Spice and Wolf, Vol. 3

by Isuna Hasekura

  "This contract is effective until the last day of the festival, in other words, sunset tomorrow. You have no objections?”

  Lawrence nodded in response to Amati's question, and added purposely: "Please pay the one thousand Trenni silver coins in cash. I will absolutely accept no haggling or divided payments.”

  Even if Amati was a fishmonger capable of simultaneously transporting three cartloads of fresh fish, there was no way he could possess the financial resources needed to come up with a thousand Trenni silver coins easily. If he were a merchant of such incredible financial strength, Lawrence would no doubt have heard about him long before this.

  Of course, if it were a purchase whose sum amounted to a thousand Trenni silver coins, Lawrence did not doubt that Amati could easily accomplish that.

  However, to put it in blunt terms, Amati's behavior was equivalent to buying Horo with a thousand silver coins. As long as Lawrence had no intention of selling, the thousand silver coins would simply be going directly from Amati's pocket to his own.

  If Amati were really to do such a thing, he would lack the funds necessary to buy fish the next day. Even if Horo were to actually accept Amati's proposal, surely what awaited the two would be a bleak future life and business. Although a poet would say that money cannot buy love, the opposite was also truth.

  "Then, Mr. Lawrence, let us meet here again tomorrow.”

  Even so, Amati's face still showed an inextinguishable excitement. No one called out to him as he walked out of the firm in big strides, head held high. Everyone's gaze then refocused on Lawrence.

  If he did not express anything at that moment, everyone would take him for a worthless traveling merchant who had fallen for Amati's trick.

  Lawrence straightened his collar, and said with full confidence: "I am sure my companion would not surrender herself to him if it is something as trivial as repaying a debt in her place.”

  A wave of cheers rose up from all around, as if to say, "Well said," and soon, calls like "Double for Lawrence, four times for Amati! Who wants to place a bet?" rang out throughout the firm.

  The one who had volunteered to become the banker of this bet was a salt merchant familiar to Lawrence. As soon as he noticed Lawrence looking in his direction, he gave Lawrence a wide grin.

  The fact that the payoff for betting on Lawrence was set at a lower value meant the merchants present had determined that Amati was more at a disadvantage. When Lawrence had seen the one thousand silver coins mentioned in the contract, the sense of relief that spread inside him was not based on a hopefully-expectant observation. Rather, looking at it with common sense, Amati's proposing such a contract was obviously a foolhardy act.

  The merchants' bets that continued to be placed one by one were also mostly in favor of Lawrence. As the betted sum grew higher and higher, so grew Lawrence's confidence.

  Although Lawrence was almost scared out of his wits when he had first heard Amati declare his intention to propose to Horo, the actual chances of Amati fulfilling the contract were extremely low.

  Moreover, even though as of right now, the odds already appeared to be stacked against Amati, there was one last key that gave Lawrence even more comfort.

  In other words, as long as Horo didn't nod her assent, Amati and Horo could not possibly get married. Concerning this point, Lawrence had absolute confidence.

  Amati could not possibly know that Lawrence and Horo were currently searching together for Horo's hometown in the North.

  Lawrence had mentioned to Horo before that to a merchant, information was more important than anything. Not having acquired information was like going onto a battlefield blindfolded.

  Amati's situation right now was a classic case of lacking information. Because of one oversight, even if he were to run all over the town, spending every effort and finally managing to gather the one thousand silver coins to help clear Horo's debt, Horo was still very likely to continue north with Lawrence.

  Lawrence pondered over all this as he apologized to the firm owner for having stirred up such a commotion under uncontrollable circumstances, and left the firm.

  The merchants would no doubt direct their attention to Lawrence as soon as the bets were all placed, so Lawrence thought it best to leave before then, because he certainly did not wish to become a banqueting topic.

  As Lawrence pushed through the numerous merchants and managed with some difficulty to exit the foreign firm, he found someone familiar standing outside.

