Spice and Wolf, Vol. 3

by Isuna Hasekura

  Moreover, even if it appeared to be a normal deal on the surface, Amati was sure to notice that the contents of the proposed deal were completely antagonistic.

  That being the case, Lawrence could appropriately employ a provoking attitude when facing Amati. This was not a business talk, because Lawrence was not thinking of making money at all.

  When a merchant began considering things other than the profits and losses of business, it already counted as a loss. However, Lawrence had long since thrown away such a rational idea.

  After inquiring from the innkeeper of the possible bars at which Amati could be spending time, Lawrence began searching them one by one, finally finding Amati in the fourth. In spite of the fervent festival atmosphere that filled the streets outside, Amati drank alone in the quiet bar.

  Amati's face appeared somewhat fatigued, perhaps because his tenseness had dissipated after accomplishing the fortunate and important mission of signing the marriage certificate with Horo, or perhaps because he had not yet gathered all of the thousand silver coins.

  However, Lawrence did not care one bit about Amati's inner state.

  A deal could not always be conducted under circumstances of perfect preparedness. During such times, in order to allow the deal to proceed smoothly, the merchant had to depend on his own ability.

  Besides, Lawrence was unwilling to wait until the next day, lest negotiations became even more difficult. Because the deal Lawrence planned to propose just happened to be the type that absolutely did not permit delay.

  After taking a deep breath, Lawrence walked into Amati's scope of vision before Amati noticed him. "Ah…”

  "Good evening," said Lawrence.

  Amati did not seem to believe naively that meeting the disagreeable Lawrence here was a matter of sheer coincidence.

  Although Amati was stunned speechless, he had recovered his fishmonger expression after just a few seconds.

  "You need not be so on guard. I am here to talk business.”

  The fact that Lawrence was able to reveal a light smile on his face surprised even himself. Yet Amati, hearing this, replied with a very un-amused expression: "If you are here to talk business, then that is all the more reason to be on guard.” “Ha ha, indeed. Then, would you mind sparing a moment?”

  Amati nodded his head, and Lawrence sat down at the same table. To the somewhat annoyed-looking bar owner who had come to take his order, Lawrence only uttered a simple, "Wine.”

  In spite of having a maiden-like, slender body, the opponent sitting face to face with him was a fishmonger who had left his household and come to this place alone, and whose success was within sight. Lawrence reminded himself not to be fooled by his youngster-like appearance, and not to drop his guard.

  At the same time, it was even more important not to allow the opponent to keep his guard up. Lawrence cleared his throat once, very naturally, and looked around a bit before opening his mouth to speak: "It is quiet here. This is a good place.”

  "You cannot drink quietly in any of the other bars. This place is hard to come by.”

  Hearing this, Lawrence could not help but wonder if "Now my peace has been disturbed by this disagreeable guy" was implied within Amati's words.

  Yet, even Lawrence wanted to finish the discussion as quickly as possible.

  "So, you must be quite surprised that I would suddenly bring up the subject of business with you. However, you have surprised me yourself in your own way, so that makes us even.”

  Lawrence did not know what kind of sweet talk Amati had spoken to Horo to win her favor and get her to sign the marriage certificate. No matter how impulsive Horo was, Lawrence did not believe that she would have had the desire to sign the certificate.

  If that were the case, it meant that Horo must have done so under Amati's instigation. However, Lawrence did not have any right to blame Horo.

  The one who had allowed Amati into the room was Horo, and the one who had caused such a situation in the first place was Lawrence.

  Although Lawrence did not know how Amati had successfully persuaded Horo, he raised his right hand and stopped Amati, who was just then preparing to open his mouth to explain this very incident.

  "No, I am not here to discuss that incident. However, that incident indeed forms the reason for my coming here to bring up business with you. I do not plan to pursue that matter any further. After all, what decision to make concerning all this is all Horo's own free will.”

  Amati stared at Lawrence, a hint of anger showing up on his face, then nodded his head lightly.

  Although Amati's eyes revealed that he still held suspicions toward Lawrence's words, Lawrence did not plan to make any further explanation to undo his doubts.

  That was because what Lawrence needed to say next was even more a cause for suspicion.

  "However, it was that incident after all that caused me to think of this business, so I dare not say that this can constitute a normal deal," he said.

  "What exactly are you planning?" Amati cut straight to the point.

  Yet, Lawrence did not cower at all, but continued: "I'll just cut to the chase. I wish to sell you pyrite.”

  In that moment, Amati's blue eyes, which had been fixed on Lawrence, trailed off toward some unknown direction in the distance.

  "Huh?”

  "I wish to sell you pyrite. According to the current market value, approximately five hundred Trenni silver coins' worth of pyrite.”

  Amati, whose mouth was half agape, brought his eyes' focus back from afar, laughed lightly and said with a sigh: "Please do not joke around.” “I am not joking.”

  Amati instantly retracted his smile, looking at Lawrence with eyes almost wrathful.

