Chapter 4 Act II-1

"Hey, how did it become like this?" "Ok?" Hearing Lawrence's murmur, Holo turned her eyes, almost buried in the tankard, to him. "It's nothing, don't spill the wine." "Ok." It has a higher alcohol content than other towns, so the name is also called heavy beer.Holo drained the beer in her glass and picked up a crusty shell. It was a bivalves that grew in the Roma River that flowed by the city of Reynolds, and it was about the same size as Holo's hand.The meat is very soft. After being crushed, it is mixed with bread flour and then baked in the shell. It is a specialty of Reynolds.Served with a moderate amount of wasabi, it will make people feel that there is no better appetizer than this.

A huge oval-shaped port was formed under the long-term erosion of the Roma River, standing in front of the port.Holo couldn't help but let out a voice of admiration as she looked at the large number of flat-bottomed boats moored in the port.However, the aroma of open-air shops aimed at the appetites of travelers coming and going on the gangway still wafted into Holo's nose, and Holo's heart was instantly conquered. Seashells for three people were placed side by side on the plain table made of old wooden boxes, and there were already two glasses for drinking beer. Lawrence ordered the same wine that Arold Lord used to persuade him to drink, but Holo looked unhappy.

With this sour taste, the next thing is to just have time to drink slowly. "However, it looks like Reynolds doesn't have any problems as usual." I don't know if there is something piled up. After a wooden box almost as long as a person's height was unloaded from the ship, several merchants around immediately pried off the lid and began to discuss the goods inside. With such a magnificent port, the amount of goods that come in every day can be said to be countless.Even if you just look from the sidelines, you will find that this is a town with an unimaginable concentration of goods

Needless to say, all kinds of daily food, assuming that there is wood coming in, then the saws, chisels, nails, hammers and traveling blacksmiths needed for processing will come to the town, as well as the ropes and leather needed for finishing the wood. Ropes, horses and carriages for overland transport, even harnesses, and countless other related items will enter. Or simply there are ships coming into port, then the shipbuilders and related tools, or the ship itself is a commodity.I am afraid that even an omniscient and omnipotent god may not know exactly how many types and quantities of commodities there are.

Variety, there is no better word to describe the dynamic and lively panorama of the harbor, and there is no better place for this word than Reynolds.Whatever problems there are are bound to be hidden beneath the surface. Holo was using the knife she borrowed from Lawrence to skewer the smooth shellfish to her mouth, when she suddenly heard Lawrence talking to herself, looked around thoughtfully, and took a big gulp of beer "Even though the wolves are fighting fiercely for territory, it seems as calm as ever from far away from the forest." "Even with eyes and ears as sensitive as yours, can't you tell from a distance?"

Holo didn't answer right away, but lowered her head as if putting on airs, but her ears moved a little under the hood. Normally Lawrence would be teased by Holo because of his anxiety, but now there was a strong sour and warm wine, he took a sip of the wine and waited patiently for Holo's answer. "The guy over there, did you see that?" After a while, Holo pointed the tip of the knife with shellfish still on it at a man standing with his body steaming.He leaned on a waist-high barrel filled with what appeared to be fine gravel.With those bulging muscles, it would not be an exaggeration to call him a pirate.

And what made him look sad like that was a thin businessman holding a scroll of parchment. Lawrence nodded at what Holo said, and Holo continued with a serious face. "The man is angry." "Oh?" "It seems that the tax on the goods on the ship is too high. The previous price has already made people not want to continue to carry the goods. The price of the head? Well, anyway, there are complaints of one kind or another." "This is the hostage tax. The boats that walk on the river are the hostages of the lord who owns the river." "Well, then the skinny man who was facing him answered like this. Because the Great Northern Expedition was canceled this year, Xinyi Town was involved in a lot of trouble. It should be said that the release of only collecting taxes Thank you."

Every year when winter comes, the church organizes a massive northern expedition in order to demonstrate its authority.However, the relationship between church power and political power in Proia Lordonia, a country that must pass through the expedition this year, is under a heavy shadow, so the expedition was also suspended.For this reason, Lawrence once faced the crisis of bankruptcy. So without any reason, Lawrence looked at Holo in surprise.Hronson didn't change, she lowered her head and closed her eyes to listen. So Lawrence once again turned his attention to the two evil men. Although they were far away, he could still see that the man who looked like a businessman gave an ultimatum to the crew.

"It's okay to go to the meeting with Fur to intercede." After saying this, Holo opened her eyes. Lawrence was worried that Holo had played tricks on him again, but that was probably because he was overly speculative. "There are quite a few guys who are having similar conversations... There are four groups in total. They are all about the high taxes, the great expedition to the north, and the import of towns." As he spoke, he picked out the meat inside the shell with a small knife, and more and more meat accumulated on the knife, Holo's interest was also attracted.

When you put strings of shellfish in your mouth, it really feels delicious. "That's right... the town as the base of logistics, if the Great Northern Expedition is suspended, it is impossible not to be unaffected. It was a big loss in Lubbenhagen. However, this is also in the town. What does it matter to the fellows stationed at the gate and eating?" If there are unusual changes in the town, then the opportunities for those unusual traders will come. While Lawrence was meditating alone and thinking about various possible situations, Holo hiccupped rudely and knocked on the table.

