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

Input:
"Oh, 'tis noon. I would like meat for lunch."
Holo immediately returned to her normal self and said that.
"...What happened to my innocent bride?"
When Lawrence asked, Holo shrugged and motioned for him to put her down.
Even though he had lifted her up, fully acting like they were just married, Lawrence was disappointed at Holo's cold response, but he still put her down without much choice.
She cracked her neck, as though her shoulders were stiff, and then smiled at him dauntlessly.
"I was just hoping for a feast that rivals a wedding celebration."
The nightmares he had of budgeting when they exchanged their vows came back to haunt him.
He thought about how he was human, and she was a wolf.
It was clear who was in charge here.
"Two silvers, max."
When Lawrence said that, Holo leaped to cling to his arm like a frivolous girl.
"No need to be so stingy. Your bets always go well in the end, do they not? Oh, is that why you brought up sardines before?"
Holo the Wisewolf was so sharp when it came to things like that.
"...Three silvers."
"Five."
She did not show any hint of willingness to compromise.
But her tail was flicking back and forth happily.
Lawrence looked up to the sun and sighed.
"Fine, five."
"Mmm!"
Holo responded with gusto and stretched.
"'Tis why you are my favorite, dearest."
She then kissed him on the cheek. It was pleasant, but that cost him five silver.
All he could do was laugh it off as a bad bargain.
"I'm drinking, too. That's five for both."
"I'm sorry? You may drink with your payment."
"Come on..."
As they conversed, Lawrence and Holo disappeared into the crowd. No matter how they were jostled about by the throng of people or how they hurled insults at each other, they still held on tightly to each other's hands.
Their long-awaited journey had just begun.
That was an episode in a port town, under a clear sky and cool winds but with still a hint of summer left.
***
This is a story of when two beautiful wolves still lived deep in the steam-filled mountains of Nyohhira...
It was early spring, where the daytime was rather warm but the nighttime was still very cool.
All the bathhouses in the northern hot spring village of Nyohhira were relaxing—all their winter guests had gone home.
But there was one bathhouse that stood rather deep in the mountains that had its lights on quite late into the night.
There were many people squeezed in the great hall of Spice and Wolf. There were rather well-dressed merchants, as well as aging men who looked like monks at first glance. There was even a slew of beast-like mercenaries, scars decorating their cheeks—even in a place like Nyohhira, where all sorts of travelers gathered, it was still a diverse roster of people. What these people, hailing from different standings and walks of life, had in common was that they were easily relaxing together. They had spent the day soaking in the baths until the sun went down and were now sipping on wine to cool themselves off.
However, what they were enjoying was not only the alcohol.
They had gathered in that bathhouse that day in order to pass on their words of congratulations.
"If I may be so bold."
All the guests lazing about in the great hall turned to look at the owner of the bathhouse, Lawrence. He had made his way up in the world as a traveling merchant, and this would be the start of his tenth year since opening the bathhouse. His demeanor had entirely transformed into that of a bathhouse master.
Following Lawrence into the center of the hall was Luward, who was like a beast with his close-cropped hair.
Luward was the leader of a valiant mercenary company that everyone in the northlands knew; he unwrapped a scarlet cloth that sat on his hands, and something small sat delicately in the middle.
He was the type to stand by his own opinion, even if he came face-to-face with God, but he knelt before Lawrence, who stood in front of the hearth, and held out both hands.
"...I am humbled."

Output:
What Lawrence picked up was a golden coin.
The profile of a woman was carved on it. She had long hair and was looking down, a smile on her face and a fertile ear of wheat wrapped around her head.
It was a coin that Lawrence had had specially made, and it held no value beside the gold material it was fashioned from.
But this coin had a special meaning.
With a flood of emotions, Lawrence plugged the coin into a board placed above the hearth. There were several round spaces in it, meant for putting gold coins on display.
It had been meant as savings at first. If running the bathhouse did not go well, then he would use this to fund his return to peddling.
But the bathhouse had been a hit since opening day, growing livelier and livelier every year, and there were times they even had to turn away guests.
There had been ten spaces in total on that board. He had put a coin in every year.
And Lawrence had now filled every opening with gold coins.
"Congratulations," Luward said with delight, holding back an impish smile, like he was Lawrence's vassal.
All the guests gathered in the great hall offered their words of congratulations, and Lawrence responded as they did so.
"And now, let us drink to new departures!" the gracefully smiling woman from the coin yelled.
That was Holo, who was the centuries-old wisewolf who resided in wheat and had wolf ears and a tail and was also the one who had worked hand in hand with Lawrence to build this bathhouse.
Even Lawrence, who typically cautioned Holo for her drinking habits, did not fuss over the little things today.
Holo went straightaway to filling everyone's mugs with wine, and Lawrence scooped her up like they were newlyweds.
Then, as their guests hooted at them and Holo tried desperately to keep her cup from spilling, Lawrence gave her a kiss on the cheek stronger than any drink.
Could others hear them from beyond the door—no, from beyond the window?
Col, the live-in helper at the bathhouse, smiled wryly in his quiet room at the commotion downstairs.
Everyone in the bathhouse was an old and familiar acquaintance of his, so he was not troubled by them making noise.
Someone had immediately brought out an instrument, and he could catch the notes of a brisk tune.
He had no doubt that they would all be hungover the following day, and the bathhouse would be full of groans.
"Can we go yet, Brother?"
There came a whine from someone before Col.
There was a girl sitting on a backless chair, facing away from him.
"All the food'll be gone if we don't go down quickly."
She naughtily rocked the chair, not bothering to hide her impatience.
The face that looked back over her shoulder at him was exactly the same as that of her mother, Holo, who was making merry downstairs. The only difference was the strange color of her hair, which looked like flecks of silver mixed into ash, and the rascal-like energy about her.
"Myuri, starting today, you need to be much more careful about these things."
"Whaaat...?"
"I've explained it to you countless times."
When Col said that, Myuri made a big frown.
"Come now—face forward."
Myuri reluctantly faced forward again, but her tension in her shoulders revealed her rebellion.
Myuri was the only daughter of the couple who Col worked for, and since they had been together since she was born, she was like a much-younger sister to him.
As Col combed her hair while she sulked, he donned a tired smile.
"Just like how the bathhouse is reaching its milestone tenth year this spring, you are reaching an important age this year, too, right?"
***
Myuri did not respond, nor did she turn around.
Instead, the fluffy tail and alert ears she inherited from her mother rustled slightly.
"All your barbarism comes to an end now. From now on, you will be counted among the other adult women."


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

Input:
What Lawrence picked up was a golden coin.
The profile of a woman was carved on it. She had long hair and was looking down, a smile on her face and a fertile ear of wheat wrapped around her head.
It was a coin that Lawrence had had specially made, and it held no value beside the gold material it was fashioned from.
But this coin had a special meaning.
With a flood of emotions, Lawrence plugged the coin into a board placed above the hearth. There were several round spaces in it, meant for putting gold coins on display.
It had been meant as savings at first. If running the bathhouse did not go well, then he would use this to fund his return to peddling.
But the bathhouse had been a hit since opening day, growing livelier and livelier every year, and there were times they even had to turn away guests.
There had been ten spaces in total on that board. He had put a coin in every year.
And Lawrence had now filled every opening with gold coins.
"Congratulations," Luward said with delight, holding back an impish smile, like he was Lawrence's vassal.
All the guests gathered in the great hall offered their words of congratulations, and Lawrence responded as they did so.
"And now, let us drink to new departures!" the gracefully smiling woman from the coin yelled.
That was Holo, who was the centuries-old wisewolf who resided in wheat and had wolf ears and a tail and was also the one who had worked hand in hand with Lawrence to build this bathhouse.
Even Lawrence, who typically cautioned Holo for her drinking habits, did not fuss over the little things today.
Holo went straightaway to filling everyone's mugs with wine, and Lawrence scooped her up like they were newlyweds.
Then, as their guests hooted at them and Holo tried desperately to keep her cup from spilling, Lawrence gave her a kiss on the cheek stronger than any drink.
Could others hear them from beyond the door—no, from beyond the window?
Col, the live-in helper at the bathhouse, smiled wryly in his quiet room at the commotion downstairs.
Everyone in the bathhouse was an old and familiar acquaintance of his, so he was not troubled by them making noise.
Someone had immediately brought out an instrument, and he could catch the notes of a brisk tune.
He had no doubt that they would all be hungover the following day, and the bathhouse would be full of groans.
"Can we go yet, Brother?"
There came a whine from someone before Col.
There was a girl sitting on a backless chair, facing away from him.
"All the food'll be gone if we don't go down quickly."
She naughtily rocked the chair, not bothering to hide her impatience.
The face that looked back over her shoulder at him was exactly the same as that of her mother, Holo, who was making merry downstairs. The only difference was the strange color of her hair, which looked like flecks of silver mixed into ash, and the rascal-like energy about her.
"Myuri, starting today, you need to be much more careful about these things."
"Whaaat...?"
"I've explained it to you countless times."
When Col said that, Myuri made a big frown.
"Come now—face forward."
Myuri reluctantly faced forward again, but her tension in her shoulders revealed her rebellion.
Myuri was the only daughter of the couple who Col worked for, and since they had been together since she was born, she was like a much-younger sister to him.
As Col combed her hair while she sulked, he donned a tired smile.
"Just like how the bathhouse is reaching its milestone tenth year this spring, you are reaching an important age this year, too, right?"
***
Myuri did not respond, nor did she turn around.
Instead, the fluffy tail and alert ears she inherited from her mother rustled slightly.
"All your barbarism comes to an end now. From now on, you will be counted among the other adult women."