  "You should be aware that I have made a considerable amount of money reselling pyrite. Knowing this, you say you wish to sell me pyrite? The larger the amount on hand, the more money to be made, I simply cannot believe that you would do such a thing. Or is it that-”

  Amati paused momentarily, then spoke, his eyes truly emanating a wrathful emotion: "Rumor has it that as long as you can get back the owed amount, you would not care in the least how Miss Horo ends up, could this be true?”

  Amati's utterance made it instantly clear to Lawrence what Horo had said, as well as what Amati was thinking.

  From Amati emanated the bold nature of a knight, somewhat irritating for Lawrence to behold. "No. To me, Horo is a very important existence," said Lawrence.

  "In that case, how could-”

  "Of course, I will not sell it to you so simply.”

  If it were an auction in which malevolent words were thrown around among opponents, perhaps Amati would be more proficient in handling the situation, but in a one-on-one business talk, Lawrence was fully confident that he did not lose to Amati.

  Lawrence had grasped the pace of Amati's talk, and was controlling the conversation so as to turn the situation in his own favor.

  Lawrence spoke his premeditated lines in an extremely cool voice: "I wish to sell on credit.”

  Possibly due to having heard an unfamiliar term, Amati asked in response: "Selling….on credit?”

  "Precisely.”

  "What exactly is….”

  "What I mean is, I wish to sell you five hundred Trenni silver coins' worth of pyrite tomorrow evening according to its current market value.”

  Whenever Horo bragged about her sharp sense of hearing, she would always say that she could even hear the sound produced during a frown (note: referring to the sound of the furrowing brow), and now Lawrence felt as if he were able to hear that very sound.

  It was apparent, then, that Amati's expression clearly expressed how confused he was by all this. "In that case, just talk to me about this tomorrow evening…" He said.

  "No, I wish to receive the payment right now." Amati's expression grew even more bewildered.

  Unless Amati possessed acting skills on par with Horo's, it was clear that he had no knowledge concerning the act of selling on credit.

 
; If a merchant lacked information, it was like going onto a battlefield blindfolded. Lawrence stretched the bowstring tight and prepared to shoot off the arrow.

  "In other words, I will accept five hundred silver coins from you, Mr. Amati, here and now, and give you tomorrow evening the amount of pyrite equivalent to five hundred silver coins at this moment in time." Amati thought hard on this. On the surface, selling on credit was not a difficult concept to understand.

  Not long had passed before Amati seemed to have come to an understanding about the way selling on credit worked.

  "What this means is that, when tomorrow evening arrives, even if the market value of pyrite is higher than its current value, I will still be able to receive the amount of pyrite calculated according to the current value, correct?" He said.

  "Precisely. For instance, if I were to sell you a piece of pyrite worth 1200 Iredo on credit, I would collect the 1200 Iredo from you right now. When tomorrow evening arrives, even if its value has risen to two thousand Iredo, I would still have to give you the piece of pyrite.”

  "….On the other hand, even if the value has dropped to only two hundred Iredo by tomorrow evening, I would still only be able to receive one piece of pyrite, correct?” “It is just as you said.”

  Amati's reaction speed was indeed quick.

  Yet, Lawrence still worried whether Amati would be able to discover the meaning of this deal.

  Thinking about it in a simple manner, selling on credit was no different from selling off the product on hand on the spot.

  Once the product on hand had been sold, if the product's value were to increase, it would cause regret over having sold too early, and if its value were to drop, it would bring relief over having already sold it.

  Yet, the difference in time between the money transaction and the product transaction was a decisive one. This difference was exactly what Lawrence wished Amati to realize.

  If Amati were not able to realize this, the odds of his refusing the deal would be extremely high. Amati opened his mouth: "This really isn't any different from a regular business deal, is it?" Amati did not get it.

  Lawrence controlled his vexed emotion. In order to get Amati to understand, he prepared to deliver a guiding explanation.

  At that moment, Amati stopped him short. "No, there should be a difference.”

  Amati smiled in satisfaction. His youngster-like face transformed into that of a merchant, which responded only to profits and losses.

  "You are still hoping to gain some profit from this business in which you have become involved a step late, am I right?”

  It appeared that Lawrence did not need to make any further explanation.

  A merchant would not make a meaningless deal. If, at a glance, a deal appeared to be meaningless, it meant that the observer lacked a full understanding.

  "If buying on credit is a way of obtaining a product without the appropriate funds on hand, then this selling on credit is a way of selling a product and obtaining cash without actually having the product on hand. If buying on credit yields profit when some product on hand rises in price, then when one is selling on credit, if the value of cash were to rise, a profit would be made. In other words, a drop in the price of the item sold would bring a profit," Amati continued.

  Moreover, when conducting the deal, not having the product in question on hand did not constitute a problem at all.

  Because this was a deal conducted under the promise of delivering the product at a later point in time.

  "Ha ha, this is something new. Being just involved in fish-related deals has rendered me ignorant of just how large the world is. You chose me as the target for this deal because. no, the reason seems obvious without anything said concerning the matter. If I purchase an additional five hundred silver coins' worth of pyrite from you, as the price rises, my profit will of course increase accordingly, but when the price drops, my losses will increase as well. When the time comes for you to earn a profit, that is also the time when I will be suffering losses.”

  Amati thrust out his chest, his expression full of confidence.

