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

Input:
If Holo had been a tough middle-aged man, she might have been something like him.
"Still, my storehouses and rooms are all packed full with goods. The apprentices are having to wedge themselves into the gaps to sleep. And if they don't work, there's no telling what they'll use their pent-up energy for." Philon looked through half-lidded eyes at Elsa, who Le Roi had pushed forward. "I can't allow harm to come to one of God's lambs in the night."
There was neither pretense nor affectation in these words, and even Elsa stiffened a little upon hearing them.
With his hands on her shoulders, Le Roi could hardly fail to notice this. He moved to stand in front of Elsa, as though Philon were one of the starving beasts of which he himself spoke.
"I don't care what happens to me. But please, just for her..."
"It's for her sake that I am saying this."
"Oh, God! Please forgive this merciless man!" cried out Le Roi theatrically, but given that he himself had cursed God just moments earlier, the words did not carry much weight.
Philon sighed a long-suffering sigh, while Col looked taken aback at the strange newcomer. Holo was the only one who appeared amused.
The situation felt more intractable than ever, and Lawrence finally gave in and spoke. "If you don't mind the room where we're staying..."
"Wha—" Holo began to protest, but then realized the stinginess such a protest would reveal on her part and hastily shut her mouth. Nonetheless, her eyes stared accusingly at Lawrence.
By contrast, Philon appeared as though the problem had been taken off his hands in the best possible way, and Col smiled, since they had been able to help people who were clearly in trouble.
And as for Le Roi, he made a face as though his savior had descended into a hell where the land had split and the seas had dried, just to save him. "Oh! Oh, what a wonderful person! God's blessings will surely be upon your head...!"
Le Roi's words trailed off there, and it was not clear whether or how he meant to continue. It was clear enough that he did not much care whether Lawrence was listening or not.
It was finally Elsa who interrupted Le Roi's hearty shaking of Lawrence's hand, and she did not mince words.
"We have no means to repay you," she said, and the look in her eyes as she stared up at Lawrence was very nearly hostile.
But Lawrence had had a good hard look at the hardships Elsa faced back in Tereo. While they had managed to overcome their problems with Holo's help, the villagers would surely not have been able to let their guard down in the aftermath.
She might be so poor that they could turn her upside down and shake her and not a single coin would fall to the ground.
Lawrence decided to pay such forthrightness the respect it deserved. "I believe they say good deeds done here on earth will store up wealth in heaven, do they not?"
Elsa was flustered by this, but managed an answer. "One cannot carry one's coin purse through the gates of heaven, after all."
"If so, I'd best make myself into a shape better suited to fit through, I should think."
For a moment, Elsa made a face as though she had swallowed something bitter.
For someone as destitute as her to stay in the inn room of another, it would mean imposing upon them for more than simply accommodations. There would be meals to consider, for one. Lawrence and company were not so heartless that they would dig into their meals while those sitting beside them had nothing.
Elsa was well aware of that and knew also that Lawrence and his companions were extending such a helping hand to her, and it surely pained her.
But thanks to a certain close-at-hand traveling companion of his, Lawrence was well used to dealing with those who found it difficult to accept generosity. "Of course, in this life, I'll expect what I lend to be repaid."
In times like these, it was often good to lighten the mood with a joke.

Output:
Next came the smart sound of clapping hands.
It was none other than Le Roi, looking for all the world like a satisfied matchmaker at a wedding. "Well, well, this certainly is a burden off my chest! Splendid, splendid!"
"I suppose I ought to help as well. If it's just you, sir, you may stay here," said Philon, indicating the surface of his desk—though surely he was not saying that Le Roi ought to sleep on the desk itself. "There may well be others who come staggering drunkenly in, but as long as you don't mind them..."
"Of course not! Ah, God's will be done! Surely His blessings will be upon your head, Mr. Philon—"
Philon made a distasteful face and waved his hands as though shooing a dog away. Le Roi, however, did not seem particularly offended by this.
After this, he explained that Elsa's belongings were on a mule outside, so the two went out together.
Lawrence briefly gave his regards to Philon and was about to leave the shop when he noticed Holo, still entirely put out.
"Displeased?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"I wouldn't say I'm displeased," pouted Holo.
Lawrence found himself smiling at the exchange, which reminded him of another they had shared—when he had asked if she minded whether a certain shepherdess traveled with them to the city.
At the time, he had mistaken her anger to mean that she wanted to travel with him and him alone, just the two of them. In the end, she had seen through his misunderstanding and teased him mercilessly for it.
So what would happen now?
In the few seconds it took to descend the stone steps from the shop, Lawrence gazed at Holo's irritated profile, then finally spoke. "So you've no problem at all, then?"
Holo stopped mid-descent. Col was following immediately behind her and, unable to stop in time, ran right into her.
Pushed by Col, Holo took another step forward, but nonetheless did not look away from Lawrence.
"I-I'm sorry...?" said Lawrence.
Continuing to stare at Lawrence, Holo took Col's hand and very purposefully interlaced her fingers with his. "Just as you said, I've no problem at all."
She finished by sticking her tongue out at him, then walking off, pulling Col along with her.
Le Roi looked up as he noticed the two, then looked over to Lawrence.
"They're heading back to the inn room to tidy up ahead of us," said Lawrence. There was no reason to doubt it.
Le Roi nodded. "You've taught them well," he said, impressed.
Elsa, unloading her things from the mule, paused at hearing those words. She turned her amber eyes to Lawrence. "Is that so...?"
Hey now, thought Lawrence, until the impossible hit him: She was attempting to make a joke.
Just as meeting Fran had profoundly affected Col, Elsa, too, seemed to have changed since they had last met. Or perhaps this was a face that Evan the miller saw frequently.
Lawrence's idle musings were cut off by Elsa saying, "I'm ready."
Most of the mule's load had been unloaded, and just as Lawrence was wondering if he would be able to handle it all himself, he saw Elsa take up a small shoulder bag.
Evidently it had been packed away in the very back of the luggage.
Given the size of the bag, it probably held things that Elsa could not afford to lose—parchments with certifications on them and letters from noblemen in various places.
Holo was traveling as a nun, but a true woman of the cloth had a different sort of aura about her.
"Well, shall we go?" said Lawrence.
"I leave myself in your care," said Elsa, her eyes as stern as ever.
***
Col's clothes were in a terrible state, too.
His coat was full of seams and patches, and its edges frayed. His trousers were too short, leaving his ankles bared, and his sandals were thinner than a slice of meat carved by a stingy butcher.
He was underfed, too, and looked light enough that a stiff breeze could blow him away.
There was a difference, though, between simply having no money and the honorable poverty of the Church.


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

Input:
Next came the smart sound of clapping hands.
It was none other than Le Roi, looking for all the world like a satisfied matchmaker at a wedding. "Well, well, this certainly is a burden off my chest! Splendid, splendid!"
"I suppose I ought to help as well. If it's just you, sir, you may stay here," said Philon, indicating the surface of his desk—though surely he was not saying that Le Roi ought to sleep on the desk itself. "There may well be others who come staggering drunkenly in, but as long as you don't mind them..."
"Of course not! Ah, God's will be done! Surely His blessings will be upon your head, Mr. Philon—"
Philon made a distasteful face and waved his hands as though shooing a dog away. Le Roi, however, did not seem particularly offended by this.
After this, he explained that Elsa's belongings were on a mule outside, so the two went out together.
Lawrence briefly gave his regards to Philon and was about to leave the shop when he noticed Holo, still entirely put out.
"Displeased?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"I wouldn't say I'm displeased," pouted Holo.
Lawrence found himself smiling at the exchange, which reminded him of another they had shared—when he had asked if she minded whether a certain shepherdess traveled with them to the city.
At the time, he had mistaken her anger to mean that she wanted to travel with him and him alone, just the two of them. In the end, she had seen through his misunderstanding and teased him mercilessly for it.
So what would happen now?
In the few seconds it took to descend the stone steps from the shop, Lawrence gazed at Holo's irritated profile, then finally spoke. "So you've no problem at all, then?"
Holo stopped mid-descent. Col was following immediately behind her and, unable to stop in time, ran right into her.
Pushed by Col, Holo took another step forward, but nonetheless did not look away from Lawrence.
"I-I'm sorry...?" said Lawrence.
Continuing to stare at Lawrence, Holo took Col's hand and very purposefully interlaced her fingers with his. "Just as you said, I've no problem at all."
She finished by sticking her tongue out at him, then walking off, pulling Col along with her.
Le Roi looked up as he noticed the two, then looked over to Lawrence.
"They're heading back to the inn room to tidy up ahead of us," said Lawrence. There was no reason to doubt it.
Le Roi nodded. "You've taught them well," he said, impressed.
Elsa, unloading her things from the mule, paused at hearing those words. She turned her amber eyes to Lawrence. "Is that so...?"
Hey now, thought Lawrence, until the impossible hit him: She was attempting to make a joke.
Just as meeting Fran had profoundly affected Col, Elsa, too, seemed to have changed since they had last met. Or perhaps this was a face that Evan the miller saw frequently.
Lawrence's idle musings were cut off by Elsa saying, "I'm ready."
Most of the mule's load had been unloaded, and just as Lawrence was wondering if he would be able to handle it all himself, he saw Elsa take up a small shoulder bag.
Evidently it had been packed away in the very back of the luggage.
Given the size of the bag, it probably held things that Elsa could not afford to lose—parchments with certifications on them and letters from noblemen in various places.
Holo was traveling as a nun, but a true woman of the cloth had a different sort of aura about her.
"Well, shall we go?" said Lawrence.
"I leave myself in your care," said Elsa, her eyes as stern as ever.
***
Col's clothes were in a terrible state, too.
His coat was full of seams and patches, and its edges frayed. His trousers were too short, leaving his ankles bared, and his sandals were thinner than a slice of meat carved by a stingy butcher.
He was underfed, too, and looked light enough that a stiff breeze could blow him away.
There was a difference, though, between simply having no money and the honorable poverty of the Church.

