“We’ve already attempted numerous direct negotiations, apparently to no avail. Because of that I hear we’ve begun trying to win over the abbot, after trying to win over the abbot of their sister monastery and even their archivist. A lot of merchants are here, after all, so it’s possible one of them’s a close friend or associate of theirs. But they’ve stubbornly rejected all negotiations, though they’re obviously in dire straits.. you seriously can’t help but feel some respect for people like that.”
Pisky’s tone seemed sincere rather than mocking. The fact that they’d weathered the alliance’s attacks thus far probably would seem miraculous to someone in the alliance.
“So.. exactly what kind of information do you seek from me, Mr. Lawrence?”
A frank smile was on Pisky’s face, but Lawrence was no pushover - he usually interacted with a master of verbal chicanery, Holo. His composure remained in the face of Pisky’s surprise attack as he formulated his reply.
Ultimately, though, he chose not to play dumb, and turned away instead. Acting tough now would do him no good. After all, this place had the flag of the Ruvik Alliance over it. Cleverly manipulating Pisky to his own ends would be the act of an insolent brat, not an outstanding merchant.
“To be honest, what I seek is something too embarrassing to say out loud here.”
“Most of the topics spoken on these hallowed grounds are too embarrassing for the ears, so please don’t hesitate to speak.”
Pisky’s invitational manner was practically identical to that of a priest receiving a confession.
“You truly think so?”
“Yes. Besides, I take great interest in this matter. You don’t appear to be here to see our sorry state. I’d guessed that you were coming here to meet someone, and yet you came to see me instead of a monk. As worthless as I am, I’m still a traveling merchant, and I don’t ignore my own boundless curiosity. If I spot a sliding curtain, I can’t help but want to know what lies behind it.”
Lawrence caught himself thinking about what a pleasure it would be to do business with Pisky. Not many people inspired that feeling in him. He was suddenly tempted to continue their tug-of-war, but he knew that this was the crucial moment to pull the rope and win. He suppressed a tinge of regret and intentionally put on a sheepish smile.
“My question is, what chance is there for ones like us to see the holy relics?”
All the expression on Pisky’s face instantly melted. He then began to stroke his face, while looking like someone staring into the face of disaster.
“I.. beg your pardon. Haha! Apparently I still haven’t had sufficient training. I never expected such a reason.”
“Then you don’t find my reason suspicious?”
“Please stop teasing me. This is one of the branches of the Great Brondel Monastery. I’d be damned by the heavens above if I showed any more surprise that someone came here to see the holy relics rather than make a profit.”
Pisky laughed a little before looking at the tip of his pen, only to see that the ink on it had almost dried. He dipped the pen into the inkwell and resumed his writing.
“I really thought you’d come here for a different purpose..”
“A different purpose?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. But after hearing you, it strikes me that you’re being honest. You’re definitely not the type that one should let their guard down around. If you’ve gone out of your way to come here with Mr. Deutschmann’s introduction, you’re surely hoping to see a list of our would-be acquisitions, is that it?”
That’s what Lawrence had revealed to Holo and Cole, when they were lodged at the inn by the harbor. He’d predicted that if the Ruvik Alliance was planning to buy the monastery’s land, they must have conducted a thorough investigation of what they owned.
That conjecture may have been putting the cart before the horse, but naturally Lawrence had no need to humble himself and reveal that much in full honesty. So he neither nodded nor shook his head, and simply smiled.
“This monastery’s name is known throughout the world. I’ve heard it possesses much, including holy relics. Of course I don’t have detailed information on each of those relics, but.. what kind of relics are you after? I just might be able to help you out.”
Lawrence’s next response had to be very carefully considered. He decided to drop an indirect answer as a precaution.
“It’s a holy relic related to the Golden Sheep.”
“The Golden Sheep..”
When a clever merchant repeated another’s words, they were guaranteed to be thinking about them at the same time. In the brief moment that stall tactic created, they could imagine a hundred possible scenarios. But even having bought himself that extra time, Pisky wasn’t able to come up with a proper response.
His smile became the same kind that spread on Cole’s face whenever he’d been teased by Holo. The merchants eavesdropping on their conversation were probably secretly shaking their heads and inwardly sighing at that response.
“If it’s something left behind by a saint, I’m aware of a few such items.. but if it’s the Golden Sheep then I’m afraid-”
“That it’s mostly likely a baseless rumor?”
“Well, I wouldn’t completely write it off.”
Pisky gazed at the merchants at the next table as he spoke. The two of them perceived this, having overheard everything despite playing cards, and only gave a light shrug.
“The legend of the Golden Sheep’s been circulated in the monastery for centuries, so you can put it another way..”
“That no one’s actually found the Golden Sheep in all those centuries?”
“That’s really the best I can offer.”
Pisky’s face was full of regret. He seemed reluctant to smile at Lawrence in disdain, knowing he’d been apparently led here by a baseless rumor. Since the other party was now biased in that way, Lawrence had no reason to keep struggling.
