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Lawrence and Holo arrive at the rendezvous point to see Zeiren again. After meeting with a currency exchanger, Lawrence determines that Zeiren is indeed not on the level. The currency that was supposed to increase in silver purity is in fact decreasing in purity, which Holo suggests might be part of a larger overall scheme. Someone may be pulling Zeiren’s strings, and I will laugh really hard if it turns out to be Bernie Madoff.

If an economics lesson isn’t your thing, Holo and Lawrence have some antics that are quite funny and do a good job of establishing who they are. Lawrence may not have the wisdom of a deity but he is rather clever, especially observant of the people around him. Holo is not so savvy on economic matters but her vast life span has given her experiences which she intelligently applies to business transactions. That’s one side of her, but the other side is very much about enjoying the outside world: binging on apples, getting drunk on wine, and so forth. We also see a vulnerable side, perhaps best exemplified when Lawrence comments that it’s good that people have forgotten her face (not wanting to draw attention to the fact that she is a wolf goddess). This nonchalance from Lawrence really hurts Holo, shown quickly and effectively in just a short reaction shot. It’s all you need to understand what she feels.

Much of the exposition revolves around currency, and how the fluctuating relative values of various currencies can be exploited to make a profit. Holo has the prescience to suggest that a country should just stick to one currency, but being at that level of development, this civilization hasn’t reached such a point yet. So no, this isn’t edge of the seat stuff here but it does a good job of demistifying economics—something which is probably more topical right now than it was when Spice and Wolf first aired. You begin to understand that the ebb and flow of money isn’t something goverened by arcane laws handed down by angels, but rather by the demands and decisions of people.

Tags: Spice and Wolf, Okami to Koshinryo, Super Serial