What's wrong?
I can feel a slight tremble in the air.
The ground above us must be near the market.
That's probably why.
No...
It does...
Is this... water?
The sound of water splashing.
They're after us! Which way?
From ahead. This is bad. Head back!
Is this just one straight path?
It would've been if we kept going in that direction.
But it's a maze down this way.
Even I can't say
for certain that I won't lose my way here.
Huh? What's wrong?
We can't outrun them.
They released dogs.
They're barking like fools.
All right, close your ears.
What?
I'm craving some apples.
You can eat as much as you want later.
ORIGINAL STORY BY ISUNA HASEKURA
But how did they find us?
They were probably searching underground and happened to find us.
You think so?
If they came here knowing we were here,
we'd be sandwiched by now.
Milone Trading Company sold you out!
There's no use in running away!
Apparently, we were sold out.
They would've had to pay a hefty amount.
After all, Milone will be at risk of destruction if you're caught.
I see.
That would be expensive.
I'm sure they're just bluffing.
Let's go.
Wait!
They're here!
Over there! Don't let them go!
You chase after them. I'll go around the other side.
All right!
-I hear their footsteps over there! -Catch them!
They're not over here yet.
Block all the side paths.
Do you know your way?
Yeah, don't worry. We'll turn left there.
-Let's hurry. -Yes.
Lawrence!
Please forgive me of my sins, my God.
Before repenting for your sins,
you'd better repent for the way you live your life.
Lawrence...
Don't worry. I know the route.
-Damn it! Where are they? -Look here!
-They're completely unconscious. -Let's go after them.
Lawrence!
Are you okay? Lawrence!
Thank goodness...
I kept calling your name, but you wouldn't move.
I'm fine. I was just a little sleepy.
You've got to hold on. We're almost there.
Almost where?
You didn't hear me?
I said that I can smell
the sunlight, so this must lead outside.
Right...
-What's this? -You...
You didn't even notice that?
Almost...
We're almost there.
No...
I knew you did that. Don't worry.
This way.
If we turn right at the end of that path,
we should be able to go outside.
No way...
An old well, huh?
I'm sorry. I didn't realize this was it.
There they are!
Stay back.
What! You can't fight them!
Nonsense...
I can still fight.
You're lying! Even someone without my ears can tell!
Wait.
I knew it sounded familiar
when they described who they were looking for.
I can't believe it really was you,
Lawrence.
I was surprised as well.
Who knew you'd get involved in such an ambitious transaction.
You've come a long way, Yarei.
The one backing up Medio Trading Company is Count Erhendott.
As a major wheat producer,
it's easy to have buyers pay using coins of your choice.
On top of that, lifting the tariffs on wheat
would be a godsend for the count,
Medio Trading Company, and the villagers.
You are familiar with the merchants who come to buy wheat
and the village head leaves everything to you.
And the majority of
wheat transactions happen after the harvest festival.
We can catch up later. We don't have much time now.
Don't be so cold, Yarei.
Didn't you come all the way here to see
the wolf you didn't even believe in?
Who knew she'd become your companion?
The wolf incarnate who resided in
our wheat fields
and freely controlled the success and failure of the harvest...
Hand her over to us.
We are going to turn her over to the church
and break away from the old days.
If you hand her over,
we can destroy Milone Trading Company.
If we can lift the tariffs as well,
our village's wheat will bring in an enormous profit.
All the villagers will prosper.
Lawrence,
that also applies to merchants who buy our wheat.
You bought our wheat
when our village was suffering from heavy tariffs.
All the villagers are grateful to you.
I can easily give you priority when it comes to buying our wheat.
Plus, think about our history together.
You'd even be able to fulfill your dream of opening your own store.
Then the two of us will be
able to take part in even bigger business deals.
I learned business from you.
This time, I want to help you succeed in your venture.
Come on, Lawrence.
As a merchant, you should know which decision is most profitable.
Of course, I know what's more profitable.
Lawrence!
However,
the first rule to becoming a good merchant
is honoring your contract.
By some quirk of fate,
this weird girl I picked up wishes to return north.
I made a contract with her and said that I will accompany her.
I can't break that contract.
Then I'll have to follow through with the contract I made too.
That's too bad.
Our friendship didn't last very long, did it?
Saying goodbye is part of being a traveling merchant.
You can kill the guy.
But make sure you capture her alive.
Holo?
My sword...