Output:
Even when told to sit on the bed, Elsa would hear none of it; somehow, they managed to get her to sit in a chair, and instead of wine, they gave her a nourishing drink made of ginger, honey, and hot sheep's milk.
She did not hesitate to accept it, but likewise did not hesitate in thanksgiving.
While not at all threatening, she did nevertheless have a certain unmistakable dignity about her.
She put the drink to her lips, drank, then sighed in relief. Lawrence saw this and echoed her sentiment.
"The reason I left the village?" When it came to Elsa, she could not be bribed with food, but it was clear that her nerves had been much calmed.
"Yes. To be honest, I just can't figure it out." Lawrence made his simple curiosity clear as he poured wine into a cup, a gesture done to keep Elsa company as she drank.
"I'm looking for someone," came Elsa's unexpected answer.
"Looking...for someone?"
"Not a specific person, though." She put her cup to her lips and, after sipping quietly from it, closed her eyes. A deep sigh departed from her.
Having gotten used to Holo and Col's heartier eating and drinking, watching Elsa was like watching a noble lady.
"I'm looking for someone who can enter the holy service of the Church."
"But—" said Lawrence, just as Elsa opened her eyes and smiled a thin smile.
"Thanks to you, the flame of faith has been kindled in Tereo. Moreover, your incredible power destroyed Enberch's schemes. Now there are even people from Enberch who come all the way to our village to buy sweets."
As she spoke the words "incredible power," Elsa glanced at Holo. There were thanks in her gaze, which Holo surely noticed, even though she was gazing out the window. She was gnawing on a piece of jerky, as though none of this had anything to do with her.
Holo was intractable as always, but her wolf's ears flicked by way of reply.
Elsa knew Holo's true form, so there was no need for her to wear her uncomfortable hood currently.
"The people of Enberch do not know the details of our village. They would surely be surprised to learn I alone tend the church. Of course, the Enberch bishop's lips have been well sealed, but he will not behave himself forever."
The church was a near-total patriarchy. While some famous abbeys had female abbesses at their head, those were abbeys—not churches.
Elsa sipped from her cup as though swallowing that very unfairness, then coughed lightly. She had probably swallowed a chunk of ginger.
"Ahem...excuse me. So I've come in search of someone who can take on this holy duty in our village. For such a task, I can hardly send mere letters out, hither and yon."
"You need to find someone who'll measure up to you, then?" Lawrence said with a bit of mischief in his voice, at which Elsa chuckled.
He suspected that Elsa enjoyed putting on her stiff-shouldered performance. "Of course. My father, Father Franz, left the church in my care. I must find an individual worthy of that."
The man who had raised Elsa, Father Franz, had also compiled a book on the pagan deity worshipped in Tereo. Not only had he easily deflected the accusations of heresy that came as a result, but he had also established ties with powerful people in many places, building an independent church within the village—an accomplished man, to be sure.
Of course, there was certain jest in Elsa's tone. She was perfectly aware of the distance between her ideals and the likely reality.
"That's the primary reason for my travels, but...," said Elsa, looking to Holo.
Holo looked over her shoulder with a question on her face, at which Elsa smiled such a kind smile that it took Lawrence by surprise—so she could make such expressions.
"I've become aware of how truly ignorant of the world I am. I was hoping this journey would give me a chance to see more of the world."


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

Input:
Even when told to sit on the bed, Elsa would hear none of it; somehow, they managed to get her to sit in a chair, and instead of wine, they gave her a nourishing drink made of ginger, honey, and hot sheep's milk.
She did not hesitate to accept it, but likewise did not hesitate in thanksgiving.
While not at all threatening, she did nevertheless have a certain unmistakable dignity about her.
She put the drink to her lips, drank, then sighed in relief. Lawrence saw this and echoed her sentiment.
"The reason I left the village?" When it came to Elsa, she could not be bribed with food, but it was clear that her nerves had been much calmed.
"Yes. To be honest, I just can't figure it out." Lawrence made his simple curiosity clear as he poured wine into a cup, a gesture done to keep Elsa company as she drank.
"I'm looking for someone," came Elsa's unexpected answer.
"Looking...for someone?"
"Not a specific person, though." She put her cup to her lips and, after sipping quietly from it, closed her eyes. A deep sigh departed from her.
Having gotten used to Holo and Col's heartier eating and drinking, watching Elsa was like watching a noble lady.
"I'm looking for someone who can enter the holy service of the Church."
"But—" said Lawrence, just as Elsa opened her eyes and smiled a thin smile.
"Thanks to you, the flame of faith has been kindled in Tereo. Moreover, your incredible power destroyed Enberch's schemes. Now there are even people from Enberch who come all the way to our village to buy sweets."
As she spoke the words "incredible power," Elsa glanced at Holo. There were thanks in her gaze, which Holo surely noticed, even though she was gazing out the window. She was gnawing on a piece of jerky, as though none of this had anything to do with her.
Holo was intractable as always, but her wolf's ears flicked by way of reply.
Elsa knew Holo's true form, so there was no need for her to wear her uncomfortable hood currently.
"The people of Enberch do not know the details of our village. They would surely be surprised to learn I alone tend the church. Of course, the Enberch bishop's lips have been well sealed, but he will not behave himself forever."
The church was a near-total patriarchy. While some famous abbeys had female abbesses at their head, those were abbeys—not churches.
Elsa sipped from her cup as though swallowing that very unfairness, then coughed lightly. She had probably swallowed a chunk of ginger.
"Ahem...excuse me. So I've come in search of someone who can take on this holy duty in our village. For such a task, I can hardly send mere letters out, hither and yon."
"You need to find someone who'll measure up to you, then?" Lawrence said with a bit of mischief in his voice, at which Elsa chuckled.
He suspected that Elsa enjoyed putting on her stiff-shouldered performance. "Of course. My father, Father Franz, left the church in my care. I must find an individual worthy of that."
The man who had raised Elsa, Father Franz, had also compiled a book on the pagan deity worshipped in Tereo. Not only had he easily deflected the accusations of heresy that came as a result, but he had also established ties with powerful people in many places, building an independent church within the village—an accomplished man, to be sure.
Of course, there was certain jest in Elsa's tone. She was perfectly aware of the distance between her ideals and the likely reality.
"That's the primary reason for my travels, but...," said Elsa, looking to Holo.
Holo looked over her shoulder with a question on her face, at which Elsa smiled such a kind smile that it took Lawrence by surprise—so she could make such expressions.
"I've become aware of how truly ignorant of the world I am. I was hoping this journey would give me a chance to see more of the world."

Output:
Lawrence smiled a defeated smile, then turned back to Elsa. "That must have been a difficult decision to make, surely."
As a traveling merchant, he had had occasion to see just how it was that small villages often regarded the larger world. There were even those who were quite certain that aside from their town or village, the entire rest of the world had quite literally fallen to ruin. Regardless how strong her faith in God was, it was quite extraordinary for a woman to venture out the way Elsa had.
At Lawrence's implied question, Elsa regarded him, saying nothing. At her chest hung a hand-carved symbol of the Church, quite unlike when Lawrence had first seen her in Tereo.
It would have been foolish to ask who had made it.
When Lawrence had left Tereo, beside Elsa had stood a certain brave—if uncertain—boy.
"Of course, I thought to give up on it many times, but I've had God's guidance all the way."
Holo had come to hate being treated as a god after so many centuries of it, but that did not mean she much enjoyed people talking about other gods around her. She flicked one of her perfectly triangular wolf ears sideways and listened.
"That bookseller, you mean?" said Lawrence, and Elsa nodded slowly.
"That's right."
"You seem to encounter the strangest people," Lawrence found himself saying without thinking. He suddenly realized his blunder, but Elsa merely laughed.
She then covered her mouth with her hand. "Apologies," she said. "But I can see why you would think so," she added. "I had only met him once before, but I knew he was a longtime acquaintance of Father Franz. And in Father's letters, it was written that this was a man I could trust in times of hardship. If Father trusted him, then I ought to trust him, too. No matter how silly or greedy he might appear to be."
Lawrence could not imagine Elsa simply falling for the act of such a canny merchant. His guess seemed not to have been wrong, but he still felt as though his assumptions were being criticized in a roundabout sort of way.
Lawrence scratched his head, and Elsa took a deep breath, then began to speak as though delivering a sermon.
"I would be lying if I said I hadn't had my own worries, but he's a very sincere man. Of course, there's no mistaking his avarice—but you might say that avarice is where his sincerity comes from."
She had a good eye for people.
At this, Lawrence finally saw what sort of person the bookseller was.
"So what you mean is that he's after Father Franz's library, then," Lawrence said flatly, at which Elsa gave him a pleasant smile.
"There's no one like him in the village, you see. At first I was quite bewildered, but...then I realized there's no great difference between being faithful to your own avarice and being faithful to the teachings of God. He's tried everything he can think of to get me to tell him where Father Franz's library is—but always amicably."
Lawrence, too, had wanted to get to the library, in order to learn about the location of Holo's homeland. But the method he had used to do so was hardly praiseworthy. He had used Elsa's piety against her, and there in the church's sanctuary had cornered her into helping them.
When he thought about it now, it again occurred to him what a sinful thing he had done.
He looked, and Elsa's smile was gone. She looked at him intently.
He averted his gaze, ever the weak traveling merchant, and looked to Holo—but despite her complicity, she seemed to think none of this had anything to do with her.
"So that is his aim, and when I told him I was of a mind to travel to this town, he was only too happy to agree. The journey was difficult...if it had gone on much longer, I might have finally told him the library's location."
Her first journey would have been one long series of new experiences. If she had someone reliable at her side, she might well come to trust in them unconditionally, like a newly hatched chick regarding the first thing it saw as its parent.