"Would you like another drink?" Looking at the current situation of Reynolds City in front of him, Lawrence's thoughts were all cast on it.Although Holo had been quiet the whole time, a beer or two was nothing if she was willing to help her.In just a split second, Lawrence completed the calculation of the gains and losses. After the owner of the open-air shop filled the wine glass in Lawrence's hand again, Holo tilted her head slightly with a satisfied expression. "The wine ordered just now is not for us, but for yourself." "Ok?" "Although we were the ones who got drunk, didn't you get drunk because of something else?" Holo smiled happily with a slight blush on her face. If it was the old Lawrence, he probably could only frown, but now he can grasp Holo's reason for having another drink without hesitation. "Alcohol can only be drunk if you spend money. It's free to think about whether there is an opportunity to make money in front of you." "Also. We didn't interrupt casually. If you can frankly agree to your request for help, a glass or two of wine is nothing at all." The diminutive giant refers to this situation. Facing Holo, whose lips were still smeared with beer bubbles, Lawrence had no choice but to surrender obediently. "You look so funny when you think, let's drink while looking at your profile." Bypassing Lawrence, who was serving the beer, Holo handed a tattered black luto to the owner in exchange for the crackling shell dishes just out of the oven. Lawrence stared into Holo's eyes Said. "I can't always look over there, it's okay to turn my head to rest now and then, right?" Holo said with a smile after receiving the big wine glass filled with beer. "We are compassionate." Under the exquisitely crafted female robe, Holo's tail seemed to wag a few times happily, and Lawrence could only answer with a serious face: "Thank you, Enzhun." As a result, Lawrence walked alone in Reynolds City all morning. Although even Holo herself was surprised, the potency of the wine was naturally stronger than usual since her body had not fully recovered from the fatigue of the trip.In the end, I couldn't walk straight, so I had no choice but to sleep. After sending Holo like that back to the hotel, Lawrence, who seemed to be in a daze, was actually laughing inwardly. Holo felt very disgusted that Lawrence still wanted to participate in the business here. Looking back on the journey so far, it is not impossible to understand Holo's feelings, but Lawrence thought of the journey before meeting Holo. , It would be unbelievable to just stand still and do nothing. However, it's nice to be able to enjoy the thriving scenery in the town leisurely like this. As for the reason, it was because Lawrence had absolutely no acquaintances here. Lawrence, who was annoyed for a while, turned around and headed towards the bar he had used before. The name of the bar is really strange, it is called "The Beast and the Tail of the Fish".A bronze sign in the shape of a giant mouse hangs from the eaves.Legend has it that this wonderful and wise mouse that made the river embankment had a beast-like body, a huge, flat tail, and hind feet for paddling, and was therefore identified as a fish by the Church. Because of this, in the bar filled with the aroma of barbecue, there are still many priests smacking their lips.Because no matter how much fish you eat, you will not be criticized. However, no matter how popular this strange mouse is, the bar is still deserted before noon, and there is not even a shadow of a customer.Only one waitress was mending an apron at a table in the corner. "Excuse me, is the store open yet?" Hearing the question from Lawrence standing at the door, the red-haired waitress bit off the thread with her mouth, gently raised the apron in her hand and smiled mischievously. "The hole has just been repaired, want to see it?" This is a standard barmaid attack. "Then I'd better avoid it first, and isn't there such a saying that 'the bigger the hole, the clearer you can see'. If it breaks after I have seen it, it will be troublesome." The waitress put the needle into the wooden box, stood up and put on the newly mended apron, shaking her head as if she heard something funny. "So, if we cut a hole in the apron now, the guest will not look at me but at the apron?" As expected of a hotel receptionist who can move freely between drinkers. However, as a businessman, Lawrence naturally wouldn't just admit defeat so easily. "Even though she is so beautiful, everyone will be sad if there are three nostrils." "Really? What a pity. It would be easier to spot the ones with body