Output:
Myuri and Col were in a separate room getting ready for Myuri's celebratory debut as an adult. If her neighborhood boy playmates saw the clothes she was wearing now, they would fall on the floor laughing or stare at her in shock.
She wore a floofy skirt with generous amounts of fabric, accessories that crossed her body to keep everything in place with an exasperating number of ties, a coat on her shoulders with a great deal of decorative fabric, as well as a cape to show her chastity—nothing she would ever wear normally.
They were all high-quality products prepared by one of Lawrence's old acquaintances for this day, and they were normally things one could never get unless one was the daughter of someone from a massive company or of a noble house.
But when it came to Myuri, she stuck her tongue out at such a girlie look, completely sick of it, and getting it on her was challenge enough.
After calming her down, coaxing her, intimidating her, then finally somehow getting her to put it on, Col watched as she now wriggled restlessly in the chair, making its legs clatter.
"Myuri, sit with your legs closed."
***
Her legs, which had been crossed underneath her skirt, ostentatiously shut.
When they told her about this day, Myuri had resisted like a chicken being dragged into the kitchen, but when her mother, Holo, spoke to her, she started listening at least somewhat.
And they were now at the last step of preparations—caring for her hair.
As Col carefully brushed Myuri's hair, she started to restlessly tap her feet again.
Vexed, Col opened his mouth.
"Sit still just a little longer."
Myuri gave an exaggerated sigh, perhaps because she had resisted so much when putting on her clothes, and said, "Then tell me a fun story."
Myuri, who paid no mind to appearances, felt that having her hair brushed was boring and that nothing was more pointless.
Col prayed that part of her would change slowly and then compromised with the energetic girl for the moment.
"Then—"
"No lectures, okay?"
His plan to tell Myuri about God's teachings while he had her crumbled.
But if he put her in a worse mood than she already was, her entire debut would be for nothing.
"Very well. In that case..."
As Col searched for a topic, Myuri peered back over her shoulder to speak.
"Hey, what about when you came to the village?"
"When I came to the village?"
"I've heard stories of you and Mother and Father and your big adventure tons of times, but I realized I never heard much of what happened after," Myuri said, and there was something causing her unrest, since she had grabbed her skirt and was flapping it around. "This house didn't exist before you came, right? That's really weird when I think about it."
That made sense.
And downstairs was surely blooming with stories of the past.
"This house, let's see...Mr. Lawrence saved up plenty of money, then Miss Holo found the water vein, and that's when they built the house."
"Was I there?"
There was no back on the chair, so she spoke while leaning against Col.
"Myuri, I can't braid your hair...No, you weren't there yet."
He gently pushed her away, and she smiled ticklishly and wriggled about.
"For the first two years...Or no, maybe it was three years...I don't remember very well, but we spent a while making preparations to build the bathhouse first."
"Like digging holes?"
For some reason, small children liked to dig holes everywhere.
"That's right. We dug holes for the support beams, drains to get the spring water coming through...I grew a little stronger from doing that."
"You don't look it, though."
It was even more painful, since she did not look like she was teasing him.
Col gave a vague smile before continuing.
"I even laid stones for the floor. And I directed so many craftsmen...Oh, I remember now. Every day was so dizzyingly busy."
Col played back the memories that had been buried in the motions of daily life, closing his eyes and smiling at how things were back then.


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

Input:
Myuri and Col were in a separate room getting ready for Myuri's celebratory debut as an adult. If her neighborhood boy playmates saw the clothes she was wearing now, they would fall on the floor laughing or stare at her in shock.
She wore a floofy skirt with generous amounts of fabric, accessories that crossed her body to keep everything in place with an exasperating number of ties, a coat on her shoulders with a great deal of decorative fabric, as well as a cape to show her chastity—nothing she would ever wear normally.
They were all high-quality products prepared by one of Lawrence's old acquaintances for this day, and they were normally things one could never get unless one was the daughter of someone from a massive company or of a noble house.
But when it came to Myuri, she stuck her tongue out at such a girlie look, completely sick of it, and getting it on her was challenge enough.
After calming her down, coaxing her, intimidating her, then finally somehow getting her to put it on, Col watched as she now wriggled restlessly in the chair, making its legs clatter.
"Myuri, sit with your legs closed."
***
Her legs, which had been crossed underneath her skirt, ostentatiously shut.
When they told her about this day, Myuri had resisted like a chicken being dragged into the kitchen, but when her mother, Holo, spoke to her, she started listening at least somewhat.
And they were now at the last step of preparations—caring for her hair.
As Col carefully brushed Myuri's hair, she started to restlessly tap her feet again.
Vexed, Col opened his mouth.
"Sit still just a little longer."
Myuri gave an exaggerated sigh, perhaps because she had resisted so much when putting on her clothes, and said, "Then tell me a fun story."
Myuri, who paid no mind to appearances, felt that having her hair brushed was boring and that nothing was more pointless.
Col prayed that part of her would change slowly and then compromised with the energetic girl for the moment.
"Then—"
"No lectures, okay?"
His plan to tell Myuri about God's teachings while he had her crumbled.
But if he put her in a worse mood than she already was, her entire debut would be for nothing.
"Very well. In that case..."
As Col searched for a topic, Myuri peered back over her shoulder to speak.
"Hey, what about when you came to the village?"
"When I came to the village?"
"I've heard stories of you and Mother and Father and your big adventure tons of times, but I realized I never heard much of what happened after," Myuri said, and there was something causing her unrest, since she had grabbed her skirt and was flapping it around. "This house didn't exist before you came, right? That's really weird when I think about it."
That made sense.
And downstairs was surely blooming with stories of the past.
"This house, let's see...Mr. Lawrence saved up plenty of money, then Miss Holo found the water vein, and that's when they built the house."
"Was I there?"
There was no back on the chair, so she spoke while leaning against Col.
"Myuri, I can't braid your hair...No, you weren't there yet."
He gently pushed her away, and she smiled ticklishly and wriggled about.
"For the first two years...Or no, maybe it was three years...I don't remember very well, but we spent a while making preparations to build the bathhouse first."
"Like digging holes?"
For some reason, small children liked to dig holes everywhere.
"That's right. We dug holes for the support beams, drains to get the spring water coming through...I grew a little stronger from doing that."
"You don't look it, though."
It was even more painful, since she did not look like she was teasing him.
Col gave a vague smile before continuing.
"I even laid stones for the floor. And I directed so many craftsmen...Oh, I remember now. Every day was so dizzyingly busy."
Col played back the memories that had been buried in the motions of daily life, closing his eyes and smiling at how things were back then.

Output:
"And then? What happened after that, Brother?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. After that, when the bathhouse was mostly finished, we invited a lot of people over and celebrated its opening. You know the sign hanging from the eaves, yes? That sign was still there back then."
"Wooow. Hey, was I there?"
It seemed that Myuri was curious about when her entrance might be, perhaps because he was talking about a time she did not know about.
"Back then...? Ah, I suppose I could say you were there; you were still in Miss Holo's tummy."
"Huh?"
"You were given the name Myuri at the celebration of the completion of the bathhouse."
When he said that, Myuri's ears stood straight up.
"Really?!"
She whirled around with such vigor, the hair Col had been partitioning out to braid slipped from his hands.
He silently made her sit facing forward again before speaking.
"Yes. That is the name of one of Miss Holo's very old friends, as well as the name of Mr. Luward's mercenary company, which supported Mr. Lawrence on his travels. I remember the decision came quite easily."
"Huh. Wow...Eh-heh-heh."
Myuri was extremely happy to know the moment she was given her name. Her fluffy tail, peeking out from her skirt, was swaying back and forth.
"And then, and then? When was I born?"
"You were born...in winter that year. Oh yes...that's right..."
"Hmm?"
Col faltered in his words and his braiding hands stopped; Myuri looked back at him dubiously.
What he saw behind his closed eyes were his memories of working in such a lively house.
"Hey, Brother, what's wrong?"
She grabbed his hand and shook him, and Col came back to reality.
When he recalled what it was like at the time, the fretfulness he had felt then came back to life in his chest.
The very source of that feeling, Myuri, was looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"...I don't think I will ever forget the few years after you were born."
"What? Ha-ha, really?"
Myuri showed a somewhat happy, somewhat bashful response.
Her birth certainly had been a joyous thing, and the bathhouse became even more splendid because of it.
Well, maybe splendid was too much of a roundabout way of putting it. If he was to choose a more accurate way of saying it, on fire was probably more accurate.
Myuri, who of course would never find out what it was like back then, looked at Col in pure happiness.
"Hey, Brother. What was I like when I was a baby? Mother told me that you looked after me."
"Huh? Er...Well, yes, I did. Mr. Lawrence and Miss Holo had their hands full making sure the bathhouse ran smoothly, after all."
"But no matter how much I try to, I don't really remember much about back then..."
Myuri spoke with some disappointment.
She was always asking Col to play with her but was always turned down, and she ended up getting a scolding whenever she stuck her nose in things, so her response made sense, since it sounded like Col was actually playing with her for once, but she could not remember.
"What I remember is...like, this is weird, but just being trapped in a net. Or did I dream that?"
She tilted her head, and she seemed truly innocent. Now, with her beautiful clothes, brushed hair, and a bit of makeup, he could call her adorable without exaggeration.
She was slender to begin with, and her face was an exact double of Holo's.
As she was now, she was a girl he could marry off without any embarrassment, but Col knew what she was like on the inside, so he simply gave a tired smile.
"It is not a dream."
"It isn't?"
Myuri asked back innocently, and Col, after an itchy feeling overcame him, responded.
"You were overflowing with energy...We had no idea what to do with you, so we put you in a net and hung it from the ceiling."
"Huh...huh? What?!"
Myuri's ears stood straight up and she pursed her lips.
"What the heck?! Why are you so mean, Brother?!"
"I am not mean. Oh, just remembering what it was like back then still makes my heart hurt..."