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

Input:
Lawrence smiled a defeated smile, then turned back to Elsa. "That must have been a difficult decision to make, surely."
As a traveling merchant, he had had occasion to see just how it was that small villages often regarded the larger world. There were even those who were quite certain that aside from their town or village, the entire rest of the world had quite literally fallen to ruin. Regardless how strong her faith in God was, it was quite extraordinary for a woman to venture out the way Elsa had.
At Lawrence's implied question, Elsa regarded him, saying nothing. At her chest hung a hand-carved symbol of the Church, quite unlike when Lawrence had first seen her in Tereo.
It would have been foolish to ask who had made it.
When Lawrence had left Tereo, beside Elsa had stood a certain brave—if uncertain—boy.
"Of course, I thought to give up on it many times, but I've had God's guidance all the way."
Holo had come to hate being treated as a god after so many centuries of it, but that did not mean she much enjoyed people talking about other gods around her. She flicked one of her perfectly triangular wolf ears sideways and listened.
"That bookseller, you mean?" said Lawrence, and Elsa nodded slowly.
"That's right."
"You seem to encounter the strangest people," Lawrence found himself saying without thinking. He suddenly realized his blunder, but Elsa merely laughed.
She then covered her mouth with her hand. "Apologies," she said. "But I can see why you would think so," she added. "I had only met him once before, but I knew he was a longtime acquaintance of Father Franz. And in Father's letters, it was written that this was a man I could trust in times of hardship. If Father trusted him, then I ought to trust him, too. No matter how silly or greedy he might appear to be."
Lawrence could not imagine Elsa simply falling for the act of such a canny merchant. His guess seemed not to have been wrong, but he still felt as though his assumptions were being criticized in a roundabout sort of way.
Lawrence scratched his head, and Elsa took a deep breath, then began to speak as though delivering a sermon.
"I would be lying if I said I hadn't had my own worries, but he's a very sincere man. Of course, there's no mistaking his avarice—but you might say that avarice is where his sincerity comes from."
She had a good eye for people.
At this, Lawrence finally saw what sort of person the bookseller was.
"So what you mean is that he's after Father Franz's library, then," Lawrence said flatly, at which Elsa gave him a pleasant smile.
"There's no one like him in the village, you see. At first I was quite bewildered, but...then I realized there's no great difference between being faithful to your own avarice and being faithful to the teachings of God. He's tried everything he can think of to get me to tell him where Father Franz's library is—but always amicably."
Lawrence, too, had wanted to get to the library, in order to learn about the location of Holo's homeland. But the method he had used to do so was hardly praiseworthy. He had used Elsa's piety against her, and there in the church's sanctuary had cornered her into helping them.
When he thought about it now, it again occurred to him what a sinful thing he had done.
He looked, and Elsa's smile was gone. She looked at him intently.
He averted his gaze, ever the weak traveling merchant, and looked to Holo—but despite her complicity, she seemed to think none of this had anything to do with her.
"So that is his aim, and when I told him I was of a mind to travel to this town, he was only too happy to agree. The journey was difficult...if it had gone on much longer, I might have finally told him the library's location."
Her first journey would have been one long series of new experiences. If she had someone reliable at her side, she might well come to trust in them unconditionally, like a newly hatched chick regarding the first thing it saw as its parent.

Output:
"All the great saints left their homes and journeyed, secluding themselves away in remote forests or deserts, and I finally understand why. Going out into the world for the first time, I have truly understood how weak humans are."
It was an observation worthy of the clergy, and Lawrence nodded with a faint smile. No doubt Col, who could understand her position even better than Lawrence could, was nodding with his serious little face.
"Which is why I've finally been able to answer a question that's plagued me ever since you and your companions left my village."
These words piqued Holo's interest as well as Lawrence's. She removed her gaze from the window and over to Elsa.
"A question?"
"Yes. The question of why, when you have such power, you would choose even now to travel with a simple horse-drawn wagon."
It was something Lawrence had considered many times himself. If he borrowed Holo's power, he could become incredibly wealthy in no time at all. There were any number of ways it might be done...
But he had not done so, and even when his very life had been in danger, he had searched for ways to escape that did not involve relying on Holo's power—even when Holo herself was ready to act.
Partially, this was because he wanted to preserve some semblance of pride in front of Holo. But there was another thought at the root of it all.
"I've become painfully aware of just how powerless I am. Borrowing the power of my companion will not make that weakness disappear. So I try to rely on my own abilities. Or..." He paused to look over at Holo, if only to disguise his own embarrassment. "...Or to ask for her help in addition to my strengths. Don't try to fill a small bowl with a large amount—every merchant knows this," concluded Lawrence. "Whenever I've embarrassed myself, it's because I broke this rule."
Holo cackled.
"They say the world is vast, and it's true." Elsa looked down at the contents of the cup in her hand and quietly closed her eyes. Elsa, ever as sharp as a drawn blade, seemed now deeper than she had before.
People do not stay as they were when one met them, Holo had cried, in this very city. And it was true—people changed.
And even as such change was unavoidable, it was also not always for the worse. Lawrence's path since meeting Holo had, if anything, been a more optimistic one than before. But did Holo feel the same way? As she looked out the window, her ears fell the same way they did whenever she was trying to endure embarrassment.
She might well be angry at him later.
"I give thanks to God that we have been able to meet again."
At Elsa's simple, unadorned statement, Lawrence nodded heartily.
Travel brought with it many encounters, and likewise many discoveries. Some were reminders of the world's vastness, while others illustrated one's own smallness. Just as one might be struck by a breathtaking vista, one might also feel pain at seeing the aftermath of a terrible battle.
Or—one might simply experience the shock of the fragrance of another culture.
Elsa's expression as she regarded what seemed for all the world to be a cut of red meat before her was the very image of this shock, no matter how clearly it was said that it was in fact a fish tail.
The prohibition against the consumption of red meat by members of the clergy came as naturally to them as not breathing underwater did to someone who did not want to drown. But to think that there was such an obvious way around that rule...
Sitting next to Lawrence, Holo seemed to greatly relish Elsa's expression.
"Miss, if you're having trouble believing it, would you like to see the many letters of permission from successive bishops we've had?" asked the cheerful barmaid, again mindful of the tavern that day, as she carried cups of ale to another table of patrons.
Most taverns fell silent the moment a true clergy member entered the establishment, but this place was special. No one paid Elsa any special mind as they caroused the day's fatigue away.


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

Input:
"All the great saints left their homes and journeyed, secluding themselves away in remote forests or deserts, and I finally understand why. Going out into the world for the first time, I have truly understood how weak humans are."
It was an observation worthy of the clergy, and Lawrence nodded with a faint smile. No doubt Col, who could understand her position even better than Lawrence could, was nodding with his serious little face.
"Which is why I've finally been able to answer a question that's plagued me ever since you and your companions left my village."
These words piqued Holo's interest as well as Lawrence's. She removed her gaze from the window and over to Elsa.
"A question?"
"Yes. The question of why, when you have such power, you would choose even now to travel with a simple horse-drawn wagon."
It was something Lawrence had considered many times himself. If he borrowed Holo's power, he could become incredibly wealthy in no time at all. There were any number of ways it might be done...
But he had not done so, and even when his very life had been in danger, he had searched for ways to escape that did not involve relying on Holo's power—even when Holo herself was ready to act.
Partially, this was because he wanted to preserve some semblance of pride in front of Holo. But there was another thought at the root of it all.
"I've become painfully aware of just how powerless I am. Borrowing the power of my companion will not make that weakness disappear. So I try to rely on my own abilities. Or..." He paused to look over at Holo, if only to disguise his own embarrassment. "...Or to ask for her help in addition to my strengths. Don't try to fill a small bowl with a large amount—every merchant knows this," concluded Lawrence. "Whenever I've embarrassed myself, it's because I broke this rule."
Holo cackled.
"They say the world is vast, and it's true." Elsa looked down at the contents of the cup in her hand and quietly closed her eyes. Elsa, ever as sharp as a drawn blade, seemed now deeper than she had before.
People do not stay as they were when one met them, Holo had cried, in this very city. And it was true—people changed.
And even as such change was unavoidable, it was also not always for the worse. Lawrence's path since meeting Holo had, if anything, been a more optimistic one than before. But did Holo feel the same way? As she looked out the window, her ears fell the same way they did whenever she was trying to endure embarrassment.
She might well be angry at him later.
"I give thanks to God that we have been able to meet again."
At Elsa's simple, unadorned statement, Lawrence nodded heartily.
Travel brought with it many encounters, and likewise many discoveries. Some were reminders of the world's vastness, while others illustrated one's own smallness. Just as one might be struck by a breathtaking vista, one might also feel pain at seeing the aftermath of a terrible battle.
Or—one might simply experience the shock of the fragrance of another culture.
Elsa's expression as she regarded what seemed for all the world to be a cut of red meat before her was the very image of this shock, no matter how clearly it was said that it was in fact a fish tail.
The prohibition against the consumption of red meat by members of the clergy came as naturally to them as not breathing underwater did to someone who did not want to drown. But to think that there was such an obvious way around that rule...
Sitting next to Lawrence, Holo seemed to greatly relish Elsa's expression.
"Miss, if you're having trouble believing it, would you like to see the many letters of permission from successive bishops we've had?" asked the cheerful barmaid, again mindful of the tavern that day, as she carried cups of ale to another table of patrons.
Most taverns fell silent the moment a true clergy member entered the establishment, but this place was special. No one paid Elsa any special mind as they caroused the day's fatigue away.