odor that way." After buttoning the last button of the apron, the waitress sighed as if to emphasize the pity. Facing the flowery waitress, Lawrence could only shrug his shoulders and admit defeat. "Hehe, as expected, the quality of the guests who come here is different. So, drink or eat?" "Fish tail dish for two, take it away." The waitress showed a rare puzzled expression, probably because she heard the banging of pots and bowls from the kitchen. Probably preparing lunches for people who work at the port during the day. "Do not worry." "In that case, would you like a glass of wine?" Please wait a moment. Lawrence smiled and nodded at the waitress's good service. "Ale or wine, and we have perry here." "Is there still perry in season?" Fruit wine of any kind is perishable. "Don't know why it didn't rot in the warehouse. Oops..." After the waitress finished speaking, she deliberately covered her mouth. When I came here before, it was always overcrowded, so I couldn't get a good chat with her, but now I saw that the bar's performance today is really thanks to this waitress. "Then, drink the pear bar." "Yes—please wait a moment." The original colors could no longer be distinguished, the magenta was mixed with a thick gray, and the skirt combined into an incredible color was fluttering, and the waitress walked towards the kitchen. A bar in a port city can have such a smart waitress, and it will definitely catch the second son of a chamber of commerce with many ships in the future. Turning a blind eye to the courtship of the rich and beautiful men who are fascinated by themselves, but falling in love with ordinary craftsmen who come to bars by chance and have nothing, maybe there will be such a development. It is possible to predict the price trend of the purchased goods, but the current situation is not Lawrence's domain.If Holo had heard this conversation, she would probably be able to think of a way to deal with it easily, but it made Lawrence even more annoyed. "I kept you waiting. Although it may take a while, if the customer has any questions, I will try my best to answer them." What a smart waitress. If Holo talks to her, there will be wonderful and intense sparks. "Now this kind of time travel merchant has only one purpose in coming to the bar. It would be great if I could help." "Get the money before that..." Lawrence took out two black copper coins before taking the big wine glass filled with perry wine. A copper coin can buy almost three glasses of perry wine. The waitress' expression changed to that of the usual barmaid. "What do you want to ask?" "Well, it's actually not a big deal. It's just that some parts of this town are different from usual, which makes me a little concerned, such as those people who look like businessmen gathered at the entrance of the town." The reason why Lawrence took out two copper coins boldly was because he felt that the price was enough to inquire about the secrets of a certain chamber of commerce.The waitress' expression softened slightly. "Ah, it's those people, the fur dealers and those who sell related products." "Fur?" "That's right. About half of them came from faraway places to buy furs. The other half were selling products necessary for fur processing, that..." "Lime, alum, oak bark." When it comes to the items needed for fur processing, these things immediately emerge.It is said that breeding places even use pigeon droppings.If you want to dye, you will need more products. "It's something like this." Lawrence remembered what Arold Lord had said. Undoubtedly, the content of the ongoing meeting of fifty people revolves around the import and export of fur. "So, why are they staying outside the entrance of the town? It's because people in the town are discussing whether to sell fur to those merchants. During this period, fur trading is prohibited. In this way, artisans will also hesitate to buy the products necessary for fur processing? Therefore, it has become the current situation.” It must be a combination of many gossips to form an explanation, but if what the hostess said is true, it will be a big event. Lawrence completely forgot about the perry wine and continued to ask. "So, why does this problem happen?" "It's because of that. Many people come to the north every winter, right?" "The Great Crusade?" "That's right, but this year's expedition has been cancelled, and the people who Xin Yi used to buy leather clothes are not coming now. Originally, the town was overcrowded at this time." Someone has to come to make money.Especially since the fur in the north is very popular in the south, it is