council meeting at the port down the river."
Lawrence reached to pluck a piece of what remained of his jerky, watching new ships arrive from upstream. Yet none were leaving the docks, which meant they were crowded with boats. There was a lot more traffic headed downstream than he expected.
"It sounds like they're discussing taxes, so everyone's keeping a close eye on it."
Holo, who still looked very hungover, lightly furrowed her brow and said, "Then should it not be the opposite?"
She followed his gaze toward the docks just as a new ship bursting with cargo arrived. The idle apprehension that it would not be able to fit anywhere was for naught—the skilled pilots easily guided it into the tiniest of spots.
"Are taxes not the worst nightmare of you merchants? Why not rush downriver before they are levied against you?"
"If I did, you'd be feeding the river fish your dinner from last night right about now."
Ships that crossed the sea rolled, but so did those that traversed the river. Lawrence could not help but smile when he pictured a languid Holo—she was always adorable—but when he noticed the wolf looking at him dubiously, he cleared his throat.
"To everyone's surprise, they're talking about lowering the tariffs to enter the city."
The reason Holo did not quip at Lawrence right away was because the soup came at the exact same time.
She scooped up the soggy bits of bread with her wooden spoon and began to devour it.
"And that's why everyone—travelers and even merchants—are all staying put until the local council announces their verdict."
Thick pieces of carp swam in the soup along with the bread. Holo kept her mouth open as she breathed to cool herself down, taking a swig of her juice to help. Then she licked her lips and raised her head.
"Then it has nothing to do with us, no? We have no cargo. I do not mind this place, but I would prefer to idle my time away in a larger city."
"Yeah...but it could also be bait."
"Bait?"
"A rumor to lure people in, and then... Chomp."
Walls that surround a city do not only protect those inside from outside enemies. They also prevent those inside from escaping. Cities that wanted to fill their war chests, for example, often forced visiting merchants to pay exorbitant travel fees if they wished to leave the city. Many would reluctantly pay the high tax, knowing it was preferable to getting caught up in a war. It was entirely possible that the local officials wanted to lure merchants into the city for precisely that reason.
What sat in Holo's spoon were fish that just so happened to get caught in traps lying at the bottom of the river—and just so happened to become ingredients for soup.
Holo's gaze drifted to the sky in thought as she brought the morsel to her mouth.
"Mm. Sounds plausible."
"So, how about we stay out of danger and head south by land instead?"
Holo frowned at the suggestion. That was the face of someone who was actively recalling the pain in her tail that came from sitting on a rickety cart and comparing it to the comforts of boat travel.
"If we manage to reach the Roef River, we could then catch another boat to Kerube."
"Kerube... The name is familiar."
"That's where they caught the narwhal, remember? The sea creature whose horn is supposed to grant eternal life if you grind it into a powder and drink it."
Holo lifted her chin and gave a cheerless nod.
A being that lived longer than any human likely had complicated feelings about things that supposedly offered eternal life. Or perhaps she recalled the conflict involving the absolute greediest merchants they had met in their travels together.
"The good old Rowen Trade Guild is in Kerube. We could say hello to all those who helped us while we were getting the bathhouse set up. It should also be easier to get information on Myuri and Col there."


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

Input:
She opened her mouth to say something, but she knew anything she said would have the opposite effect.
She pouted and sipped on her honeyed juice.
"There's some kind of big city council meeting at the port down the river."
Lawrence reached to pluck a piece of what remained of his jerky, watching new ships arrive from upstream. Yet none were leaving the docks, which meant they were crowded with boats. There was a lot more traffic headed downstream than he expected.
"It sounds like they're discussing taxes, so everyone's keeping a close eye on it."
Holo, who still looked very hungover, lightly furrowed her brow and said, "Then should it not be the opposite?"
She followed his gaze toward the docks just as a new ship bursting with cargo arrived. The idle apprehension that it would not be able to fit anywhere was for naught—the skilled pilots easily guided it into the tiniest of spots.
"Are taxes not the worst nightmare of you merchants? Why not rush downriver before they are levied against you?"
