Spice & Wolf XI (DWT) Page 5

  The reason she had asked him to smile wide enough to open his mouth was so he wouldn’t bite his tongue. Being on the receiving end of such a sudden and powerful slap, the boy didn’t wipe the blood from his nose or even straighten his back. He simply stared wide-eyed at Holo, who had until then seemed like such a gentle angel.

  “People’s memories fade, but everyone has a moment in his life that he will never forget. Now this brave young boy Corolli shan’t forget this landscape for decades to come.”

  She smiled as she made her proclamation, at which point a commotion stirred through the crowd. It was their first reaction, having just recovered from the shocking incident. Chaos quickly descended upon them, but it was quickly replaced with a tremendous wave of laughter.

  They were all surely immigrants, having left their homes to come to this place. Those preparing to embark on such a journey would stand at the edge of their hometown, hearts filled with anxiety and anticipation, staring at the place they called home.

  They would engrave the sights in each cardinal direction deep into their memories before they left, such that they could answer with certainty where they were that day, precisely the spot they had stood as they looked back at their old homes.

  “Anyone who wishes to object to the conducted ceremony, raise your hand up high!”

  The village elder cried out, and the villagers grew quiet. Finally, they shouted back.

  “No objections!”

  One after another, the villagers expressed their appreciation of the Lord and of Holo’s wisdom. Some even began to dance. The only people to walk up to the boy were Holo, the elder, and (naturally) his mother. After his mother had taken his hand and lifted him up, he finally seemed to realize what had happened and burst into tears in her bosom.

  “In my old village, we didn’t slap, but rather cast stones.”

  She was the only person who knew what was going to happen ahead of time. Despite laughing uncertainly when it was proposed to her, she felt such pride over having her son being chosen for such a vital village record that it was obviously written on her face. She invoked God’s name in thanks to Holo and Lawrence.

  “Well, that takes care of that problem.”

  Holo proudly puffed out her chest as she spoke.

  * * *

  All villages remembered such days as ones where something special happened. They would commemorate them with feasts, and Keisse was no different. They were going to have a special celebration that night.

  The elder shook their hands so much that Lawrence’s hands were beginning to swell. He even offered to inscribe their names into the village’s history - as ones who had played a critical role in its development - to be honored and discussed for ages to come. As it stood, Lawrence would have no problem building a solid long-term relation with them.

  As the sun set, Lawrence watched the villagers decorate the banquet hall with a look of happiness on his face. Having finished his translation, he stretched out in his chair and turned back to see Holo sprawled out on the bed, tending to her tail.

  “You are done?”

  “Yes. Finally.”

  “Then we can finally drink without worry.”

  “If only I had it that easy.. there are still negotiations that need to be happen after we eat. Of course..”

  He brought his hand to his chest, pausing briefly and speaking in a wooing tone to enhance the dramatic effect.

  “This is all thanks to my wise traveling companion.”

  Holo played along with his intentionally emphasized words. But her response was a bit more heartfelt, given that she truly had been a great help to him. Right now, he wouldn’t just buy her chickens, but enough beer to fill a wagon.

  “Once again, I owe you more than you owe me. How would you like me to return the favor?”

  He spoke in a carefree tone because he was looking forward to the business talk he was going to have tomorrow, as well as the bright future and limitless potential of this village. It might even grow into a town once the monastery was built.

  “Oh.. it can be anything?”

  “I wouldn’t dare say anything. That’s beyond my means, but how about a hundred silver coins? That should be enough even for another fancy set of clothes like the ones you’re wearing now.”

  She looked over her clothes several times, then closed her eyes. What was it she saw behind those eyelids? Apples? Honey-pickled peaches? When her tail began wagging, it became clear she’s made up her mind. But she seemed hesitant, meaning it was expensive.

  “If it is too difficult, I shall relent, but..”

  “How uncharacteristically humble.”

  She smiled at his joke and pointed at him.

  “That work you were just doing.”

  “Work? You mean this?”

  “Indeed, that writing. You said it would be expensive to have someone in a city do it?”

  Literacy alone was considered a professional skill, so requesting one’s assistance to write a letter was expensive in and of itself. But the fees for drafting an official document were greater still.

  “What? Would you like me to write something for you?”

  “Hmm? Well.. I guess you could say that.”

  “If that’s all, it’s quite a small matter.. didn’t you want anything else? Maybe apples or honey-pickled peaches?”

  How rare for her to prioritize something above food. Did she hope to record her memories of her home, after all this talk of records?

  “Those are alluring.. but food does not last. Yet you said that written words do not change, and can be kept intact for a long time.”

  Her look of embarrassment as she spoke made it clear that he had guessed correctly, so he nodded.

  “I suppose it will be a pain if you ask me to write a thick volume.”

  “No.. nothing too long..”

  She hopped off the bed and softly sat herself on the table. Did she want him to write it now, since it wasn’t that long?

  “Then what is it you’d like me to write?”