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

Input:
"And then? What happened after that, Brother?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. After that, when the bathhouse was mostly finished, we invited a lot of people over and celebrated its opening. You know the sign hanging from the eaves, yes? That sign was still there back then."
"Wooow. Hey, was I there?"
It seemed that Myuri was curious about when her entrance might be, perhaps because he was talking about a time she did not know about.
"Back then...? Ah, I suppose I could say you were there; you were still in Miss Holo's tummy."
"Huh?"
"You were given the name Myuri at the celebration of the completion of the bathhouse."
When he said that, Myuri's ears stood straight up.
"Really?!"
She whirled around with such vigor, the hair Col had been partitioning out to braid slipped from his hands.
He silently made her sit facing forward again before speaking.
"Yes. That is the name of one of Miss Holo's very old friends, as well as the name of Mr. Luward's mercenary company, which supported Mr. Lawrence on his travels. I remember the decision came quite easily."
"Huh. Wow...Eh-heh-heh."
Myuri was extremely happy to know the moment she was given her name. Her fluffy tail, peeking out from her skirt, was swaying back and forth.
"And then, and then? When was I born?"
"You were born...in winter that year. Oh yes...that's right..."
"Hmm?"
Col faltered in his words and his braiding hands stopped; Myuri looked back at him dubiously.
What he saw behind his closed eyes were his memories of working in such a lively house.
"Hey, Brother, what's wrong?"
She grabbed his hand and shook him, and Col came back to reality.
When he recalled what it was like at the time, the fretfulness he had felt then came back to life in his chest.
The very source of that feeling, Myuri, was looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.
"...I don't think I will ever forget the few years after you were born."
"What? Ha-ha, really?"
Myuri showed a somewhat happy, somewhat bashful response.
Her birth certainly had been a joyous thing, and the bathhouse became even more splendid because of it.
Well, maybe splendid was too much of a roundabout way of putting it. If he was to choose a more accurate way of saying it, on fire was probably more accurate.
Myuri, who of course would never find out what it was like back then, looked at Col in pure happiness.
"Hey, Brother. What was I like when I was a baby? Mother told me that you looked after me."
"Huh? Er...Well, yes, I did. Mr. Lawrence and Miss Holo had their hands full making sure the bathhouse ran smoothly, after all."
"But no matter how much I try to, I don't really remember much about back then..."
Myuri spoke with some disappointment.
She was always asking Col to play with her but was always turned down, and she ended up getting a scolding whenever she stuck her nose in things, so her response made sense, since it sounded like Col was actually playing with her for once, but she could not remember.
"What I remember is...like, this is weird, but just being trapped in a net. Or did I dream that?"
She tilted her head, and she seemed truly innocent. Now, with her beautiful clothes, brushed hair, and a bit of makeup, he could call her adorable without exaggeration.
She was slender to begin with, and her face was an exact double of Holo's.
As she was now, she was a girl he could marry off without any embarrassment, but Col knew what she was like on the inside, so he simply gave a tired smile.
"It is not a dream."
"It isn't?"
Myuri asked back innocently, and Col, after an itchy feeling overcame him, responded.
"You were overflowing with energy...We had no idea what to do with you, so we put you in a net and hung it from the ceiling."
"Huh...huh? What?!"
Myuri's ears stood straight up and she pursed her lips.
"What the heck?! Why are you so mean, Brother?!"
"I am not mean. Oh, just remembering what it was like back then still makes my heart hurt..."

Output:
If there was any hardship that he could probably regard as such at that time, it was that she had inherited ears and a tail from Holo, and since she could not easily hide them, since she was a baby, they simply had to keep her from sight.
But once she learned how to move around on her own and stand on her own two feet, that was where the cuteness stopped.
"That was your rampaging stage. You grabbed on to everything, threw everything, hit everything; you would vanish the moment we looked away, and we all went pale as we searched everywhere for you, only to find you happily snoozing in some completely unexpected place."
***
When presented with acts of barbarism she did not remember, Myuri looked away, as though it had nothing to do with her.
"But when you were in your crib...you were plenty adorable. Like a puppy caught in a trap."
Col seemed defeated into only laughing, and Myuri turned around to look at him, somewhat fidgety.
"Really?"
"You were so small then; your tail was as big as you were. It was so sweet seeing you curled up in your net, clinging to your fluffy tail and squirming about. Mr. Lawrence was always watching you in fascination, so Miss Holo scolded him. Now that I think about it, you stopped biting your tail at some point, didn't you?"
Myuri at the time had a habit of biting, perhaps because she always wanted something in her mouth, so her tail was often damp with spit.
Myuri's shoulders tensed and her face went red, perhaps because that was an embarrassing memory for her.
"I—I don't do that. I'm not a baby anymore."
"You're right. You've grown."
Ten years had passed since then. He had scolded her, and she had surprised him and made him laugh countless times. And the moment for this girl to debut as a grown woman had finally come. When he thought about how she might stop buzzing around him, always calling his name, he got a little sad.
Col mocked himself—with the way she was acting now, there was no need to worry about her being married off.
"Come now—I am almost finished braiding your hair. Face forward."
There was a strange coolness to Myuri's hair, and it scattered all over the place when he brushed it with his fingers.
It shone when brushed properly with a comb, so it was rather fun hair to braid.
He split her hair into three—left, right, and center—braided both the left and right sections, then braided it all again to do up the middle part.
This braiding style took some time, but the dancing girls who frequented the bathhouse had taught him how to do it.
When it was finished, everyone downstairs would stare wide-eyed.
Yet, the one whose hair was being braided did not seem to care herself.
"Siiigh...Am I gonna have to wear these clothes and this annoying hair all the time?"
Like a toddler wriggling in a net, Myuri wriggled more in the clothes that were now trying to tie her down.
"Not every day, of course, no. You will not be able to help with the bathhouse wearing clothes like this. But you will need to look and act more like a lady than you have been until now."
***
Instead of saying anything, Myuri gave a deep sigh.
"You cannot always be a child."
He was used to Myuri never knowing when to quit. While she made him worry, that was part of what made her so cute; he smiled as he started finishing off the braid.
"And when you think about getting married, there are things you will have to start getting used to."
When he said that, Myuri spoke as she kicked her feet.
"I'm not gonna get married. Father said I didn't have to."
Lawrence had a weak spot for his only daughter, so he sometimes said things like that, and Holo would pinch his butt.
Col understood how Lawrence felt and smiled, almost agreeing with him, and then sighed.
"Yes, but that cannot happen. That is how society works."
Like how ash would return to ash and dust would return to dust.
People must live according to the flow of the world that God had decided on.
"But I'd rather just stay with you."


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

Input:
If there was any hardship that he could probably regard as such at that time, it was that she had inherited ears and a tail from Holo, and since she could not easily hide them, since she was a baby, they simply had to keep her from sight.
But once she learned how to move around on her own and stand on her own two feet, that was where the cuteness stopped.
"That was your rampaging stage. You grabbed on to everything, threw everything, hit everything; you would vanish the moment we looked away, and we all went pale as we searched everywhere for you, only to find you happily snoozing in some completely unexpected place."
***
When presented with acts of barbarism she did not remember, Myuri looked away, as though it had nothing to do with her.
"But when you were in your crib...you were plenty adorable. Like a puppy caught in a trap."
Col seemed defeated into only laughing, and Myuri turned around to look at him, somewhat fidgety.
"Really?"
"You were so small then; your tail was as big as you were. It was so sweet seeing you curled up in your net, clinging to your fluffy tail and squirming about. Mr. Lawrence was always watching you in fascination, so Miss Holo scolded him. Now that I think about it, you stopped biting your tail at some point, didn't you?"
Myuri at the time had a habit of biting, perhaps because she always wanted something in her mouth, so her tail was often damp with spit.
Myuri's shoulders tensed and her face went red, perhaps because that was an embarrassing memory for her.
"I—I don't do that. I'm not a baby anymore."
"You're right. You've grown."
Ten years had passed since then. He had scolded her, and she had surprised him and made him laugh countless times. And the moment for this girl to debut as a grown woman had finally come. When he thought about how she might stop buzzing around him, always calling his name, he got a little sad.
Col mocked himself—with the way she was acting now, there was no need to worry about her being married off.
"Come now—I am almost finished braiding your hair. Face forward."
There was a strange coolness to Myuri's hair, and it scattered all over the place when he brushed it with his fingers.
It shone when brushed properly with a comb, so it was rather fun hair to braid.
He split her hair into three—left, right, and center—braided both the left and right sections, then braided it all again to do up the middle part.
This braiding style took some time, but the dancing girls who frequented the bathhouse had taught him how to do it.
When it was finished, everyone downstairs would stare wide-eyed.
Yet, the one whose hair was being braided did not seem to care herself.
"Siiigh...Am I gonna have to wear these clothes and this annoying hair all the time?"
Like a toddler wriggling in a net, Myuri wriggled more in the clothes that were now trying to tie her down.
"Not every day, of course, no. You will not be able to help with the bathhouse wearing clothes like this. But you will need to look and act more like a lady than you have been until now."
***
Instead of saying anything, Myuri gave a deep sigh.
"You cannot always be a child."
He was used to Myuri never knowing when to quit. While she made him worry, that was part of what made her so cute; he smiled as he started finishing off the braid.
"And when you think about getting married, there are things you will have to start getting used to."
When he said that, Myuri spoke as she kicked her feet.
"I'm not gonna get married. Father said I didn't have to."
Lawrence had a weak spot for his only daughter, so he sometimes said things like that, and Holo would pinch his butt.
Col understood how Lawrence felt and smiled, almost agreeing with him, and then sighed.
"Yes, but that cannot happen. That is how society works."
Like how ash would return to ash and dust would return to dust.
People must live according to the flow of the world that God had decided on.
"But I'd rather just stay with you."

