01x12 - Price of Betrayal and Price of Gold

[bunniefuu]

ORIGINAL STORY BY: ISUNA HASEKURA

Is this our touching reunion?

Holo!

You're a mess.

We were betrayed.

I know.

I'm not naive enough to think that
you ended up like this just by falling.

Jeez...

You didn't have to go this far.
I would've found you sooner or later.

You are so strange.

You protected my clothes
like your life depends on it.

I know you must have a lot to say...

But let me go first.

I might end up k*lling someone.

If this plan doesn't work out,
I won't be able to continue

this carefree journey with you.
That's what I thought.

That's why I endured.

I am Holo the Wisewolf of Yoitsu.

I can easily overlook
a youngster's arrogance.

-You...
-It's fine.

I am Holo the Wisewolf.

I may have had to kneel,
but it's not like I'm

m... mad about that.

But what is up with this?

You are a stupid fool!

You yourself
are in such horrible condition,

and yet you folded my clothes and kept it
from getting wet like it's some treasure.

My goodness... What a hopeless fool.

It's unbelievable how much
of a softy you are.

All right,
we're heading to Ruvinheigen, right?

When someone betrays,
the head must always take responsibility.

That's the way the world works.

No, we have to find Liebert before that.

Remelio Trading Company
plans to k*ll Norah.

But with your help,
she can definitely be saved.

-Oh really?
-It's true!

You'll be able to easily take down
even 100 armed men.

That's not the problem.

Then what is the problem?

I am a wolf. That girl is a shepherd.

We do not get along.

Isn't it a little late for that?

Don't you understand?

That girl and dog will

view me as their enemy in my wolf form.

I won't even get a chance
to save their lives.

Can I still ask you to do it?

I can't just sit back
and do nothing when I know

someone will be k*lled unjustly.

Of course, I'll reward you.

How?

As long as it doesn't cost Norah's life,

I will do my very best to give you
whatever you want.

Holo...

Don't sound so sad...

Here, hold this.

You're going to do it?

On one condition.

I won't promise the safety
of whoever gets on my nerves.

You'll have to be okay with that.

That's fine.

But I still trust you.

Since when could you use such flattery?

How did I end up traveling with someone
who's such a pain in the neck?

Come on,
I'm still waiting for a compliment.

What a stunning tail.

That was a bit halfhearted,
but I'll take it.

Well then...

Close your eyes for a bit.

Okay.

Here, get on.

It won't hurt even if you pull my fur.

So you can use force to get up.

-All right.
-If you fall, I'll carry you in my mouth.

I'll make sure to never fall.

-Hey...
-What?

I really hate shepherds.

Don't worry.

Norah won't be a shepherd anymore whether

the smuggling succeeds or fails.

For my reward...

I want more honey-pickled peaches
than I can eat!

We're almost there.

Right.

I will jump over them,
so get off as soon as you can.

All right!

There...

-Leave the rest to me.
-Okay.

W... What?

Can it be...

A wolf?!

There she is!

Protect the shepherd and sheep!

Shepherd! Protect me!

Protect me!

Shepherd! If you protect me,
I'll reward you with 300 Lumione!

I'm counting on you!

Oh no!

Enek, wait!

Ms. Norah!

I'm glad you're safe.

Why are you here?

That wolf is Holo, my companion.

Huh?

You didn't k*ll him?

I thought about swallowing him whole,

but my stomach
doesn't like processing gold.

This, huh?

Um, how are you alive, Mr. Lawrence?

The people from
the trading company told me

that the wolves got to both of you...

Ms. Norah, the thing is...

Y... You monster! Get away!

Good evening, Mr. Liebert.

Why are you here!

Holo, remember the honey-pickled peaches...

I'm not the one who betrayed you!
It's Remelio!

I told him to stop! I was against it!

This wolf was sent here
on behalf of the almighty God.

Lies won't work against it.

The reward we have to pay you is too much!

We'll only be left with enough to
pay off our debt.

Remelio told me to do something about it.

We have no choice!

You're a merchant, just like me...

I'm not like you!

Remelio Trading Company betrayed us.

They even planned on k*lling you.

I felt like something was a little off.

That's what it was, huh?

Well, this gold is worth 600 Lumione.

Since we were betrayed,

we can take this gold and run away,
without smuggling it.

-But...
-But?

It is also true that we couldn't have

bought this gold
without funding from Remelio.

And if we run away with this,

it's true that
they will definitely go bankrupt.

And so...

Holo...

We can't just get revenge and end things
like that just because we were betrayed.

We have to keep on living even after this.

And plus, these guys
might come to get revenge on us.

In that case...

Don't even suggest devouring
all these unconscious people.

