Spice & Wolf, Vol. 01

All men burn with foolish jealousy, but women are fools to take delight in it. This world is full of fools no matter where you look.

While one may lose much because of avarice, nothing was ever accomplished by abstinence.

After a time, her smile faded, then finally reappeared as she sighed. The pleasure of nostalgia is never without its companion, loneliness.

If you're looking at a single withered tree, it can seem like a grievous wound to the forest. But from the forest's perspective, that tree's remains will nourish other plants, acting for the good of the whole forest. If you change your perspective, a situation right in front of you can reverse itself.

Beer was good, too, but its flavor depended on the skill of the craftsman and the tastes the person drinking it. Unlike wine, whose quality depended entirely on price, a beer's deliciousness was unrelated to its cost, so merchants tended to avoid it. There was no way to know if the particular brew would suit your taste unless you were from the region or town - so when he wanted to appear local, Lawrence would order beer.

Indeed. When I think about it, I can hardly stay still - I want to run around the Milone Company, swatting at the ass of every employee I see.

Lawrence was twenty-five. If he lived in a town he’d be married and taking his wife and children to church. His life was half over, and Holo’s childish demeanor penetrated his lonely heart.

I would think wolves would prefer spicy things. It’s bears that crave sweets.” “We don’t like spicy food. Once we found red fang-shaped fruit among the cargo of a shipwreck. We ate it and regretted it loud and long!” “Ah, hot peppers. Expensive, those.” “We dunked our heads in the river and decided humans were terrifying indeed,” said Holo with a chuckle, enjoying the memory for a moment as she gazed at the stalls.

Lawrence could proceed no further with his jape. Holo looked at him as if stricken. “…That’s not fair,” he grumbled. “Mm-hm. Female privilege.