Output:
She depended on him and looked up to him, and Col of course adored her.
But it was also the truth that there was a hint of bitterness in his smile.
"Is that because you can be as selfish as you want when you're with me?"
Myuri looked up to him from below his chin.
They were reproachful, dissatisfied eyes.
"No."
Col shrugged, and Myuri rammed her head straight into Col's chest.
Col accepted it with a smile and patted her on the head.
"What I hope for is for you to be with the person you think is the most precious to you and for you to live a happy life."
"But that's why—"
Just as Myuri was going to argue, Col gently hugged her from behind.
"If you act properly, you will have wonderful appeal. But you must polish a gem in order to have it shine. You must polish yourself a little more so that whoever it is you want to turn around and notice you, will."
Myuri seemed even more dissatisfied. She got enjoyment out of running around the mountains with a piece of dried meat in her mouth, so perhaps she did not understand him when he talked about these things.
But they were still incredibly important.
When he tapped Myuri's arm very carefully to make that clear, she suddenly stirred in his arms.
"Hey, does that mean you think so, too, Brother?"
"Hmm?"
When he asked in response, Myuri turned around to look at him.
She looked more mature than usual, perhaps because he was finished braiding her hair.
"Do you want to marry a girl with pretty clothes, too?"
It was a truly childish question, and Col smiled softly and responded to it.
"I want to be a priest in the future...But sure. I would like a girl who wears proper clothes and has a ladylike smile, instead of one who dresses like a bandit and wipes her nose on her sleeve."
Myuri stared at Col, as though she were a baby hearing words for the first time.
Then, once what he said reached her, she looked back at him with a rather docile expression.
Perhaps she finally understood?
As Col felt some relief, Myuri looked back at him again.
And this time with oddly more vigor.
"Fine, then I'll do that," she said and smiled.
It was unusual for her to listen on the first go, and that made Col happy.
"Do you understand?"
"Yeah."
Myuri's ears and tail flitted around, and Col showed her a smile in return.
"Now shall we go show everyone how you look as your new you?"
He patted her on the shoulder, and she stood, though uncomfortably.
She was truly beautiful with her braided hair and in her fantastic outfit.
"You look lovely."
"Really?"
"Yes, of course."
When he responded, she smiled brightly.
"Come now—it would be trouble if you fell, so grab on to me."
Col held out his hand and Myuri softly took it, then immediately adjusted her hand.
She then squeezed hard.
"Hey, Brother?"
Myuri spoke just as the two were about to leave the room.
"What is it?"
Col looked to her when she called for him, but she simply smiled and said nothing.
"?" Col tilted his head, and Myuri grabbed his arm and opened the door.
"It's nothing. I'm hungry, though!"
"Myuri, that is what you need to fix."
Myuri turned around, stuck her tongue out impishly, then cackled.
Col sighed, but he did not hate it when she acted like that.
They made their way down the hall, and they could clearly hear the commotion coming from downstairs. There were voices celebrating a memorable landmark of the bathhouse that the former merchant and the wolf who was once extoled as the wisewolf had built. And now, a newly born lady was making her way down. As her pseudo–older brother, Col felt his heart brimming with happiness as he took her along by the hand.
But that was perhaps why he did not notice.
Myuri had a particular smile on her face as she walked beside Col.
"Brother, can you braid my hair again?"
He would not laugh and point out that she had so hated it not too long ago. Just as a pupa would suddenly transform into a butterfly one day, girls were also sudden creatures like that.
"Yes, of course."


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

Input:
She depended on him and looked up to him, and Col of course adored her.
But it was also the truth that there was a hint of bitterness in his smile.
"Is that because you can be as selfish as you want when you're with me?"
Myuri looked up to him from below his chin.
They were reproachful, dissatisfied eyes.
"No."
Col shrugged, and Myuri rammed her head straight into Col's chest.
Col accepted it with a smile and patted her on the head.
"What I hope for is for you to be with the person you think is the most precious to you and for you to live a happy life."
"But that's why—"
Just as Myuri was going to argue, Col gently hugged her from behind.
"If you act properly, you will have wonderful appeal. But you must polish a gem in order to have it shine. You must polish yourself a little more so that whoever it is you want to turn around and notice you, will."
Myuri seemed even more dissatisfied. She got enjoyment out of running around the mountains with a piece of dried meat in her mouth, so perhaps she did not understand him when he talked about these things.
But they were still incredibly important.
When he tapped Myuri's arm very carefully to make that clear, she suddenly stirred in his arms.
"Hey, does that mean you think so, too, Brother?"
"Hmm?"
When he asked in response, Myuri turned around to look at him.
She looked more mature than usual, perhaps because he was finished braiding her hair.
"Do you want to marry a girl with pretty clothes, too?"
It was a truly childish question, and Col smiled softly and responded to it.
"I want to be a priest in the future...But sure. I would like a girl who wears proper clothes and has a ladylike smile, instead of one who dresses like a bandit and wipes her nose on her sleeve."
Myuri stared at Col, as though she were a baby hearing words for the first time.
Then, once what he said reached her, she looked back at him with a rather docile expression.
Perhaps she finally understood?
As Col felt some relief, Myuri looked back at him again.
And this time with oddly more vigor.
"Fine, then I'll do that," she said and smiled.
It was unusual for her to listen on the first go, and that made Col happy.
"Do you understand?"
"Yeah."
Myuri's ears and tail flitted around, and Col showed her a smile in return.
"Now shall we go show everyone how you look as your new you?"
He patted her on the shoulder, and she stood, though uncomfortably.
She was truly beautiful with her braided hair and in her fantastic outfit.
"You look lovely."
"Really?"
"Yes, of course."
When he responded, she smiled brightly.
"Come now—it would be trouble if you fell, so grab on to me."
Col held out his hand and Myuri softly took it, then immediately adjusted her hand.
She then squeezed hard.
"Hey, Brother?"
Myuri spoke just as the two were about to leave the room.
"What is it?"
Col looked to her when she called for him, but she simply smiled and said nothing.
"?" Col tilted his head, and Myuri grabbed his arm and opened the door.
"It's nothing. I'm hungry, though!"
"Myuri, that is what you need to fix."
Myuri turned around, stuck her tongue out impishly, then cackled.
Col sighed, but he did not hate it when she acted like that.
They made their way down the hall, and they could clearly hear the commotion coming from downstairs. There were voices celebrating a memorable landmark of the bathhouse that the former merchant and the wolf who was once extoled as the wisewolf had built. And now, a newly born lady was making her way down. As her pseudo–older brother, Col felt his heart brimming with happiness as he took her along by the hand.
But that was perhaps why he did not notice.
Myuri had a particular smile on her face as she walked beside Col.
"Brother, can you braid my hair again?"
He would not laugh and point out that she had so hated it not too long ago. Just as a pupa would suddenly transform into a butterfly one day, girls were also sudden creatures like that.
"Yes, of course."

Output:
When they went downstairs and showed themselves, the already lively atmosphere in the great hall boiled over. As Myuri seemed more okay with being pampered than he'd thought, Col was simply happy to see her grow.
That was why, in the end, Col would not realize for some time.
This had been the birth of a new feeling inside the little wolf's small heart.
And that silver wolf was cunning and meticulous.
"Brother?"
Myuri, who was being celebrated by everyone like a new bride, peered up at Col.
"What is it?"
Col responded defenselessly, and Myuri gave a smile that matched that of her mother, Holo.
"I'm a little self-conscious."
Col, the lamb of God that he was, responded like a sheep.
"I am very proud to see you grow up."
Myuri grinned mischievously.
Before Lawrence in tears over his daughter growing up; Holo cackling, already drunk; and Luward fawning over Myuri as though she were his own niece, Col genuinely thought that.
But smiling beside him was the daughter of the wisewolf.
The bathhouse had reached a milestone. Myuri had grown from a child to an adult.
And days of a new sort of worry were just about to begin for Col.
***
Hello, it's me, Hasekura. I'm sorry it's been such a long time...I've been starting all my writing with that sentence almost every day now. I'm really sorry it's been such a long time...
A great writer once recommended that we write short stories every month or at other set intervals, because it will become a book before we know it, and I now truly feel like that was 100 percent accurate. It's a little strange—I had no idea I had written so much for this short story collection, either.
Also, this time I got to use some topics that I had been hoping to bring up but never really had the chance to, so I am happy. I am sure that anyone else who is interested in the Middle Ages has wondered about the story of the bees, as well as the original story in this book! The related articles on Wikipedia said that they were all thrown away in Europe, but they were such a valuable source of protein, so I really wondered if that was true, but I finally stumbled upon some literature that detailed how they were used. Well, to tell the truth, when I later did a search on related terms, I immediately found the answer on Yahoo! Answers, so I kind of became engrossed in a sense of emptiness...I keep telling myself that the joy of stumbling across something you want to learn about while reading through a thick book is something we can't experience through Internet searches!
By the way, the Spice and Wolf series has mostly been inspired by books about things north of the Pyrenees, but as of late, I have been reading books that are set more recently and farther south about the modern Mediterranean region, as well as about the Middle East. They are so full of things I don't know, and it is very interesting. I have not decided if Holo and company will be going to the desert, but I have been dreaming lately of maybe writing about it in a different series or something.
Also, I have been recently pushing forward with creating content in VR. That's the main reason why there haven't been any books coming out...
And the currently in-development project is also now being called Spice and Wolf VR! I have been making this by taking full advantage of my position as the original author, while also gaining the cooperation of everyone else involved. In addition to the original VR animated scenarios, there are also some mini games where you can pet Holo's tail.
Please feel free to search for it.
And so, now that I have filled up this page, I will be taking my leave for a time.
I hope to see you again in the next volume.
Isuna Hasekura
Download all your Fav Light Novels from Just Light Novels
***
When Lawrence returned from his errands and swung open the door to the inn, he found someone standing inside.