  It was the person who had introduced Lawrence to the chronicler Deanna, Bartose. "You've certainly run into something quite troublesome.”

  Seeing Lawrence respond with a strained smile, Bartose showed a sympathetic smile- and immediately uttered a "But," and continued to speak: "I believe Amati proposed the contract because he's thought of a way to summon up the funds." Hearing such an unexpected remark from Bartose, the strained smile faded from Lawrence's face. "It can't be.”

  "Of course, the method doesn't seem like it could be counted as decent," Bartose added.

  It certainly couldn't be like the method he had employed back in Rubinhaigen, thought Lawrence.

  In Kumerson, there was no product whose import required a heavy tax. Without the problem of taxes, there was of course no point in smuggling.

  "I'm sure that before long, the news will have reached everyone's ears. If I show too much support for you, Mr. Amati would be too pitiable after having summoned up the courage to make such a bold declaration in the firm. I just wanted to tell you this ahead of time, Mr. Lawrence.”

  "But why?”

  Bartose revealed a smile like that of a youngster.

  "Because no matter what the reason, having someone to travel with is always a happy thing. If this traveling companion were to be snatched away, to a traveling merchant, that would just be too harsh,”

  Bartose said with a smile on his face. His appearance made one feel that what he had said was completely in earnest.

  "You should probably hurry back to the inn and come up with a counter plan right?" Bartose suggested. From Lawrence's point of view, Bartose was just like a business associate who was willing to conduct a large business deal with conditions favorable to Lawrence. Lawrence gave him a sign of gratitude and headed in the direction of the inn.

  Amati had already come up with a way of securing the funds.

  Although Lawrence had evaluated the situation incorrectly, there were still things between Lawrence and Horo that Bartose did not know about.

  Lawrence continued to ponder the situation back and forth as he walked along the street whose traffic was being regulated due to the festival.

  The conclusion he came to was that Horo would definitely not lean toward Amati.

  After Lawrence had recounted the events that had come to pass to Horo, who had stayed at the inn the entire time, he received an unexpectedly cold response.

  Horo certainly showed surprise when she had heard the message conveyed by Mark's apprentice boy, but now, she seemed to consider grooming her tail to be more important. She was sitting cross-legged and had placed her tail directly on her legs for grooming.

  "So, have you accepted the contract?" she asked. "Aye.”

  "Really…,”

  Horo said with a cold look, and immediately directed her gaze towards her tail. Watching Horo's uninterested appearance, Lawrence couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for Amati.

  Lawrence gazed out the window, telling himself, "There's nothing to worry about at all." At that moment, Horo suddenly spoke: "You.” “What is it?”

  "If that naive young master were really to pay the thousand silver coins, what would you do?”

  Lawrence felt that if he answered, "What do you mean what would I do" at that moment, Horo would most definitely reveal a disappointed expression.

  Most likely, Horo wished to know the first thought that surfaced in Lawrence's mind when faced with such a question.

  Lawrence pretended to ponder for a moment, and purposely chose a less-
than-ideal answer with which to respond: "After settling all the money you've spent, I'd give the rest of the money to you." The ears on Horo's head moved slowly, and her eyelids concealed half of each eye. "Do not test me," she said.

  "It would be too unfair if I were always the one being tested, wouldn't it?” “Hmph.”

  Horo gave a puff of her nose with a look of dissatisfaction before drawing her gaze back toward the tail next to her hands.

  Lawrence had intentionally not revealed the first thought that had surfaced in his mind.

  Moreover, Lawrence did this as a test to see whether Horo would detect that he had intentionally withheld the truth.

  "In the case that Amati fulfills the contract, I'll also keep my end of the bargain," he said. "Oh?”

  Although Horo had not lifted her face, Lawrence of course knew that she was not looking at her tail at all.

  "Of course, you were free to begin with, so you can act according to your own will," Lawrence continued. "Quite a bit of confidence you have.”

