Episode 20
Episode 21
「教会の少女と粉挽きの少年/異端の村と司祭の契約」 (Kyoukai no Shoujo to Konahiki no Shounen/Itan no Mura to Shisai no Keiyaku)
“The Church Girl and the Miller Boy/The Pagan Village and the Priest's Contract”
Oh, new Spice and Wolf, and most importantly, a new Spice and Wolf arc. After the (relative) chaos of what happened before and the huge blow to Kraft and Holo's relationship, you'd think there would be some downtime, and that's exactly what we got this time. Of course it won't be that simple in the end, but hey, nothing like smelling the flowers and taking in the scenery right now.
While I’m kicking myself for missing a week, the most important thing I’m loving right now is getting the Tereo arc in all its glory. This was the main point of contention with the original adaptation because it was completely cut out; it’s not a particularly important part of the overall story, but as seen at several points, it’s a great reinforcement from the latest developments involving Kraft and Holo. Between the constant werewolf banter and the increasingly hilarious couple interactions between the two, we now also have Holo completely indulging in the teasing and Kraft giving the best he can get. Multiple times. It’s a high point that shows how close these two are now and how much room they have left to walk, because after the previous confessions, you know the current situation won’t last forever. One way or another, your dog's naps will soon require a larger bed for the extra companion.
As for the season itself, I think the latest episode in particular helps show where things are going. This season is the first to really highlight the existing tension between paganism and the Church, with the former increasingly at odds with the more organized—and ruthless—group with an ever-expanding reach. Thanks to Father Franz Tereo has managed to hold their own and even profit from it, but such deals are only as good as the people who support them, and naturally the more powerful side will want to right past wrongs at the first opportunity. The risk for Kraft and Holo is not discovering the truth but getting caught up in it, because as much as they’ve been teased, the people of Tereo won’t be too pleased if it looks like Kraft is all on the side of the Church—and even more so when it’s unclear how Franz died. I won't spoil anything here, but suffice it to say that gathering information on Yoitsu won't be as simple as initially thought, no matter how solid Holo's plan is.
Better keep the popcorn ready, have fun this is just the beginning.
Preview