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

Input:
When they went downstairs and showed themselves, the already lively atmosphere in the great hall boiled over. As Myuri seemed more okay with being pampered than he'd thought, Col was simply happy to see her grow.
That was why, in the end, Col would not realize for some time.
This had been the birth of a new feeling inside the little wolf's small heart.
And that silver wolf was cunning and meticulous.
"Brother?"
Myuri, who was being celebrated by everyone like a new bride, peered up at Col.
"What is it?"
Col responded defenselessly, and Myuri gave a smile that matched that of her mother, Holo.
"I'm a little self-conscious."
Col, the lamb of God that he was, responded like a sheep.
"I am very proud to see you grow up."
Myuri grinned mischievously.
Before Lawrence in tears over his daughter growing up; Holo cackling, already drunk; and Luward fawning over Myuri as though she were his own niece, Col genuinely thought that.
But smiling beside him was the daughter of the wisewolf.
The bathhouse had reached a milestone. Myuri had grown from a child to an adult.
And days of a new sort of worry were just about to begin for Col.
***
Hello, it's me, Hasekura. I'm sorry it's been such a long time...I've been starting all my writing with that sentence almost every day now. I'm really sorry it's been such a long time...
A great writer once recommended that we write short stories every month or at other set intervals, because it will become a book before we know it, and I now truly feel like that was 100 percent accurate. It's a little strange—I had no idea I had written so much for this short story collection, either.
Also, this time I got to use some topics that I had been hoping to bring up but never really had the chance to, so I am happy. I am sure that anyone else who is interested in the Middle Ages has wondered about the story of the bees, as well as the original story in this book! The related articles on Wikipedia said that they were all thrown away in Europe, but they were such a valuable source of protein, so I really wondered if that was true, but I finally stumbled upon some literature that detailed how they were used. Well, to tell the truth, when I later did a search on related terms, I immediately found the answer on Yahoo! Answers, so I kind of became engrossed in a sense of emptiness...I keep telling myself that the joy of stumbling across something you want to learn about while reading through a thick book is something we can't experience through Internet searches!
By the way, the Spice and Wolf series has mostly been inspired by books about things north of the Pyrenees, but as of late, I have been reading books that are set more recently and farther south about the modern Mediterranean region, as well as about the Middle East. They are so full of things I don't know, and it is very interesting. I have not decided if Holo and company will be going to the desert, but I have been dreaming lately of maybe writing about it in a different series or something.
Also, I have been recently pushing forward with creating content in VR. That's the main reason why there haven't been any books coming out...
And the currently in-development project is also now being called Spice and Wolf VR! I have been making this by taking full advantage of my position as the original author, while also gaining the cooperation of everyone else involved. In addition to the original VR animated scenarios, there are also some mini games where you can pet Holo's tail.
Please feel free to search for it.
And so, now that I have filled up this page, I will be taking my leave for a time.
I hope to see you again in the next volume.
Isuna Hasekura
Download all your Fav Light Novels from Just Light Novels
***
When Lawrence returned from his errands and swung open the door to the inn, he found someone standing inside.

Output:
She wore a scowl, with deep ridges etched into her furrowed brow. To anyone else, she probably looked like a livid wife who was finally fed up with a husband who frivoled away all his time in idle amusement and had made up her mind to teach him a lesson once and for all.
But even as Lawrence closed the door behind him, she didn't so much as glance his way.
She continued standing stock-still, staring at a piece of paper affixed to the wall.
If memory served him correctly, she was in the exact same spot as when he left.
Lawrence, once a rather famous traveling merchant and currently the master of a Nyohhira bathhouse, posed a question to his wife of a little more than ten years, Holo.
"What's got you in such a mood?"
As he was in the process of shedding his coin purse and dagger to place them on the table, Holo inhaled deeply enough to bend herself over even further and spat, "This painting will last for years to come. I would like to avoid seeing a shoddy rendition of myself in several centuries' time."
Lawrence did not take her words as an exaggeration.
After all, Holo was not the little girl she appeared to be. Her true form was a massive, towering wolf, a being of legend who resided in wheat and held sway over the harvest. If the painting really did persist for centuries, then it was entirely possible that she may come upon it many years later.
While Lawrence understood that she thought it would be a grave problem if the final product was disappointing, there was something that still puzzled him.
"Weren't you thrilled by the idea at first?"
Holo paid Lawrence's comment no heed.
He breathed a tired sigh and glanced at the picture on the wall. He spotted a rough charcoal sketch of Lawrence and Holo that would eventually be part of a much larger scene.
The commissioning of this work had been necessary in settling the commotion that had suddenly swept through the port town of Atiph, where they were staying. As recompense for getting caught up in the uproar, he had arranged for both of them to be included in the painting.
The chance to leave behind your likeness in a work of art was remarkably rare, barring members of the nobility. And given that they didn't pay a single coin for the privilege, there was little to complain about. Even so, Holo seemed to have plenty to say.
From Lawrence's perspective, even if they got to be in the painting for free, there was little point if Holo was unhappy. This was all for her sake to begin with.
Holo would live on for hundreds of years. She was already filling her diary with every little moment to preserve them for the future. And unlike words, which were limited in what they could express, a painting could immortalize exactly how they looked now.
That was why Holo had been thrilled when she first learned they would have a place in this painting. Naturally, being painted was a novel and exciting experience for her.
After receiving one of the several sketches the artist had done of them, Holo had stared so hard at it that she nearly got some charcoal on the tip of her nose. Given the grin that crossed her face and how her vaunted tail immediately started wagging, it was rather obvious what she thought.
However, starting two day ago, she began giving the sketch hard looks, as though something did not sit right with her.
"I admit, there is little danger this will be a shoddy work. It is drawn rather skillfully."
If anything, Lawrence thought they looked even better in the painting than real life, but he would be torn limb from limb if he said that out loud, so of course he stayed silent.
Whether she knew how Lawrence felt or not, Holo breathed a sigh from her nose.
"My beauty certainly has been captured well. But this will be around for centuries. Many will lay eyes upon it, and some may even know me personally. What will happen when all that has been captured is my loveliness? The wisewolf will be stripped of her majesty!"


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

Input:
She wore a scowl, with deep ridges etched into her furrowed brow. To anyone else, she probably looked like a livid wife who was finally fed up with a husband who frivoled away all his time in idle amusement and had made up her mind to teach him a lesson once and for all.
But even as Lawrence closed the door behind him, she didn't so much as glance his way.
She continued standing stock-still, staring at a piece of paper affixed to the wall.
If memory served him correctly, she was in the exact same spot as when he left.
Lawrence, once a rather famous traveling merchant and currently the master of a Nyohhira bathhouse, posed a question to his wife of a little more than ten years, Holo.
"What's got you in such a mood?"
As he was in the process of shedding his coin purse and dagger to place them on the table, Holo inhaled deeply enough to bend herself over even further and spat, "This painting will last for years to come. I would like to avoid seeing a shoddy rendition of myself in several centuries' time."
Lawrence did not take her words as an exaggeration.
After all, Holo was not the little girl she appeared to be. Her true form was a massive, towering wolf, a being of legend who resided in wheat and held sway over the harvest. If the painting really did persist for centuries, then it was entirely possible that she may come upon it many years later.
While Lawrence understood that she thought it would be a grave problem if the final product was disappointing, there was something that still puzzled him.
"Weren't you thrilled by the idea at first?"
Holo paid Lawrence's comment no heed.
He breathed a tired sigh and glanced at the picture on the wall. He spotted a rough charcoal sketch of Lawrence and Holo that would eventually be part of a much larger scene.
The commissioning of this work had been necessary in settling the commotion that had suddenly swept through the port town of Atiph, where they were staying. As recompense for getting caught up in the uproar, he had arranged for both of them to be included in the painting.
The chance to leave behind your likeness in a work of art was remarkably rare, barring members of the nobility. And given that they didn't pay a single coin for the privilege, there was little to complain about. Even so, Holo seemed to have plenty to say.
From Lawrence's perspective, even if they got to be in the painting for free, there was little point if Holo was unhappy. This was all for her sake to begin with.
Holo would live on for hundreds of years. She was already filling her diary with every little moment to preserve them for the future. And unlike words, which were limited in what they could express, a painting could immortalize exactly how they looked now.
That was why Holo had been thrilled when she first learned they would have a place in this painting. Naturally, being painted was a novel and exciting experience for her.
After receiving one of the several sketches the artist had done of them, Holo had stared so hard at it that she nearly got some charcoal on the tip of her nose. Given the grin that crossed her face and how her vaunted tail immediately started wagging, it was rather obvious what she thought.
However, starting two day ago, she began giving the sketch hard looks, as though something did not sit right with her.
"I admit, there is little danger this will be a shoddy work. It is drawn rather skillfully."
If anything, Lawrence thought they looked even better in the painting than real life, but he would be torn limb from limb if he said that out loud, so of course he stayed silent.
Whether she knew how Lawrence felt or not, Holo breathed a sigh from her nose.
"My beauty certainly has been captured well. But this will be around for centuries. Many will lay eyes upon it, and some may even know me personally. What will happen when all that has been captured is my loveliness? The wisewolf will be stripped of her majesty!"