Output:
If Holo was surprised by this, Col was even more so, and the only one smiling was the barmaid.
"Mm...Mmph..." Elsa chewed and swallowed and, with her eyes tightly shut, felt about on the table for her cup. Col took pity on her and handed it to her, and she mumbled her thanks before drinking the watered fruit juice.
She drank like she was trying to wash everything away—as though she had eaten something terribly impure.
Just as Lawrence was wondering if he had taken his teasing too far, Elsa put her empty cup down. "S-so spicy...," she said in a strangled voice.
Though she had drunk no wine, her cheeks were red. Her eyes, too, were red—for Elsa, whose ascetic life was a matter of course, this strongly spiced food and its strange need for wine was almost like a drug.
"Hah, that's because it's meant to go with wine. Here, try this."
The Church had no prohibition against wine, so long as it was taken in moderation. There were more famously hard-drinking priests and preachers than one could count. And since wine always called out for food, they tended to be large men, too. There was one famous Church doctor nicknamed "The Angel Physician," whose belly was so round and stuck out so far that his place at the table had a special cutout just so that he could fit.
"What's this...?"
"Clams fried in butter. They're from the port town downriver, hauled up still in the shell. You can even eat them raw."
It was rare to eat raw food, except in the far north, or if one was a pagan. Such a custom existed in Lenos because of its close trade association with Kerube.
Naturally, Elsa reacted to the barmaid's jest with eyes round in surprise.
Holo watched this delightedly and was about to call out to the barmaid, but Lawrence politely moved Holo's gaze back to the table.
"If the tail's too strongly spiced for you, you might find it's just right for putting on a bit of bread. The cooking here is excellent, but the bread is, unfortunately, a tad—" Lawrence was interrupted by a plate with even more food on it hitting the table.
He looked and saw the barmaid looking down at him with a smile.
"The bread is unfortunately a tad...expensive," Lawrence amended, at which the barmaid nodded, satisfied, and strode back into the kitchen. Holo snickered and heaped boiled beans atop a piece of bread.
"The larger world does have all sorts of food," said Elsa wondrously.
On the table was meat, vegetables, and shellfish, some roasted, some steamed, some boiled. Some were strongly flavored, others subtly, and even the bread was different from what Elsa was used to, cut as it was into thin slices, making it convenient to top with other things.
Not even the nearby town of Enberch, to say nothing of the tiny village of Tereo itself, conducted much in the way of trade with the outside world, so it was not well-informed about food in other places.
Lawrence had, in fact, used that ill-informedness to save Tereo.
"But the surprises are only so frequent when you're just starting out. Every day dizzied me when I'd first set out from my home village, but after a month of journeying, I had the face of a seasoned traveler."
Truly, it was amid such monotonous days that he had had the incredible fortune to encounter Holo—one never knew what the world would bring.
Still, Elsa smiled as though thankful for Lawrence's consideration of her.
"Mmph...Mm..." Holo wiped a bean crumb from the corner of her mouth with her finger, then opened her mouth between chews to lick it up. She swallowed it down hurriedly with a drink, then proceeded to her second bite. Artless in eating, drinking, and sleep: That was Holo.
"Mm?" As she opened her mouth wide to take another bite, Holo finally noticed Elsa's gaze and, for a moment, seemed to hesitate, as though unsure what to do. Finally, though, she took the bite anyway.


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

Input:
If Holo was surprised by this, Col was even more so, and the only one smiling was the barmaid.
"Mm...Mmph..." Elsa chewed and swallowed and, with her eyes tightly shut, felt about on the table for her cup. Col took pity on her and handed it to her, and she mumbled her thanks before drinking the watered fruit juice.
She drank like she was trying to wash everything away—as though she had eaten something terribly impure.
Just as Lawrence was wondering if he had taken his teasing too far, Elsa put her empty cup down. "S-so spicy...," she said in a strangled voice.
Though she had drunk no wine, her cheeks were red. Her eyes, too, were red—for Elsa, whose ascetic life was a matter of course, this strongly spiced food and its strange need for wine was almost like a drug.
"Hah, that's because it's meant to go with wine. Here, try this."
The Church had no prohibition against wine, so long as it was taken in moderation. There were more famously hard-drinking priests and preachers than one could count. And since wine always called out for food, they tended to be large men, too. There was one famous Church doctor nicknamed "The Angel Physician," whose belly was so round and stuck out so far that his place at the table had a special cutout just so that he could fit.
"What's this...?"
"Clams fried in butter. They're from the port town downriver, hauled up still in the shell. You can even eat them raw."
It was rare to eat raw food, except in the far north, or if one was a pagan. Such a custom existed in Lenos because of its close trade association with Kerube.
Naturally, Elsa reacted to the barmaid's jest with eyes round in surprise.
Holo watched this delightedly and was about to call out to the barmaid, but Lawrence politely moved Holo's gaze back to the table.
"If the tail's too strongly spiced for you, you might find it's just right for putting on a bit of bread. The cooking here is excellent, but the bread is, unfortunately, a tad—" Lawrence was interrupted by a plate with even more food on it hitting the table.
He looked and saw the barmaid looking down at him with a smile.
"The bread is unfortunately a tad...expensive," Lawrence amended, at which the barmaid nodded, satisfied, and strode back into the kitchen. Holo snickered and heaped boiled beans atop a piece of bread.
"The larger world does have all sorts of food," said Elsa wondrously.
On the table was meat, vegetables, and shellfish, some roasted, some steamed, some boiled. Some were strongly flavored, others subtly, and even the bread was different from what Elsa was used to, cut as it was into thin slices, making it convenient to top with other things.
Not even the nearby town of Enberch, to say nothing of the tiny village of Tereo itself, conducted much in the way of trade with the outside world, so it was not well-informed about food in other places.
Lawrence had, in fact, used that ill-informedness to save Tereo.
"But the surprises are only so frequent when you're just starting out. Every day dizzied me when I'd first set out from my home village, but after a month of journeying, I had the face of a seasoned traveler."
Truly, it was amid such monotonous days that he had had the incredible fortune to encounter Holo—one never knew what the world would bring.
Still, Elsa smiled as though thankful for Lawrence's consideration of her.
"Mmph...Mm..." Holo wiped a bean crumb from the corner of her mouth with her finger, then opened her mouth between chews to lick it up. She swallowed it down hurriedly with a drink, then proceeded to her second bite. Artless in eating, drinking, and sleep: That was Holo.
"Mm?" As she opened her mouth wide to take another bite, Holo finally noticed Elsa's gaze and, for a moment, seemed to hesitate, as though unsure what to do. Finally, though, she took the bite anyway.

Output:
But what stopped her hand was not the memory of how spicy the dish had been. Rather, she had spotted Col, who likewise was dipping chunks of bread into the dish, but he was letting the sauce drip everywhere, utterly carefree.
***
Unlike the arrogant Holo, Col took heed of the gazes of others. As soon as he noticed Elsa's stunned, wide-eyed gaze, he immediately knew he had done something wrong and began to cast about for what it might be—except that his mouth was full of bread, so it was all he could do to chew busily away at it.
Holo had often compared Col's way of eating to a squirrel's. That might have been why she shared her food with him: It was like feeding a squirrel.
In truth, while Col's table habits could hardly be called refined, they did have a certain charm to them.
"Such terrible manners," said Elsa, finally unable to contain herself.
Col had just taken a second bite when she spoke. He froze and closed his eyes, then timidly held out the bread to return it to Elsa.
Holo watched this, grinning, then made ready to pop the remaining bread into her mouth as though none of it was any of her concern.
"The same goes for you," said Elsa.
Holo had her own reasons. While she did pause just before eating the bread, it was only to raise her chin and look Elsa in the eyes before devouring the bread anyway.
Elsa sighed and directed her criticism at Lawrence. "In my village, in times like these, we remind people that they oughtn't eat like thieves."
In other words, without any serenity and uncaring of what others might think.
Lawrence nodded politely, but it was Holo who spoke in an unruffled tone. "This is normal for travelers."
Elsa shrunk back at this statement, perhaps realizing just how ignorant she was of the wider world's ways and just how different they might be from her own common sense.
However, Holo's words were unfairly aimed right at Elsa's ignorance and credulity. It did not in fact follow that all travelers abandoned their manners entirely.
Lawrence saw Elsa flinch and smacked the nastily grinning Holo's head in retaliation. "Apologies," he offered. "We have a tendency toward unrefined mealtimes, I'm afraid."
"It—it's all right."
Elsa regained her composure and straightened herself, then looked up at the ceiling, as though something had occurred to her.
Lawrence followed her gaze, but Elsa then looked back down and slowly lowered her eyelids. She then cleared her throat quietly and spoke.
"I give my thanks for this incredible meal. I wish that I could offer something in return, but as you can see, I am a traveler from an impoverished village. Yet I do have something." She opened her eyes and seemed almost happy. "I could teach you better table manners."
Sitting next to her, Col looked at Elsa uncertainly, and then gave Lawrence the same look from across the table. It was likely he had never in his whole life been told he had poor manners.
Of course, considering Col's position, it might well be a good thing for him to learn at least the basics while he had the chance. At the moment, it was generous to compare his manners to a beast's.
Discerning Lawrence's conclusion from his expression, Elsa then regarded Col with a kind smile. "Do not worry. There were people in my village who were quite terrible at learning things, but even they got the knack of it."
Lawrence remembered Evan and how his scattering of bread crumbs had so infuriated Elsa. Holo cackled, seemingly remembering the same thing, but Elsa merely sighed and repeated what she had said before. "The same goes for you."
"Wha...just who do you think I—"
"It's the same for everyone. And with that attitude, you ought to be able to behave properly. There's simply no excuse."
Holo had a great ability to play the part, but it was also one of her nastier aspects. Elsa had seen right through this, and Holo turned away in irritation.


