Spice & Wolf XV (DWT)

  Even if Holo insisted it was that simple, Lawrence couldn’t quite figure it out. Simple things just weren’t his forte.

  “But maintaining this level of energy in town would be quite the challenge. Not to mention gathering all those knights and mercenaries like Myuri and keeping them paid. It can’t be something all that trivial.”

  “Oh?”

  “After all, this town’s energy is a big performance.”

  Holo sniffed at his words, but he smiled and continued.

  “Of course, that’s not to say that they’re acting.”

  “Diva supplies cash to the town by paying for the needs of the mercenaries. That should be how Myuri sees it. Obviously, Diva is trying to keep this town running smoothly by paying for goods and services. They could not allow this town to be laid to waste with a war, not when they have invested so much into it.”

  Gains and losses were not superficial things. Diva was keeping all of these soldiers in town and paying for them. That kept the northern folk coming back to sell their wares, and buying the works of the excellent craftsmen in Lesco. Everybody won. It was the best kind of way to develop a town.

  But.. why build a town? Back when they’d first heard of Diva company, it was when they sought the bones of Holo’s lupine compatriot. The mere thought that they were planning to abuse them to begin a war so enraged Lawrence that he was beyond forgiving them. Even if that first impression proved false, it wouldn’t go away so easily.

  Maybe he was struggling to figure out their goal precisely because he was seeing something so starkly different from what he’d expected. It was like his brain was chasing its own tail. The instant he came to that point, Holo gently smiled.

  “Did you think of something?”

  He’d forgotten that her elbows were on his belly, and received an angry swat from her tail for trying to sit up.

  “No. I am just amused. Be it war or peace, all you think about is profit.”

  Hearing that made him lose all motivation to sit up.

  “Yeah.. landlords might start a war because of some age-old argument, but merchants only fight to protect their profits.”

  “Protect them?”

  He looked away at the wall as he replied.

  “Mhm. There are just too many sad stories born from people’s desire to protect. Especially their homes.”

  He turned back to face Holo, who was staring off into the distance from her perch on his belly.

  “You’ve seen it in person, haven’t you? No one wants to leave, and their homes can’t be moved. No matter how terrible the storms, they just won’t go.. until all that’s left is tragedy.”

  Merchants were scorned for the belief that they would run off with their wallets at the first sign of danger. Traveling merchants had it the worst, but they were people too. The more they wanted to protect a place, the less they wanted to move on. If danger struck, they would actually throw themselves into risk, even though they weren’t caught up in it. Just like Lawrence was with Pasloe, and why he met Holo. She again seemed to catch his thought, and poked him with her elbow with a sigh.

  “So what you are saying is that the company running this town is planning something for the north and Yoitsu all for some stupid profit?”

  She of course understood why, but the fact that she still asked her question proved just how painful it must be for her. Lawrence took a moment to consider which response was the most gentle.

  “They don’t feel motivated by hatred, nor religious fervor. But I’m a merchant, I can’t help but be biased. I only see things in terms of profit and loss, and so if Diva plans to start a war I can only see one reason behind it.”

  A tooth for a tooth. Strong belief would resist religious reformation, but if money was their motivation then things would turn out like they did in Pasloe. The people there had grown hostile toward Holo because they wanted to leave behind an old era for the profit of their village. It was driven by anger, to be sure, and that was plenty motivation for their hostility.. but if Diva was starting a war purely for profit, Holo would feel utterly powerless.

  “..fear, timidness, nervousness. It just feels ridiculous.”

  “You felt it when we first entered town, didn’t you?”

  Holo thought it over before nodding.

  “And here I was, thinking that if there was no war or grief here, I’d finally found the place to open my shop.”

  He spoke wistfully, like he’d woken up from a dream. It sure felt like that to him. Holo was worried about Diva’s plans, but she still found it in herself to smile at his joke. She slid her arms and placed her chin on his left shoulder.

  “Then it is a good thing I am here with you, is it not?”

  “You mean instead of hopping the short distance from Lesco to Yoitsu?”

  If she missed her home, she could go back anytime she wanted.

  “Yeah.. it really is a good thing.”

  His honest response made her happily rub her face into his shoulder. It was a moment as lovely as pure glass. He’d always used his common sense to try to figure out what she wanted, which was why he’d failed so utterly in Lenos. This was just the kind of moment he wished could last forever, but he gently shifted his weight and slid out from under her. He then stood up, and rested his hand on her head.

  “If it were up to me, I’d keep lying here all night, but someone has to get answers from Myuri.”

  He groaned as he stretched, like he hoped his exhaustion would leave along with his regret for ruining this wonderful mood. Especially seeing Holo lying there looking back at him. All he could do was force a smile.

  “Is something wrong?”

  In response, Holo poked his hand off of her head and stood as well.

  “Nothing.”

  She was obviously lying, but he didn’t have the heart to ask why. He’d surely screwed up yet again. And yet, Holo stood there with her hand raised as though comforting him.

  “Alright, let us stop talking about this.”

  She turned away with a sigh, not angry, but obviously frustrated at her inability to do anything about the situation. He was afraid of doing anything, knowing how quick to anger she was at times like this, but after her long sigh ended she finally looked back at him. Her face was that of a mother who was weary from taking care of her child all day.