That's enough!
It might hurt a little, but bear with me.
She's drinking his blood!
Don't be scared!
She's nothing but a girl possessed by a demon...
Don't look...
Run.
God... is always like this...
Always so unreasonable!
Holo...
Stop, Holo!
Wait...
Holo!
How expensive do you think that outfit was that you tore?
I don't care if you're a god. I'll have you pay for it!
The 70 silver coins you made are not enough!
Do you know how many years I worked to save up for each piece?
I'll chase after you to the north forest.
I will chase after you!
Holo!
Holo...
You woke up?
How is your wound?
Fine, thank you.
Our mistake put you in a lot of danger.
I am terribly sorry.
Don't be. This all happened because of
my companion anyway.
Fortunately, the church didn't find us.
We were lucky that the commotion happened underground.
If the townspeople saw her in that form,
our branch and even our headquarters may have been burned down.
You saw her?
Yes.
I got a report from my subordinates saying,
"A giant wolf
is protecting Mr. Lawrence and won't move."
When I got there,
your companion was there.
She was protecting me?
So, where is Holo now?
Well, after she carried you here...
she left without telling us where she was going.
-When? -It's been one whole day.
I see...
So, did the transaction go well?
Yes.
We got the royal family to grant us the privilege that
Medio Trading Company would want the most.
Your companion will no longer be reported to the church.
That's good to hear.
The number of silver coins that we collected was 307,212.
The king is apparently planning to devalue the silver coin quite a lot.
He paid us with ready money that was worth about 350,000 coins.
350,000 coins?
According to our contract with you,
we are to give you 5% of the profit that we made.
-Is that correct? -Yes.
-Please confirm. -Yes.
This is...
120 silver coins.
That is 5% of the profit that we made.
That is all?
The transportation fee for the coins we collected,
the tariffs imposed on that,
and the contract fee for the contract itself.
What an absurdly high contract fee.
The king's purveyors must have given him that idea.
They gave away the privileges
but made up for it by recovering what they lost from the coin exchange.
The profit we made was 2,400 coins.
The results were unexpectedly disappointing.
Business is all about the unexpected, I guess.
However,
sometimes things happen unexpectedly
in a good way too.
Here.
This is...
I guess the Medio Trading Company really wanted those privileges.
Moreover,
they've collected coins that they know are going to drop in value,
which is the same as being in debt.
So, I guess they were eager to do business
that would positively lead to a profit.
They offered us a price on the spot.
A whole 1,000 coins... Are you sure?
Yes, it's nothing.
Would you like to be paid in silver coins?
If you would rather exchange it for merchandise, I can get that ready.
Black pepper...
Do you have black pepper?
It's light and doesn't take up space.
Black pepper?
People will eat more meat
as we approach winter, and the price of pepper will rise.
What is it?
I'm sorry.
I just remembered a play that I read recently.
A play?
Yes.
It's a liturgical drama that the church uses
to teach trading companies to do business with a sense of morality.
A devil appears in front of a certain rich merchant and says,
"Bring me the most delicious human being that's here,
or else I will devour you."
To save his own life, the merchant
offers up his young maids and stout menservants,
but the devil kept shaking his head "No."
He searches around town for delicious humans and finally
finds a boy who smells like milk and honey.
He wastes no time in offering the boy up to the devil,
but the boy tells the devil,
"The most delicious human is right in front of you."
"The man who
has been marinating his overweight soul
with an abundance of spices, day after day."
Excuse me...
I couldn't help but picture you making a profit
off of black pepper.
I can't wait until I can afford to use that much spice myself.
I have high hopes for you.
After all, it's in our best interest to maintain a good
relationship with a merchant like you, Mr. Lawrence.
Thank you.
Well then, we'll prepare your black pepper.
I'll get back to work now.
Mr. Lawrence,
there is an invoice billed to your name.
140 silver coins?
I don't remember buying these...
-Oh! -Huh?
Where's the loading dock?
Turn left at the end of the hallway...
Thank you!
A woman's robe,
a silk belt,
travel shoes, a tortoiseshell comb...
Sorry, coming through!
And a bunch of apples!
That will be 140 silver coins.
Holo!
I don't want you coming to the north forest to collect your money.
I have to pay you back before going home.
That's right!
Spice and wolf, huh?
Next time, "The Scales of God and Mage of the Grassland."
Subtitle translation by: Kiko Morita