Output:
Holo could be rather childish despite how many centuries she had been alive.
For a short while after they met, Lawrence figured that she merely put on an act to match the youthful appearance of her human form, but after running a bathhouse in Nyohhira and coming in contact with many elderly, powerful patrons, there was something he had come to profoundly believe: The older one became, the more childish they acted.
And that was to say nothing of a wolf who had lived for hundreds of years.
"You say that, but everything about this painting, including the subject matter, has long since been decided beforehand. You've been watching them work, right? There's no room for a regular old bathhouse owner to give input. Honestly, the sheer scale took me by surprise, too."
The commission came from a wealthy merchant group whose members hailed from every land, and all of them engaged in the port town of Atiph's herring egg trade. This market was extremely speculative, making it almost like a socially acceptable form of gambling, and was so popular that great merchants from faraway lands would come running when it was time for herring mating season. The potential for vice caught the eye of a young priest who felt compelled to crack down on the practice amid the Church reforms that were currently sweeping the world. Just as the year's bets were about to be placed and the merchants' anticipation peaked, the market ground to a halt. That was where Lawrence's quick wit and Holo's helping hand won over the hardheaded priest.
The commissioning of this painting had been one part of winning over the priest, but it was not just a quick doodle to put in a frame so that the wealthy merchants could keep their playground where the lucky had a chance to become rich overnight. This was a grand project where they first layered stucco on one of the walls in the fish egg exchange and would then paint the massive mural on top of that. Counting all the artists and their apprentices, dozens of people were working on it.
At present, wooden scaffolding covered every part of the building where the painting would be worked on. The region's stonemasons and carpenters had gathered, toiling under the direction of the artisan association that was overseeing construction.
Once a project this monumental was completed, there was no question that word of it would spread across the land.
Lawrence had no idea how a humble bathhouse owner would even begin to say, My wife doesn't want to be depicted as cute and only cute..., in the face of such a grand and expensive endeavor.
"But is it not your way to undertake the impossible all for the sake of great profit?! And am I not your most precious companion?! What greater riches could there possibly be besides my happiness?!"
Holo punctuated her words by forcefully pointing her finger at him, but Lawrence simply shrugged.
"Well, I do always get scolded for my get-rich-quick schemes."
Of course, the one who berated him for his reckless plans was none other than Holo, who had a surprisingly conservative side to her.
"Besides, you already come across as plenty dignified in this drawing."
***
Holo's incredible ears could detect lies.
The way she tightly pursed her lips made it clear that she could tell Lawrence was not lying. However, the reason she ground her teeth so hard that it made her scowl was because she could not understand why he was not lying.
Lawrence flashed a brief smile before sharing his secret.
"At least for me—whenever I look at this drawing, my face gets all tense."
After all, the only reason they had become involved in the uproar that led to the creation of this painting was because Lawrence had nearly collected on his stake in the herring egg trade. On top of that, Holo had unexpectedly become engrossed in the part-time job she had found and set to work with a zeal while the whole incident was going on. That was more than enough reason for him to break out into a sweat.


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

Input:
Holo could be rather childish despite how many centuries she had been alive.
For a short while after they met, Lawrence figured that she merely put on an act to match the youthful appearance of her human form, but after running a bathhouse in Nyohhira and coming in contact with many elderly, powerful patrons, there was something he had come to profoundly believe: The older one became, the more childish they acted.
And that was to say nothing of a wolf who had lived for hundreds of years.
"You say that, but everything about this painting, including the subject matter, has long since been decided beforehand. You've been watching them work, right? There's no room for a regular old bathhouse owner to give input. Honestly, the sheer scale took me by surprise, too."
The commission came from a wealthy merchant group whose members hailed from every land, and all of them engaged in the port town of Atiph's herring egg trade. This market was extremely speculative, making it almost like a socially acceptable form of gambling, and was so popular that great merchants from faraway lands would come running when it was time for herring mating season. The potential for vice caught the eye of a young priest who felt compelled to crack down on the practice amid the Church reforms that were currently sweeping the world. Just as the year's bets were about to be placed and the merchants' anticipation peaked, the market ground to a halt. That was where Lawrence's quick wit and Holo's helping hand won over the hardheaded priest.
The commissioning of this painting had been one part of winning over the priest, but it was not just a quick doodle to put in a frame so that the wealthy merchants could keep their playground where the lucky had a chance to become rich overnight. This was a grand project where they first layered stucco on one of the walls in the fish egg exchange and would then paint the massive mural on top of that. Counting all the artists and their apprentices, dozens of people were working on it.
At present, wooden scaffolding covered every part of the building where the painting would be worked on. The region's stonemasons and carpenters had gathered, toiling under the direction of the artisan association that was overseeing construction.
Once a project this monumental was completed, there was no question that word of it would spread across the land.
Lawrence had no idea how a humble bathhouse owner would even begin to say, My wife doesn't want to be depicted as cute and only cute..., in the face of such a grand and expensive endeavor.
"But is it not your way to undertake the impossible all for the sake of great profit?! And am I not your most precious companion?! What greater riches could there possibly be besides my happiness?!"
Holo punctuated her words by forcefully pointing her finger at him, but Lawrence simply shrugged.
"Well, I do always get scolded for my get-rich-quick schemes."
Of course, the one who berated him for his reckless plans was none other than Holo, who had a surprisingly conservative side to her.
"Besides, you already come across as plenty dignified in this drawing."
***
Holo's incredible ears could detect lies.
The way she tightly pursed her lips made it clear that she could tell Lawrence was not lying. However, the reason she ground her teeth so hard that it made her scowl was because she could not understand why he was not lying.
Lawrence flashed a brief smile before sharing his secret.
"At least for me—whenever I look at this drawing, my face gets all tense."
After all, the only reason they had become involved in the uproar that led to the creation of this painting was because Lawrence had nearly collected on his stake in the herring egg trade. On top of that, Holo had unexpectedly become engrossed in the part-time job she had found and set to work with a zeal while the whole incident was going on. That was more than enough reason for him to break out into a sweat.

Output:
"All you ever do is deceive me!"
"We've been together for more than ten years. I've learned a thing or two about how to handle you."
"You fool!"
Lawrence muttered "And what a fool I am" with a shrug, then glanced outside the wood-frame window.
"More importantly, should we start looking for a place to eat? There are loads of artisans being called into town, so everything'll be crowded by the time the sun goes down."
Since they had both lived on the road before opening the bathhouse, Holo understood well. If they wasted time bickering, then they might end up with a meal of bland wheat porridge and raw garlic.
"Hmph. You just narrowly escaped with your life!"
"It might not be a very long life until my next payment."
Holo raised her eyebrows and wordlessly smacked Lawrence on the back. Then once she pulled her cloak over her head, she grumpily tucked her twitching tail underneath.
The port town of Atiph where Lawrence and Holo were staying had always been a thriving center of commerce, but recently it was busier than ever. The main plaza was packed with new arrivals who were fascinated by the hustle and bustle of the harbor. Local farmers had also come into town to sell their pigs and chickens while looking for some fish to buy. To top it all off, droves of sailors and porters flowed in and out of the boats at dock.
With the massive influx of people, food was disappearing from the stalls at an alarming rate, so Lawrence and Holo split up to get their dinner. As a woman of beauty and poise, Holo was often treated favorably when she shopped for food, so she made her rounds among the mutton and fish stalls while Lawrence went to secure them some alcohol.
He decided on a stall that sold liquor in bulk where customers were elbowing one another as they tried to order. As the saying went, Food has no taste without drink. In any case, Lawrence somehow managed to buy some for himself.
As he staggered away, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Over here, dear! Here!"
The sharp-sighted Holo had saved them a spot at a cluster of standing tables nestled in the alleyway between two inns.
"Oh ho, what fragrant wine. I was growing tired of mountain cider."
Holo enjoyed sour cider made from gooseberries and the like, but for a meal of fried fish and still-sizzling mutton, cold ale or wine was the obvious choice.
"Was there no ale?"
As expected, she asked about it almost immediately.
"The only reason I was even able to get this much was because it was the pricey stuff. People are practically coming to blows trying to snatch cheap ale and cider from one another."
Holo made no claims that he was merely exaggerating. She had been able to get a general idea of how rowdy the port was with just a twitch of the ears sheltering under her hood. If anything, she was probably thinking how well Lawrence had done given the circumstances.
"Seems like you gathered quite the haul. This is an impressive spread."
By the time Lawrence finished his comment and grabbed a skewer of mutton, Holo was already removing the stopper. Lawrence couldn't help but smile as he watched her drink straight from the cask that was as large as her face. He knew it would be futile scolding her for gulping what he had intended to be several days' worth of wine.
The men at nearby tables stared in amazement while they watched Holo take a deep swig. When she finally came up for air with a satisfied "Haaaah!" and a full smile, they all started whooping.
The way Holo ate and drank was always a crowd-pleaser wherever they traveled, likely because of how it contrasted with her appearance—she looked like a traveling nun if she quietly sat still. Lawrence had no idea how many times he had been tempted to turn the whole thing into a show, charging money to cover some small part of their ever-growing food expenses.