  Horo changed her cross-legged position, letting her feet rest on the floor.

  Her posture was a bit like the ready position she assumed every time she planned to pounce on Lawrence, which caused him to recoil slightly, but he immediately replied with great confidence: "It's not that I have confidence, but that I trust you." A single thing could be said in many different ways.

  Although in the end, what was expressed was the same idea, Lawrence felt that putting it this way seemed manlier.

  For a moment, Horo revealed a stunned expression, but being quick in reaction, she seemed to detect what Lawrence had in mind.

  After laughing cheerfully for a moment, she quickly stood up from her bed and said: "Seriously, you look much cuter when you are panic-stricken.”

  "Even I am deeply impressed with how much I've grown.”

  "Hmph, you think you count as a grownup simply by carrying yourself in a dignified manner?” “Is it not so?”

  "In a gambling match, if you bear yourself in an easy manner only after having assessed the odds and determined that the situation is in your favor, that is merely a show of a little cleverness and not the behavior of a grownup at all.”

  Hearing the centuries-old sage wolf express her brilliant view, Lawrence couldn't suppress a look of suspicion, as if he were facing someone who was marketing an odd piece of merchandise.

  "For example, when Amati had proposed the contract, refusing it would have been an admirable course of action as well, would it not?

  Before Lawrence even had a chance to say, "Not at all," Horo seized the initiative and continued: "Mostly likely, you had first judged the reactions of those around you and determined whether or not you would lose face, had you not?”

  "Erh….”

  "How about we consider the situation in which our standpoints are switched. In other words, I would say this-”

  Horo cleared her throat once, and said with her right hand pressed against her chest: "I could not possibly accept the contract. I wish to always be together with Lawrence. Even if I am in debt, that also counts as a bond that connects me and Lawrence. No matter how many bonds already exist to connect me and Lawrence, I cannot stand it if even one of those bonds were lost..as such, even if I were put to shame right here, I would not accept the contract..just like that, how about it?”

  This almost seemed like a scene from an opera.

  Horo's expression was so serious that her speech moved Lawrence deeply to the depths of his heart. "If I heard someone say this to me, I would surely be breathless for joy.”

  Although Lawrence was aware that Horo was of course joking, he also felt that her words were not without reason.

  Yet, Lawrence was certainly not willing to admit it outright, because the moment he did so, he would be admitting that he was a spineless man who had accepted the contract in order to preserve his public image. Moreover, if he had really made such a bold declaration in public, even if he did not become an object of ridicule right then and there, it would have posed problems for him later on.

  "Perhaps that would indeed be a manly act, but whether or not it counts as the act of a grownup is another matter altogether isn't it?”

  Horo folded her arms in front of her chest, and allowed her gaze to drift momentarily in the air before nodding her head lightly and speaking: "Indeed, although that is the behavior of a good male, it is also the rash behavior of a youngster that shows no consideration of consequences. Hearing such a declaration would perhaps bring a sense of joy, but, it would probably be a bit excessive (note: the Chinese here literally means "it would probably cause a stuffed burp," which doesn't make much sense in English, hence my choosing to translate it according to its implied meaning).”

  "I was right, wasn't I?”

  "Yea. Thinking about it this way, perhaps the behavior of a good male and that of a good grownup are mutually exclusive. A good male appears childish, whereas a good grownup appears to be good for nothing.”

  If an obstinate knight were to hear an utterance so disrespectful of men from Horo, he would probably be angered into drawing his sword in confrontation.

  Seeing Horo looking at him with a mocking smile, Lawrence naturally did not give up on countering: "In that case, how would the sage wolf Horo, who is both a good woman and a good grownup, respond if she were faced with Amati's contract?”

  Horo's face still wore a smile.

  Keeing her arms folded before her chest, she immediately replied: "By smilingly accepting the proposal of course.”

  Lawrence was speechless at hearing this, and Horo's smile followed him relentlessly.