"If I did, you'd be feeding the river fish your dinner from last night right about now."
Ships that crossed the sea rolled, but so did those that traversed the river. Lawrence could not help but smile when he pictured a languid Holo—she was always adorable—but when he noticed the wolf looking at him dubiously, he cleared his throat.
"To everyone's surprise, they're talking about lowering the tariffs to enter the city."
The reason Holo did not quip at Lawrence right away was because the soup came at the exact same time.
She scooped up the soggy bits of bread with her wooden spoon and began to devour it.
"And that's why everyone—travelers and even merchants—are all staying put until the local council announces their verdict."
Thick pieces of carp swam in the soup along with the bread. Holo kept her mouth open as she breathed to cool herself down, taking a swig of her juice to help. Then she licked her lips and raised her head.
"Then it has nothing to do with us, no? We have no cargo. I do not mind this place, but I would prefer to idle my time away in a larger city."
"Yeah...but it could also be bait."
"Bait?"
"A rumor to lure people in, and then... Chomp."
Walls that surround a city do not only protect those inside from outside enemies. They also prevent those inside from escaping. Cities that wanted to fill their war chests, for example, often forced visiting merchants to pay exorbitant travel fees if they wished to leave the city. Many would reluctantly pay the high tax, knowing it was preferable to getting caught up in a war. It was entirely possible that the local officials wanted to lure merchants into the city for precisely that reason.
What sat in Holo's spoon were fish that just so happened to get caught in traps lying at the bottom of the river—and just so happened to become ingredients for soup.
Holo's gaze drifted to the sky in thought as she brought the morsel to her mouth.
"Mm. Sounds plausible."
"So, how about we stay out of danger and head south by land instead?"
Holo frowned at the suggestion. That was the face of someone who was actively recalling the pain in her tail that came from sitting on a rickety cart and comparing it to the comforts of boat travel.
"If we manage to reach the Roef River, we could then catch another boat to Kerube."
"Kerube... The name is familiar."
"That's where they caught the narwhal, remember? The sea creature whose horn is supposed to grant eternal life if you grind it into a powder and drink it."
Holo lifted her chin and gave a cheerless nod.
A being that lived longer than any human likely had complicated feelings about things that supposedly offered eternal life. Or perhaps she recalled the conflict involving the absolute greediest merchants they had met in their travels together.
"The good old Rowen Trade Guild is in Kerube. We could say hello to all those who helped us while we were getting the bathhouse set up. It should also be easier to get information on Myuri and Col there."

Output:
However, Lawrence expected companies with trading houses spread across multiple cities to have more accurate information.
"Hmm. That is the river on which we found little Col, and the city beyond that, no? 'Tis quite a long way away."
"Yeah, the route isn't a straight shot from here to there, so it'd probably be three—no, we're not going there for trade, so we can take it slow—meaning it'd be more like five, maybe six days by cart... I don't really know this area very well."
Holo's complaints might have been aggravating if Lawrence himself had not become rather accustomed to the bathhouse life. His back would immediately start hurting on the hard driver's perch of a cart. They would have to look up the roads, make stops, take rests, and everything else. It would probably take even longer.
Either way, they were starting to see signs that the plans for their tranquil little journey were about to fall apart, and Holo slurped her soup loudly in protest.
"I shan't say no if you choose to ride on my back."
Holo, in her wolf form, could probably get there in one night.
"What about the horse?"
"...Horsemeat is sweet but goes surprisingly well with strong liquor."
Lawrence, unsure how genuine her joke was, simply sighed and sipped his wine.
"Personally, I want to wait and see what happens for just a little longer."
"Mm?"
"I don't know what the city down there's thinking, but if they really do lower taxes, then it'd be better if we get all our nonessentials over there, right? We've had a lot of customers at the bathhouse recently who aren't nobility who have also been complaining when they have to forgo luxuries from the south."
Holo regarded him coolly, like he was a fool sharing his dreams of becoming rich.
"You are a male who never learns his lesson. We leave matters to the rabbit and his company. Do you not remember when you ordered wheat from a new place and ended up swindled with cheap product?"
