“Our first prey has more or less successfully taken the bait.”
“..”
Huskins gave a hard, solemn nod as if to express his gratitude.
“I’m gonna get some sleep. Pisky’s gathering allies to pore over the financial records, and they should be able to find something suspicious soon enough.”
The real challenge lay with what they had to do after convincing the alliance that the wolf’s bones truly existed. Once the alliance was convinced, they’d surely push their demands even harder. Just how hard would depend on how credible the legend was.
Lawrence couldn’t guarantee how solid his grip on the reins was. After all, this time he wasn’t steering some horse or cow. He needed to get some sleep and recover his stamina, or he’d be drained of what little remained in no time.
Perhaps because she was self-conscious with Huskins there, Holo didn’t so much as look at him. She only gently touched his hand as they brushed by one another.
He found Cole soundly asleep in their room when he entered. Despite someone at least being there so he wouldn’t have to shiver alone under the covers, he couldn’t help but feel that something was missing.
He slipped under the covers with a wry smile.
* * *
With the window shutters closed and caked in snow, it was impossible to tell what time it was. Lawrence woke up guessing it was the afternoon. He hadn’t slept much, but got up because something felt strange.. It was too quiet.
He sat up and immediately left the bed to open the window, hearing the snow fall off of it. He then left the window completely open while icy air poured into the room. It bit at his cheeks as the snowy white landscape came into his view.
The winds had calmed considerably, and despite still snowing outside it was no longer a blizzard. The world had settled back into that unique silence characteristic of snowy days. It was so quiet one could hear the ringing in one’s ears.
He’d probably been roused by the silence. He frequently woke up because it was too quiet, rather than too loud, because when dead silence surrounded a person it felt like something bad was about to happen.
“..You’re alone, huh.”
He entered the room with the stove to find Holo tending to the fire on her own.
“I was just deliberating whether or not I should rouse you.”
“Were you unable to bear the thought of waking me after seeing how tired I was?”
With Huskins gone he didn’t hesitate to sit next to her. She replied curtly as she raked at the coals in stove with an iron poker.
“Seeing that foolish expression on your face made me feel too lazy to even try.”
“Did something happen?”
Seeing the worn-out Huskins gone, let alone Cole, meant that something must have happened. Especially since the snowstorm that had brought time to a standstill was had ceased. Holo relaxed her grip on the poker and leaned up against Lawrence.
“When the snowfall thinned, representatives from the monastery paid this place a visit. They asked whether the shepherds had seen the messenger expected to arrive here yesterday or today.”
“What did Mr. Huskins say?”
“The old man told us they were likely talking about the dead man he had found. He said he will feign ignorance for the time being, as he found the body at a place very far away and probably beyond the reach of normal shepherds. Young Cole went with him.”
As it stood, messengers with copies of the decree would probably arrive as early as tomorrow, or perhaps the day after.
“What should we do?”
“Right now all we can do is wait. Once Pisky and the others find something usable as evidence, we’ll seek a hearing with the higher-ups of the alliance.”
“Oh..”
Hearing her unenthusiastic response made him direct his eyes away from her head and toward her tail. She suddenly grabbed his ear in response.
“Can you ever make a judgment without checking the response of my tail?”
“A.. accomplishing something big takes a vigilant eye..”
“Foolish mule.”
She turned her face away and released his ear, but only after tugging it violently. She didn’t hold back, so his ear throbbed in pain. For her to be this forceful meant that she was truly angry, but it was impossible for him to know whether it the whim of a maiden’s heart, or an animal’s. Perhaps to her it felt like being asked a question, only to not have her answer taken seriously in lieu of whatever emotions her ears and tail betrayed were in her heart.
“Of course you’ll get your chance to go up on the stage.”
Her ears shot up on her slightly-lowered head when she heard that. He couldn’t help but want to pat her head when he saw such an obvious reaction, but then she spoke.
“Do you want to have your ears bitten off?”
Her ears were very important, but he considered his own just as vital. He quickly shook his head.
”The alliance is an extremely large organization. Of course only a small fraction of their representatives are here. The real big-shots are probably someplace warm and untouched by this snow. But they’re still an organization, so moving them into action will require persuasive power. And sometimes, such persuasion requires more than the facts and proof.”
She lowered her head and lifted her gaze, her eyes revealing a guarded look. Since she was being intentionally disagreeable, he guessed she did that because he liked girls who acted that way.
“The moment I stand before a group, I grow extremely nervous. You, on the other hand, are a born actress.”
He intentionally aimed his words at her behavior. Despite releasing a wicked “Hmph” as if he’d spoiled all of her fun, her tail flicked excitedly and gave away her good mood.
“We’ll leave the knowledge up to Cole, and the legwork to me.”
“And I?”
He struggled to find the perfect word in reply, but finally uttered one.
“Atmosphere.”
Holo couldn’t hold in her laughter; after quite some time it finally ended in a sigh. She then hugged his arm and whispered into his ear.
“Indeed, I am always responsible for building an atmosphere for you to destroy.”
“..”