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

Input:
But what stopped her hand was not the memory of how spicy the dish had been. Rather, she had spotted Col, who likewise was dipping chunks of bread into the dish, but he was letting the sauce drip everywhere, utterly carefree.
***
Unlike the arrogant Holo, Col took heed of the gazes of others. As soon as he noticed Elsa's stunned, wide-eyed gaze, he immediately knew he had done something wrong and began to cast about for what it might be—except that his mouth was full of bread, so it was all he could do to chew busily away at it.
Holo had often compared Col's way of eating to a squirrel's. That might have been why she shared her food with him: It was like feeding a squirrel.
In truth, while Col's table habits could hardly be called refined, they did have a certain charm to them.
"Such terrible manners," said Elsa, finally unable to contain herself.
Col had just taken a second bite when she spoke. He froze and closed his eyes, then timidly held out the bread to return it to Elsa.
Holo watched this, grinning, then made ready to pop the remaining bread into her mouth as though none of it was any of her concern.
"The same goes for you," said Elsa.
Holo had her own reasons. While she did pause just before eating the bread, it was only to raise her chin and look Elsa in the eyes before devouring the bread anyway.
Elsa sighed and directed her criticism at Lawrence. "In my village, in times like these, we remind people that they oughtn't eat like thieves."
In other words, without any serenity and uncaring of what others might think.
Lawrence nodded politely, but it was Holo who spoke in an unruffled tone. "This is normal for travelers."
Elsa shrunk back at this statement, perhaps realizing just how ignorant she was of the wider world's ways and just how different they might be from her own common sense.
However, Holo's words were unfairly aimed right at Elsa's ignorance and credulity. It did not in fact follow that all travelers abandoned their manners entirely.
Lawrence saw Elsa flinch and smacked the nastily grinning Holo's head in retaliation. "Apologies," he offered. "We have a tendency toward unrefined mealtimes, I'm afraid."
"It—it's all right."
Elsa regained her composure and straightened herself, then looked up at the ceiling, as though something had occurred to her.
Lawrence followed her gaze, but Elsa then looked back down and slowly lowered her eyelids. She then cleared her throat quietly and spoke.
"I give my thanks for this incredible meal. I wish that I could offer something in return, but as you can see, I am a traveler from an impoverished village. Yet I do have something." She opened her eyes and seemed almost happy. "I could teach you better table manners."
Sitting next to her, Col looked at Elsa uncertainly, and then gave Lawrence the same look from across the table. It was likely he had never in his whole life been told he had poor manners.
Of course, considering Col's position, it might well be a good thing for him to learn at least the basics while he had the chance. At the moment, it was generous to compare his manners to a beast's.
Discerning Lawrence's conclusion from his expression, Elsa then regarded Col with a kind smile. "Do not worry. There were people in my village who were quite terrible at learning things, but even they got the knack of it."
Lawrence remembered Evan and how his scattering of bread crumbs had so infuriated Elsa. Holo cackled, seemingly remembering the same thing, but Elsa merely sighed and repeated what she had said before. "The same goes for you."
"Wha...just who do you think I—"
"It's the same for everyone. And with that attitude, you ought to be able to behave properly. There's simply no excuse."
Holo had a great ability to play the part, but it was also one of her nastier aspects. Elsa had seen right through this, and Holo turned away in irritation.

Output:
When her face was stern and her tone harsh, she seemed very much like Fran, but when she was like this, she was entirely different.
Fran had lived through her bloody life with nothing but her scriptures and her comrades to see her through it. On that count, Elsa had a somewhat unreliable but still committed partner.
The same flower might bloom with different colors, depending on the soil and environment.
"Ah...er...," stammered Col, looking to Lawrence.
While Holo once called the forest of Yoitsu her home, that was not true of Col. If he truly aimed to study Church law and attain a high rank within the clergy, his manners would be important.
Lawrence nodded, whereupon Col made a face like a passenger who had just missed his wagon. But one could tell the value of a person by whether they gave up at such a predicament or began walking on foot.
Col was very much the latter sort of person.
He nodded uncertainly, chin down, looking very noble indeed.
"I-if you please, then."
"Very well," said Elsa with a smile. Beside her, Holo took a strangled gulp of wine.
Elsa's instructions were not so very unreasonable.
Do not rush your eating. Take one bite at a time. Do not spill. Chew quietly. Don't lean over your food, but bring it to your mouth. And so on and so forth. And yet it seemed that Col was hearing each of these for the very first time.
After all, if he did not eat quickly, his food might be taken. He had never had enough for spillage to be a problem. There was never pleasant conversation such that noisy eating mattered. He had never even gotten used to washing and drying his hands.
He had only very recently been able to take his time eating—since meeting Lawrence and Holo.
Once Col finished his meal after minding all these new rules, he stood and addressed Lawrence with a seriousness. "When I eat that slowly, it seems like the hot food gets cold before I can finish..."
He said this not out of childish obstinance or rebellion, but rather because Col the wandering scholar had so rarely been given hot food to eat. It was pathetic to hear.
Lawrence put his hand on Col's back, and his back in turn felt small. "But in exchange, you get friends to eat with. Even if it's a little cooler, it's still just as tasty." He would never have spoken such words when he was just starting out as a merchant, but now they came with an ease that surprised even himself, without so much as a hint of pretension or embarrassment.
After all, once he had met Holo, mealtimes became more than an excuse to take in nourishment and became a time of happiness. Even when the food was cold and distasteful, eating it with a friend, with whom you could complain about the cold or the bad taste, was its own sort of pleasure.
Col seemed to have understood this. He nodded deeply, as though a rich and beautiful truth had been revealed to him.
"Anyway, just consider that there's nothing to lose in learning such things. After all, it was free," Lawrence said cheerfully, giving Col a sly smile.
"Right!" proclaimed Col. He trotted out of the tavern, following Elsa.
Col loved to study, so no doubt he was off to review what he had just learned. By contrast there was Holo, so deeply unamused by the proceedings that she remained at the table as Lawrence paid for the meal.
"You ought to teach him a thing or two yourself," said Lawrence. The copper coins he had received as change had a rabbit seal on them, perhaps deliberately, given that they were used as payment for trivial jobs and could only command light fare.
As Lawrence tossed a coin playfully in the air, Holo snatched it away. "Hardly. I'm a mere beast, after all."
Lawrence was about to laugh this off as yet another jest, but then he noticed that beneath her hood her face was surprisingly dour. He shut his mouth.


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

Input:
When her face was stern and her tone harsh, she seemed very much like Fran, but when she was like this, she was entirely different.
Fran had lived through her bloody life with nothing but her scriptures and her comrades to see her through it. On that count, Elsa had a somewhat unreliable but still committed partner.
The same flower might bloom with different colors, depending on the soil and environment.
"Ah...er...," stammered Col, looking to Lawrence.
While Holo once called the forest of Yoitsu her home, that was not true of Col. If he truly aimed to study Church law and attain a high rank within the clergy, his manners would be important.
Lawrence nodded, whereupon Col made a face like a passenger who had just missed his wagon. But one could tell the value of a person by whether they gave up at such a predicament or began walking on foot.
Col was very much the latter sort of person.
He nodded uncertainly, chin down, looking very noble indeed.
"I-if you please, then."
"Very well," said Elsa with a smile. Beside her, Holo took a strangled gulp of wine.
Elsa's instructions were not so very unreasonable.
Do not rush your eating. Take one bite at a time. Do not spill. Chew quietly. Don't lean over your food, but bring it to your mouth. And so on and so forth. And yet it seemed that Col was hearing each of these for the very first time.
After all, if he did not eat quickly, his food might be taken. He had never had enough for spillage to be a problem. There was never pleasant conversation such that noisy eating mattered. He had never even gotten used to washing and drying his hands.
He had only very recently been able to take his time eating—since meeting Lawrence and Holo.
Once Col finished his meal after minding all these new rules, he stood and addressed Lawrence with a seriousness. "When I eat that slowly, it seems like the hot food gets cold before I can finish..."
He said this not out of childish obstinance or rebellion, but rather because Col the wandering scholar had so rarely been given hot food to eat. It was pathetic to hear.
Lawrence put his hand on Col's back, and his back in turn felt small. "But in exchange, you get friends to eat with. Even if it's a little cooler, it's still just as tasty." He would never have spoken such words when he was just starting out as a merchant, but now they came with an ease that surprised even himself, without so much as a hint of pretension or embarrassment.
After all, once he had met Holo, mealtimes became more than an excuse to take in nourishment and became a time of happiness. Even when the food was cold and distasteful, eating it with a friend, with whom you could complain about the cold or the bad taste, was its own sort of pleasure.
Col seemed to have understood this. He nodded deeply, as though a rich and beautiful truth had been revealed to him.
"Anyway, just consider that there's nothing to lose in learning such things. After all, it was free," Lawrence said cheerfully, giving Col a sly smile.
"Right!" proclaimed Col. He trotted out of the tavern, following Elsa.
Col loved to study, so no doubt he was off to review what he had just learned. By contrast there was Holo, so deeply unamused by the proceedings that she remained at the table as Lawrence paid for the meal.
"You ought to teach him a thing or two yourself," said Lawrence. The copper coins he had received as change had a rabbit seal on them, perhaps deliberately, given that they were used as payment for trivial jobs and could only command light fare.
As Lawrence tossed a coin playfully in the air, Holo snatched it away. "Hardly. I'm a mere beast, after all."
Lawrence was about to laugh this off as yet another jest, but then he noticed that beneath her hood her face was surprisingly dour. He shut his mouth.

