Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf – Season 1 Episode 22 Recap & Review

Church Teachings and Memories of Father

Episode 22 of Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf begins with Lawrence and Holo visiting Tereo Village’s church at night. Elsa opens the door and Lawrence explains why he and Holo are here. Elsa asks if they want intel on the abbey and Lawrence says they don’t. Lawrence tells Elsa that he and Holo want to offer their prayers and leave Tereo afterward. 

The two follow Elsa to a prayer altar. Before they pray, Lawrence tells Elsa he wants to confess something at this location. Elsa understands. Seconds later, Lawrence says he lied to Elsa and this surprises Elsa. Lawrence says he wants Elsa to confirm that this palace they’re in now is the Diendran Abbey he seeks. 

Lawrence wants Elsa to confirm that Franz is Louis, the abbot’s manager. He seeks Louis’s tales about pagan gods too. Elsa wonders who the two are. Holo reveals her wolf ears to Elsa and Elsa faints.

Then, we cut away to Elsa’s home. Elsa wakes up and realizes she wasn’t dreaming about Holo having wolf ears. She compares Holo to the devil. Before matters get intense, Lawrence promises Elsa they’ll leave once Elsa shares more details with them. He tells Elsa he wants the tales Franz collected and Holo tells Elsa they seek those tales because she wants to return home (Yoitsu).

After pondering Franz’s teachings, Elsa tells Lawrence and Holo to follow her somewhere. She leads them to a hidden prayer room that harbors a statue. Elsa removes the statue, revealing an underground area. She enters the area, grabs some letters addressed to her, and tells Lawrence he and Holo can read the books there. However, Elsa says they can only do so within the church. 

Holo heads inside the underground area to find the books. Lawrence and Elsa discuss recent matters. Elsa’s happy that Franz’s stories weren’t make-believe. She tells Lawrence that he and Holo must chat with the inn owners because reading all the books may take a while. Holo returns with the books and Lawrence pays Elsa for her services. 

Then, Lawrence and Elsa chat in a different room. Elsa asks Lawrence to hear her out on something that’s bothering her. Lawrence complies. Elsa wonders if the god Tereo’s been worshipping is a false deity. She’s worried because Franz’s tales allude to that being the case. Lawrence argues Franz’s stories are correct. 

Sem knocks on Elsa’s door before Elsa can question Lawrence about his argument. Lawrence returns to the statue room and spots Holo reading Franz’s books. The two discuss Elsa, their traveling plans, and the books. Holo forces Lawrence to put his arm on her shoulder. Elsa enters the room, reads the room, and says they can discuss matters later. 

Later, Holo senses Evan’s nearby. Lawrence suggests they keep Holo’s wolf origins a secret from him. He argues Elsa won’t rat Holo out to Evan. Then, the two discuss Franz and his alleged activities and beliefs. After Lawrence, Evan, Holo, and Elsa eat, Elsa tells Lawrence she’ll discuss her concerns about her and her people’s potentially false deity with him later. 

Lawrence and Holo return to the prayer room to continue reading Franz’s books. He brings up Evan and Elsa’s close connection and Holo’s not happy that Lawrence brought that topic up. Lawrence explains what about Elsa and Evan makes him envious of them. He wonders what Holo will do once she reaches Yoitsu. Holo says she doesn’t know. 

Lawrence suggests they drop the discussion. Holo asks Lawrence to read the books. She falls asleep on Lawrence’s lap. Lawrence skims through one of the books and finds a tale about the moon-hunting bear that allegedly destroyed Yoitsu. He hears a man on horseback. Holo wakes up and Lawrence shares his discovery with her. 

He hands Holo the book with the moon-hunting bear lore. Lawrence wants Holo to read it and make an honest decision. Holo promises to do so. Lawrence and Elsa discuss this current situation with the horseback rider. She’s unsure if it involves Enberch Town. Elsa tells Lawrence and Holo that they can rest near the prayer room until Sem clears things up. 

Sem and his folks confront Lawrence. Lawrence warns them not to do anything rash to him or Holo. Sem tells Lawrence that someone from Enberch died because they ate Tereo’s wheat. The episode ends with Lawrence, Holo, and others looking startled.

The Episode Review

If it’s not one thing, it’s another with this economic love story. When Lawrence and Holo take one step forward, the author finds a way to throw an unexpected wrench into their Yoitsu traveling plans. Many fans will be curious to see how our merchant and wolf duo will resolve this issue. 

That aside, it was incredible seeing Lawrence and Holo pull one over on Elsa. The tactic they used was brilliant. Many fans will love that it was themed around Elsa’s career and the environment she, Lawrence, and Holo were in. Small details like these will pique any fans’ interest. 

Additionally, this chapter gave fans sweet moments between Holo and Lawrence. From Holo sleeping on Lawrence’s lap to her and Lawrence’s future-themed discussions, it’s baffling that these two haven’t tied the “knot” in their relationship. Hopefully, that’ll occur before season 1 ends in the upcoming weeks. 

But all in all, this episode should leave Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets The Wise Wolf fans excited for the next chapter.