  “We should investigate that company’s plan first.”

  She smiled broadly, but it was tinged with exhaustion. Lawrence nodded hard, and matched her as best he could. She put her shoes back on, then nicely wrapped herself in her cloak and sash and raised her arms. He watched her tiny body stretch, but the situation was entirely beyond him. He expected her to turn around with a wrathful expression.

  “Alright, get ready. Someone is on their way to fetch you.”

  When she turned back, it wasn’t wrath on her face, but perhaps she was just concealing it like the tail under her cloak. He was utterly perplexed by her behavior, and all she could do was sigh and stare back.

  * * *

  Just like how Holo and Lawrence had spoken with each other, Myuri had taken the time to confer with his men.

  It wasn’t the same youth that came to fetch them, but one of the other young men who was sitting near them earlier. Given his appearance, he wasn’t much younger than Myuri.. at most five or six years younger than Lawrence. He had the keen eyes of someone trying to become the apprentice of a renowned master. Perhaps he might polish his skills and actually end up in such a high-paying position, if he survived long enough.

  “If anything happens, remember that I am with you.”

  That was all Holo quietly said as they left their room. If Diva didn’t want their silver-shipping secret to slip, then a mercenary like Myuri had to worry about what to do with this traveling merchant who was in on that secret. Oddly, the atmosphere in the room wasn’t tense at all when they arrived. Lawrence was still on his guard, knowing how quickly mercenaries could turn, but Holo seemed calm. It was clear from her eyes that she wasn
’t acting.

  “Please have a seat.”

  The higher up you went in an inn, the shabbier the rooms. Thus, this room on the second floor was probably the best one in the inn. Yet it was oddly cluttered, and since the inn wasn’t a particularly luxurious one to begin with, the room wasn’t all that large. The extra chairs added for Holo and Lawrence crowded things even more.

  Moid flicked a colorful bottle with his fingernail as Myuri finished, and it rang out like a gold coin. They ate with silverware, and drank in glasses.. just like nobles. If that wasn’t enough, they also drank a thick-headed liquor darker than the brown of Holo’s tail, the nickname of which was “the essence of life.”

  “Blessings to the makers.”

  Having declared the proper toast for enjoying such a drink, Myuri raised his glass. All the others followed suit, including Lawrence, and took a sip from their glasses. Holo seemed distraught over the amount of liquor, but ended up choking when she downed half her glass in one draught.

  “We rarely get to enjoy something this humbling.”

  Myuri himself had winced like his mouth was full of fire and swallowed hard with his eyes closed.

  “The nobility mixes this with other drinks, but I consider it blasphemous to those who make it. Distilling liquor takes a great deal of effort, am I right?”

  Lawrence knew little about distilling, but he knew how very expensive the equipment was. Not to mention the secret recipes and techniques that made each brewer’s work distinct. Still, Myuri was hardly seeking agreement.

  “Anyhow.”

  He took another sip and continued talking.

  “We’ve decided to let you in on everything, Mr. Lawrence.”

  Lawrence didn’t make the classic mistake of looking around to spot which exits he could dash to in a pinch. Myuri squinted at him, quite interested in his reaction.

  “These two here with us will succeed Moid. I want them here to watch and learn.”

  The two youths immediately straightened their backs.

  “All for such an ordinary traveling merchant as I?”

  Myuri barely let Lawrence finish before he replied.

  “It’s people who talk like that who are the most intimidating.”

  “What Diva’s after is far more mysterious than anything I could ever offer.”

  Just like that, they were already at it. Moid was already quietly refilling Myuri’s light blue glass.

  “Everything in this town was just as surprising to us. Oh, we were all curious, but none of us could figure it out, so we just let it slide. After all, why rock the boat if we’re being catered to like this? All of us were thinking things like, ‘It’s nice having money and partying every night,’ ‘What more can we ask for,’ and ‘We’re not hard-headed knights like Lance Ford, we won’t die without a little adventuring.”’

  There he was again, mentioning another mythical knight. Myuri really did have a knack for embellishing his speeches in a way that would keep his men bold.

  “A bigger band might see fit to toss a merchant out on his ass, but we’re hardly that high and mighty. We’ve got to take every chance we get, especially when it comes knocking on our door and already suspects that we’re shipping coins.”

  He tilted his glass toward Lawrence, then downed it all in one gulp. It was such strong liquor that even Holo had to sip it, but Moid had no intention of slowing Myuri down. In fact, he was already pouring more into Myuri’s glass, without him even asking.

  “I’ll bet you guys earned like the mightiest band, though?”

  Lawrence considered talking modestly to balance out Myuri’s exaggerated manner, but he chose not to. Mercenaries treasured their fame, so acting too humbly around them might even backfire and be something of an insult. He finally understood why grandstanding nobles liked to eat with mercenaries, especially well-spoken ones. It was a surefire way for all involved to stroke their egos.

  “Oh, indeed. Even more than we expected we would.”

  “They must have been running pretty low on silvers, then?”

