Spice & Wolf VIII (DWT) Read online

  Cole rubbed his toes while laughing. Lawrence’s attention was glued to the box Reynolds had set down on the table.

  “Is that it?”

  “Yes, this is it.”

  As the box was opened, Lawrence shivered at the sight that greeted them. Inside were animal bones.

  “This is what those who wanted to help the Church found after they heard their high offer for the bones of the wolf God.”

  His proud and lengthy sentence was well-suited to a merchant who was impatient to make a sale. But they didn’t make it any easier to determine if he was being serious or not. But Lawrence knew all he had to do was ask Holo to know for certain..

  “They’re the real thing?”

  “That’d be nice.. I didn’t buy ’em blindly just ’cause there was profit to be had. Indeed, they’re the reason my companies’ in dire straits.. soon I’ll have to shut this place down.”

  It would clearly be a lie that they cost enough to jeopardize his business.. he could easily corner the copper market from upstream and make a great deal of money. That being said, he didn’t seem to be lying about his company being in jeopardy somehow. His eyes were betraying that he wanted to ask a childish question.

  “But why would you be interested in such a stupid rumor?”

  Lawrence had no way to change his mind if Reynolds felt it was just a stupid rumor.

  “Eve also asked me that.. but you see, my two associates are from the north.”

  “Ah..”

  Reynolds’ eyes opened wide, as if he expected to hear something less reputable from Lawrence.

  “I see.. hmm.. my mistake. Don’t think ill of me. I don’t want your god insulted by my feelings on this ridiculous matter.”

  Reynolds tapped the side of his nose, then spread his arms as if in prayer. The two northerners understood everything upon seeing this; they were near the Roef mountains, and the man wanted to show that he did respect the people of the north.

  “Then I’ll help you out.. this really is a ridiculous situation.”

  Reynolds seemed to know how to manipulate the mood. Lawrence wondered if he was truly the owner of a company, but rather a chamber counselor of the town.

  “Deep in the mountains, there’s many a myth that the Church can’t tolerate. A lot of the myths are hard to believe, but some aren’t.. I’m not sure where you’re from exactly, but I’m guessing it’s that village if you know the myth of these bones.”

  “Lupi.”

  Cole answered him gravely. He was a completely different person from the boy who seemed he would cry at having his feet pecked by chickens.

  “That’s it. You knew the name, searched for the truth, and ended up here. You seem to have luck on your side, seeing as how you’re still alive.. maybe you’re a lad who’s already used to this harsh world.”

  Cole had once said that many of the people in Lupi were killed when sword-bearing missionaries conquered the village. After hearing Reynolds, the boy tightened his fists and nodded.

  “And this miss, who’s from the north but appears to be a nun.. I won’t even bother asking. After all, merchants can’t take their money with them to the afterlife, only memories.”

  Reynolds smiled, wincing slightly. Holo smiled at him in return. She understood that seeing only happy things until the day you die is impossible.

  “Then let’s talk about the God of Lupi. Just before the end of the summer before the last, missionaries and mercenaries both campaigned in the northern mountains and plains. Something happened in a village then, and I learned about it from a company that’s a close partner of mine.”

  “Diva Company.”

  If their opponent thought they didn’t know anything about the topic, they might lie to hide something or joke around. Thus, Lawrence felt compelled to show that he wasn’t entirely naďve, and Reynolds smiled as if he understood his reasons.

  “I wouldn’t lie to someone who brought a letter from she-wolf Boland. I respect her, so I respect you, Kraft Lawrence, who is trusted by her.”

  He smiled, but it was clearly a facade – he was angry. Lawrence knew it wasn’t because he had done anything wrong, because this kind of rule-setting routine was normal practice between merchants.

  “Sorry, I shouldn’t interrupt you so rudely.”

  “That’s alright. If I’m left to my own devices, I’ll start drifting off-topic and waste time. So if you know the background already, I’ll just stick to the point.”

  Reynolds coughed and assumed a better posture. He stared at the wall to focus his memories.