very popular even if it is given away as a special product. Then, why is the trading of fur banned and then a meeting is held to discuss it. First of all, aren’t those people gathered at the entrance of the town the merchants who came to buy furs? Even if the people who usually come to buy fur coats don’t come because the Great Expedition was cancelled, if there are other buyers who are willing to buy them, then sell them to them. All right. Anyway, there must be something missing. "I understand that the customers who bought the leather clothes are not coming, but wouldn't it be good to sell to the merchants gathered at the door?" After hearing Lawrence's question.The waitress looked at the glass of wine that Lawrence had never taken a sip from, and smiled without answering.The smiling expression urged Lawrence to drink quickly. Perhaps the barmaids instinctively know how to make a man anxious. If you urge the other party to answer instead, the result will either make the atmosphere worse or be looked down upon. Lawrence drank the very sweet perry wine honestly, and the waitress gave him a satisfied smile. "Whether knights or mercenaries, they are all spendthrifts. However, the merchants who come to this town are all stingy people." The waitress gently played with the two copper coins that Lawrence put on the table. "Occasionally, I receive gifts of fluffy clothes similar to those worn by noble ladies. Of course they are very expensive, but..." Lawrence patted his forehead as if he had finally figured it out, maybe his mind was dulled by drinking too much wine to cater to Holo. "I see. The price of fur before it was turned into clothes was surprisingly low. If it wasn't made into clothes and then sold, the income of the town would have dropped a lot." The waitress smiled like a clergyman facing a confessor.That smile seemed to say, well done. This completes the puzzle. However, just before Lawrence wanted to confirm the complete picture, the waitress quickly leaned her body against the table. Then, a copper coin that the waitress was playing with before slipped quietly into the chest opening of the jacket, and the expression on her face also changed. "The ones just now are information that flirtatious women in other bars can also gather." Lifting his chin slightly, he spoke maliciously without warning.Lawrence looked up at the waitress, his eyes naturally fell on the slender and beautiful collarbone, and then he noticed the whole posture of the waitress. The waitress knows how to keep a distance from the drunken mind. It suddenly occurred to Lawrence that this was no different from a business negotiation. The opponent is a woman who can make customers buy expensive leather clothes as gifts. "For generous and considerate guests, it is natural to give special service. You must pretend that you haven't heard what I'm going to say next?" Lawrence nodded, pretending to be tricked by the waitress. "Nine times out of ten, the requests of those merchants outside to buy fur will be banned. Although this will make the craftsmen and people who deal in fur very angry." "Where is the source of information?" After hearing this question, the waitress gave a coquettish smile and did not answer. _ Lawrence's intuition told him that the waitress must have a very reliable source of information.It should be a participant of the meeting of fifty people who often come to the store. Of course, this is something that cannot be said. However, since the waitress didn't give an answer like "this is a secret", those words just now became her family's words, and even if she wanted to get to the bottom of it, she could only get very suspicious answers. In a sense, this is also a kind of temptation for Lawrence. Really important words are not things that can be said easily. "I'm a barmaid, so I don't understand the price of fur even if I care, but it's like fine wine and food to merchants, right?" "Well, I still get very drunk from time to time." Lawrence replied with a business smile, and the waitress closed her eyes and nodded. "People who come out of a good bar stagger when they walk. If you do the same, I will be satisfied." "I've already drank the wine, so I'm going to pick up the energy soon." The waitress opened her eyes. The lips were obviously curved with a smile, but there was no trace of a smile in the eyes. Just as Lawrence was about to speak, a voice calling for the waitress came from the kitchen. "Ah, it looks like the cooking is ready." After speaking, she stood up from the chair, and the waitress returned to the way she was when Lawrence just stepped into