  “Exactly. But not long afterward, several barons heard of the offer and offered their services as well. Things.. weren’t quite as smooth after that, but you can be sure those barons made a tidy profit.”

  “Impressive.”

  Lawrence smiled, making Myuri nod and cough before he continued.

  “All jokes aside, I keep hearing that Diva’s earning way too much gold. It sure is annoying, especially since I also hear this place has no power that can stand up to them. Even the poorer southern lords are treated like slaves. I’m dissatisfied with it sometimes, but such things are dictated by those who have the gold. It’s what decides who wins the wars, after all, so if they really are out to attack the north it’s practically a given who’ll end up on top.”

  Even if they didn’t know whether there would even be a war, the mercenaries still came here. There could only be one reason that drove them here, and only one reason they didn’t leave before their members grew impatient or complacent.

  “So Diva wants to become the lords of the region?”

  “I think so. Even if they won’t be recognized as actual lords, merchants will find a way to build their power so they practically are lords.”

  That was true, there was even a certain trade alliance with their own moon-and-shield flag and several battleships. Lawrence had seen their power first-hand in the Winfield kingdom.

  “That’s why most of us are still here. If we can take part in a war to conquer the north, we’ll win riches like we can’t imagine. Knights will rule the land, and we’ll be their armies. At least it used to be that way in the old days, but now it’s quite possible that Diva could only need us to keep their city running smoothly.”

  Given that they were dealing in expensive metals, Diva would treasure soldiers who could help them discover and defend new mines in the north, not to mention their trade routes. Lawrence was keenly aware of that; it was obvious. But Myuri wouldn’t be treating Lawrence to such a fine drink if things were that straightforward.

  “But you don’t think they’re out to start a war.”

  Myuri tapped his forehead as Lawrence said that, like it was some secret code. His voice took on a more sombre tone.

  “I don’t. We’re not a big group, and we’ve survived all this time because we gather intelligence and make good predictions. But I have no idea what Diva’s thinking or doing this time. In the end we’re just their tools. But the moment they make a bad choice, their hired mercenaries may turn on them.”

  Mercenaries didn’t think long and hard to earn their keep, like Lawrence did. They staked everything on their lives. Were they a pack of wolves, Lawrence would be but a lonely sheep.

  “I don’t even know how they plan to use us. They aren’t moving themselves, and they still haven’t placed most of their forces. Those barons I mentioned haven’t even exposed their involvement yet, and that’s one of the reasons. If they made a move now, they’d be crushed. So why are they taking their time when they’ve invested so much toward that goal? I really don’t understand the minds of wealthy aristocrats and their charitable deeds, but Diva isn’t a charity. A strong foe isn’t the most fearsome thing about a war..”

  Myuri took a sip of his liquor before continuing.

  “..It’s not understanding your own situation. I’ll bet that’s exactly how you feel, am I right, Mr. Lawrence?”

  His eyes and tone made it clear that he wasn’t just rambling drunkenly. The two men standing next to them against the wall kept glancing over at Lawrence.

  “You are. I’m exactly the same way. Given the chance, I’d love to stay here and spread my roots. That’s why I’m compelled to understand all of this.”

  Myuri nodded, then ate some salted nuts. He didn’t care to eat quietly. Moid took over the conversation.

  “In our long history, we’ve brought many a merchant to tears. We’re hired for money, and merchants are led by money. But usually, the money that hires us
has a clear and simple flow to it, because it’s difficult to move such vast funds illegitimately. That’s why, Mr. Lawrence, we’re willing to be open with you about this, and do whatever we can, assuming you’ll help us solve this puzzle.”

  They were willing to do whatever they could, and it didn’t matter whether Lawrence was exemplary or had Holo as his companion. It was just the only way they could solve the problem objectively.

  For his part, Lawrence was also keen on figuring it out; just what was Diva up to? If it meant he could buy that inexpensive shop and live stably in this place, his dream would finally be achieved. That was as important to him as helping ease Holo’s worries about the north.

  “Then I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.”

  It was a short and quick reply, since taking too long to think it over wouldn’t go over well this time. Myuri leaned in over the table, while Moid and the other two sat back on the bench beside him, like they were trying to compensate. Lawrence continued.

  “However, there’s one thing about the flow of money here that I don’t understand.”

  “Which is?”

  “Taxes.”

  Taxes were an unpleasant, but necessary evil in order to keep a town running. But with no guild and no walls, Lawrence simply couldn’t fathom how they could collect taxes. The answer astounded him.

  “There are no taxes here.”

  “Huh..?”

  Lawrence swallowed the words he wanted to say: “how’s that possible?” Such a place would be a haven for the scorned and hated families of tax officials.

  “No walls. There’s no way they can collect tariffs or tolls. You saw the market, right?”

  Lawrence nodded.

  “Well then, you know how simply the market is structured here. No one puts a lot out on display. Diva’s the top dog here, after all, and have to maintain order. But a company can’t issue taxes. That’s a king’s privilege. The second they declared a tax, they’d also be declaring war.”

  Then how did they keep this place running so smoothly? Magic? Or the magic of money?

  “I’ve thought about the tax situation.”

  Moid coughed and interrupted.