Output:
To live joyfully, freely—that was what was important to Holo. At a glance, it might seem as though she was willful and always wanted her own way, but at her core, she had an easygoing nature. Lawrence had no trouble imagining her napping among the swaying wheat stalks all day long. It would have been so very Holo-like, so delightfully peaceful.
But such was not the way of all things in the world.
"Col's at that age, you know. Learning itself is fun for him." Lawrence felt quite proud of himself for putting it so well, but Holo seemed to find the statement an unfair one. She sneered and smacked Lawrence's shoulder.
Once the pair exited the shop, they met up with the waiting Col and Elsa, who began to walk.
Their conversation wandered from one topic to the next, and even from behind, it was clear that they were having a lovely time.
"You look as though you've had your favorite toy taken from you," said Lawrence teasingly, at which Holo gave a childish nod. At her unexpected honestly, Lawrence grimaced and added, "If this is how you are with Col, I dare not imagine what would happen if I were taken, too."
It was a practically suicidal joke. Holo could choose any number of ways to come back at it. Eventually, she looked up and smiled a small, exasperated smile.
"I'm a wisewolf, you fool."
It seemed to Lawrence that she would be a bit more charming if she acted more like she was in this moment. He took her hand. It was warmer than usual.
The next morning, Lawrence awoke to the sound of a closing door.
He had been drifting back to consciousness up until that moment, so when he sat up he was not surprised to find there was no one else in the room.
If his slightly foggy memory could be trusted, Holo and the rest had again gone off to morning prayers.
Lawrence yawned and, for a moment, seriously considered going back to sleep. Despite the comparatively easy journey, they had of course camped on the way from Kerube to Lenos. Moreover, compared with the snowbound country of Winfiel or that snowy shack up in the mountains, this inn was the very lap of luxury.
Elsa seemed to share that opinion. Because it had been rather suddenly decided that she would stay with them, they had hastily arranged for a straw mattress to be brought in, but as far as Elsa was concerned, it was a grand indulgence.
"Not even the village elder sleeps on a bed so fine!" she had said with a sheepish smile. And the rapidity with which she had fallen asleep after lying down exceeded even the notoriously sound sleeper Holo, which proved the truth of Elsa's claim rather thoroughly. Elsa's soft snoring arose so quickly that Holo had sat up in annoyance, just to prove that it was not her.
Though she was strict with others and with herself, because such human aspects of Elsa remained made her very easy to become fond of, barring other conflicts of interest. The way she interacted with Col, too, was very different from Holo's puppylike indulgence of him and similarly different from Fran's danger appeal.
So Holo had probably gone along with them to the morning prayers simply to protect her territory. She might claim that she did not care to whom Col became attached, but from her stiff facial expressions, it was easy to imagine.
The more she acted like the wisewolf she was, the more amusing she became.
Considering all that, Lawrence felt a little pleased and proud of himself since she had revealed her true feelings to him alone. If she caught on that he had realized this, she would tease him mercilessly as backlash, but fortunately, he was the only one in the room. Lawrence smiled and yawned, cracked his neck, and got out of bed.
Although they had received most necessities from Hugues back in Kerube, there were a few things that needed to be prepared. He needed to go to the stable and check on the state of his other companion there, and there were food and fuel provisions that needed to be bought for the next leg of the journey.


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

Input:
To live joyfully, freely—that was what was important to Holo. At a glance, it might seem as though she was willful and always wanted her own way, but at her core, she had an easygoing nature. Lawrence had no trouble imagining her napping among the swaying wheat stalks all day long. It would have been so very Holo-like, so delightfully peaceful.
But such was not the way of all things in the world.
"Col's at that age, you know. Learning itself is fun for him." Lawrence felt quite proud of himself for putting it so well, but Holo seemed to find the statement an unfair one. She sneered and smacked Lawrence's shoulder.
Once the pair exited the shop, they met up with the waiting Col and Elsa, who began to walk.
Their conversation wandered from one topic to the next, and even from behind, it was clear that they were having a lovely time.
"You look as though you've had your favorite toy taken from you," said Lawrence teasingly, at which Holo gave a childish nod. At her unexpected honestly, Lawrence grimaced and added, "If this is how you are with Col, I dare not imagine what would happen if I were taken, too."
It was a practically suicidal joke. Holo could choose any number of ways to come back at it. Eventually, she looked up and smiled a small, exasperated smile.
"I'm a wisewolf, you fool."
It seemed to Lawrence that she would be a bit more charming if she acted more like she was in this moment. He took her hand. It was warmer than usual.
The next morning, Lawrence awoke to the sound of a closing door.
He had been drifting back to consciousness up until that moment, so when he sat up he was not surprised to find there was no one else in the room.
If his slightly foggy memory could be trusted, Holo and the rest had again gone off to morning prayers.
Lawrence yawned and, for a moment, seriously considered going back to sleep. Despite the comparatively easy journey, they had of course camped on the way from Kerube to Lenos. Moreover, compared with the snowbound country of Winfiel or that snowy shack up in the mountains, this inn was the very lap of luxury.
Elsa seemed to share that opinion. Because it had been rather suddenly decided that she would stay with them, they had hastily arranged for a straw mattress to be brought in, but as far as Elsa was concerned, it was a grand indulgence.
"Not even the village elder sleeps on a bed so fine!" she had said with a sheepish smile. And the rapidity with which she had fallen asleep after lying down exceeded even the notoriously sound sleeper Holo, which proved the truth of Elsa's claim rather thoroughly. Elsa's soft snoring arose so quickly that Holo had sat up in annoyance, just to prove that it was not her.
Though she was strict with others and with herself, because such human aspects of Elsa remained made her very easy to become fond of, barring other conflicts of interest. The way she interacted with Col, too, was very different from Holo's puppylike indulgence of him and similarly different from Fran's danger appeal.
So Holo had probably gone along with them to the morning prayers simply to protect her territory. She might claim that she did not care to whom Col became attached, but from her stiff facial expressions, it was easy to imagine.
The more she acted like the wisewolf she was, the more amusing she became.
Considering all that, Lawrence felt a little pleased and proud of himself since she had revealed her true feelings to him alone. If she caught on that he had realized this, she would tease him mercilessly as backlash, but fortunately, he was the only one in the room. Lawrence smiled and yawned, cracked his neck, and got out of bed.
Although they had received most necessities from Hugues back in Kerube, there were a few things that needed to be prepared. He needed to go to the stable and check on the state of his other companion there, and there were food and fuel provisions that needed to be bought for the next leg of the journey.

Output:
Given that the inns were all filled, that unlucky prospect bore consideration. If it came to that, his quickness as a traveling merchant would be a virtue. He finished his preparations, informed the innkeeper of his plans, then went out into the town.
Lawrence realized it had been some time since he had ventured out early on his own to lay in supplies. Perhaps thanks to the fine weather, his body felt light and his heart excited.
But he knew that even as the sun rose, it would also set. It was nice to be alone, but only when one was not truly alone.
Lawrence set out onto the streets. The breath fog from people walking merrily along rose as he went, illuminated by the morning sun.
When Lawrence came to the marketplace, it was crowded even before he entered it.
There were mules loaded heavily with green, frost-resistant vegetables, and men carrying barrels full of vinegar so strong it made the eyes water. There was a cart filled with rock salt that was accompanied by armed guards and which bore the seal and standard of some nobleman. Lawrence did not know if it was meant for this marketplace or on its way somewhere else, but it was amusing to watch sharp-eyed youngsters be chased off by the guards like so many flies. Perhaps they were trying to pick up any bits of salt that fell to the ground and turn them into a bit of spending money.
If such a heavy guard was necessary, then the profit from sneaking salt as false stone statues must have been sizable. Lawrence thought of Eve, who had sneaked right out of town one night and was now surely doing business somewhere in the south. He found himself less envious than simply astonished.
Such thoughts occupied his mind as he wandered the marketplace, inhaling the myriad scents that wafted from the stalls as he walked by each one. If there was this much in the market, buying what he needed ought nary be a trouble.
He passed barrels filled with carp, which splashed water up as they swam vigorously about, and arrived at a cheese monger's shop, with cheeses lined up for display. Cheese did not spoil quickly, and it was filling. And there was another way to eat it, he had learned long ago, that he would remember until the end of his days.
The cheese was put to the flame, melted as though one was boiling water. Then bread or anything else could be dipped generously in it and eaten.
It was originally a dish from the south, but the colder the weather the more magnificent it became. Lawrence got excited just thinking about how enthusiastic he imagined Holo and Col would be to try it.
As he imagined the scene, Lawrence became aware of the shopkeeper's appraising eye on him. The man was placing a large, square-carved stone on one side of a great set of scales.
Lawrence rubbed his face as though blaming the cold, then erased the smile from his face and raised his voice. "I'd like a wheel of cheese! How much?"
Given the number of foreign travelers, the shop did not bother with anything that indicated prices. Moreover, at Lawrence's question, the thin shopkeeper—who looked more like a shepherd than a cheese monger—only continued to look at Lawrence curiously.
"That one, for example," said Lawrence, indicating the large wheel about to be weighed. The shopkeeper's apprentice also awaited the master's orders, his face red from effort as he manhandled said wheel.
"Ah...I suppose you arrived yesterday or today, eh?" replied the shopkeeper finally, like an old man who was hard of hearing. He then gave his apprentice the signal to put the cheese on the scale.
A baker's scale was big enough, but the balance beam on this one was even thicker. The chains, too, were free of any ornamentation at all—it was a very utilitarian device, and it clanked loudly when the cheese was loaded onto it.


