Wolf and a Tail of Happiness

Wolf and a Tail of Happiness is the seventh episode of the first season of the Spice and Wolf anime.

Official Synopsis
"Lawrence uses his crafty business sense (while Holo utilizes her considerable charisma) to get a great deal on some expensive clothes."

Plot
Recovering in Pazzio after the coin speculation incident, Lawrence decides to purchase clothes for Holo before dinner. He reasons that the robe she bought makes her look too much like a nun of the Church, which would cause problems in pagan regions further north, and she will need cold-weather clothing.

Holo, who has gotten tired of eating raw apples all day in their room, is glad for a change of pace and happy to tease Lawrence for using practical excuses to treat her. However, on hand Lawrence only has a lumione gold piece, too large a denomination to purchase average clothes. They return to Weiz to exchange it for trenni silver and agree to meet him later at their regular tavern for drinks.

At the clothes shop, Lawrence uses a "secret technique" to buy for Holo stylish town clothes once worn by a noble: a head scarf made of rabbit fur and a collared short leather cape fastened with a walnut button. He first buys low-quality clothes and blankets at an inflated price and then buys the high-quality clothes at an extremely discounted price, made even cheaper by Holo’s charm. Even though the clothing merchant profits on the cheap items, he loses money on the entire deal because of the more expensive clothes.

Lawrence explains that as there is still time before they get far enough north to need extra clothes, he will resell the cheap items at another clothing shop on the way to the tavern and get back most of what they spent on them, making the deal they got even better. Holo responds with her usual teasing, and the pair continue their lighthearted verbal sparring into a pleasant evening.

Trivia

 * This episode never aired on television and was added as an original video animation (OVA) for the DVD.
 * An additional subplot not in the light novel is Holo subtly attempting to hold hands with Lawrence without asking. Romantically dense though he is, she eventually succeeds.
 * This episode is not featured in the manga.