Spice & Wolf 08 by Hasekura Isuna

Spice & Wolf 08 by Hasekura Isuna

Author:Hasekura Isuna
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780316245463
Publisher: Yen Press
Published: 2013-04-12T04:00:00+00:00


By reputation, the delta marketplace was a captivating microcosm of the world, holding goods from scores of nations. On the winds that blew through it were carried dozens of languages, it was said.

But Lawrence could not deny that hearing and seeing were very different things, as the feeling he got on first setting foot in the marketplace was similar to the impression he had upon first seeing the Jean Company.

Goods were not piled high the way they were in markets that were only open a few days out of the year, and there were neither people visiting for business, nor hawkers trying to pry loose coins from the travelers who were stopping in the market midway through their journeys.

The marketplace was choked with crowds, but a close inspection of the shops that were lined up revealed that establishments with actual goods on display were few. Instead, they merely hung signs for goods in amounts far exceeding what someone would need in their daily lives, and without speaking to the shopkeeper, no samples were shown.

Lawrence had wanted to try some foreign food, but the marketplace was so crowded that no space for friendly drinking and relaxation could exist. For drink, there were only a few shops selling ale and wine in bulk.

Business required an atmosphere of excitement, of vigor – not confusion and violence.

For that reason, the number of taverns was controlled, and the sights of soldiers on guard with arms on their belts were not rare.

All this meant that there were a limited number of places for Lawrence to go, which any clever person would have realized after a quick circuit through the crowded marketplace.

Instead of Lawrence finding his companion, then, it was more accurate to say that the merchant was found by her.

Reasoning that Holo and Col would be amusing themselves in their way, after having his fill of watching the town’s movers and shakers perform their little farce, Lawrence arrived at a first-floor tavern in search of Holo.

Just as he was deciding whether or not to open the door, a voice called out to him from above.

“Come, you.”

Lawrence did not reply but pushed the tavern’s door open in a long-suffering manner.

The words that he uttered immediately upon entering the small second-floor room, containing the source of the voice that so blithely called out to him, were not entirely sarcastic. “You’re certainly living it up.”

“Am I? We’ve but used the silver coin you gave us.”

There was a table and chair next to the window, but Holo sat on the windowsill, drinking.

Though she was clearly visible from the street outside, her ears and tail were exposed to the world. She was either drunk or confident that she would not be recognized.

“Using a whole trenni on wine without a single hesitation is simply… well, I’ll have to explain it to you sooner or later.” Lawrence picked up a small cask that had been left on the floor, empty, and took a whiff, sighing.

Having a discerning palate while also being a big eater and drinker was a bad combination.



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