the bar. "By the way, guest." The waitress turned around just as she was about to leave the table. "Is there a problem?" "Do you have a wife?" Thanks to Holo's usual problems, even when faced with unexpected questions, she was able to answer them quickly. "She doesn't hold the buttons of the purse. But... she does hold the reins." After Lawrence answered, the waitress smiled heartily as if she was looking at an old friend she hadn't seen for a long time. "Well, he must be a very gentle person. I'm really not reconciled." The waitress must have been a little proud of her methods of wooing drunken guests. If Lawrence hadn't met Holo, or if he had had a few extra sips, maybe he would have been tricked. It's just that saying such words is tantamount to adding salt to the wound of the loser. "If you have a chance, please bring it to the store." "Ok." Lawrence did think so. I couldn't help but want to see this waitress with Holo. However, if you stay by their side, you may be involved in very serious trouble. "Then, please wait a moment. I'll get the food right now." "sorry to bother you." The waitress once again walked into the kitchen with the fluttering skirt. Lawrence sipped perry wine while admiring the beautiful figure. The weight of Holo in his heart is already obvious to others. Holding a burlap bag full of hot fishtail dishes in his hand, Lawrence walked along the streets by the port and once again set his sights on the ships moored in the port. After listening to the barmaid's narration, I realized that the appearance of the moored ships was indeed a bit strange. If you look carefully, you will find that the decks of most ships are full of goods covered with straw and sackcloth, and thick and long ropes protrude from the side of the ship and are tightly tied to the trestle.It seems that they will not leave the port for the time being. Although there must be some ships that planned to spend the winter in Reynolds, but no matter how you look at it, the number is too much.It can be boldly speculated that a large part of these berthed ships are carrying fur or materials necessary for fur processing. Reynolds is known as the city of fur and wood, as the name suggests, the trading volume of fur here is very large. As a traveling merchant, Lawrence was unable to know the total amount of fur coming and going to and from Reynolds, but he took the container commonly used by merchants specializing in fur trading as an example. It was a large wooden barrel as high as his chest. In terms of leather, it can store about three to four thousand sheets.At this time of year, there are barrels like this all over the town, and the amount of fur is unimaginable. How many people would be in trouble if so much fur trade was stopped. However, like any town, Reynolds also hopes to collect as much tax as possible, and if the fur raw materials are really bought by merchants from other places, the artisans living in the city will lose their income and live on the streets.No matter what kind of commodity it is, it is a well-known fact that buying raw materials, processing them and then selling them will result in much higher profits. This should have been the development in the first place, but due to the abolishment of the benefits in the north, it is impossible to expect a large number of travelers from the south, and now no one can guarantee that the fur can be turned into real money after processing. On the other hand, the quality of the fur itself is completely different from the quality of the processing technology. If we want to talk about making exquisite clothing, there are countless towns with better technology than Reynolds.In Reynolds, the clothes that are sold well as a special product, if you spend a lot of transportation fees to transport them to distant towns, the situation will be hard to say. Considering these circumstances, even if there will be strong opposition from the artisans in the city, selling the leather to merchants from other places should be a decision with more advantages than disadvantages. In this way, at least this year's leather slips can be exchanged for some money.The reason why foreign merchants flocked here was because the furs concentrated in Reynolds were indeed top-grade, and this alone could raise the price a little. Still, the barmaid said that the Council of Fifty would make a decision to ban the sale of furs to out-of-town traders. No matter how you look at it, the probability of this is very low. At first, judging from the fact that many merchants gathered outside the city, I felt that something was wrong. For businessmen, as