Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf – Season 1 Episode 14 Recap & Review

New Town and Nostalgic Feeling

Episode 14 of Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf begins with Lawrence and Holo heading to their next location. Lawrence gives Holo three feathers as a thank-you gift. He shares details with Holo about Kumerson, the next town they’re heading to. Holo’s not satisfied with this gift. Lawrence informs Holo about Kumerson’s Ladra Festival. 

He tells Holo this festival offers different kinds of food. Lawrence tells Holo he set aside money for her snacks and plans to rent a reasonably priced place at Kumerson. Holo brings her concerns up with Lawrence’s funds because she doesn’t want her “desire for snacks” to be used against her. Holo teases Lawrence about the idea of them sharing a bed and Lawrence stops his horse from moving. 

Lawrence tells Holo she’s not his type. The two continue jokingly flirting with each other and continue their adventure once they finish doing so. During their travels, Holo spots a few merchants with fish. Holo suggests she and Lawrence purchase fish from them. Lawrence asks one of the merchants for some fish and the merchant tells Lawrence that others have reserved his fish stock already. 

The merchant suggests Lawrence speak with one of the fishermen to see if he can negotiate a trade. Lawrence tells the merchant he doesn’t want to obtain the fish for selling reasons, rather he wants to use the fish to create a meal for him and Holo. The merchant understands and questions Lawrence about his plans. Lawrence says he and Holo want to visit Kumerson for multiple reasons. 

He asks the merchant for intel regarding the town’s inns, festivals, and other things. The merchant gives Lawrence details. Also, the merchant asks Lawrence if he belongs to a merchant association. Lawrence tells the merchant he belongs to the Kumerson Trading branch of the Rowen Merchant Association. The merchant tells Lawrence he belongs to the same association. 

The merchant introduces himself as Amati and Lawrence introduces himself and Holo to Amati. Amati notices Holo’s feathers and Lawrence lies to Amati, telling him that Holo is a traveling nun. Amati understands the trials most traveling nuns endure. He offers to help Lawrence secure a single room at Kumerson for Lawrence and Holo to reside in. 

Lawrence says that’s not necessary. However, after Amati shares some nice words with Lawrence, Lawrence says he’d like to take Amati up on his offer. Eventually, Lawrence and Holo arrive at Kumerson’s Inn. In their room, Lawrence shows Holo a letter he got at Kumerson’s trading house. Lawrence tells Holo the letter contains a warning about this world’s current armor prices. 

Lawrence and Holo exit their room and greet Amati at the Inn’s entrance. They thank him for helping them secure a place to stay for the time being. Then, Holo and Lawrence eat somewhere and discuss things. Lawrence warns Holo not to drink too much alcohol but Holo says she can handle it. Later, Holo gets a hangover and lies in bed. 

Lawrence tells Holo to stay in bed. He goes for a stroll in Kumerson and notices Marc speaking with someone. Lawrence confronts Marc, asking him to buy some nails from him. Marc agrees to buy Lawrence’s nails for fourteen and two-thirds Lumione coins. Next, Marc asks his apprentice Lant to move Lawrence’s goods that he bought from him to Marc’s cart.

Marc plans to sell those goods later. Lawrence tells Marc he plans to leave Kumerson before winter arrives. Marc insists Lawrence meet his child, Adele, and attend Kumerson’s festivals before he and Holo depart. Lawrence is shocked that Marc’s experienced new things. Marc says he misses being a traveling merchant.

However, Marc says it’s great to settle down and do business with folks while having a child and wife to care for. Lawrence revisits Holo at the Inn. Holo’s no longer experiencing a hangover but Lawrence warns her if she continues drinking a lot she will experience one again. Holo and Lawrence discuss Holo’s homeland and the town of Nyohhira, a town near her homeland. 

After further discussion, Lawrence asks Holo if she can go to her homeland alone once they reach Nyohhira. Holo says she can and Lawrence recalls Holo’s remarks from a prior chapter about her loneliness. Lawrence offers to wait in Nyohhhira as long as Holo visits her homeland and returns to Nyohhira in two days. After Holo rambles on about things she heads to sleep. 

The episode ends with a shot of Lawrence watching Holo sleep. 

The Episode Review

After the last chapter’s sickly affairs between Lawrence and Holo, this one has our protagonists visiting the town of Kumerson. Again, Holo finds herself bedridden, this time through the power of alcohol. If it’s not one thing it’s another for this wolf. Holo should consider calling herself, Holo the Drunk Wolf at this point. Jokes aside, this episode offered nice comedy and tackled time to incredible effect. 

From Holo’s banter with Lawrence to Lawrence’s genuine time-centric discussion with Marc, this anime balances its serious moments with its hilarious ones well. Additionally, this episode introduces fans to Amati’s character. Based on minor instances we receive of him glancing at Holo, we can assume this character is starting to develop romantic feelings for Holo. 

Hopefully, the series’s creator, Isuna Hasekura, can handle this possible love triangle between Amati, Lawrence, and Holo well. At the same time, we’re optimistic things won’t churn out creepy results considering Amati’s a child. All in all, this was a great chapter of the anime. It touches upon the show’s theme of time exceptionally and offers fans some down-to-earth moments between our protagonists. 

I’m excited to see what unfolds in Kumerson.