  “For some reason, that mighty Church that’s so impossible to resist ended up sending someone to Diva to discuss the matter.. they said ’we came to the northern mountains to confirm their myths. And some of these myths aren’t typical – they have clear structures, backgrounds, and results. As such, merchants, who are better-suited to handle such worldly matters, should be able to discover the truths behind them.”’

  In other words, it was hardly a discussion – it was an order. Reynolds was only daring to reveal this because he strongly disliked the Church.

  “Just as we get the impression that alchemists can do anything, the Church figured that we – who are suspected of doing immoral business – could do anything. These kinds of orders always come from the top.”

  “So true.”

  After Lawrence expressed his agreement, Reynolds nodded in satisfaction.

  Orders were issued by emperors to royal merchants, from royal merchants to their companies, from those companies to their branches, and those branches to their normal merchants. Even when one was ordered directly by the emperor, they were still only ordered to fetch the same goods that a normal merchant could bring.

  Orders came from the top to the bottom, unlike the tributes which would go from the bottom to the top. That was the way of things.

  “Our company lies on the river of the pagan nymph named Roam. It’s not like we can resist an order from the Church. But still..”

  Reynolds shook his head. The droopy flesh on his face seemed to crafted precisely so that gesture would carry more weight.

  “..it was like watching our money flowing away down the river.”

  Lawrence nodded his understanding before he took a look at the bones in the box. Normally when a company intensively searched for something, it wasn’t because it was readily available in large quantities. So these were probably just assorted animal bones.

  That’s because once people heard that it was for illicit business, they would come out of the woodwork to sell them all the bones they would buy. In business, legal trades would suit the legal prices of the goods in question, but shady deals involving illegal goods would have no set prices.

  Still, if D’Jeans and Diva could collect something convincing enough for the Church, they’d still be able to make a profit. And given that bones were everywhere, it was a pretty safe bet.. or at least it should have been, until the ones forced into the gamble got in trouble.

  “At that time they were preparing for a celebration. I heard they’d pay a thousand gold coins for the real bones, maybe even two.”

  “And-”

  Reynolds chuckled at himself, and Cole jumped in.

  “And? Did you find them?”

  Reynolds’s eyes shrank down until they looked like tiny white glass beads. Cole’s question was a rude breach of conduct between merchants. But Reynolds quickly reverted his eyes to those of a normal businessman who was stuck watching over chickens as they foraged in his office.

  A merchant wouldn’t get angry over such rudeness; they knew it was a business custom, and that such a breach simply meant they weren’t dealing with a proper merchant.

  “Had I found them, I would now be seated at the head of a golden table. To be sure, there was a rumor that I found them.. I was even threatened. And think about it: how could I receive such a large payment of gold and keep it a secret?”

  His scoffing tone made it clear how ridiculous the idea was. If he
was paid 1000 gold coins, any merchant in the area would notice. It was like moving a large mountain.. even if you did it under cover of darkness, people would notice on the following morning. It was impossible to keep it a secret.

  Cole seemed to understand, and nodded as if he was sorry he had asked. But then he actually thanked Reynolds, causing the merchant’s eyes to open wide. Thanking someone for answering their impolite question wasn’t something that most apprentices Cole’s age remembered to do.

  Reynolds might be stuck sitting alone in his office with nothing to do, but he had the eyes of a good merchant. Those eyes were now directed at Lawrence.

  “It appears that you have a fine apprentice, Mr. Lawrence.”

  Indeed, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle’s.

  “He’s not my apprentice.”

  “What?”

  Reynolds was beside himself. He looked at Cole and then back at Lawrence.

  “He’s a prospective scholar of Church Law.. if I taught him the ways of a merchant I’d never be able to enter heaven.”

  Reynolds’s expression was quite difficult to describe. If Lawrence could control his that well, he’d probably also have no trouble controlling Holo. Reynolds was shocked, and began tapping his forehead.