He very much wanted to refute her, but opted to cough and continue instead.
“It’s crucial for us to have a solid grasp of the subtle changes in this atmosphere. There may be evidence, but it’s still undeniable that we have no solid proof. Our most important task is to convince those guys that this gamble is worth taking. So, being frank..”
He faced Holo before continuing.
“You will have a heavy influence on whether this plan succeeds or fails.”
Her round, amber, vaguely red pupils were revealed. Despite having witnessed so much of the good and bad of the world, her eyes somehow retained the clarity of an innocent maiden’s. Slowly, those crystal-clear eyes blinked once, and when they reopened an entirely different person was looking at him. When she spoke, it was with an intimidating voice.
“Just leave it to me. That old man made a promise.”
“And what did he promise?”
“That when we are successful, he will reward me with the year’s fattest sheep.”
Such shrewdness was to be expected of a mutton-eating sheep-spirit disguised as a human, who worked hard inwardly and outwardly to establish a second home here. It was rather fitting that he would make such an offer.
Having been on the receiving end of such a clever and worldly offer, Holo must have been unable to respond with anything but a smile. She must have thought something like “we must find a way to help this person.”
“He spoke much of the process of building a home, and shared his experiences in keeping his new home intact.”
The look on her face was a serious mixture of calm with a tinge of anger. Lawrence didn’t even have to look at her tail to know she was anxious. He knew how important loyalty was to her, and that she was surprisingly
persistent when it came to certain matters.
“Did he share any advice worth noting down?”
Her tail swished once with vigor.
“..Yes.”
“Is that so.”
If she opened her mouth right now and requested that he build her a hometown like Huskins, Lawrence wouldn’t be able to easily reply in the positive. Both of them could sense this without saying anything.
But if they evaded the topic it wouldn’t seem like they trusted each other, and it would only make things more awkward. So seeing her visibly relax, he put his arm around her and was about to pull her closer when-
“Alright.”
She spoke as she lifted his arm.
“It is time.”
“..”
“Heh. Do not look at me that way. Or would you rather have others see you panicked and flustered once more?”
From somewhere beyond her mischievous smile he heard the sounds of a walking stick and human footsteps. He guessed that Cole and Huskins had returned.
Holo stood up and gave a mighty stretch; her joints cracked and her tail fur stood on-end. He smiled as he watched her, but the moment didn’t last. She didn’t pinch his cheeks. Instead, she covered her ears and tail.
There was no longer any reason for her to conceal her true appearance from Huskins. Those footsteps he had just heard well after she did must have belonged to someone more than just Cole and Huskins. Could it be..
His hair stood on-end. His hand instinctively pressed against his chest, despite him knowing it would do him no good. For there lay the King’s hidden decree, stolen from a fallen messenger by Huskins.
Even if Lawrence cast the parchment into the flames now it wouldn’t burn immediately like wood-based paper. Holo look at him stunned, as if to ask “what is wrong?” The door swung open. All he could do now was pray to God.
“Excuse me.”
A study voice rang out, the kind that gave no room for argument. It was a man wearing a robe different from Holo’s, whose tone of voice implied he was accustomed to pressuring others. Two monks stood outside their door with Huskins sandwiched between them. One of them was the strong-voiced man.
“Pardon our intrusion. Hey!”
“Yes!”
The younger of the monks stepped into the room and immediately took a look around, then began sifting through Huskins’ personal belongings. Huskins watched his every move, hiding his emotions beneath his stoic monk-like expression capable of even fooling Holo.
The one to worry about was Cole, who was too young for facial hair, let alone ever experiencing anything like this. As their eyes met Lawrence could see that he was fearful enough to begin shivering at any moment.
“You are a traveling merchant, correct?”
The rotund elder monk spoke to Lawrence from the door. For him to not enter implied that he considered a shepherd’s residence unclean.
“Yes. We are staying here temporarily, having been unable to find accommodation at an inn.”
“I see. You’re also one of Ruvik’s?”
“No. I am a member of the Rowen Trading Guild..”
“Hmm.”
The monk nodded his head and huffed. His air was so repugnant that Lawrence wondered if that huff wasn’t a reply, but the fat folds on his neck forcing out air as he nodded.
“May I ask what has happened?”
The mood was too tense for the monks to have come here for a casual chat, given that the monk behind Lawrence was roughly rummaging baggage, blankets and even the firewood. It seemed the possibilities were limited.
Huskins had obviously fallen under the monk’s suspicion. They were suspecting that he’d encountered a messenger while searching for a stray sheep, and that he had greedily stolen something from them. In fact, such things weren’t rare.
“No, nothing out of the ordinary has happened.. you said a moment ago that you are a member of the Rowen Trading Guild?”
The monk asked, and Lawrence could only reply honestly.
“That’s right.”
“I don’t believe out monastery has had any business dealings with your guild.”
If he started panicking now, he’d have no grounds to complain later when Holo planted her foot in his rear.
“Yes, though I’m not actually here to do business.”
“Oh?”
The cenobite said, narrowing his eyes.