The Debau Company, where a certain rabbit spirit acted as head clerk, was a reliable liaison for the Spice and Wolf bathhouse when they needed to order more supplies.
As for the wheat incident, it was Holo and Myuri who had sniffed out that cheap rye grain had been mixed in with the expensive wheat, which allowed them to escape the worst.
"Oops. But if I never learn, then should I tell you why you had such a hard time waking up this morning?"
Holo pursed her lips into a thin line, but she did not kick him.
The moment Lawrence was convinced she had finally started regretting the excessive drinking because of her terrible hangover, he sensed someone approach their table. He looked up.
Standing there was a man wearing the clothes of a farmer, a thin hat clutched in his hands, offering both of them a hesitant smile.
"You must be Sir Kraft Lawrence and his honorable wife, yes?"
It was hard to say the man was dressed finely, and his overly polite language was rather odd, but it was immediately clear that he knew who they were, because what he offered along with his greeting was a small cask of alcohol that could fit under one's arm.
Even though Holo had at last gotten over her hangover, her eyes glimmered as she reached out to take the cask with great delight.
"Heh-heh... Mmm, this is good quality mead! Aye, if you've a need to speak with us, go on, then."
Obviously, when she said us, she really meant Lawrence.
Lawrence sighed and turned his attention to the farmer.
He was farmer-like in the sense that he dressed like one, but his demeanor was unusually refined, and he seemed quite comfortable offering mead in greeting.
Lawrence thought back on all the people he had met in trade, yet he did not find the face familiar.
"Pardon me, but have we met before?"
"No, this is our first meeting. But I heard of your undertakings in Salonia."
Lawrence nodded.
He had gotten a little too excited in Salonia and had become a bit of a celebrity there.


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

Input:
However, Lawrence expected companies with trading houses spread across multiple cities to have more accurate information.
"Hmm. That is the river on which we found little Col, and the city beyond that, no? 'Tis quite a long way away."
"Yeah, the route isn't a straight shot from here to there, so it'd probably be three—no, we're not going there for trade, so we can take it slow—meaning it'd be more like five, maybe six days by cart... I don't really know this area very well."
Holo's complaints might have been aggravating if Lawrence himself had not become rather accustomed to the bathhouse life. His back would immediately start hurting on the hard driver's perch of a cart. They would have to look up the roads, make stops, take rests, and everything else. It would probably take even longer.
Either way, they were starting to see signs that the plans for their tranquil little journey were about to fall apart, and Holo slurped her soup loudly in protest.
"I shan't say no if you choose to ride on my back."
Holo, in her wolf form, could probably get there in one night.
"What about the horse?"
"...Horsemeat is sweet but goes surprisingly well with strong liquor."
Lawrence, unsure how genuine her joke was, simply sighed and sipped his wine.
"Personally, I want to wait and see what happens for just a little longer."
"Mm?"
"I don't know what the city down there's thinking, but if they really do lower taxes, then it'd be better if we get all our nonessentials over there, right? We've had a lot of customers at the bathhouse recently who aren't nobility who have also been complaining when they have to forgo luxuries from the south."
Holo regarded him coolly, like he was a fool sharing his dreams of becoming rich.
"You are a male who never learns his lesson. We leave matters to the rabbit and his company. Do you not remember when you ordered wheat from a new place and ended up swindled with cheap product?"
The Debau Company, where a certain rabbit spirit acted as head clerk, was a reliable liaison for the Spice and Wolf bathhouse when they needed to order more supplies.
As for the wheat incident, it was Holo and Myuri who had sniffed out that cheap rye grain had been mixed in with the expensive wheat, which allowed them to escape the worst.
"Oops. But if I never learn, then should I tell you why you had such a hard time waking up this morning?"
Holo pursed her lips into a thin line, but she did not kick him.
The moment Lawrence was convinced she had finally started regretting the excessive drinking because of her terrible hangover, he sensed someone approach their table. He looked up.
Standing there was a man wearing the clothes of a farmer, a thin hat clutched in his hands, offering both of them a hesitant smile.