But he couldn’t let their evaluation of him get too negative, lest it become an obstacle to gathering information in the future. Being humble and being looked down upon were two very different things. And so, Lawrence needed to do some damage control.
“In all honesty, I’d already been told many times before coming here that what I’m after is just a baseless tale. But it isn’t just insignificant merchants like me who go out in search of their dreams – even those great figures who perpetually stare at ledgers wish for that from time to time. That’s how I got the chance to become acquainted with Mr. Deutschmann.”
“..Meaning?”
“After discovering what I was after, the one who introduced me to Mr. Deutschmann had his curiosity piqued. He wasn’t able to free himself of his obligations, so he sent me to chase his dream for him. The more composed one is, the more open his mind is to the things that interest him.”
The trick to confidently telling a lie was to base it off of facts and give it just the right amount of detail. The two men playing cards behind Pisky nodded as if saying “so that’s how it was.” If a merchant stopped chasing after money to chase after a ridiculous dream instead, they’d be seen as impractical fools. But if they did so for the sport of a wealthy man, it wasn’t nearly as foolish. Pisky calmly saw it the same way.
“So that’s how it was.”
“..And now you’ve learned another way to get on a rich man’s good side?”
“No no, I’m being completely serious.”
It only made Lawrence happier to see the wry smile on Pisky’s face. He’d been able to retain a positive evaluation that was neither too low nor too high. Better still, it painted him as a harmless merchant, here on a curious whim. And so, Lawrence boldly leaned forward and spoke.
“It’s for this reason that I’m here to gather all the information I can about the Golden Sheep. Is there anyone else around here who might have more information about it?”
Any merchant who shunned the fancies of a rich man didn’t have the right to call himself a merchant. So one by one, with
cups of wine in their hands and smiles on their faces, the other merchants who’d been listening in began to gather around Lawrence.
* * *
Lawrence made no mention of the wolf deity’s bones, but only because mentioning the Golden Sheep was enough – wolves and sheep were always related. If there was a holy relic related to the Golden Sheep, he could find out more about the bones by following that trail. Even if he didn’t gain anything specific about the bones, he’d at least sniff out a few clues.
That was his original hope, but ultimately he gathered far less information than he’d anticipated. Worse, this was the kind of topic that was well-suited for lively conversations accompanied by liquor. By the time he finally managed to pull himself away and return to his room, he was already so drunk he couldn’t walk straight.
His body collapsed face-down on the bed before Holo could stop leisurely grooming her tail and move out of his way. As she struggled to free herself from under his arm, Cole hurriedly fetched him some water.
“You sure have it good.”
Those were her words, having finally freed herself with a mighty effort.
“Are you really one to talk?”
He took the bowl Cole handed to him and drank it while lying down in bed. If he couldn’t even manage that much, he would never have been able to stay in cheap inns with other people. He handed the bowl back to Cole after draining it. He knew that if he closed his eyes now, he would immediately nod off.
“So, how much information did you gather?”
She stared at him narrowly as she pulled his ear. He might have gotten upset if he was sober, but since he was now using her carefully-groomed and fluffed tail as a cushion, he knew she also had a good reason to be upset.
“You mean ’did I have a good time at the banquet?’ Surely you can tell, can’t you?”
“Harumph! If you had dared to say you had a good time, I would have chewed your ears off.”
“Had I known it would turn out like this I would have forced you to join me.. I’m sorry I’m so late that her majesty the Wisewolf has had to begin leisurely drinking on her own..”
He no longer had any control over his liquor-addled mind, and his sarcasm only earned him a slap in the face. Truthfully, had she joined him it would have made things even harder. She’d probably realized that and deliberately chosen to stay behind. After her whip-like slap she gently pulled his cheek.
“Have you anything else to say?”
Her assault was actually quite pleasing to his already-numb face. He closed his eyes at the pleasant sensation on his cheek and replied.
“Let me get some sleep first..”
“Foolish mule. However, unlike you, I am one who knows how to show gratitude.”
As his consciousness faded, he swore he could feel the comforting touch of a hand stroking his cheek.
Although he was sure that his memory hadn’t lapsed, when he finally reopened his eyes it was no longer dusk, but was pitch black around him. He’d woken up abruptly, and was still unable to get up with any speed.
He suspected that he’d drifted off in the exact same position he was in as soon as Holo stroked his cheek. He didn’t even try turning his head; he knew it would be too painful. He closed his eyes in regret at having slept in such a terrible way, then lifted himself straight up.
His body was as stiff as soil bereft of moisture. His only solace was having remembered to cover himself in a blanket before nodding off. No, wait, it wasn’t a blanket..
When he sat up he discovered some brownish animal fur stuck to his clothing. Holo must have kept her tail on him the entire time. Her sweet fragrance stimulated him as he brushed away her fur.
“Nng..”
As he sat up he pressed a hand against his neck, which had apparently managed to miss his pillow when he landed in bed. As he did, the thin and vaguely-illuminated door to their room slowly opened. Because of the drink, even the dim light from the stove was too intense for his eyes.