“My purpose in coming here with her and that child of God is to be purified by the holiness of the Brondel Monastery.”
“..You’re here on pilgrimage?”
“That’s right.”
It had been a long time since the Brondel Monastery received a pilgrim with hospitality. It was unusual that a merchant would bring a young nun and a boy here on pilgrimage now. His mouth spread into a smile, but his eyes weren’t smiling.
“Speaking of Rowen, I remember they are a guild on the mainland.. Aren’t there a number of famous churches and monasteries there already, like the Saint Liebert Monastery, Lachak Monastery, or the Churches of Giboro or Ruvinheigen?”
His question was nothing short of an interrogation, given the sounds of the other monk ransacking the place behind Lawrence.
“I’d heard a rumor there was a certain holy relic here.”
“Holy relic.”
The monk repeated bluntly, without even bothering to use a questioning tone.
“Indeed. I have heard that your monastery has the deepest affections of not only God, but also the sheep. Compared to the other names you mentioned, your monastery seems more suited to a merchant like myself.”
The monk chuckled to match Lawrence’s humor, but moved his fat gaze from Lawrence for a moment as the other monk moved into the adjacent room. Lawrence’s baggage, and his companions, were placed there, but merchants had a habit of carrying anything dangerous on their person. They had nothing to fear even if their belongings were spilled out on the ground.
“I see.. judging from your appearance, you must be quite an experienced merchant. May God bless you!”
Lawrence nodded frankly, despite knowing the monk was being sarcastic.
“Marco!”
The younger monk heard the fat one’s call and stopped rudely flipping through the items in the bedroom, rushing out like a trained dog. His manner was a far cry from the kind of monk who normally came to mind, quietly praying day after day. In fact he more resembled a trained mercenary.
“What’s the situation?”
“I found nothing.”
“Is that so?”
Was the fat monk being so openly hostile just to put pressure on Lawrence, Holo, Cole and Huskins? Or was he just trying to save face, having found nothing? Whatever the case, it seemed the four of them were safe for the time being, or so Lawrence thought.
“The cuckoo lays her eggs in the nests of other birds. Search these two.”
The fat monk must have once been a merchant, but once Lawrence realized that it was too late. The younger monk named Marco shot a glance at Lawrence, then looked at Holo. A lecherous look flashed across his face as he shoved Lawrence aside and approached her.
“In God’s name, please bear with me.”
His apparent decorum only served to make Marco seem more snake-like. Holo’s tail was concealed under her robe, and her ears under her hood. She wore the expression of a saintly woman calmly awaiting martyrdom, but Lawrence felt like an ant in a frying pan.
If that wasn’t enough, Marco didn’t bother checking the sleeves of her robe first, and instead traced his hands down her shoulders along the curves of her body. She shrank back momentarily when his hands touched her breasts.
“What’s this?”
He had discovered the small pouch of wheat she wore around her neck. The fact that he had found something tucked away under her garments revealed just how lecherous his search was.
“Wheat?”
“A protective charm..”
He grin repulsively at her soft, mosquito-like reply, as if his sad
ism was appeased. Lawrence felt his hands ball into fists as he swallowed his anger. Holo’s willingness to bear this shame would be for naught if he wasn’t willing to do the same.
By this time Marco’s hands were sliding down her waist, and he was forced to kneel due to the height difference between them. If he reached behind her, he would surely find her tail. Would she still be able to hide from his hands?
Lawrence’s anxiety was the only reason he managed to barely contain the rage in his heart. As Marco’s hands being sliding from her sides to her rear-
“Boo.. hoo..”
He had been shamelessly touching her waist under her lowly hung head, but when he heard her sniffling and sobbing, he lifted his head and clicked his tongue. Tears were streaming from her eyes as she clutched her wheat pouch, as if praying for divine protection. Marco moved his hands away, knowing that the jig was up. He hastily turned back around to check her sleeves before speaking.
“God has already proven your innocence.”
She softly nodded. Lawrence could tell that her tears were feigned, but her ability to cry like that impressed him greatly. But his relief was short-lived, since he was obviously next.
“Sorry.”
The look in Marco’s eyes had markedly changed. Now that it was Lawrence’s turn to be searched, there was no reason for him to hold back. Lawrence was the more suspicious one of the two, after all.
Lawrence actually had a number of letters on his person, but it was all over if they discovered the one with the tax decree. He was desperately trying to think of a way to pull the letter out and hide it. So in the instant that Marco reached his arms out toward Lawrence, as his eyes met Holo’s-
“Watch out!”
Lawrence cried as he shoved Marco aside, rushing toward her. As their eyes met, she had nodded slightly, then at the last possible moment she tearfully wobbled with her hands still clutching the wheat pouch in a prayerful pose. She tumbled toward the stove as though a spell of amnesia had caused her to faint.
Lawrence caught her in his arms and they fell to the floor. They had won themselves a brief respite, but what now? What was their best course of action? Lawrence was lost in contemplation as he held Holo, hearing footsteps approach him from behind. He knew their ruse wasn’t going to last much longer.