"You must be Sir Kraft Lawrence and his honorable wife, yes?"
It was hard to say the man was dressed finely, and his overly polite language was rather odd, but it was immediately clear that he knew who they were, because what he offered along with his greeting was a small cask of alcohol that could fit under one's arm.
Even though Holo had at last gotten over her hangover, her eyes glimmered as she reached out to take the cask with great delight.
"Heh-heh... Mmm, this is good quality mead! Aye, if you've a need to speak with us, go on, then."
Obviously, when she said us, she really meant Lawrence.
Lawrence sighed and turned his attention to the farmer.
He was farmer-like in the sense that he dressed like one, but his demeanor was unusually refined, and he seemed quite comfortable offering mead in greeting.
Lawrence thought back on all the people he had met in trade, yet he did not find the face familiar.
"Pardon me, but have we met before?"
"No, this is our first meeting. But I heard of your undertakings in Salonia."
Lawrence nodded.
He had gotten a little too excited in Salonia and had become a bit of a celebrity there.

Output:
"I know you are in the middle of your travels, but please, I hope you will listen to what I have to say."
His polite language and the way he sank to one knee to make his plea told Lawrence that despite his appearance, this man often interacted with those of higher status.
But he was much too young to be a mayor, and somehow they could tell that he was no normal villager. Lawrence rifled through all the knowledge he had gained in his past travels as a merchant as he carefully studied the man's belongings. He noted a simple hatchet and a small bow. And the way he adroitly prepared a flask of fine mead for Holo told Lawrence everything he needed to know.
"What could a forest ranger possibly need from us?"
The man's eyes widened in surprise and a bright smile burst across his face moments later.
"So this is the great mind of Sir Lawrence, Salonia's problem solver! Please, we need your help!"
As much as Lawrence wanted to tell him that this journey was meant for him and his wife alone, Holo was already happily nursing her mead. It sure must be nice knowing she's not the one who'll be taking care of this problem, Lawrence thought. Then another possibility occurred to him.
It was very likely that she had smelled the earth and the trees on this man and immediately known he was someone who worked in the forest. Just like how Lawrence was enticed by many get-rich-quick schemes, Holo loved the forest beyond all else, so she had likely engineered this so Lawrence would offer an ear to a troubled forest dweller. And if she received mead as a bonus, then all the better.
This meant that if he were to turn this man away, Lawrence knew he would be once again exiled from the bed and forced to sleep alone on the floor.
"I would be glad to," Lawrence replied, already feeling tired.
The man was delighted and Holo gave a satisfied nod.
The man called himself Meyer Linde, the latest in a long line of forest rangers hired by the lords of the Tonneburg territory, which was situated south of this checkpoint. Holo was strangely impressed by the name of the man's occupation. She probably assumed it denoted a person whose job was to watch over the forest and doubted anyone who did so professionally could be a bad person.
But forest rangers did not simply watch over the forest. They did just that, yes, but their focus was the natural resources in a specific part of the forest, not the whole. The woods around Nyohhira were too deep for rangers' services to be useful, but the farther south one went, the more valuable they became. And thus, the roles they played became more and more important. Precious, even, for places like this one, where much of the land had been cleared for wheat production.
Ranger Meyer was responsible for the Tonneburg Woods, which was rather hilly compared to the surrounding area, which meant it was home to dense, untouched forest.
Meyer's current concerns were a plan to cut down the old growth trees, ship off the lumber, and build another road through it.
"And so you'd like to stop this plan, correct?"
"Yes. But there has been trouble so I'd like your help, Sir Lawrence, if you would be willing."
The words forest dweller tended to conjure up images of pessimistic, anti-social individuals with overgrown beards that resembled untamed moss and eyes that were always open wide like spooked deer. The reality was that rangers were civil servants who worked in the forest.
They were often in the employ of nobles and spent their days arbitrating conflicts of interest concerning the land, which meant their manner of speech was refined. If someone told him that Meyer was the head clerk of a merchant company, he would not have doubted it for a second.
And so of course he would be skilled in finding openings and taking advantage of them.