  Seeing Horo's light smile, and the effortless ease with which she seemed to be able to accept Amati's contract, Lawrence could imagine just how calm and composed, how profound she was.

  Yet, Lawrence did not harbor the same thoughts as Horo.

  This made Lawrence realize once again that the one standing before him was, after all, Horo, the self-proclaimed sage wolf.

  "Of course, once I had signed the contract and returned to the inn, I would go like this, approaching your side without uttering a thing…”

  One step at a time, Horo forced Lawrence into the corner next to the window, loosened the arms that were folded in front of her chest and, reaching out gently to Lawrence said: "…and lower my head.”

  The way Horo drooped her tail and ears, and the way her shoulders sagged as if completely devoid of strength had an illusory appearance. If this were a trap that she had set up, surely it was one that could not be seen through.

  The next second brought a snicker from Horo, which filled Lawrence with apprehension.

  "However, you count as a good merchant. Surely you signed the contract because you had decided that this was a gamble with a good chance of winning. Even so, you will undoubtedly make numerous moves in the shadows, just to be sure.”

  Horo lifted her head, waving her ears and tail in a seemingly happy fashion and at the same time swinging around in a half circle, allowing her body to press firmly against Lawrence's side.

  Of course, Lawrence immediately understood Horo's intention. "You want me to take you to see the festival right?" he asked.

  "In order to fulfill a contract, a merchant would not hesitate to bribe, would he?”

  The contract between Lawrence and Amati was not directly related to Horo. Even so, whether or not Amati's proposal would succeed was the end of this commotion. To describe the situation in completely unembellished terms, whether or not Lawrence could earn the thousand silver coins in full was completely dependent on Horo's mood.

  Given Lawrence's position, how could he afford not to bribe Horo, who held the power of jurisdiction? "In any case, I have to make a move to gather information on Amati, so I guess I'll bring you along while I'm at it," he said.

  "You mean you will take me out, and gather information while you are at it?” “Fine,”

  Lawrence, who had received a punch in the waist from Horo, smiled and answe
red with a sigh.

  The first thing that needed to be done was to investigate Amati's financial state.

  According to Lawrence's calculations, Amati could not possibly produce the one thousand silver coins all at once, and Bartose himself had said that in order to gather the money, Amati was even employing methods that were not altogether decent, so this was probably true.

  However, if Amati were really to come up with the required sum, it would be quite troublesome. Thus, Lawrence decided to pay a visit to Mark's vending stand and request his help with the investigation.

  Because Mark kept his shop open as usual during the festival period, he had not had the opportunity to see the commotion for himself, and thus readily agreed to help. In such a situation where rumors were being spread continuously but with few merchants who had actually seen Horo's true face, bringing Horo to Mark's stand was indeed extremely effective.

  Compared to being able to watch the developments of the commotion from a front-row seat, providing a bit of help was a trivial matter.

  "Besides, the person who'll actually be running all about town isn't me," said Mark.

  Although the boy running the errands stirred one's sympathy, his was a road that everyone needed to pass, the thought of which put Lawrence in a complicated mood.

  "But, is it really alright for you to be running around with the rumored beauty?" asked Mark.

  "She said she wanted to see the Raddora Festival. Besides, if I'd kept her confined in the inn room, wouldn't I really become someone who's using debt to tie her down?”

  "Although Mr. Lawrence has put it that way, what is the truth of the situation?”

  Mark smiled and asked Horo. Horo was dressed today in the usual city girl fashion, and had donned the fox-skin scarf given to her by Amati. She appeared to understand what Mark was thinking, and with both hands pressed against her chest replied: "There is no hidden truth about it. I am in fact bound by the fetters of a heavy debt. These chains, which obstruct my view of the future, are so heavy that I cannot escape no matter how much I wish to….if you would be willing to help me undo these fetters, even if my face were to be dirtied with flour, I would gladly accept it.”