Spice & Wolf II by Hasekura Isuna Page B

devouring a piece of dried mutton, gave Lawrence an exasperated look. “We wolves are hardly so foolish as to be spotted from a place with such an obviously good vantage,” she said, sniffing with disdain. Her fangs occasionally showed as she chewed the meat, revealing her non-human nature.
    Holo’s statement and her fangs brought her essential wolf nature to the forefront of Lawrence’s mind, and he considered complications.
    If they did encounter wolves, the situation would become problematic.
    “It should be well, though. Should we happen into a pack, we’ll just throw them some jerky We wolves don’t get into pointless lights, after all.”
    Lawrence nodded and snapped the reins to start across the plains; the gentle breeze smelled faintly of wild beasts. Lawrence murmured a quiet prayer for safe travels.
     
    "A faram silver piece.”
    “Nope. It’s a counterfeit marinne .”
    “Wait, was not the counterfeit marinne this one?”
    “No, that’s a piece of late Radeon bishopry silver.”
    Holo fell silent, holding several pieces of silver in her hand.
    Lawrence was teaching her the names of various currencies as a way to combat boredom, but even Holo the Wisewolf struggled with coins whose size and design were so similar.
    “Well, you’ll pick it up as you use them, no doubt,” said Lawrence.
    Holo was so serious that Lawrence was afraid to tease her, but his effort to be considerate only seemed to hurt her pride even more. She glared up at him, her ears flicking angrily under her hood.
    “Once more, then!” she said.
    “All right, from the top.”
    “Mm.”
    “ Trenni silver, phiring silver, ryut silver, fake marinne silver, faram silver, bald king Landbard silver, Mitzfing temple silver, fake Mitzfing temple silver, Saint Mitzfing silver, Miztfingmas silver, and this one is..”
    “...W-wait, now.”
    “Hm?”
    Lawrence looked up from Holo’s palm, where he’d been pointing at the various coins. Her expression was complicated—angry and on the verge of tears.
    “Y-you’re making sport of me,” she said.
    Lawrence remembered accusing his own teacher of the same thing, when he’d had to learn the names of all the different currencies—so without thinking, he laughed.
    “Rrrrrr.”
    Holo growled and flashed her fangs, and Lawrence quickly composed himself. “The Mitzfing diocese in particular issues a lot of coin. I’m not teasing you, truly.”
    “Then don’t laugh,” Holo grumbled, looking back down at the coins. Lawrence couldn’t help but smile.
    “Anyway,” Holo continued, “why are there so many coins? It seems such a bother.”
    “They’re made when a new nation is established—or collapses. A powerful regional lord or church can issue coin, and of course, there’s no end to counterfeiting. Even the ryut silver started out as a fake trenni piece, but it was so widely used it became an independent currency”
    “But when pelts were used, you always knew what you were dealing with,” said Holo, sniffing and then finally heaving a sigh of irritation. She might be able to tell the coins apart by scent, but Lawrence didn’t know how serious she was about it.
    “Still, it’s a good way to kill time, eh?” he offered.
    Without so much as a smile, Holo thrust the collection of coins back into Lawrence’s hands. “Hmph. Enough. ’Tis time for a nap.” Holo stood, ignoring Lawrence’s pained smile. He spoke to her as she made her way to the wagon bed.
    “Even napping, you’ll know if wolves come near?”
    “Of course I shall.”
    “It’ll be a hassle if we’re surrounded.”
    To be cornered by mercenaries or bandits was, of course, troubling, but at least they could be reasoned with. Wolves, on the other hand, cared little for human words. One never knew what might cause them to attack.
    Even with Holo at his side, Lawrence was uneasy.
    “You worry excessively,” said Holo, turning around with a grin, perhaps sensing his concern. “Most animals are quite aware, be