English Dub Review: Spice and Wolf MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF “Wisdom of a Wolf and Smooth Talk of a Merchant”

Overview

Desperate for money, the wise Wolf proposes a dangerous new plan. But even more dangerous are Holo’s emotions, when Lawrence is being rather dense…

Our Take

This time around, Lawrence finds himself deeply in debt, scraping by with only 40 Lumione left. His desperate situation is made worse by Holo’s apparent indifference, which frustrates him as he continues to plan for her welfare even in his dire state. Despite his misfortune, Lawrence blames himself rather than others, reflecting his good-natured character. Holo, however, remains a significant influence on him, and he remains loyal to her despite the pain it causes him.

Holo devises a plan to restore Lawrence’s financial standing and approaches the Lemerio Trading Company, which is also struggling, and even goes as far as to convince Norah, who has been mistreated by this particular branch of the Church, to also assist them with the promise that helping them will help her a way to escape Nora’s dire situation with a significant reward…

Overall, the episode was slower-paced but significant in establishing Holo and Lawrence’s solution to fix their current predicament. The high-risk, high-reward plan hinges on avoiding Church suspicion and leveraging Norah’s situation for mutual benefit. Despite the slow buildup, the episode effectively sets the stage for Lawrence’s risky gambit to pay off his debts and avoid bankruptcy, with the promise of an intriguing outcome.