“Are you awake?”
“..I suppose so.”
“Dinner is still hot. Will you eat?”
“..I need water.”
She shrugged rather than replying, and handed him a jug of water.
“What about Cole?”
“He is being lectured by that shepherd on the things one needs to know to survive days of snow, and is listening passionately. Unlike me, that young one is good at asking questions.”
Rays of light crept in through the cracks of the door. Her confident smile was quite fearsome in these conditions. Because Cole was so good with his questions, Lawrence would often proudly lose himself in their conversations, and in the process neglect her. It seemed she was somehow even less happy about that than he thought. Judging by how she stared down at him, unwilling to sit beside him, he was probably right.
“It seems I’ll have to find someone to lecture me on what one needs to know in order to survive your scoldings.”
“Do you mean you plan on asking someone other than I?”
“I can only ask you when you aren’t angry.. otherwise you’re a completely different person.”
“Hmph. My current form is only temporary, you know.”
She revealed a kind smile as she spoke. Lawrence couldn’t help but fear this wolf.
“So.. how did it go?”
The two of them whispered as though speaking into each other’s ears, knowing that only a thin door separated them from the hall. Given how much like pillow-talk it was, the not-quite-sober Lawrence felt his lips curl up into a smile.
But that smile came into being for another, more important reason. When she saw him stumble back to their room in the inn, she hadn’t seized him by the collars and demanded his report immediately. Despite desperately wanting to know the results of his investigation, she had showed consideration.
But that fact only made the smile on his face gradually turn into one of resignation. He could only report that his search hadn’t gone well.
“I didn’t manage to find anything out.”
Her expression changed. But she didn’t lose her temper; was it because she knew that merchants practically refused to stay down after falling (unless paid to do so), or because she’d anticipated this result?
“..What now?”
He lost control of his tone of voice and answered her in a merchant’s tone.
“Unless a merchant conducts business on their own, they’ll always leave behind records of their acquisitions. So if what we seek is truly here, there will surely be such a record.”
Pisky’s writing in the recreation hall was the best evidence of this. Even an item whose existence had to be kept a secret had to be noted down in a record somewhere. It was precisely this habit of merchants that had allowed them to turn the tables in Gerube.
“Hmph.”
With one hand at her waist, she exhaled forcefully and seemed to nod while staring straight at him. She turned her face away and lowered it, her tail swelling up like a pouch being filled with water.
“Did you think you could brush me off just like that?”
If he was entirely sober, he’d probably be able to withstand the coldness in her voice. He slowly raised both hands up in surrender. He wanted to blame the alcohol for letting such superficial, merchant-like words roll off his tongue.
“I admit that until the bone’s existence is disproven, I could just pretend that I’m searching hard for them.”
And in fact, it was impossible to disprove their existence. She closed her eyes as she listened with her large wolf’s ears, as though she was pondering what he meant. He knew what he had to say.
“I’m sorry, for forcing you to be so patient.”
Her shoulders suddenly reeled back in surprise. He was momentarily awestruck by the sight of her acting like a child whose mischief had just been uncovered, but chose to respond with a smile.
“I’m just a lowly traveling merchant, only capable of gathering information in such roundabout ways. But for you–
”
For her, it would surely be possible to prove whether the devil himself existed. Alcohol had a way of freeing one’s mind from the constraints of logic, and normally Lawrence would have spoken more prudently, but right now his swirling brain was letting his tongue wag on its own accord. If Holo hadn’t covered his mouth with both hands, he surely would have finished that sentence.
“..”
He had accidentally removed the lid from a box that should have remained closed. That’s what the look on her face was saying, as she kept her hands on his mouth. And yet, she was being very gentle. He remained silent for quite a while, but since she wasn’t speaking he slowly took her hands and lifted them off his face.
“Did you learn nothing from that incident in Gerube? With something as expensive as a holy relic, any attempt of mine to take it by force would only leave me utterly spent just like the last time. It would not only be very hard on me, but on you as well.”
Her hands were small, and her fingers quite slender. For one with her true form, this kind of appearance had to be the least convenient one possible. Her giant fangs and claws could easily win her just about anything she desired in this world.
“It’s as you said in Gerube: everything would be resolved in an instant if you simply used your fangs and claws.”
The high walls of a monastery, an iron gate, heavy chains, even the results of a dedicated locksmith working with all his heart and soul.. Holo could decimate them all and expose the secrets they hid to the world.
What resistance could the monastery’s guards possibly offer? That much was obvious. They may have the force of authority, but that meant little to her. Her power could devastate the entire monastery and accomplish her goal in the blink of an eye. But she didn’t choose to, and the reason why was simple.
“If-”
She finally opened her mouth and spoke.
“If you wish to be somewhere far away, I can take you there on my back. If you wish to obtain something, I can bring it to you. If you are under attack, I can shake off your pursuers. If there is something you wish to protect, I can assist you. But..”
She gently uncurled the fingers of his right hand and slipped her little hand into his.