  She stared off into the distance for a while instead of replying, as if pondering over every word she wanted him to write. It must be something quite dear to her, he thought, so he patiently waited for her to speak. He eventually heard what sounded like a soft breeze blow by, and realized that it was her inhaling as if her contemplation was over.

  “The title is.. ‘The Wisewolf Holo’s..”

  Lawrence quickly grabbed his quill and laid out a fresh piece of parchment. Holo didn’t stop to wait.

  “Contract of being led back to her home.”

  Lawrence froze, then turned to face her.

  “Human memories are unreliable, after all. T’would be a problem should you forget.”

  Her smile was serious, as if to blame him. He couldn’t reply; he was too busy remembering how upset she was the other day. She lied and said it was because she wanted to feel useful, but this was the truth. Their contract was merely verbal. And he had let it slip just how frail people’s memories were while they were in this village.

  “Uh.. but that’s..”

  He finally managed to squeeze out some words, but they hardly formed a coherent sentence. He had no way to put it into words, but the more he thought about his recent priorities, the more obvious it should be that he prioritized her above all other business. Surely she realized that, which is why he was so slow to accept that she might be upset solely over this.

  “But what?”

  She shot back coldly. Logic was on her side, and it was obvious that he’d been inconsiderate as well.

  “Nothing,”

  As he prepared himself to apologize-

  “Heh. After all, you have frightened me so many times that the memory of our contract is deeply engraved into my mind.”

  She laughed as she spoke.

  “And aye.. you seem repentant, so I shall forgive you this time.”

  He knew he could still refute her if he wanted (and so did she) so he opted to give her what she wa
nted.

  “I’m sorry..”

  “Mhm.”

  Her ears rolled around in satisfaction.

  “However..”

  Her face suddenly grew serious as she looked back down upon him. What now? Lawrence wondered as he sat up straight. She pressed her face against his and spoke.

  “If that particular contract is unnecessary, I can still ask for a similar reward, can I not?”

  He leaned away while nodding. It was only natural that he had to reward her somehow.. but it suddenly dawned on him what she’d just made him agree to.

  “Did you just-”

  “The cost to have such a contract written.. I wonder how much it comes out to in food? Will I even be able to eat all of it?”

  She grinned intently, and nearly swept everything off the table with her tail. He never knew just how long she’d wait for him to fall into one of her traps, and he’d just buried himself by promising her.. there was no way for him to refuse her now.

  “Hey, the look on your face is just like young Corolli’s was.”

  She poked his nose as she teased, but he no longer had the strength to brush her hand aside. She hopped off the table and turned back, pressing herself up against the back of his chair.

  “Oh, are you going to cry as well?”

  He could only smile, so he rose from his chair and answered.

  “I might as well, since I’m also fortunate enough to have someone here who will hug me.”

  As she beamed him a smile, he steeled himself and continued.

  “But, can that small chest even support-”

  Smack! She laughed as she waved her hand. He grabbed that outstretched hand, and straighted his shivering body. Her smile was obviously fake, but he knew the spell to turn it into a real one. Of course, that only made it clear that she wanted him to cast that spell, so left with no choice he began his chant.

  “Now I’ll never be able to forget your smile.”

  Her tail swelled as she tightened her grip on his hand.

  She’d left only her name in that village she’d lived in for centuries, and had gradually been forgotten. Words alone would be insufficient to record the memory of her smile. And here and now, the villagers outside were preparing a feast for them. It seemed like the kind of night where getting drunk would come naturally.

  Holo nodded softly, and a shy look revealed itself on her face.

  Wolf and the Bright Green Detour

  Sometimes, even in the harshest winter, a day with weather so bright and clear would arrive and make one wonder whether spring had arrived early. On such days, when was no breeze blowing, one even felt warm if they sat still under the sun.

  Even merchants, who valued time as money, would take the time to enjoy a day like this. They’d halt their wagons at the first meadow that wasn’t being grazed upon by cattle, take a bottle in one hand and rye bread in the other, and sip the wine while staring up at the sky and nibbling on the bread. They would gnaw at the bread until it grew tiresome, then stuff the rest of it into their mouths and nearly doze off while chewing it.

  The blanket that covered them, having soaked up the warm sunlight, made it feel as though they were sleeping beside a fireplace. The only noise that reached their ears was the soft chirping of birds and the illusory sound of the sun’s rays gently warming the ground. Moments like this were a luxury unique to those who traveled.. a luxury that gave one mischievous ideas.

  * * *

  This particular tale began with a map in the late morning, when the sun hung high overhead and one was no longer disposed to yawning. He rose with the sun, so Lawrence (who traveled by horse-drawn wagon) had debated whether to spice up this dull trip and so pulled out a map.

  It was one he’d purchased a few years ago along with a suspicious-looking treasure map; for a cheap price of course. Though the treasure map was scribbled on cheap paper, and seemed dangerously close to falling to pieces along with its secrets, the map it came with was more practical and set down on more durable parchment.

  With that map in hand, he directed his gaze to the east. The road they were on ran parallel to a forest for quite a great distance. Though the road itself was barren, the trees and brush in those woods were green all year.