There are many ways of ending things.

If we want to live tomorrow,

we have to choose a path
that will open up our future. Am I wrong?

If it weren't for you,
I would be dead by now.

If it weren't for you,

I would be out of options. I know that.

And I'm grateful that you
listened to my request. But...

Fine, fine!

My traveling companion
is such a pain in the neck.

Do whatever you want.

Thank you.

-Ms. Norah.
-Yes?

Here is my suggestion...

-Well then...
-What?

Will you tell me the truth?

What you do with the gold
is up to you, Ms. Norah.

Huh?

But if you are going to smuggle
the gold into Ruvinheigen and sell it,

it will be worth ten times more.

In other words, it'll be 6000 Lumione.



With that much money, we will be able
to save Remelio Trading Company together.

We don't have enough gold.

Oh?

That's not even close to
being worth 600 Lumione.

At most, it's only 100.

If you split it with the girl
and pay off your debt, it'll be gone.

So you won't make a profit unless
you smuggle it, huh?

Remelio must have really been
in dire straits.

Even after smuggling the 100 Lumione that
they scrounged up, it'd barely be enough.

They knew that they wouldn't be able
to pay us hush money.

But that is exactly why they even
agreed to our plan in the first place.

I must say, that was a really good
excuse that you came up with.

You made yourself look like a saint.

More than half of it was true, though.

Get on.

You're done questioning me?

I'm at a loss for words
because you're such a fool.

Well, I'm not saving
Remelio Trading Company

just for their sake.

Oh?

We will also earn a bigger profit.

A bigger profit, huh?

Even I can't think of any more ideas.

Merchants can make money
out of all sorts of things.

I need to show my skills once in a while.

What are you planning to do?

I'm not just saving them.

I will have Remelio Trading Company
take responsibility for what they've done.

From here, you can leave the rest to me.

Well then, I guess I'll have some drinks
while I wait for you.

-Did you say 500?
-Yes.

I want you to buy the gold we smuggled
for 500 Lumione.

I funded 100 Lumione
for the purchasing of gold.

Why do I have to pay 500?

Is that too expensive?

Well then, let's see...

Hey, what are you...

I will take your runaway stash

and sell the gold to someone else.

Or you can pay in ten-year installments.

As someone who was able to build
such a grand company,



Let's write a promissory note then.

Uh, who shall the creditor be?

The Rowen Trade Guild.

Even if I can't personally,

I'm sure a guild will be able to collect

all 500 Lumione
precisely within ten years.

You are one relentless man.

You had me so worried!

You ungrateful son!

I'm so proud of you
for coming back to your home

in Ruvinheigen.

Not only did you pay off your debt,
but you also got this?

What kind of bad deeds did you do?

Nothing too bad.

I quite literally "struck gold,"
that's all.

"Struck gold"?

Very well, I will buy this from you.

I'll say, about 30 Lumione.

I'll add an additional 100 once
Remelio Company gets back on their feet.

That much? Thank you very much.

I'm sure that will be enough
to make a profit, won't it?

Well...

How is it in reality?

Compensating the guild
for the trouble I caused,

returning the money I borrowed,
paying Norah,

and so on,

equals how much I made.

How disappointing...
What happened to "bigger profits"?

That profit helped us recover
from our loss.

Well then...

Huh?

There are two things I want to ask you.

What?

How much do you trust that girl?

Even if Norah disappears with the gold,
I can track her down easily.

I gave her the gold with that in mind.
That is how much I don't trust her.

Well, I guess that's understandable.

What's the other question?

I'll answer anything.

I owe you for this time.

You're not going to ask?

The girl should be back around now.

-Do you...
-Huh?

Do you remember...

When I was facing the girl and the dog,

which name did you call out?

I had lost control of myself,
so I couldn't hear you.

But I'm sure you called out
one of our names.

Do you remember?

I called your name.

That's a lie!

Yes, it's a lie.
I don't really remember what I said.

However,

in that situation, I'm certain
that I would've called your name.

There was no time to lose.

I'm sure that
I subconsciously chose your name.

That's because...

Because your name is one letter shorter.

Plus, no matter how fast I spoke, I'm sure
you would've recognized the name "Norah."

But I can say "Holo" in a split second.

It's understandable to miss that
if you're out of control.

How's that? Isn't that a very convincing...

Shut up!

Ouch...

You called my name
"because it's one letter shorter"?

You idiot!

What makes me angry is the fact that
you genuinely think that!

Hey...

Try calling my name.

Hey, you!

Holo.

Saying your name
is easier for me, after all.

You idiot.

Next time, "Three People's Supper
and Two People's Afternoon."