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

Input:
Given that the inns were all filled, that unlucky prospect bore consideration. If it came to that, his quickness as a traveling merchant would be a virtue. He finished his preparations, informed the innkeeper of his plans, then went out into the town.
Lawrence realized it had been some time since he had ventured out early on his own to lay in supplies. Perhaps thanks to the fine weather, his body felt light and his heart excited.
But he knew that even as the sun rose, it would also set. It was nice to be alone, but only when one was not truly alone.
Lawrence set out onto the streets. The breath fog from people walking merrily along rose as he went, illuminated by the morning sun.
When Lawrence came to the marketplace, it was crowded even before he entered it.
There were mules loaded heavily with green, frost-resistant vegetables, and men carrying barrels full of vinegar so strong it made the eyes water. There was a cart filled with rock salt that was accompanied by armed guards and which bore the seal and standard of some nobleman. Lawrence did not know if it was meant for this marketplace or on its way somewhere else, but it was amusing to watch sharp-eyed youngsters be chased off by the guards like so many flies. Perhaps they were trying to pick up any bits of salt that fell to the ground and turn them into a bit of spending money.
If such a heavy guard was necessary, then the profit from sneaking salt as false stone statues must have been sizable. Lawrence thought of Eve, who had sneaked right out of town one night and was now surely doing business somewhere in the south. He found himself less envious than simply astonished.
Such thoughts occupied his mind as he wandered the marketplace, inhaling the myriad scents that wafted from the stalls as he walked by each one. If there was this much in the market, buying what he needed ought nary be a trouble.
He passed barrels filled with carp, which splashed water up as they swam vigorously about, and arrived at a cheese monger's shop, with cheeses lined up for display. Cheese did not spoil quickly, and it was filling. And there was another way to eat it, he had learned long ago, that he would remember until the end of his days.
The cheese was put to the flame, melted as though one was boiling water. Then bread or anything else could be dipped generously in it and eaten.
It was originally a dish from the south, but the colder the weather the more magnificent it became. Lawrence got excited just thinking about how enthusiastic he imagined Holo and Col would be to try it.
As he imagined the scene, Lawrence became aware of the shopkeeper's appraising eye on him. The man was placing a large, square-carved stone on one side of a great set of scales.
Lawrence rubbed his face as though blaming the cold, then erased the smile from his face and raised his voice. "I'd like a wheel of cheese! How much?"
Given the number of foreign travelers, the shop did not bother with anything that indicated prices. Moreover, at Lawrence's question, the thin shopkeeper—who looked more like a shepherd than a cheese monger—only continued to look at Lawrence curiously.
"That one, for example," said Lawrence, indicating the large wheel about to be weighed. The shopkeeper's apprentice also awaited the master's orders, his face red from effort as he manhandled said wheel.
"Ah...I suppose you arrived yesterday or today, eh?" replied the shopkeeper finally, like an old man who was hard of hearing. He then gave his apprentice the signal to put the cheese on the scale.
A baker's scale was big enough, but the balance beam on this one was even thicker. The chains, too, were free of any ornamentation at all—it was a very utilitarian device, and it clanked loudly when the cheese was loaded onto it.

Output:
Within the box smoldered charcoal, which heated the brand such that it could mark the cheese.
"I see. Bad luck, then." There was a hissing sound, and soon the fragrant smell of charring cheese hit Lawrence's nose. "It's not neglect that there are no prices out. These have all sold." Lawrence barely had time to make a sound of surprise before the man continued, "That one, this one, and this one here, too, are all being taken away today. It's good to have the rush in business, but it's dizzying, too. And I've got to endure the sad faces of all the unlucky travelers, too."
Lawrence did not put his hand to his face, instead managing a chagrined smile that was still probably rather pathetic. "Well, it's nice that business is good." Even a few weeks before, the trouble with the furs, the aftermath of the cancellation of the northern campaign, and the heavy taxes would have all but stagnated the marketplace.
"Aye...the business came back all of a sudden, truly. I suppose it's something like the weather. When it's nice out, people come and shop. Don't you think?"
A merchant who dealt in something that kept so well as cheese did could surely live a well-kept, easy life. The fact that he seemed a bit musty was due in part to Lawrence's own youth.
"I quite agree. Incidentally, is tomorrow's cheese also spoken for? Or the day after's?" Lawrence asked, at which the shopkeeper nodded heavily. The queue was apparently very long indeed.
Lawrence scratched his head in consternation, and the shopkeeper pretended to ignore his predicament. "Our cheese goes well with wine, though. The taverns keep quite a stock on hand."
"Huh?" Lawrence looked back at the shopkeeper in surprise, but the shopkeep was already pretending Lawrence was not there, instead busily giving orders to his apprentice.
Though he could not say so openly, the shopkeeper had essentially told Lawrence that if he went to a tavern, they might spare him some cheese there.
A town separated its specialties, such that the cheese monger sold cheese and the tavern sold wine. The cheese monger could not operate as a drinking establishment, nor was the tavern allowed to sell cheese in quantity.
But there were always exceptions to the rules.
Apparently this shopkeeper was of an accommodating disposition.
"My thanks to you. I'll give that a try this evening, then," said Lawrence.
"Aye, you do that. Oh, and—!" The shopkeeper called to Lawrence as the latter began to walk away. "It's going to be much the same for anything else you want to buy. Don't bother looking at the shops—it's the storehouses you'll want to peek in."
Lawrence found himself briefly lost in thought at these words, and he was soon carried off by the flow of people. The cheese monger was soon out of sight.
"It's the storehouses you'll want to peek in"—that was another thing that ought not to have been said out loud.
And just as the shopkeeper had said, Lawrence soon discovered that of all the goods he had hoped to find in the market, he could get none at all, or not enough, or else the only thing left were the scraps none of the other customers would buy.
And yet the prices were not so very high. What kept running through Lawrence's head was the earlier trouble in Lenos, with the furs.
The market was so busy it made a merchant like Lawrence almost angry to be in it, so he left, making straight for a less-crowded street.
His destination was somewhere no proper merchant would be at this hour: the Beast and Fish Tail.
Before the Beast and Fish Tail's back door there stood a wagon, loaded with various crates and barrels—and counting them with visible irritation was none other than that same barmaid.
Despite her brusqueness, the boy minding the wagon was only too happy to answer her every question as she demanded this or that piece of information from him.
She was a marvelous witch of a girl. But could she hear the voice in his mind that said so?


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

Input:
Within the box smoldered charcoal, which heated the brand such that it could mark the cheese.
"I see. Bad luck, then." There was a hissing sound, and soon the fragrant smell of charring cheese hit Lawrence's nose. "It's not neglect that there are no prices out. These have all sold." Lawrence barely had time to make a sound of surprise before the man continued, "That one, this one, and this one here, too, are all being taken away today. It's good to have the rush in business, but it's dizzying, too. And I've got to endure the sad faces of all the unlucky travelers, too."
Lawrence did not put his hand to his face, instead managing a chagrined smile that was still probably rather pathetic. "Well, it's nice that business is good." Even a few weeks before, the trouble with the furs, the aftermath of the cancellation of the northern campaign, and the heavy taxes would have all but stagnated the marketplace.
"Aye...the business came back all of a sudden, truly. I suppose it's something like the weather. When it's nice out, people come and shop. Don't you think?"
A merchant who dealt in something that kept so well as cheese did could surely live a well-kept, easy life. The fact that he seemed a bit musty was due in part to Lawrence's own youth.
"I quite agree. Incidentally, is tomorrow's cheese also spoken for? Or the day after's?" Lawrence asked, at which the shopkeeper nodded heavily. The queue was apparently very long indeed.
Lawrence scratched his head in consternation, and the shopkeeper pretended to ignore his predicament. "Our cheese goes well with wine, though. The taverns keep quite a stock on hand."
"Huh?" Lawrence looked back at the shopkeeper in surprise, but the shopkeep was already pretending Lawrence was not there, instead busily giving orders to his apprentice.
Though he could not say so openly, the shopkeeper had essentially told Lawrence that if he went to a tavern, they might spare him some cheese there.
A town separated its specialties, such that the cheese monger sold cheese and the tavern sold wine. The cheese monger could not operate as a drinking establishment, nor was the tavern allowed to sell cheese in quantity.
But there were always exceptions to the rules.
Apparently this shopkeeper was of an accommodating disposition.
"My thanks to you. I'll give that a try this evening, then," said Lawrence.
"Aye, you do that. Oh, and—!" The shopkeeper called to Lawrence as the latter began to walk away. "It's going to be much the same for anything else you want to buy. Don't bother looking at the shops—it's the storehouses you'll want to peek in."
Lawrence found himself briefly lost in thought at these words, and he was soon carried off by the flow of people. The cheese monger was soon out of sight.
"It's the storehouses you'll want to peek in"—that was another thing that ought not to have been said out loud.
And just as the shopkeeper had said, Lawrence soon discovered that of all the goods he had hoped to find in the market, he could get none at all, or not enough, or else the only thing left were the scraps none of the other customers would buy.
And yet the prices were not so very high. What kept running through Lawrence's head was the earlier trouble in Lenos, with the furs.
The market was so busy it made a merchant like Lawrence almost angry to be in it, so he left, making straight for a less-crowded street.
His destination was somewhere no proper merchant would be at this hour: the Beast and Fish Tail.
Before the Beast and Fish Tail's back door there stood a wagon, loaded with various crates and barrels—and counting them with visible irritation was none other than that same barmaid.
Despite her brusqueness, the boy minding the wagon was only too happy to answer her every question as she demanded this or that piece of information from him.
She was a marvelous witch of a girl. But could she hear the voice in his mind that said so?

