The Lord Just Wants to Have Fun

The Callisto Trading Company, with wealth rivaling that of a small kingdom, could ruin a mere barony like Brandel with little effort if it so desired.

‘Even without taking direct action, they could easily manipulate the royal family or major lords to handle it for them.’

There had already been multiple instances where the company had bankrupted competitors who violated key contracts or interfered with their trade.

This was why Francesca had earned the infamous title of “The Witch of Callisto.”

‘He must have heard the rumors about our leader… So why in the world did the Baron reject her so outright?’

As Delpharos puzzled over Philip’s decision, Francesca forced herself to suppress her rising frustration and continued speaking.

“We made this offer after careful consideration, ensuring that it benefits both our trading company and the Brandel Barony. We’re already business partners, aren’t we? At the very least, may I hear the reason for your refusal?”

Her voice remained polite, yet it carried a razor-sharp chill meant to pressure Philip into responding.

Delpharos, knowing Francesca’s temperament well, subtly signaled to Philip to answer quickly.

Reading the silent cue, Philip finally spoke.

“It’s a good offer, but I don’t see how it benefits me.”

“…What do you mean? You just admitted it’s a good offer, yet you claim it doesn’t benefit you?”

What kind of nonsense was this?!

To Francesca, it seemed like this libertine was just throwing around grandiose words to sound impressive.

“How very strange. I was not under the impression that you enjoyed playing word games, my lord.”

“And I was not aware that you could read people’s thoughts, madam.”

Philip’s sharp retort left not only Francesca but also Delpharos momentarily stunned.

Very few within the Callisto Trading Company even knew about her chakra, as it was a closely guarded secret.

Yet somehow, Philip had figured it out.

Francesca quickly masked her surprise and feigned ignorance.

“Oh my, I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

“You seem to have momentarily forgotten whose backing I have.”

Thud!

At Philip’s knowing smile, Francesca felt her heart drop.

That was right.

The man before her was the Apostle of Eldir.

Though often dismissed as merely the “god of blacksmiths,” Eldir was still one of the Twelve Great Deities of the Celestial Realm.

If Philip truly had the favor of such a divine being, then uncovering her secret would have been effortless.

Desperately, she scrutinized him, searching for any sign of deception.

But Philip’s expression remained calm and unwavering—there was no indication that he was lying.

“I know exactly why you’re offering this investment.”

“……”

“Yes, my territory would grow, and I would earn wealth. But what about me? As the Apostle of Eldir, I have a duty to fulfill. Do you expect me to abandon that and work tirelessly just to generate more profits for your company?”

He had no intention of sacrificing his freedom, his ambitions, or his personal interests just to produce whatever Francesca and the Callisto Trading Company demanded.

‘My ultimate goal is to enjoy life, doing only what I want!’

The mention of divine authority had clearly rattled Francesca—she was at a loss for words.

Seeing her hesitation, Philip decided to make a counteroffer.

He wasn’t about to let the Callisto Trading Company exploit him, but at the same time, finding a better trading partner immediately would be difficult.

“Madam Francesca, instead of direct investment, how about forming a joint trading company to distribute the goods produced in my domain?”

*****

“A traveling apprentice priest, you say? What’s your name?”

A soldier guarding the Palamos Territory border eyed the young girl before him.

She wore a white headscarf and blue priestly robes, her posture stiff as she hesitated before speaking in a hushed voice.

“…Liberta.”

She could not use the name Arkina—at least not for now.

No one would believe her, and if she dared to utter the name of the goddess, they would accuse her of blasphemy.

So instead, she borrowed the name of the poor girl whose body she now inhabited.

‘Would it have been better to use a different name? If someone is searching for Liberta in the area…’

The very thought made her uneasy.

She had barely escaped the chaos back in Campania because of it.

Thanks to the half-elf steward secretly sending word to the County of Este, the count’s retainers had come searching for Liberta.

“Young lady, why in the world did you do such a thing?”

“The lord has fallen ill from the shock. Please return home immediately.”

Under their relentless scolding, Liberta had claimed she would stop by the Temple of Water, only to slip away once she got there.

She had stolen an apprentice priest’s robes and fled in secret.

There was no reason for her to return to the County of Este.

If anything, there was a high chance her stepmother and her faction would have her killed.

‘I refuse to die so meaninglessly. Even if they call it exile, as long as I’ve descended to the mortal realm…’

When she had been cast down from the heavens, she had already decided what she would do here.

She would make these foolish, disappointing humans truly awaken.

Just as water embraces all things, the greatest virtue of the Water Temple was to nurture and protect one’s neighbors.

To achieve this, there was somewhere she needed to go first.

The Great Temple of Water in Aras, the capital of the Arteria Kingdom—a sacred site once called the Fountain of Light in ancient times.

“Move it, you maggots! Hurry up!”

Liberta turned her head at the sound of crude shouting.

A group of filthy, ragged individuals dressed like slaves were struggling to push carts loaded with stones and logs.

A middle-aged overseer viciously cracked his whip against their backs.

“This lumber has to reach the lord’s castle by today! How much longer are you going to crawl like slugs?!”

These were slaves transporting materials for the reconstruction of the lord’s castle, which had been damaged by a recent explosion and fire.

The townspeople watching did not express a shred of sympathy.

Instead, they sneered, spat at the slaves, or openly jeered at them.

“What’s wrong with these mongrels? No strength at all.”

“Don’t know why we even keep them alive. They’re not even useful like horses or oxen.”