  “I see. From the north; a prospective Church scholar; tracing the myths of his origins; right, right. So that’s why that she-wolf trusts you.. your travels must be complicated indeed, not to mention admirable.”

  Merchants understood the networks between power and friendship. To them a prospective Church scholar was like a golden egg. Anyone with any smarts would know to invest on such a prospect. That’s precisely what Reynolds’s eyes were suggesting right now.

  He shifted his glance to Holo for a moment, and then finally back to Lawrence.

  “Then, I take it this young miss is from a famous convent?”

  Holo would of course have noticed his sharp gaze on Cole – it was like an eagle eying it’s prey. However, he hadn’t stared the same way at Holo. Perhaps he was trying to act casually, or perhaps he felt it would be impolite to pry into Holo’s background without at least meeting her eyes first.

  In either case, Holo reacted uncomfortably. Her mind was no less sharp than theirs, and she clearly grasped his intent. As Reynolds asked his question, she clung to the side of Lawrence’s jacket. She acted every bit like a shy girl emphasizing that Lawrence was her protector.

  Merchants craved that which God owned, and coveted the possessions of their fellow man.. it was ingrained in their nature. And so, Holo’s act was brutally effective.

  “Hahaha..”

  As Reynolds laughed, Lawrence noted a cunning smile on Holo’s face. A silent mental war had ended, and Reynolds laughed in acknowledgment of his defeat.

  “You’re quite the customers! Alright, it’ll be lunch soon.. in celebration of our meeting, let’s share a meal.”

  It was a suggestion Lawrence was hoping to hear; anything to keep this invigorating conversation going.

  “My sincerest thanks.”

  “My pleasure. Then pardon me while I inform my staff.”

  Reynolds stole a glance at the loading zone behind Lawrence.

  “I was hoping to prepare a chicken, but it seems we’re suddenly out of stock.”

  “Oh!”

  Cole shouted, and Holo’s eyes wandered around the room. It seemed that Holo’s scare-tactic was highly effective.. there were no chickens in sight.

  “If you wouldn’t mind, could you go invite my neighbors to lunch?”

  He mischievously asked Cole and Holo, clearly realizing they were the culprits.

  * * *

  Chicken and wine.. if salt and bread were necessities for survival, chicken and wine were necessities for the enjoyment of life. It was even more enjoyable to Lawrence when someone was offering them to him.

  Reynolds had barely finished saying “please help yourselves” before Holo emptied her first plate. Cole behaved in the manner of a prospective Church scholar, thanking Reynolds for lunch and saying a prayer. He clearly felt Reynolds was generous for not only sharing the story about the wolf-god’s bones, but also offering them lunch.

  During the feast Lawrence came to understand the details of that story, the riots that resulted from it, and their aftermath. But merchants shared such stories as part of trade; they expected there to be a give-and-take involved, and Lawrence was no stranger to this line of thinking. But he didn’t know what compensation Reynolds was hoping for until they prepared to leave.

  Reynolds spoke as he shook hands with Lawrence.

  “Please send my greetings to Eve Boland.”

  Both of Reynolds’s hands grasped Lawrence’s right hand. He stared at Lawrence with an all-business look. Lawrence realized this meant he wanted Eve to know he had been generous to them, and shared not just the story but also lunch. Clearly, his goal was to improve his business relations with Eve.

  D’Jean’s wasn’t a dazzling company, but their trading partners, Diva, controlled the copper mines. It shouldn’t be necessary for Reynolds to solidify his business relationship with Eve.. was she just that influential in the business world?

  Lawrence found himself puzzled by all of this, but he was obligated to respect Reynolds’s wish so he promised to honor his request before leaving. Reynolds hadn’t even wanted to greet them properly, but now he was lingering at the door as he saw them off.

  “So..”

  Lawrence began talking, but hesitated as he reflected on their visit. Their task had been easily accomplished, but he felt troubled by almost everything they had discussed. What had left D’Jean Company in such bad shape? Why did Reynolds change his tune so quickly upon seeing Eve’s letter? And why did he behave so suspiciously as they left?