long as they are sure that they can get benefits, they will act first to be strong and then to suffer disaster. No matter what method they use, it is just, so it is absolutely impossible to have a harmonious situation. As long as there is only one person who wants to seize the opportunity, it will lead to an unmanageable ending. However, there is no chaotic scene now. It is really hard to imagine that these businessmen outside are there for different reasons. There is no doubt that there is some gigantic power behind the scenes running all this. Could it be a huge merchant guild on the other side of the western sea, in a town famous for processing garments? Or a large merchant guild that wants to monopolize fur-related trade on a dizzying scale? All in all, huge forces control it from behind the scenes. However, the leaders of Reynolds City also noticed this. Walking through the streets by the port, Lawrence entered a street full of energy and hustle and bustle, and then he came to a conclusion. The merchants gathered outside should have said this to the meeting of fifty people. If you can't buy leather, it will make you very embarrassed, so let me help you.However, such a thing as a temporary relationship is not very pleasant in society.How about letting us visit Reynolds next year and the year after that? If such a condition is agreed to, Reynolds will really only exist as a transfer station for fur circulation soon.And before long, maybe even this function will be replaced by some other town. However, the reason why such a request cannot be simply rejected is not just because of the objections of the craftsmen in the town. If there is really a powerful authority behind the situation controlling the situation, then unthinkingly rejecting the demands of foreign businessmen will cause rumors such as "Reynolds City treats foreign businessmen differently" to spread all over the sky. In this way, it is not only a problem of the town, but also the lords or nobles related to the town will be affected.When a business problem becomes a political one, the amount of money necessary to solve the problem increases exponentially. In contrast, the conflicts among businessmen have no meaning at all. This is a huge and complicated war among peers. Lawrence stroked his beard slowly. Smiled naturally. "A lot of money was spent." Talking to myself that I haven't had in a long time is like taking off the boots that have been worn for a week. The more funds used, the greater the room for profit. The so-called alchemy of merchants is to let money spew out from the complex relationship between commodities and people, like a fountain. An old parchment appeared in the mind. Follow the fur lines on the parchment with a pen, and the treasure map will gradually appear. So, where is the treasure?Just as the answer was about to come out, Lawrence's left hand had already opened the door of the room. "..." Lawrence had no memory of when he would return to the hotel, but he kept silent now for other reasons. Probably already asleep, Holo was lying on the bed combing her tail, but when she saw Lawrence's face, Holo immediately hid her tail behind her body. "……What's wrong?" I always felt that the behavior just now had some deep meaning, Lawrence couldn't help asking while Holo, who had already sobered up, looked at him with warning eyes. "Because of fear." "Ok?" "What if the tail is sold?" After speaking, Holo showed her tail like a girl hiding her head out behind a tree, and then quickly retracted. Of course Lawrence understood the meaning in the words. Because his expression has completely become a businessman. "I'm not a hunter." Lawrence shrugged his shoulders and walked into the room with a smile, closed the door behind him and slowly leaned against the table. "It's obviously an expression that as long as it can be sold, it will be sold no matter what." "It's wrong to say that. For example, when I saw strawberries growing on the side of the road during my trip, I wouldn't pick them and sell them." Holo's eyes turned to the sackcloth bag Lawrence was holding in his hand for a moment, but soon returned to Lawrence's face. "I am a traveling merchant. You must buy from someone. Then sell to someone else. This alone is the great principle that cannot be shaken." Although the desire for money is a prerequisite for every businessman, but when you forget what kind of businessman you are, that is when the desire for money goes wild.At that time, whether it is credit, ethics, or belief, all these things will disappear without a trace. If it really reaches this point, it