  Even so, he’d heard that the forest was now only half the size it once was; much of it had been cleared to build new cities. The map even recorded those old boundaries, showing off just how expansive the forest once was.

  “What are you looking for?”

  He was studying the map in the driver’s seat, when his companion Holo - who was casually lying in the back deck of the wagon - finally noticed it and spoke up. He turned back to see her nun-like form staring at him, leaning on the goods in the wagon with her head lazily tilted in his direction.

  “It seems there’s a sawmill around here somewhere.”

  “A sawmill?”

  “Yeah, though it’s no longer used. It’s a place where lumber is cut and stored for future use.”

  Naturally, his interest wasn’t in the former splendor of the forest. He was eyeing the path heading into it because there was a grassy meadow on the other side, and that’s where his interest lay.

  “Oh.. so the sawmill is directly ahead on that path?”

  Lawrence turned back to his map as he continued his explanation.

  “This side of the forest is a busy trading route connecting the towns and villages around here. So many cattle are herded through here that it’s practically barren dirt now. But on the other side of the forest is a lush meadow.”

  “A lush meadow?”

  Holo didn’t even bother sitting up to ask.

  “So lush that grass grows on its verdant slopes even during this time of year.”

  Holo made no reply for quite some time. It made him a bit concerned, in fact, so he turned to her only to see her staring back at him in displeasure.

  “I am no goat. Seeing a meadow will not raise my spirits or affect my emotions in the slightest.”

  She spoke as if disinterested, so if anyone was passing by them and overheard, they wouldn’t have caught her hidden meaning. Still, she wasn’t just beating around the bush.

  The lovely pair of wolf’s ears upon her did not belong to a human, nor did the fluffy tail growing from her waist. She might appear to be a maiden of fifteen years or so, but in reality she was a tremendous wolf capable of swallowing a man whole. All who puzzled over her words would understand her meaning the moment they glimpsed her true form.

  “All apologies.. but you know, it’d be a huge shame if the meadow was just for grazing.”

  “Huh?”

  “On a day like today, a gently sloping meadow being warmed by the sun sounds rather idyllic, doesn’t it?”

  She directed her gaze at some unknown object; her tail began wagging in her hands a moment later. Given her imagination, she surely knew what other purpose a meadow might have. And so, by the time her mouth opened to ask her next question she was already far beyond that point.

  “But.. are you not in a hurry?”

  A leisurely nap in a meadow after a stroll through the forest might seem like something merchants - who equated time with money - would rather strangle themselves before doing. Holo was asking out of a sincere concern for his schedule, but the charming softness of her eyes would have given those beauties who captured the hearts of emperors a run for their money.

  Seeing her behave in such a coquettish manner actually made him feel refreshed. Her tail revealed her true feelings far more accurately than any words that came out of her mouth, and as far as Lawrence was concerned, if she would feel that much joy from such a slight delay, there was nothing for it.

  In fact, if a casual round of sunbathing would cheer her up this much then it was well worth the delay. Their trip had after all been quite tedious so far, and there wasn’t much they could do to break the monotony. A relaxing break was exactly what was called for.

  “Hmm, well, even if a rest will make the rest out trip mor
e enjoyable, I feel rather guilty for bringing it up and getting your hopes up..”

  “What do you mean?”

  He waved the map a little and continued.

  “Unfortunately, I don’t know how reliable this map is. If it’s too difficult going through the forest, we’ll have to give up.”

  If she were only as old as she looked, Lawrence might have found it difficult to say that. But thankfully, he was talking to the Wisewolf. She fully grasped everything he had to consider before making such a proposal.

  She turned over from the lying position she had assumed to groom her tail, lifted her gaze up to meet his from a prone position, and spoke.

  “That is little cause for concern. If that is the case, we can simply lie down under a tree where the sunlight is creeping in through the branches and foliage.”

  The tables had now turned, and he was imagining her words as she had imagined the fields he described. Sleeping together under elegant trees in a thick forest that kept its leaves year-round, with the only sound being leaves rustling in the breeze, and having rays of sunlight peek through the branches - that sounded just as nice. When he finally snapped himself back to reality, she was eyeing him for his approval.

  “That does sound nice.”

  “Then it is decided.”

  He set down the map and took the reins, while Holo lay down to face the sky. Their wagon then slowly crept into the forest. It was a bright and clear day, and the morning was no longer dreary.

  * * *

  The path they took into the forest still seemed to be used. Perhaps hunters, fruit-pickers, beekeepers, or woodsmen still took this route, judging from how well-kept it was. Even their wagon had no trouble getting through the brush.

  The forest was neither too quiet nor too loud.. It was just right for this kind of leisurely detour. It seemed Holo could no longer hold herself back from drinking for Lawrence’s sake; she began sipping on wine, the sweet songs of their birds her only side dish.

  But Lawrence had no complaints, having adjusted his mindset for this casual detour. He did turn around once in a while to make sure she didn’t drink every last drop of wine on her own, but each time she just bribed him off with some more wine, which he accepted.