drinking indicated trust in the village.
It was important to be careful, but an interesting thing about the world is this: People tend not to be heartless if they feel they are trusted.
Lawrence had learned these things as he had opened new trade routes, but Holo’s skill at fitting into the tavern’s atmosphere was even better than his—and it was thanks to her that he was able to get answers to difficult questions much more easily than he’d anticipated.
Though Iima interrupted his last question, the visit had still gone well. If it had been a business visit, Lawrence would’ve been willing to give Holo some coin by way of thanks.
That said, it wasn’t much fun to see her accomplish the task so effortlessly when he’d gotten along perfectly well on his own up until this point.
With age came experience, he supposed.
And yet.
Lawrence closed the window and sank into contemplation as he lay himself down on the bed.
Should Holo grasp the ways of business, it would clearly be the birth of a merchant with incredible prowess. With someone who could so adroitly penetrate social circles, Lawrence couldn’t help but dream of the new trade routes he might open. Holo could certainly become such a trader.
Lawrence’s dream was to have a shop of his own in a town somewhere. For the shop to prosper, it was clear to him that two people working would be better than one, and three was still better than two. It was only natural for him to think about how reassuring Holo’s presence would be.
Holo’s home of Yoitsu was not far, and its location wasn’t entirely a mystery anymore.
Even if they were unable to discover the location of the abbey and even if they found no further clues, they would still probably find Yoitsu by the time summer came.
W hat did Holo plan to do after that?
Though it was only a verbal contract, he had promised to accompany her home.
Lawrence looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
He knew full well that parting was part and parcel of travel.
But it was not just Holo’s talent that he would miss. When he thought of their constant verbal sparring, the notion that it would end with their travels together caused his chest to ache.
Having thought it through this far, Lawrence closed his eyes and smiled to himself there in the darkness.
No good would come of a merchant thinking of matters outside business.
That was another lesson he had learned in his seven years of experience on the road.
What he needed to worry about was the content of his coin purse.
What he should be thinking about was how to rein in Holo’s constant gluttony.
The thoughts chased each other through Lawrence’s mind until he finally began to feel sleepy.
No good would come of it.
No good at all.
The room’s ragged blankets felt like they had been boiled in a pot, then dried in the sun. They were completely useless against the morning chill.
Lawrence was awakened by his own sneeze. A new day had begun.
At this hour, what little warmth could be found in the blanket was truly worth ten thousand gold pieces—not that he would be compensated for it.
Far from it—the warmth was like a devil child sent to devour his time. Lawrence rose and looked over at the bed next to him. Holo was already awake.
Her back was turned to him, and she looked down, as though busy with some task.
“Ho—”
He stopped in the middle of her name—her tail had suddenly fluffed out in a way he’d never seen before.
" Wh-what’s wrong?” he managed.
Holo’s ears pricked up, and at length she slowly turned around.
The sun had not yet fully risen, and the air was bluish. White puffs of her breath were visible as she looked over her shoulder.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and in her hand was a small round fruit out of which a bite had just been taken.
"...Ah, you ate it?” Lawrence asked, half-smiling.
Holo licked her lips and nodded. “Wh...what is this...?”
"The innkeeper’s wife brought it after we came back to the inn
It was important to be careful, but an interesting thing about the world is this: People tend not to be heartless if they feel they are trusted.
Lawrence had learned these things as he had opened new trade routes, but Holo’s skill at fitting into the tavern’s atmosphere was even better than his—and it was thanks to her that he was able to get answers to difficult questions much more easily than he’d anticipated.
Though Iima interrupted his last question, the visit had still gone well. If it had been a business visit, Lawrence would’ve been willing to give Holo some coin by way of thanks.
That said, it wasn’t much fun to see her accomplish the task so effortlessly when he’d gotten along perfectly well on his own up until this point.
With age came experience, he supposed.
And yet.
Lawrence closed the window and sank into contemplation as he lay himself down on the bed.
Should Holo grasp the ways of business, it would clearly be the birth of a merchant with incredible prowess. With someone who could so adroitly penetrate social circles, Lawrence couldn’t help but dream of the new trade routes he might open. Holo could certainly become such a trader.
Lawrence’s dream was to have a shop of his own in a town somewhere. For the shop to prosper, it was clear to him that two people working would be better than one, and three was still better than two. It was only natural for him to think about how reassuring Holo’s presence would be.
Holo’s home of Yoitsu was not far, and its location wasn’t entirely a mystery anymore.
Even if they were unable to discover the location of the abbey and even if they found no further clues, they would still probably find Yoitsu by the time summer came.
W hat did Holo plan to do after that?
Though it was only a verbal contract, he had promised to accompany her home.
Lawrence looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
He knew full well that parting was part and parcel of travel.
But it was not just Holo’s talent that he would miss. When he thought of their constant verbal sparring, the notion that it would end with their travels together caused his chest to ache.
Having thought it through this far, Lawrence closed his eyes and smiled to himself there in the darkness.
No good would come of a merchant thinking of matters outside business.
That was another lesson he had learned in his seven years of experience on the road.
What he needed to worry about was the content of his coin purse.
What he should be thinking about was how to rein in Holo’s constant gluttony.
The thoughts chased each other through Lawrence’s mind until he finally began to feel sleepy.
No good would come of it.
No good at all.
The room’s ragged blankets felt like they had been boiled in a pot, then dried in the sun. They were completely useless against the morning chill.
Lawrence was awakened by his own sneeze. A new day had begun.
At this hour, what little warmth could be found in the blanket was truly worth ten thousand gold pieces—not that he would be compensated for it.
Far from it—the warmth was like a devil child sent to devour his time. Lawrence rose and looked over at the bed next to him. Holo was already awake.
Her back was turned to him, and she looked down, as though busy with some task.
“Ho—”
He stopped in the middle of her name—her tail had suddenly fluffed out in a way he’d never seen before.
" Wh-what’s wrong?” he managed.
Holo’s ears pricked up, and at length she slowly turned around.
The sun had not yet fully risen, and the air was bluish. White puffs of her breath were visible as she looked over her shoulder.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and in her hand was a small round fruit out of which a bite had just been taken.
"...Ah, you ate it?” Lawrence asked, half-smiling.
Holo licked her lips and nodded. “Wh...what is this...?”
"The innkeeper’s wife brought it after we came back to the inn
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