  None of these things were related to the wolf-god’s bones, but they did reflect strangely on Reynolds. Lawrence stroked his chin as he pondered.

  “So.. what shall we do next, you mean?”

  Holo snapped him back to reality. As he caught sight of her face, Lawrence couldn’t help but remember the chicken dish they had been served. It was made of chicken legs stewed with spices, chili seeds, and vinegar.. quite a luxurious meal, really.

  It was obviously delicious, given how Holo had tucked into the meal and how there was still spice stuck to her face. As Lawrence picked it off, she closed her eyes with an annoyed look. But Lawrence knew she wasn’t upset because he was treating her like a child.

  She then turned to Cole and winked. Cole seemed surprised, but nodded in admiration. Lawrence could only sigh.. they had probably bet on whether or not Lawrence would pick the spice off her face.

  “Yes, I mean what shall we do next?”

  He knew it was his loss as soon as he responded, but all he could do anyhow was pretend he hadn’t noticed her wink at Cole, who now changed the subject.

  “He was surprisingly open.. I didn’t expect that.”

  “Huh?”

  “I mean, I thought he’d hide a lot of the truth from us.”

  Hearing Cole’s insight, Lawrence looked over at Holo. Their eyes met, but soon separated. It looked as though Holo also had her reservations about Reynolds’s openness.

  “...indeed. We can be sure the Church takes the myths of Lupi village seriously. It seems there is something real behind their beliefs. That’s a huge lead for us.”

  Cole nodded seriously. But if Holo had noticed something strange in Reynolds’s behavior, things weren’t that simple. Cole was honest, and wasn’t as emotionally fragile as Holo about his home, but discussing it carelessly still wasn’t a good idea. They’d have to ease their way into the subject, Lawrence felt.

  “But things went far too smoothly.”

  “Eh?”

  Cole tiled his head in curiosity as he looked at Lawrence. He expressed his inner feelings so openly that it made his expression more endearing than Holo’s.

  “It was just too easy.. we didn’t have any excuse to corner him and ask him about our other big qu
estion.”

  “Uh.. you mean about the copper coins?”

  Only fifty-seven crates of copper coins had arrived from further upstream, yet D’Jean’s sent sixty overseas. It was intriguing. Lawrence suspected it was a weakness of D’Jean Company they could use to their advantage if D’Jean Company wanted to obscure the truth about the god-wolf’s bones, and Reynolds tried to puzzle them. Cole surely understood this.

  The discrepancy in the number of crates still puzzled Lawrence, and he couldn’t figure it out on his own, but he felt it unnecessary to ask Cole. The boy would probably reveal it out of gratitude when their travels came to an end. But Cole did know the answer, and smiled to himself.

  “It’s alright, though. We’ll just ask Eve for more information when we thank her. That’s really all we can do. And actually it would be risky to move too quickly.. if she starts to suspect we know something she doesn’t, it won’t end well.”

  “Oh.. that’s right.. if we’re too serious she’ll think what we’re looking for really does exist, won’t she?”

  The boy caught on very quickly. Lawrence nodded.

  “Reynolds and Eve let us know about this because they thought hard about it and figured it would be safe to tell us. They’d keep their mouths shut tight as clams if they suspected that there was a shred of truth behind the story of the bones.”

  The only reason Lawrence and Cole could believe the myth of the bones was legitimate was because they were traveling with Holo.

  Cole flashed Lawrence an “a-ok” gesture to Lawrence, like a dog proudly wagging it’s tail after showing off to it’s master. It was impossible to be upset when he acted proudly.. it was like he was born to make others happy.

  “It’s easier to ask since no one believes in the story.. and it’s funny because we’re asking just to confirm it.”

  “And to affirm our belief that we’re the only ones who know.”

  Cole nodded.

  “Consider this.. when the god of the Church was asked if he would save mankind, he gave no answer. But he wasn’t lazy, so the question itself must be problematic.”

  The young scholar’s voice rang out like a new bell.

  “The only explanation.. is that this is natural.”