can only become the ghost of money. "So, your tail won't be cut off. But if it's hot in the summer and you want to shave it, I'll be happy to sell it." Hearing Lawrence who was leaning on the table, Holo stuck out her tongue like a child and put her tail back in her hand. Even Lawrence didn't want to see Holo's tail bare. "Hmph, what are you holding in your hand?" Holo glanced at the package in Lawrence's hand, bit her tail lightly and said. "This? This is... that's right. If you can guess what part of the beast it is from just the taste, then just say whatever you want for dinner." "real?" Holo's eyes changed. "You must have used some trick secretly... But it's the same for us." Leaving the table and handing the package to Holo, Holo had already put on a serious expression and began to smell like a beast.Although I have seen Holo's true form several times, the current appearance is still indescribably cute. Then, Holo, who finally noticed Lawrence's gaze, frowned unhappily. Even though he didn't react when he was seen naked, he seemed to hate others seeing him like this. However, the side that everyone doesn't want to be discovered by others is different. Lawrence had no choice but to turn around obediently, but he stopped suddenly. "While I'm turning around, open the package and see what's inside. Could it be the work of the wise wolf?" Holo's expression didn't change at all, but the tip of the tail seemed to be stimulated by something, and it trembled slightly. Hit the bullseye. Because Holo has a unique sense different from humans, the action just now is one of the ways of expression. After sighing deliberately to show off, he still seemed to feel a little guilty, narrowed his lips and turned away. "So, do you understand?" "hold on." After speaking angrily, he sniffed the smell of cooking again.Of course, Lawrence's gaze had already turned away. For a long time, the sound of a woman crying echoed in the room, and Lawrence's mood was also affected and depressed. Consciously focus on the noise outside the wooden window.Since it was a sunny day, sunlight and sound came in through the cracks in the wooden windows. Sure enough, even if it's freezing outside, a room with a window is still very nice. If there is no window, even if it is very warm, it will give people a feeling of hibernating in a cave. Holo made a wise judgment. "You." Then, a call brought Lawrence's consciousness and sight back to Holo. "Do you understand?" "Hmm." Of course, there are many types of beasts used in meat dishes.Even if it can be distinguished by taste, it is another matter whether it can be distinguished only by the smell it emits.Moreover, the beast body fish tail, anyway, this is also a very rare mouse tail dish.The chances of knowing the existence of this kind of rat and also knowing the existence of this kind of food are extremely low. Although it felt a bit clever, but even if she got the answer right, it wouldn't be uneconomical to let Holo freely choose what to have for dinner. So Lawrence happily asked, "So, what's the answer?" As a result, Holo didn't rush to answer, but looked at Lawrence with an angry expression. "If we answered your question correctly, the conditions you offered are really too low." Lawrence shrugged slightly, as if to say I don't know. "This kind of thing should have been said earlier." "That's right..." Holo lowered her head, looking in another direction as if thinking about something. In such a simple and clear game, even a virtuous wolf like Holo wouldn't have room to argue.At any time, a simple contract is the most effective. "So, the answer is?" Lawrence repeated the question again, and Holo suddenly put on a resigned expression.Although it is an unspoken wish, seeing such an expression once in a while will definitely make people feel at ease. Then, just as Lawrence was thinking about how to celebrate, Holo broke into a triumphant smile. “虽然不知道叫什么名字，这个是巨大老鼠的尾巴吧?” 说不出话了。 所谓瞠目结舌就是这种状况吧。 “所以咱才说条件实在是太低了。” 哼哼哼，赫萝不怀好意的笑着开始解开包裹。 “知、知道的吗?” “本想说是打开了包裹调查的，不过这样说的话汝肯定会抱着包裹倒在地上痛哭流涕吧，还是放汝一马。” 从布制的包裹中取出了被薄薄的树皮和藤蔓包裹着的料理，就算看到了样子也没法简单的猜到原本是什么。 而且，实际的情况是如果不曾看到过从材料原形到料理成品的全过程是很难想到的。赫萝是什么时候知道世界上有这种料理的存在的呢? “咱可是贤狼赫萝，这个世界上没有咱不知道的事情。 若无其事地露出牙齿的样子，有着笑容无法表现的魄力。 解开藤蔓剥下树皮，面对徐徐上升的热气赫萝一脸幸福地眯起眼睛摇摆着尾巴。 “确切地来说并不是真的知道。” 被切成长方形的尾巴就算放在罗伦斯眼前也无从知晓到底是什么做成的。赫萝模仿着罗伦斯吃惊得张开嘴巴的样子，仰起头把一片鱼尾高高举起然后慢慢的放人大开的嘴中，然后闭上眼睛慢慢咀嚼细细品味。 真是个懂得享受美食的家伙。 不过，这个样子同往常有些不同。 “嗯……果然、是这个。” 一直以来，美食当前的时候那狼吞虎咽的速度就好像有人马上会把美食夺走一样。如果细细品味，那就是在一边吃饭一边思考问题，赫萝曾经这样说过。 “这座旅馆的主人，确实这样说过吧?” 舔干净手指上粘着的油脂，赫萝看着罗伦斯。 “时间能风化石质的建筑物。” “还有，人的记忆什么的。” 对于罗伦斯的继续赫萝满意地点了点头，然后微微叹了一口气看着木窗的方向。 “汝知道记忆中保存时间最长的是什么东西呗?” 又是突如其来的问题。 人的名字?数字?