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

Input:
"All you ever do is deceive me!"
"We've been together for more than ten years. I've learned a thing or two about how to handle you."
"You fool!"
Lawrence muttered "And what a fool I am" with a shrug, then glanced outside the wood-frame window.
"More importantly, should we start looking for a place to eat? There are loads of artisans being called into town, so everything'll be crowded by the time the sun goes down."
Since they had both lived on the road before opening the bathhouse, Holo understood well. If they wasted time bickering, then they might end up with a meal of bland wheat porridge and raw garlic.
"Hmph. You just narrowly escaped with your life!"
"It might not be a very long life until my next payment."
Holo raised her eyebrows and wordlessly smacked Lawrence on the back. Then once she pulled her cloak over her head, she grumpily tucked her twitching tail underneath.
The port town of Atiph where Lawrence and Holo were staying had always been a thriving center of commerce, but recently it was busier than ever. The main plaza was packed with new arrivals who were fascinated by the hustle and bustle of the harbor. Local farmers had also come into town to sell their pigs and chickens while looking for some fish to buy. To top it all off, droves of sailors and porters flowed in and out of the boats at dock.
With the massive influx of people, food was disappearing from the stalls at an alarming rate, so Lawrence and Holo split up to get their dinner. As a woman of beauty and poise, Holo was often treated favorably when she shopped for food, so she made her rounds among the mutton and fish stalls while Lawrence went to secure them some alcohol.
He decided on a stall that sold liquor in bulk where customers were elbowing one another as they tried to order. As the saying went, Food has no taste without drink. In any case, Lawrence somehow managed to buy some for himself.
As he staggered away, a familiar voice reached his ears.
"Over here, dear! Here!"
The sharp-sighted Holo had saved them a spot at a cluster of standing tables nestled in the alleyway between two inns.
"Oh ho, what fragrant wine. I was growing tired of mountain cider."
Holo enjoyed sour cider made from gooseberries and the like, but for a meal of fried fish and still-sizzling mutton, cold ale or wine was the obvious choice.
"Was there no ale?"
As expected, she asked about it almost immediately.
"The only reason I was even able to get this much was because it was the pricey stuff. People are practically coming to blows trying to snatch cheap ale and cider from one another."
Holo made no claims that he was merely exaggerating. She had been able to get a general idea of how rowdy the port was with just a twitch of the ears sheltering under her hood. If anything, she was probably thinking how well Lawrence had done given the circumstances.
"Seems like you gathered quite the haul. This is an impressive spread."
By the time Lawrence finished his comment and grabbed a skewer of mutton, Holo was already removing the stopper. Lawrence couldn't help but smile as he watched her drink straight from the cask that was as large as her face. He knew it would be futile scolding her for gulping what he had intended to be several days' worth of wine.
The men at nearby tables stared in amazement while they watched Holo take a deep swig. When she finally came up for air with a satisfied "Haaaah!" and a full smile, they all started whooping.
The way Holo ate and drank was always a crowd-pleaser wherever they traveled, likely because of how it contrasted with her appearance—she looked like a traveling nun if she quietly sat still. Lawrence had no idea how many times he had been tempted to turn the whole thing into a show, charging money to cover some small part of their ever-growing food expenses.

Output:
"Well, 'twas easy for me."
"Hmm?"
As Lawrence bit into the crunchy fried fish, he glanced up when Holo spoke.
"Oh, you're talking about gathering food."
"Yes. I stood nervously on the edge of a crowd, when a big, muscly bear of a man put me on his shoulders and kicked the other customers out of the way. I ordered from atop his shoulders, received my food, and when I gave him a skewer as thanks, he was delighted." She sounded particularly smug as she recalled the moment.
Though her acting like a hapless nun who had been dispatched on an errand was very convincing, Holo was as crafty as ever. And if he even showed a glimmer of emotion that expressed how scandalous most would think it was for a wife to ride on some random man's shoulders, he knew she would happily wag that tail of hers and pounce in an instant.
As Lawrence carefully avoided the traps she had planted and pretended not to notice them, he launched his own little counterattack.
"You sure are using your cuteness to your heart's content despite how much you complained about the painting."
When Holo heard his slightly exasperated tone as she moved on from fish to mutton, she bit into her meat, canines glinting.
"Fool. I was only complaining about how troubling it would be if others thought I am nothing beyond my looks."
"...Is that so?"
Lawrence sighed and reached for the wine cask, but Holo snatched it away first.
"Gulp, gulp...pwah! So? What have you been doing these past few days, leaving me alone in the room during the day?"
Every dish tasted especially salty, perhaps because the sea was only a stone's throw away, which made them even thirstier than usual. Lawrence didn't want Holo getting sick from drinking too much, so he prepared some wheat bread for her as he replied, "Exchanging coins."
"Oh?"
He ripped a hole in the bread, stuck some of the mutton from the skewers and a cut of cheese into the pocket, topped them with a bit of sauce made from mustard seeds, then placed the finished product before Holo. She would keep on eating nothing but meat if left to her own devices. One of the ears under her hood twitched in dissatisfaction as she pulled open the pocket and added a few more slices of meat before finally biting into the now-bulging piece of bread.
"I took a lot of money with me when we left Nyohhira, remember? Now that I've met the bishop in this town, I was wondering if I could use his connections to get the money exchanged for small coins."
It was a good thing for the world to be experiencing a great period of prosperity, but the resulting shortage of coins was rather troubling for everyone who wanted to buy and sell goods. When Lawrence departed from Nyohhira, he had been saddled with the bothersome duty to obtain low-denomination coins.
"Mm. Gnh, ohm...gulp. Why must you go out every day? Can you not finish this in one trip?"
"There are a lot of people with similar requests, so there's a huge wait. I got in line three days ago, and it was only today that I finally got an audience."
The queue was so long that the town guards came at every sunset to distribute wooden tags among all those still waiting their turn so everyone would line up in the same order the next day. And so while he got a good night's rest at the inn, Lawrence spent his entire day standing.
And when those starting up new enterprises to stand in line for others in the hopes of scoring a tip began appearing as the natural course of things, Lawrence chanted mantras of frugality to himself as he endured on his own two feet.
"Ah, 'tis why you wake up in the middle of the night, making foolish noises because your leg cramped. How absurd."
"...I can't even say you're wrong, and I could really use a dip in the Nyohhira springs right about now. Worst of all, I still haven't been able to exchange the money yet."
"Hmm? But did you not say that all the small coins were in the Church's donation box or whatnot?"


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

Input:
"Well, 'twas easy for me."
"Hmm?"
As Lawrence bit into the crunchy fried fish, he glanced up when Holo spoke.
"Oh, you're talking about gathering food."
"Yes. I stood nervously on the edge of a crowd, when a big, muscly bear of a man put me on his shoulders and kicked the other customers out of the way. I ordered from atop his shoulders, received my food, and when I gave him a skewer as thanks, he was delighted." She sounded particularly smug as she recalled the moment.
Though her acting like a hapless nun who had been dispatched on an errand was very convincing, Holo was as crafty as ever. And if he even showed a glimmer of emotion that expressed how scandalous most would think it was for a wife to ride on some random man's shoulders, he knew she would happily wag that tail of hers and pounce in an instant.
As Lawrence carefully avoided the traps she had planted and pretended not to notice them, he launched his own little counterattack.
"You sure are using your cuteness to your heart's content despite how much you complained about the painting."
When Holo heard his slightly exasperated tone as she moved on from fish to mutton, she bit into her meat, canines glinting.
"Fool. I was only complaining about how troubling it would be if others thought I am nothing beyond my looks."
"...Is that so?"
Lawrence sighed and reached for the wine cask, but Holo snatched it away first.
"Gulp, gulp...pwah! So? What have you been doing these past few days, leaving me alone in the room during the day?"
Every dish tasted especially salty, perhaps because the sea was only a stone's throw away, which made them even thirstier than usual. Lawrence didn't want Holo getting sick from drinking too much, so he prepared some wheat bread for her as he replied, "Exchanging coins."
"Oh?"
He ripped a hole in the bread, stuck some of the mutton from the skewers and a cut of cheese into the pocket, topped them with a bit of sauce made from mustard seeds, then placed the finished product before Holo. She would keep on eating nothing but meat if left to her own devices. One of the ears under her hood twitched in dissatisfaction as she pulled open the pocket and added a few more slices of meat before finally biting into the now-bulging piece of bread.
"I took a lot of money with me when we left Nyohhira, remember? Now that I've met the bishop in this town, I was wondering if I could use his connections to get the money exchanged for small coins."
It was a good thing for the world to be experiencing a great period of prosperity, but the resulting shortage of coins was rather troubling for everyone who wanted to buy and sell goods. When Lawrence departed from Nyohhira, he had been saddled with the bothersome duty to obtain low-denomination coins.
"Mm. Gnh, ohm...gulp. Why must you go out every day? Can you not finish this in one trip?"
"There are a lot of people with similar requests, so there's a huge wait. I got in line three days ago, and it was only today that I finally got an audience."
The queue was so long that the town guards came at every sunset to distribute wooden tags among all those still waiting their turn so everyone would line up in the same order the next day. And so while he got a good night's rest at the inn, Lawrence spent his entire day standing.
And when those starting up new enterprises to stand in line for others in the hopes of scoring a tip began appearing as the natural course of things, Lawrence chanted mantras of frugality to himself as he endured on his own two feet.
"Ah, 'tis why you wake up in the middle of the night, making foolish noises because your leg cramped. How absurd."
"...I can't even say you're wrong, and I could really use a dip in the Nyohhira springs right about now. Worst of all, I still haven't been able to exchange the money yet."
"Hmm? But did you not say that all the small coins were in the Church's donation box or whatnot?"

