Ookami to Koushinryou Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf • Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf – Episode 16 discussion

I’m going to go ahead and share my controversial opinion. I have a take on this arc that seems to run contrary to most people.

I don’t hate Amarti. Furthermore, I don’t think Amarti is in the wrong. What Amarti is doing is trying to save Holo from her hardships. He thinks she is in an uncompromising position, and so he is trying to make her become free.

The person who is at fault here is Lawrence for not trying to put to bed the allegations.

Lawrence should’ve told Amarti that she was his traveling companion. He should’ve immediately put to bed the idea he was holding her hostage. Instead, he entertains the idea and agrees to the bet and puts Holo on the line, something only he could do and without the say of Holo. Amarti may be aggressive and accusatory, but that doesn’t mean Lawrence should’ve stoop down to his level.

And for the record, I don’t necessarily blame Lawrence all that much for not telling Holo. It’s not like he lied to her, he just left out some information. Pretty important information, but still. We’re coming off an arc where Lawrence put his foot in his mouth by getting too cocky, which resulted in Holo becoming quite despondent. I’m sure he wants to avoid another situation like that, and this was how he saw to remedy it. I think no matter what Lawrence told Holo, whether he was honest about putting her up in the bet or not, she would’ve still had gotten upset, and who could blame her?

I actually really like this arc for how flawed it portrays Lawrence. It’s arguably him at his worst because unlike the debt stuff, this he could’ve consulted Holo on more easily but he did not. Not only does it portray Lawrence as a flawed protagonist– which in my opinion are the best main characters– it makes the point that Amarti and Lawrence aren’t really that dissimilar to each other. Both put Holo on a pedestal to where their love for her blinds them. I don’t think Lawrence would’ve put Holo up in a bet if he didn’t think she wouldn’t come to him no matter what. Even if he loses the bet, there’s nothing preventing her from staying with Lawrence. To him, Holo makes the perfect choices no matter what it is. And yet, it’s like he still doesn’t know what exactly their relationship is. Sure, she’s his traveling companion, but do traveling companions get as close as they do? What traveling companion has the level of trust to put someone up on a bet? Like, for real.

I think this arc puts a spotlight on Lawrence and Holo’s relationship in a way we haven’t seen before. It calls into question how healthy it truly is and just what exactly they mean to each other. It’s easy to pile on Amarti for sticking his nose in business that doesn’t involve him, but Lawrence doesn’t do much in the way of making it any better. And that, naturally, comes to ahead in this arc, because what’s a traveling companion if you willingly run the risk of losing them?

My man Lawrence needs to come up with a better solution to people wanting to marry Holo. Given her charm this is bound to keep happening.