son of a nobleman than any merchant.
“Mr. Lawrence,” said Amati after briefly greeting the men drinking by the door.
“Good afternoon. And thank you for your assistance with the inn.”
“Not at all. I should be thanking you for ordering so much fish for dinner.”
“My finicky companion praised it to the heavens. Said that you had an excellent eye for fish.”
Lawrence felt this was a more effective compliment than saying he himself had enjoyed the food. He was correct.
Amati’s face lit up like an excited boy’s.
“Ha-ha, I’m delighted to hear it! If she has any other requests, I’ll be buying some truly excellent fish tomorrow.”
“She seemed to have a special love for the carp.”
“I see...very well, then. I’ll go find more that she’ll enjoy.”
Lawrence chuckled internally; at no point had Amati asked what he thought of the fish, but Amati no doubt had not even noticed this.
“Oh, incidentally, Mr. Lawrence—have you any plans at the moment?”
“I am killing time before I meet with Mr. Batos.”
“I see..”
“Why do you ask?”
Amati’s expression clouded over as he fumbled for words, but he resolutely overcame this in a manner befitting a merchant used to battling the fish markets day in and day out. “Er, yes, actually I was thinking perhaps I could show you and your companion around the town. Our meeting on the road was the will of God, surely, and I don’t doubt I could learn much from talking with a traveling merchant such as yourself.”
Amati sounded quite modest, but Lawrence knew that the boy had his sights set on Holo. If Amati had a tail, Lawrence was sure that it would be swishing back and forth excitedly.
Lawrence had an idea.
“I surely appreciate the invitation, and my companion Holo has been wanting to get a look at the town, but I don’t think...” Amati’s expression changed. “If it’s all right with you, I would be happy to show just Miss Holo around! In truth, I’ve finished my work for the day and am quite free.”
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly..
Lawrence wasn’t sure whether or not his feigned surprise was convincing, but Amati did not seem able to read Lawrence’s expressions quite that well.
Amati, after all, was thinking only of Holo.
“Not at all. If left to my own devices, I fear I’ll simply drink all my profits away. To be blunt, this works out nicely for me. I would be happy to escort her.”
“I see. Well, she is not so well behaved as to stay in the inn simply because I told her to—she may not be there at all.”
“Ha-ha! As it happens, I need to go by the inn and discuss a purchase with them, so I’ll inquire after her while I am there, and if she is there, I’ll invite her out.”
“I’m so sorry to impose,” said Lawrence.
“No, not at all. Please allow me to show you around town as well next time!”
Amati’s skill with pleasantries marked him as a merchant through and through.
He must have been five or six years younger than Lawrence, but despite his callow appearance, he was no doubt a canny trader.
Though Amati’s attention had been quite diverted by Holo, he remained thoroughly poised.
Lawrence was just musing on how he would have to be careful not to let his guard down around the boy when the trading company’s door opened once again.
Amati looked toward the door at the same time as Lawrence. “Looks like I had good timing,” said Amati, and Lawrence soon understood why.
As the saying goes, his party had arrived.
“Well then, Mr. Lawrence—I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you, again.”
Whether he had no further business in the trading house or his head was so full of visions of Holo that he forgot why he’d come, Amati left the building.
Though Lawrence left her with some silver, he thought Holo was still probably lounging about in bed at the inn.
Given Amati’s state, he’d be a perfect mark for Holo, who would have no trouble getting him to buy her whatever she
“Mr. Lawrence,” said Amati after briefly greeting the men drinking by the door.
“Good afternoon. And thank you for your assistance with the inn.”
“Not at all. I should be thanking you for ordering so much fish for dinner.”
“My finicky companion praised it to the heavens. Said that you had an excellent eye for fish.”
Lawrence felt this was a more effective compliment than saying he himself had enjoyed the food. He was correct.
Amati’s face lit up like an excited boy’s.
“Ha-ha, I’m delighted to hear it! If she has any other requests, I’ll be buying some truly excellent fish tomorrow.”
“She seemed to have a special love for the carp.”
“I see...very well, then. I’ll go find more that she’ll enjoy.”
Lawrence chuckled internally; at no point had Amati asked what he thought of the fish, but Amati no doubt had not even noticed this.
“Oh, incidentally, Mr. Lawrence—have you any plans at the moment?”
“I am killing time before I meet with Mr. Batos.”
“I see..”
“Why do you ask?”
Amati’s expression clouded over as he fumbled for words, but he resolutely overcame this in a manner befitting a merchant used to battling the fish markets day in and day out. “Er, yes, actually I was thinking perhaps I could show you and your companion around the town. Our meeting on the road was the will of God, surely, and I don’t doubt I could learn much from talking with a traveling merchant such as yourself.”
Amati sounded quite modest, but Lawrence knew that the boy had his sights set on Holo. If Amati had a tail, Lawrence was sure that it would be swishing back and forth excitedly.
Lawrence had an idea.
“I surely appreciate the invitation, and my companion Holo has been wanting to get a look at the town, but I don’t think...” Amati’s expression changed. “If it’s all right with you, I would be happy to show just Miss Holo around! In truth, I’ve finished my work for the day and am quite free.”
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly..
Lawrence wasn’t sure whether or not his feigned surprise was convincing, but Amati did not seem able to read Lawrence’s expressions quite that well.
Amati, after all, was thinking only of Holo.
“Not at all. If left to my own devices, I fear I’ll simply drink all my profits away. To be blunt, this works out nicely for me. I would be happy to escort her.”
“I see. Well, she is not so well behaved as to stay in the inn simply because I told her to—she may not be there at all.”
“Ha-ha! As it happens, I need to go by the inn and discuss a purchase with them, so I’ll inquire after her while I am there, and if she is there, I’ll invite her out.”
“I’m so sorry to impose,” said Lawrence.
“No, not at all. Please allow me to show you around town as well next time!”
Amati’s skill with pleasantries marked him as a merchant through and through.
He must have been five or six years younger than Lawrence, but despite his callow appearance, he was no doubt a canny trader.
Though Amati’s attention had been quite diverted by Holo, he remained thoroughly poised.
Lawrence was just musing on how he would have to be careful not to let his guard down around the boy when the trading company’s door opened once again.
Amati looked toward the door at the same time as Lawrence. “Looks like I had good timing,” said Amati, and Lawrence soon understood why.
As the saying goes, his party had arrived.
“Well then, Mr. Lawrence—I’ll take my leave.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you, again.”
Whether he had no further business in the trading house or his head was so full of visions of Holo that he forgot why he’d come, Amati left the building.
Though Lawrence left her with some silver, he thought Holo was still probably lounging about in bed at the inn.
Given Amati’s state, he’d be a perfect mark for Holo, who would have no trouble getting him to buy her whatever she
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