Output:
Or else she had given up on pushing and was going to try a pull instead.
"Quite. Haste can be a virtue, after all."
The girl scratched something into a wax-covered board, then looked up at him as though she were counting money given to her by a drunkard. Then she sighed. "So, what profit is it you're chasing this time, eh?"
It was obvious he was interrupting her work, but Lawrence kept his affable smile up and answered proudly. "Nothing like that. I was hoping you'd let me buy a little from you."
The barmaid's expression was the very epitome of a suspicious face. She raised one eyebrow, and the Huh? she was thinking to herself was entirely obvious. "If taverns start selling goods, the town would be in chaos. Why not go to the marketplace? I'm a little busy here."
Having finished her count, the girl tucked the board under her arm and poked her head through the back door, shouting something into the tavern. She certainly was not going to bring all these goods inside herself, so perhaps she was calling for the master of the shop.
"I'm sure you are, if you're planning to use all of this in your cooking."
She kept her head impudently in the doorway, with her nicely shaped rear facing the street. If she had had a rabbit tail, it would surely have been twitching.
The barmaid finally turned to regard him, a look of frustration on her face. "These are extra supplies, in case of hardship."
"I'll bet they are," said Lawrence with a smile. The barmaid averted her gaze and scratched her head. She was obviously unsure what to do. "I'll pay in cash. Gold coin, if you like. Or"—he offered the choice he would give in any normal business transaction—"would smaller coins be better?"
The girl finally sighed. "I see," she said. "I see how it is. As soon as you figured things out, you came straight here. Where'd you get that idea, I wonder?" She looked up at the sky as though she had dropped her coin purse somewhere, hands on her hips, eyes closed.
Every one of her exaggerated gestures was deeply amusing. If she quit her job at the tavern, she could surely find work as a dancing girl.
"The value of coin is rising, isn't it?"
The girl nodded at Lawrence's words. "But these truly are emergency supplies."
Lawrence briefly greeted the shopkeeper, whose head had just emerged from the doorway. "I'm sure they are," he said.
Only very recently, the town had been in chaos.
Regardless of how accustomed the residents were becoming to such conditions, its effects were unmistakably lingering—especially when it came to trade.
Just yesterday, Lawrence had been reminded of when he and Holo had first come to this town and been swept up in the fallen noblewoman and brilliant merchant Eve's fur-trading schemes.
The city had then decided that, in exchange for selling furs to foreign traders, they would accept only cash.
Furs were much more profitable to sell after being processed and turned into clothing, rather than as a raw commodity. Thus, the craftsmen who made their living by the processing of fur had absolutely no desire to sell their furs to outside traders.
But it would have been difficult for the city to outright ban the sale of furs to foreign merchants. In the worst case, there could be violent rebellion on the part of those merchants. So using the Church, they required that all business be conducted in cash. Since no one traveled long distances carrying large amounts of coin, this seemed like a splendid plan. There was no ban on sales, but there was simply nothing to purchase with.
It was thought that this would settle everything, but the Church that handed down this decision added another condition that made things complicated.
The Church had its own coffers, which were always full of money. And in order to solidify their power base, they sought someone through whom they could lend money to the outside. And thus did they loan a large amount of money to the foreign merchants.


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

Input:
Or else she had given up on pushing and was going to try a pull instead.
"Quite. Haste can be a virtue, after all."
The girl scratched something into a wax-covered board, then looked up at him as though she were counting money given to her by a drunkard. Then she sighed. "So, what profit is it you're chasing this time, eh?"
It was obvious he was interrupting her work, but Lawrence kept his affable smile up and answered proudly. "Nothing like that. I was hoping you'd let me buy a little from you."
The barmaid's expression was the very epitome of a suspicious face. She raised one eyebrow, and the Huh? she was thinking to herself was entirely obvious. "If taverns start selling goods, the town would be in chaos. Why not go to the marketplace? I'm a little busy here."
Having finished her count, the girl tucked the board under her arm and poked her head through the back door, shouting something into the tavern. She certainly was not going to bring all these goods inside herself, so perhaps she was calling for the master of the shop.
"I'm sure you are, if you're planning to use all of this in your cooking."
She kept her head impudently in the doorway, with her nicely shaped rear facing the street. If she had had a rabbit tail, it would surely have been twitching.
The barmaid finally turned to regard him, a look of frustration on her face. "These are extra supplies, in case of hardship."
"I'll bet they are," said Lawrence with a smile. The barmaid averted her gaze and scratched her head. She was obviously unsure what to do. "I'll pay in cash. Gold coin, if you like. Or"—he offered the choice he would give in any normal business transaction—"would smaller coins be better?"
The girl finally sighed. "I see," she said. "I see how it is. As soon as you figured things out, you came straight here. Where'd you get that idea, I wonder?" She looked up at the sky as though she had dropped her coin purse somewhere, hands on her hips, eyes closed.
Every one of her exaggerated gestures was deeply amusing. If she quit her job at the tavern, she could surely find work as a dancing girl.
"The value of coin is rising, isn't it?"
The girl nodded at Lawrence's words. "But these truly are emergency supplies."
Lawrence briefly greeted the shopkeeper, whose head had just emerged from the doorway. "I'm sure they are," he said.
Only very recently, the town had been in chaos.
Regardless of how accustomed the residents were becoming to such conditions, its effects were unmistakably lingering—especially when it came to trade.
Just yesterday, Lawrence had been reminded of when he and Holo had first come to this town and been swept up in the fallen noblewoman and brilliant merchant Eve's fur-trading schemes.
The city had then decided that, in exchange for selling furs to foreign traders, they would accept only cash.
Furs were much more profitable to sell after being processed and turned into clothing, rather than as a raw commodity. Thus, the craftsmen who made their living by the processing of fur had absolutely no desire to sell their furs to outside traders.
But it would have been difficult for the city to outright ban the sale of furs to foreign merchants. In the worst case, there could be violent rebellion on the part of those merchants. So using the Church, they required that all business be conducted in cash. Since no one traveled long distances carrying large amounts of coin, this seemed like a splendid plan. There was no ban on sales, but there was simply nothing to purchase with.
It was thought that this would settle everything, but the Church that handed down this decision added another condition that made things complicated.
The Church had its own coffers, which were always full of money. And in order to solidify their power base, they sought someone through whom they could lend money to the outside. And thus did they loan a large amount of money to the foreign merchants.

Output:
That was about the end of the story, but such disturbances always leave their claw marks behind.
The consequences here were that, since the merchants had bought up the furs and fled, the town's money was now concentrated in the hands of a very few.
And whenever there was such concentration, instability came with it.
In this case, the value of the currency shot up.
"Since the riot, it's like the money's dried up from the town. There's no money anywhere you go. It vanished like smoke. Even if you allow that many trades happen on credit, you still need small coins. We're in real trouble," said the barmaid, as they talked in the tavern's cellar.
Its walls were lined with all the things Lawrence had been unable to buy in the marketplace.
"They say anything scarce becomes dear," said Lawrence.
"There's too much cash in the hands of the fur dealers. But because coin shortage is a problem for any town, it's not as though we can import some coppers. And now, even a dull copper is starting to look as brilliant as any gold."
During times of cash-only business, the clever ones would bet that the value of currency would eventually fall to its former levels, but while it was high, they would buy as many goods as they could.
And that was why the marketplace's condition was as strange as it was.
"And as a tavern, you can easily avoid any accusations that you're speculating. Very clever."
Lawrence wrote his prices on a wooden slate and handed it over. The barmaid wrinkled her nose and rewrote all the figures.
"Too high," said Lawrence.
"Feel free to try your luck in the marketplace." Constantly dealing as she did with so many drunken patrons, the girl was tougher than any grizzled merchant. Her position was strong—they had no need to sell Lawrence anything.
"Understood. But I'll be expecting quality."
"Heh. That's a compromise I can make."
Given the satisfied way she looked at the slate, it was all too clear how cheaply the tavern had originally obtained the goods. There was no winning against an opponent with cunning, capital, and nerve.
"Still, I'm a bit surprised," said the girl.
"Oh?"
"That you'd come alone."
"I've come alone more times than not."
The girl put her index finger to her chin. "I suppose that's true," she murmured.
"My companion told me not to think that a jewel can shine alone, though."
Hearing these words, the barmaid's smile was as bright as any gem. "So, will the next few days be all right?"
"Yes, if you please."
"And it would be best if you could take delivery in the morning, although not too early. We're a tavern, after all."
The girl seemed like the sort who rose with the dawn and immediately got to work, but there was a certain charm to the idea of her lolling lazily about in bed for a while, too.
"Understood. Not too late, not too early."
"Timing is of the essence, after all."
Lawrence mused that he had heard those words an awful lot recently, and then realized there was one more thing he had meant to ask.
"Has the letter come yet?"
"Speaking of timing, no, not yet. If it's urgent, I'll have it sent to your inn once it arrives."
"If you please," said Lawrence and took his leave of the girl.
She deliberately betrayed no particular regret at parting, not even looking at Lawrence. Instead, she vaguely waved the slate in his general direction.
Though traveling merchants made their living amid hellos and good-byes, they could not hold a candle to those who worked in taverns. The world was a big place, and there was always a bigger fish.
"Well, then," murmured Lawrence to himself. This had all taken longer than he had expected. He considered going to the stables, but then Holo's hungry, displeased face flashed across his mind. He sighed and decided to hurry back to the inn.