  Lawrence, on the other hand, could feel his own face becoming completely devoid of expression. The hand pulling on the bowstring trembled tensely.

  Amati continued to speak: "What this means is….”

  Lawrence was a step ahead, releasing the arrow: "Mr. Amati, I am challenging you to a battle.”

  The corners of the fishmonger's mouth curled upward. That smile was certainly one befitting a merchant. "This cannot really count as a battle can it?”

  Yet, the words that came out of the merchant's mouth were such.

  "A so-called 'battle' is supposed to proceed under the condition that both sides possess equal odds, and this deal is not equal at all. I do not suppose that you, Mr. Lawrence, are saying that this selling on credit has meaning only between you and me?”

  "What do you mean?”

  "You do not plan to conduct the deal without signing a certificate do you? What I mean is, can this certificate be passed on to someone else?”

  Except in very remote areas, deals related to debt and crediting rights were commonly conducted. Of course, certificates for selling on credit were no exception.

  "If I were to propose a deal with such limited freedom, surely you would not be willing to accept? Would not the risk be too great then?" said Lawrence.

  "Indeed. Even if the price of pyrite were really to drop tomorrow evening as you, Mr. Lawrence have predicted, as long as its value reaches the amount I need sometime during the day, I will sell the pyrite. If I were to be restricted from selling at that time, I would have doubts over whether or not to accept the deal. However, if you are willing to accept this point, then this would not count as a deal in which the odds are equally favorable.”

  Lawrence listened in silence. Amati continued to speak: "That would be too unfair to you, Mr. Lawrence, since only a slight increase in the price is required for me to reach my goal. However, in order to protect my own interests, I would also not be willing to accept a deal that is in your favor.”

  In other words, regardless of the conditions, Amati was not willing to accept the deal. Yet, a merchant would not simply give up on a deal over a single refusal.

  Lawrence said steadily: "If you were to look only at this deal, what you have said is perhaps correct. However, if you were to widen your perspective a little, such a level of unfairness is actually just right.”

  "….Your meaning is.?

  "What I mean is, it is quite possible for Horo to tear up the marriage certificate. You have a copy as well right?”

  Amati looked at Lawrence in stupefaction.

  "Even if you were to pay me the thousand silver coins' worth of debt, you still cannot avoid the risk of Horo shaking her head in refusal and consequently achieving nothing at all. Compared to the risk you face, the little bit of unfairness I face is insignificant," Lawrence continued.

  Even so, a smile immediately crossed Amati's face, and he countered with a puff of his nose: "Ha! I doubt you need to worry about that. I heard the two of you had a huge fight.”

  Lawrence could feel the heat swelling up from his body, as if his back had been punctured by a red-hot iron rod. Even so, he summoned up all his strength and experience as a merchant, counter-attacking before the churning emotions could show up on his face: "During our travels, Horo has cried three times in my arms.”

  Lawrence having said this, Amati became the first to show emotion on his face.

  Amati's face, which was carrying a faint smile, froze on the spot. Slowly, he began making the sound of long and thin, deep breaths.

  "Although Horo is very cute when she is crying, it is a shame that her personality is so stubborn and unyielding. She often takes actions that are contrary to her true feelings. In other words-”

  "I accept the deal!”

  Amati forcefully cut off Lawrence's speech, his expression like that of a knight who had accepted a challenge.

  "I accept
your proposed deal!” “Is that really alright?”

  "Say no more, I accept! I was… I was worrying that if I were to take away everything from you, that would be overly harsh, hence what I said before. However, since you yourself have pushed so hard, I accept. In fact, I will also take away your fortune and everything you have.”

  Amati's face was crimson with fury.

  How could Lawrence not smile at such a time?

  Lawrence revealed a smile like that of a hunter reaching into his trap to pick up his captive prey, then reached out his right hand and said: "Do you wish to accept the deal?” “Do not doubt it!”

  The hands that clutched each other tightly were each a hand intending to steal away the other's treasure. "Then let us proceed to signing the contract right away.”

  Yet, Lawrence judged with a cool head and concluded thus.

  With regard to the present place and time of this deal, it could be said that both parties were on equal terms. Perhaps it would even be appropriate to say that Amati was at a slight disadvantage.

  Had Amati realized this? No, it was most likely because he had not noticed that he was willing to accept the deal.

  However, even if Amati were to realize it now, it would already be too late.

  The two borrowed pen and paper from the barkeeper, and signed the contract then and there.

  However, because Amati had trouble producing five hundred silver coins in cash, Lawrence agreed to let him substitute the remaining two hundred silver coins he lacked with the three horses he had in possession. The two arranged to have the cash payment take place at the toll of the bell signaling the opening of the marketplace the following morning, and the payment of horses in the evening.

  If the information supplied by Horo was reliable, Amati should have two hundred silver coins in cash, a supply of pyrite worth three hundred silver coins, along with two hundred silver coins' worth of re-sellable property.

  Although, doing a comparison now, the amount of cash Amati had on hand was a hundred silver coins greater, the fact that he used three horses to replace the two hundred silver coins he lacked probably indicated that these three horses constituted the re-sellable property he possessed.