“Oh? Did that one just glare at me?”

“Well, they’re still monsters, even if they’re only half. Their true nature won’t change.”

These slaves were of mixed monster blood.

Most were orc-human or goblin-human hybrids, born from unfortunate circumstances.

Many had been captured from areas near the Prill Mountain Range or the northern continent, where monsters were abundant.

Fate had thrust them into the world unwanted, and now they were treated as less than livestock.

They had never harmed anyone, yet their very existence was deemed a sin because monster blood ran in their veins.

“Get up! Move, damn you!”

“S-Sir… I can’t go on…”

“What did I tell you about talking?! How dare a mongrel try to act like a person?!”

The overseer mercilessly lashed his whip against the fallen goblin-blooded slave.

But just as he raised his whip again—

A hand seized his wrist.

“Who the hell—?!”

Scowling, the overseer turned his head…

And froze.

Before him stood a slender young girl, barely half his size.

Yet, for some reason, he found himself unable to move, as if his very blood had turned to ice.

“W-Who…? What do you want, priestess?”

“You people never change.”

Liberta’s gaze was stern and unwavering as she spoke.

“You breathe the same air, eat and drink the same, and walk the same earth. So what makes you think you have the right to oppress your own neighbors?”

To a god, monsters, humans, and even beasts were all the same.

And yet, humans arrogantly believed they were superior—despising monsters, persecuting other races, and even turning against their own kind.

“W-What…?”

“This is why I am disappointed in you.”

Using the last remnants of her divine power, Liberta completely froze the overseer in place.

Then, she knelt beside the fallen half-goblin slave, gently placing a hand on him.

Wooooong—!

A soft radiance enveloped his broken body.

“…Ah…!”

When the light faded, his wounds had vanished without a trace.

She then turned to the other injured slaves and healed them one by one before silently continuing on her journey.

And now, as if enchanted, the mixed-blood slaves were silently following in her footsteps.

****

“A joint trading company…?”

“Yes. A trading company where both parties hold a 50% stake. From now on, all products made in my domain would exclusively be sold through this company.”

Hearing Philip’s proposal, Francesca scoffed in disbelief.

“Why should we bother with something so complicated? You could just entrust all sales to our company—just like you did with Delpharos.”

“Well, as far as I know, your company doesn’t yet have a dedicated branch for the Arteria Kingdom.”

“That’s…”

Once again, Philip had landed a direct hit.

With a smirk, he pressed his advantage.

“Wouldn’t it be more profitable for you to establish a dedicated division or subsidiary for Arteria?”

‘Damn it, he’s right!’

Currently, all business in Arteria was handled by Delpharos, but he was also responsible for trade in the Duchy of Bardia and other neighboring states.

This meant that the Callisto Trading Company hadn’t been able to focus entirely on the Arterian market.

“With all due modesty, I have strong connections with the noble families of Western Arteria. My name is well known, even in the capital.”

“So, you’re saying that by leveraging your connections, we’d be able to conduct trade more smoothly with the Arterian nobility?”

“Exactly. A recommendation from a well-known figure always attracts attention. And besides, a joint trading company wouldn’t only be selling my products, would it? It would allow for a much wider range of goods to be marketed with far greater ease.”

Philip then proceeded to lay out the full range of benefits such a partnership would bring.

As she listened, Francesca’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“I see… Establishing a joint trading company would certainly be beneficial to us. But what do you get out of it, Baron?”

“Hm, for one thing, I’d be able to acquire what I want more easily.”

Through the company’s distribution network, he could locate rare resources needed for his personal interests.

He could also find skilled artisans and craftsmen, or talented slaves to recruit.

And, with the Callisto Trading Company’s help, he could access Campania’s ports and shipyards, allowing him to launch his own designed ships and hire experienced sailors.

‘Acquiring what he wants…’

Not fully understanding what exactly Philip desired, Francesca speculated.

Gold?

Exotic delicacies?

Obedient and beautiful slaves?

His ambitions seemed tied to pleasure and indulgence, but she couldn’t quite grasp the specifics.

“And if frequent transactions strengthen relationships with the nobility, that will be valuable in times of political upheaval. The trading company would also serve as a crucial source of intelligence—helping us track which domains need what, and keeping an eye on the movements of powerful families.”

Philip spoke so smoothly and confidently that Francesca’s eyes widened in surprise.

She had assumed he was just a hedonistic aristocrat who relied on his divine backing to enjoy life.

But this was different.

‘So he’s not just some thoughtless playboy. He’s actually considering the future political landscape of Arteria…’

The king was old, and though still ruling, he was not getting any younger.

His heir was still a child, and the great noble houses—once obedient to the crown—were beginning to assert themselves again.

Some ambitious figures were already making moves, hoping to seize the throne.

Philip wasn’t yet aware of the full scope of the political intrigue, but Francesca mistakenly believed that he was already preparing for the king’s eventual passing.

‘Of course. If he weren’t that perceptive, he wouldn’t have been chosen as an Apostle.’

One thing was certain—Philip’s proposal was not a loss for the Callisto Trading Company.

Especially since they couldn’t afford to miss out on the innovative products he was bound to create in the future.

‘Still… there’s one issue that bothers me.’

A 50-50 partnership.

Who would actually hold the reins?

As Francesca hesitated to make a decision, Philip leaned in slightly, urging her for an answer.

“Well? What do you say about my proposal? Will you accept?”