还是关于故乡的事情? 类似这样的答案一个接一个出现在脑海里，不过赫萝却从完全不同的角度作了答。 “气味能在记忆中保留得最久。” 说完，稍稍摇了摇头。 “看见的东西，听见的东西很容易就会被遗忘。但是，唯有气味非常明确，有些气味永远都不会忘记。” 赫萝的目光停在了料理上，笑了。 那种非常高兴又怀念的表情让一旁的罗伦斯看了也不禁有些心动。 “咱几乎已经完全不认识这个城镇了。所以，其实是有那么一些不安的。” “对于自己到底有没有来过这里的疑问?” 赫萝点了点头，看得出这是她的真心话。 不过，既然开了头，马上又会像平时一样继续下去吧。 “尽管如此，唯独这个食物咱还清晰地记得。不管怎么说也是奇怪的生物呢。以前就受到特殊的对待了。那个时候啊，不管抓到了多少都是串在木棍上面豪爽的烧烤呢。” 仿佛疼爱着趴在膝盖上睡着了的小猫咪一样双手握着料理，然后，赫萝抬起来了头。 “或许，从一开始咱就这样想了，决定胜负的界限是闻过那气味之后会不会因为怀念哭出来呗。” “采用那样的策略是故意的吗?” 好好想想的话，乘着罗伦斯转过身去的时候打开包裹查看里面的内容这种肤浅的策略完全不像是赫萝的做法。 然后，当罗伦斯的视线投往其他地方的时候，赫萝曾经哭过也说不定。 “咱是那种会利用别人的好意的家伙呗?” “你一直就是会利用别人好意的家伙吧?” 听到了这样的回答之后，赫萝像往常一样露出牙齿开心的笑了。 "In this case." 赫萝一边说着一边朝罗伦斯挥了挥手。 不知道赫萝又准备耍什么花招的罗伦斯怀着戒心慢慢靠近，然而赫萝却用扬起的那只手把罗伦斯的衣角拉到身边。 “咱永远也不会忘了这个味道。” 出乎意料的发言。 不过，罗伦斯并没有像往常那样立刻思考如何反击。因为拉住罗伦斯的赫萝就那样把脸贴在衣服上一动不动。 赫萝决不仅仅是单纯的旅伴。 只要能看见这耳朵和尾巴，罗伦斯也能像赫萝一样使用读心术。 "me too." 说完，罗伦斯犹豫了一下，不过还是伸出手轻轻抚摸赫萝的头，赫萝用罗伦斯的衣服擦了擦眼角抬起头，不怀好意的笑着说道。 “是因为汝太臭了啊，所以咱才忘不了。” 这边只能报以苦笑。 “……那还真是抱歉。” 赫萝笑着用鼻子轻哼了一声，然后当她再一次微笑的时候，又回到了平时的状态。 “看样子咱确实来过这里。” “那么，关于你的传说肯定还流传着吧。” 在某本书中记载着，就算还不能肯定，发觉到离自己的目标有更进一步的时候，赫萝肯定也会觉得高兴。 不过反过来说如果没有注意到这一点就很容易一不小心踩到尾巴。 “那么，汝还带回来其他什么传闻呗?” 语气就好像因为孩子学习到了新的知识而感到骄傲的母亲。 赫萝也不总是一副弱不禁风的弱女子形象。 “这次又有特别的趣事了呢。” 罗伦斯开始叙述之后，赫萝一边吃着料理，一边兴趣浓厚的仔细倾听。同既是城镇年代记作家又是五十人会议书记的黎格罗见面的理由有两个。 其一是这座城镇是不是还流传着关于赫萝的传说，如果有的话能不能阅读记录。另一个则是详细询问关于城镇的最新状况。 后者完全是职业病一样的兴趣，如果考虑到旅途中的种种前例，赫萝知道了的话绝对不会简单的放过自己。 Actually.如果要问到底有没有必要冒着巨大的危险从事件的缝隙之间利用炼金术的旋风将金钱席卷一空的话，那是完全没有这个必耍的。只要继续一直以来平静的买卖，在异教徒的城镇克梅尔松赚到的利润足够实现在不远的将来拥有一间属于自己的商店的梦想了。既然如此，与其一边惜时如金抓紧每一分每一秒运载货物赚取利润，一边冒着巨大的风险投身于投机性的买卖。还不如静静的呆在城镇里好好建筑人脉以便为将来的买卖打下基础。 赫萝不是商人所以不会经常考虑将来的利润之类的东西，但是还是有过类似的论调。 如果并不为金钱所困的话就悠闲地去做，如此这般。 或许是因为坐着一动不动而感到寒冷的缘故，话正说到兴头上的时候赫萝突然转进了毛毯之中，很快就昏昏欲睡了。罗伦斯坐到赫萝睡着的床边继续着叙述，然而没过多久他就自然而然的静静地握住了赫萝的手。 坐在床边，时间静静地流逝，脑海中慢慢浮现出赫萝的种种意见，的确这些意见都很正确。途经每个城市都要悠闲游玩的旅行商人可活不长。 虽然希望赫萝能理解这一点，但这是不可能的事情吧。 不过，不知道是不是应该庆幸，罗伦斯也没打算现在马上就采取行动。 根据罗伦斯观察到的情况来看，包括黎格罗在内的会议参加者们决不会不谨慎的与外地商人们见面。 事关如同城镇血液的皮草进出口问题。如果这个时候同来历不明的外地商人见了面而引起了多余的猜测，对于好不容易建立起来的在城镇中的社会关系可能是毁灭性的打击。所以罗伦斯是绝对见不到会议的参加者们的。 如果还想与他们中的某人见面，那就只有拜托某个口齿伶俐又愿意帮忙的人。 然而，好好的考虑一下到底有没有必要这样去做，却很难点头。而且，如果硬来落下个坏印象的话说不定连调查有关赫萝的记录这件事也会泡汤。 虽然赫萝表面上说慢慢来就可以了，但是在心里肯定还是希望能尽早看到相关的记录。无论如何也要避免无法看到记录的情况出现……罗伦斯思前想后，不经意中注意到了赫萝熟睡着的样子。 肚子饿了就吃，感到困了就睡。 完争就像野兽一样无拘无束的赫萝的生活对于大多数为了每天的温饱而不得不在劳动的道路上一步一步艰难前进的人们来说简直就是梦境一般。 对于理所当然过着这样的生活的赫萝感到一丝怨恨，罗伦斯松开了握在一起的手，用食指的指背轻轻抚摸着赫萝那像鸡蛋一样光滑的脸庞。睡着了之后就算用手指轻敲额头也不会醒来。现在也只不过有些厌烦的皱起眉头，没有睁开眼睛而是把头缩进毛毯里。 如同晴朗的天空一样。安静而幸福的时光。什么都不会发生，只有时间静静地流逝，就算这样，这也是一个人坐着马车的时候所期望的事情之一。 虽然这几乎是已经确信的东西，罗伦斯的心中却突然出现了，这个瞬间被浪费了的焦躁感觉。 感觉就好像如果不努力挣钱，不收集行情的情报就会有无法挽回的损失。 商魂是绝对无法熄灭的火焰，师傅说过这样的话，不过说不定这是会把自身焚烧殆尽的地狱之焰。 一个人独处的时候这火焰能够温暖身体，可是两个人在一起的时候就显得太热了。 特别是因为，赫萝的笑容是那么的温暖。 让人觉得那是世界上独一无二的笑容。 罗伦斯从床边站起来，在房间里来回踱步。 就算不参与雷诺斯目前被卷入的事件之中，为了作为以后的参考还是有必要了解详细情况。 所以如能同五十人会议的参加者直接见面那是最好，而如果能获得毫无偏见的情报，特别是来自不代表任何人的利益仅仅是作为旁观者存在的话简直可说是完美了。 满足所有这一切条件的人就是作为城镇年代记作家的会议书记黎格罗。 可是，会议的参加者们肯定不会愿意同外地商人见面。 于是，问题就成为一个首尾相接的循环。 如果想要摆脱这个问题就不得不从别的地方入手，但是对于现在的罗伦斯来说情报源也就是酒吧的女招待罢了。 如果到更精通城镇事务的商人那里打开缺口恐怕需要巨大的代价。 眼下在暗处想要刺探会议情报的人应该为数众多，怎么想也不觉得自己的智慧和策略能够鹤立鸡群。再说由于情报市场现在是卖方市场其价格不知会到何种地步。 如果城镇里有自己的旧识，说不定存在靠近问题核心的可能性。 商品只要用货币就能买到，情报却往往只能依靠信用来交易。 果然，即便是在如此有趣的事态面前，也只能老老实实的呆着了。 仿佛被困在笼子之中却通过栏杆的缝隙看到了美味的肉的狗一样，罗伦斯烦躁地在房间中来回踱步，不知过了多久，终于叹了一口气停下脚步。 现在自己这个样子同理想中的商人形象实在是相差得太远。 岂止如此，就连早已经成为习惯的冷静与慎重也消失无踪。这样就好像回到了脑海中除了一下就成为富翁之外什么都不考虑的少年时代。 脚步都开始有些不稳。 一番自言自语之后，朝着赫萝的方向一撇。 是因为被这个自大的萌狼绊住了脚步的缘故吗? 同赫萝的交谈一直都令人无比愉快。 所以，说不定对于其它的事情越来越不在放心上了。 "..." 摩挲着自己的胡须，罗伦斯不禁在心中问自己，把责任转嫁给别人可以吗? 虽然非常的可惜，围绕皮草的话题只能在暂时搁置起来了。 总之，目前还是开始收集从这里到纽西拉的道路的情报较为妥当。运气好的话说不定道路还没有被雪覆盖，马上就能上路。 皮草的事情……还是作为附加的选项顺带注意一下就好了。决定下来之后，离开了房间。 走下旅馆的一楼，只见行李混乱地堆放着的角落里传来了嘎吱嘎吱的声音。 虽然这个简易仓库既没有门锁也没有看门人，不过很多商人都在使用。 由下租金方面也不贵，所以大部分人把它当成是行商中的中继点，或者是用来存放一些会随季节变化而价格大起大落的货物，不过其中即使有些人用来走私犯法、或者收藏赃物也并不奇怪。 虽然听见这个仓库之中有人正在摆弄行李，但由于货物遮挡的关系，是谁在摆弄就不知道了。 不过，这个旅馆的主人亚洛尔德却似乎一点也不觉得客人会随便打开他人的行李，所以他丝毫没有在意的样子，往炭火里洒了一点水以调节太过旺盛的炉火。 “北方的道路?” 早上问他有关年代记作家的时候，他露出了一脸像被小孩子问到了有关神学方面的问题似的表情，但是现在问的这个问题他却似乎早已听过多次似的。 这个嘛……他点了点头，毫不在意四处飞散的火灰，轻轻咳嗽了一下后开口了： “今年的雪下得不多，虽然我不知道你要去哪里，不过应该不会太困难吧。” “我暂时的打算是去纽希拉。” 亚洛尔德吊起眉毛，瞪大了快要埋没在眼睑皱纹下的蓝色眼睛。 罗伦斯露出一脸营业性笑容往后退了一步。亚洛尔德扫了扫胡子上面因为刚才往炭上洒水而扑起的炭灰，低声说道： “干嘛要专程到异教的领地去啊……不过，商人就是这样子的吧，拿着钱袋，不管哪里都敢闯……” “结果到最后，人一死就不得不放开钱袋了。” 罗伦斯说这句话本来是打算哄一哄这个虔诚教徒的，谁知道亚洛尔德竟然不爽地“哼”了一声。 “既然如此，为什么要赚钱?该不会赚就是为了扔吧……” 恐怕这个问题很多商人也有考虑过吧。 不过，罗伦斯曾经听过一个十分有趣的回答。 “当我们打扫房间的时候，就不会有同样的疑问了。” 钱财是垃圾，收集钱财就是收集垃圾。 把从神那里借来的会污染世界的钱财收集起来扔掉，这是最大的美德。据说这是南方的豪商临死前悔改时所说的话。 圣职者的话说不定会听得十分感动，但是商人们听了的话，也只会用装满葡萄酒的酒杯挡着脸，笑得一脸嗳昧而已。越是大商人大富豪，财产就越无形化，最后只会变成账簿上的数字或者证书上的文字而已。 也就是说，如果这些数字或者文字会污染世界的话，那么写在纸上的神明的教谕也是如出一辙，都应该扔掉才能还世界一个清净。所以这句话其实是彻头彻尾的讽刺——这就是商人们的见解。 罗伦斯也同意后者的意见。虽然觉得不太对得起赫萝，不过比起就算祈祷也不会帮上什么忙的神，大商人的买卖手段还要有用一点。 "Ah--" 亚洛尔德高兴地笑了起来，用十分少见的开朗声音说了一句“算了” 与其说是罗伦斯所说的话让他觉得好笑，还不如说早巳连话中的讽刺意味也理解到了，所以才觉得有趣。 “那么，你是不是打算早点出发?我记得好像多收了你的钱……” “不，我想会等到五十人会议结束之后再说。” “……是吗。要去见黎格罗是吧。早上你问过我关于年代记作家的事。这个词我已经很久没有听到过了。现在这个时代，已经很少人会去回首往昔了啊……”