Output:
Going to the money changers was technically an option, but it was plain to see that they would ask for an unbelievable fee. The money changers themselves were very likely procuring coins from the Church at a terrible rate to begin with.
"And so you come home ignominiously; 'twould seem the day I address you as honored husband is far off yet."
"As if you ever intended on calling me anything of the sort. Besides, if you suddenly acted so meek after all this time, it would leave a weird taste in my mouth."
Holo bared her teeth and cackled. She was in a good mood now that the alcohol was circulating through her system.
"Well, even though I didn't receive any change, I did get something that might lead to an opportunity for just that."
"Oh?"
Lawrence produced a piece of paper from his breast pocket and unfolded it on the table. It was a map of the region.
"There are only so many places that collect change, and everyone knows where they are, so it's getting competitive. What should we do, then?"
"Easy. We simply make our way to a place no one knows about."
"Exactly."
Lawrence turned his skewer toward Holo with a few pieces of mutton still on it, and she leaned over the table to help herself.
"Om, nom...But is there a place so convenient?"
"There aren't many, but they do exist. We'll need a connection in order to gain access, and I have just the thing."
Holo ignored Lawrence's proud declaration and simply munched on her bread as she gazed at the map.
Lawrence was used to Holo's spiteful and harsh attitude, so he continued without dejection.
"Remember that great, elderly merchant who helped us in that whole fuss not too long ago?"
"Aye. He was rather well-dressed, an impressive male wholly unlike a certain traveling merchant."
"...Ahem. Anyway, he apparently used to command a trade vessel for a powerful merchants' association and once went by the title of admiral. This man used his influence to introduce us and then sent along a request that came from the bishop."
"Oh?"
Lawrence placed his finger on Atiph, the town they were in presently, then dragged his finger down and to the right.
There was a great plain, an area often referred to as a breadbasket.
He placed his finger at the foot of the mountains that separated the grasslands and the seaside regions.
"Southeast from here, there's a large town that connects the inner continent with the coast. The people who live there thrive on the trade of quality grain."
"Oh, how pleasant. Well, there is no doubt that my wheat is the best of them all."
Holo flicked the pouch that hung around her neck and sniffed with pride.
Noting how drunk she was already and worried about what was still to come, Lawrence pressed on with his explanation.
"Since merchants who engage in the grain trade swarm the city at this time of year, they've opened a grand market."
"Oh ho, even better!"
Holo beamed with joy, and Lawrence returned the smile, then moved his finger slightly down and to the left from the large town marked on the map.
"However, the place we're going to is here, southwest from the town hosting the fair. A small bishopric just off a mountain highway that doesn't see much use."
The light from Holo's expression suddenly vanished, as though she had been doused with ash.
As he elaborated, Lawrence kept his mouth from twisting into a smile at the sight of her reaction.
"This bishopric has deep ties with the cathedral here, almost like sister churches, but the locals have a problem. They're having trouble with trade and permits, and even though they want to get a merchant's help for this, most merchants are wholly preoccupied with their own trade this time of year. They've requested a merchant they can not only trust but one who's also capable, so I was a convenient choice."


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

Input:
Going to the money changers was technically an option, but it was plain to see that they would ask for an unbelievable fee. The money changers themselves were very likely procuring coins from the Church at a terrible rate to begin with.
"And so you come home ignominiously; 'twould seem the day I address you as honored husband is far off yet."
"As if you ever intended on calling me anything of the sort. Besides, if you suddenly acted so meek after all this time, it would leave a weird taste in my mouth."
Holo bared her teeth and cackled. She was in a good mood now that the alcohol was circulating through her system.
"Well, even though I didn't receive any change, I did get something that might lead to an opportunity for just that."
"Oh?"
Lawrence produced a piece of paper from his breast pocket and unfolded it on the table. It was a map of the region.
"There are only so many places that collect change, and everyone knows where they are, so it's getting competitive. What should we do, then?"
"Easy. We simply make our way to a place no one knows about."
"Exactly."
Lawrence turned his skewer toward Holo with a few pieces of mutton still on it, and she leaned over the table to help herself.
"Om, nom...But is there a place so convenient?"
"There aren't many, but they do exist. We'll need a connection in order to gain access, and I have just the thing."
Holo ignored Lawrence's proud declaration and simply munched on her bread as she gazed at the map.
Lawrence was used to Holo's spiteful and harsh attitude, so he continued without dejection.
"Remember that great, elderly merchant who helped us in that whole fuss not too long ago?"
"Aye. He was rather well-dressed, an impressive male wholly unlike a certain traveling merchant."
"...Ahem. Anyway, he apparently used to command a trade vessel for a powerful merchants' association and once went by the title of admiral. This man used his influence to introduce us and then sent along a request that came from the bishop."
"Oh?"
Lawrence placed his finger on Atiph, the town they were in presently, then dragged his finger down and to the right.
There was a great plain, an area often referred to as a breadbasket.
He placed his finger at the foot of the mountains that separated the grasslands and the seaside regions.
"Southeast from here, there's a large town that connects the inner continent with the coast. The people who live there thrive on the trade of quality grain."
"Oh, how pleasant. Well, there is no doubt that my wheat is the best of them all."
Holo flicked the pouch that hung around her neck and sniffed with pride.
Noting how drunk she was already and worried about what was still to come, Lawrence pressed on with his explanation.
"Since merchants who engage in the grain trade swarm the city at this time of year, they've opened a grand market."
"Oh ho, even better!"
Holo beamed with joy, and Lawrence returned the smile, then moved his finger slightly down and to the left from the large town marked on the map.
"However, the place we're going to is here, southwest from the town hosting the fair. A small bishopric just off a mountain highway that doesn't see much use."
The light from Holo's expression suddenly vanished, as though she had been doused with ash.
As he elaborated, Lawrence kept his mouth from twisting into a smile at the sight of her reaction.
"This bishopric has deep ties with the cathedral here, almost like sister churches, but the locals have a problem. They're having trouble with trade and permits, and even though they want to get a merchant's help for this, most merchants are wholly preoccupied with their own trade this time of year. They've requested a merchant they can not only trust but one who's also capable, so I was a convenient choice."

Output:
"If you want to enjoy the bustling grand market..." Holo's wolf ears under her hood perked up in response, the faintest bit of sobriety returning to her eyes as he continued. "...then we need to get the problem at the bishopric squared away quickly. Once the market's business days are over, the other merchants might start poking their noses in this matter."
Holo, who had been studying the map, slowly closed her eyes, then gave a big nod.
"I suppose we will need to hurry..."
"It really helps that you understand. Well then, there's no problem with the painting, so you don't mind if we head off right away, yeah?"
Holo turned to look at Lawrence, her red eyes misty from the alcohol.
The reason she looked irritated—like when things were not exactly aligned—was because she was weighing the bustle of a grand market she had not yet seen against staying in this town to fuss over the painting and eat fried fish to her heart's content.
"Well?" he asked, and Holo nodded with a sigh, then let out a loud sneeze.
The day after Holo had passed out drunk and Lawrence carried her back to the inn, they were already on the road. Despite how long it had been since their serious traveling days, they still always made sure they were ready to leave at a moment's notice.
"Agh...Fresh fish from the sea was surprisingly delectable...Perhaps we should have stayed in town for a bit longer."
For a day to begin travel, the weather was unpleasant. A cold wind blew in from the west.
Holo sat snuggled up against the cargo in the cart bed, a woolen shawl draped over her shoulders. She muttered to herself as she wrote in her diary as usual.
"The town with the grand market is at the base of the mountains that divide the region's breadbasket from the coastline. Whether it's from the plains and the mountains, the north and the south, or the east and the west, all sorts of things gather here, and that's why they have fruits as good as what you can find in the mountains."
When Lawrence said this while driving their carriage forward, Holo's ears flicked underneath her hood.
"Of course, there's plenty of liquor made from those choice fruits, and since it is the center of the grain trade, there are plenty of bakers. The place is sure to be packed with all sorts of pastries that use tons of fruit."
There was a scraping sound, almost like a broom, which was likely Holo's tail swishing in anticipation and excitement.
Lawrence laughed silently when there came a sudden smack at the back of his head.
"Ow! Hey, what was that for?"
"You fool! 'Tis because you try to entice me with food!"
"That's not why I said all that. It's because we're going to be leading a dull life on the road for a little while. You can endure it if you have a prize to look forward to at the end, right?"
"You might insist we be frugal even after enduring so much!"
He was about to say, Have you ever actually been frugal just because of that, though? but she had worked hard back in Atiph and had earned her pay.
Even Lawrence, who never forgot his roots as a merchant, had no intention of saying aloud what he might have a long time ago.
"I've made sure to calculate all the money you earned from working. Plus my winnings from speculating on the herring eggs. I won't ask you to scrimp when we've got so much. You should be able to enjoy quite a bit of luxury this time."
"Hmph," Holo huffed, then leaped nimbly onto the driver's perch.
Since it had not been long since they left Atiph, there were plenty of travelers on the road.
Though they were still vigilant about not letting people catch a glimpse of Holo's ears and tail, since it was a cold, cloudy day that made it seem as though winter had come earlier than usual, piles of wools and furs were a common sight. Peeking out from underneath her coat, Holo's tail simply seemed like an eccentric item she used to keep herself warm.