The Lord Just Wants to Have Fun

“Alright. Let’s do that.”
Francesca readily agreed after finishing her mental calculations.

‘We won’t be completely dragged along. We have enough funds and manpower.’

What she had deliberated over until the very last moment was the possibility of Philip, who had both the ability to develop hit products and strong connections with the nobility, seizing control of the joint trading company.

However, there were ways to counter that.

If Philip had any ulterior motives, she could simply cut ties and dissolve the joint company.
If that wasn’t enough, she could pressure him until he snapped out of it.

‘Hah, to think things turned out this way.’

Watching their negotiations unfold from the sidelines, Delpharos was internally surprised.

Until now, his employer had occasionally invested capital or manpower, but she had never formed a joint trading company.

‘Honestly, when Baron Philip initially rejected the chairman’s proposal, I thought she would just walk away and break the deal…’

Yet, the atmosphere had shifted back to a favorable one.

That was because Philip had made an incredibly enticing proposal.

Even Delpharos himself could see its merits. Most of all, he was pleased at the thought that his overwhelming workload might lighten just a little.

‘As expected, Baron Philip is quite exceptional. To think he managed to turn the mood of our notoriously difficult chairman around…’

As he marveled at Philip’s skill, Francesca’s next words made him nearly jump in shock.

“Oh, and about the 10 million Dalant—I’ll invest it without any conditions or interest. Use it however you see fit, my lord.”

“What? You’re just giving it to me?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, our trading company’s foothold in the Arteria Kingdom will solidify even further.”

If Philip’s words held true, they would soon dominate the western regional market.

As long as they secured the favor of the nobles, taking over the local economy would be a piece of cake.

Thinking of that, 10 million Dalant was hardly a waste.

“And we’ll also cover the costs of establishing the joint trading company.”

“That will be quite a significant expense, won’t it?”

“Yes, I estimate at least 2 to 3 million Dalant. Even half of that would be burdensome for you, wouldn’t it?”

“…Why are you being so generous?”

“I already told you—I like talented people like you, my lord.”

As Francesca smiled softly, Philip remained silent for a moment before returning the smile.

“I, too, admire someone as magnanimous as you, Chairman. I’ll make good use of what you’ve given me.”

“Hohoho, let’s get along well from now on.”

Despite the amiable atmosphere, neither of them was completely sincere.

‘Hohoho, you’re mine now, you little baron.’

‘This cunning elf… She’s definitely planning to use me, but things won’t go her way so easily!’

*****

After concluding negotiations with Francesca,

Philip immediately gathered his vassals and coordinated with the Callisto Trading Company to draft two contracts.

Both sides signed the agreements and stamped their seals upon them.

The Baron Brandel territory and Callisto Trading Company shall establish a joint trading company, named Mercury.
Mercury shall have exclusive distribution rights for all products manufactured in Baron Brandel’s domain, with its headquarters based in Campania.
The ownership of Mercury shall be divided equally (50:50) between Baron Brandel’s domain and Callisto Trading Company, with Callisto Trading Company providing logistics and manpower support.

…

There were several other clauses, but these three were the most crucial.

‘It’s named after a god from Earth’s mythology.’

Mercury, or Hermes, was the divine messenger in Greco-Roman mythology and also the patron god of merchants and travelers.

That made it a fitting name for a trading company.

‘Besides, in the Elven language, Mercuret means prosperity, and the pronunciation is quite similar.’

This also made the name well-received by Francesca and the Callisto Trading Company executives.

‘So what? The negotiations worked out fine, didn’t they?’

‘Don’t worry. No rumors will spread.’

For the Callisto Trading Company, there was absolutely no benefit in letting such rumors circulate.
To maintain Philip’s reputation and influence, Francesca would ensure absolute secrecy.

After all, they were now in the same boat.

‘If she didn’t think that way, she wouldn’t have handed me 10 million Dalant without any conditions. Maybe I should squeeze some extra research funds for new products while I’m at it? Heh heh heh!’

< You sly bastard! How did someone like you end up as Eldir’s Apostle… >

‘And who was it that brought this “sly Apostle” in the first place?’

< Grrr! >

As Mau pouted like a disgruntled duck, Francesca, now holding the signed agreements, spoke to Philip again.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Oh, I was just reporting to Lord Eldir just now. I informed him that, thanks to our collaboration with the Callisto Trading Company, your prestige will now be recognized far and wide.”

Francesca let out a faint smile.

She didn’t even need to use Chakra. Just looking at his sly grin was enough to tell he was lying.

“I see. Since you are Eldir’s Apostle, it’s only proper that you inform him of everything without any falsehoods.”

“Yes, exactly. You know me well.”

“You must always be diligent, faithful, and honest in your duties. You must never disappoint him.”

Her emphasis on diligence, faithfulness, and honesty sounded more like, “Work hard, my lord!”
As if she were urging him to work not just for Eldir but for the Callisto Trading Company as well.

< Ohhh, that elf woman speaks such righteous words! >

‘Shut it!’

Forcing a smile, Philip swiftly changed the subject.

“Ah, since you’re already here, how about a visit to our territory’s hot springs?”

“The hot springs in Silon Village? I’ve heard they’re quite mystical. I heard many noblewomen frequent them.”

“You seem interested.”

“Hohoho, of course. I do care about beauty, after all.”

Though elves lived several times longer than humans, they still had a strong desire for beauty.

And as the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot.

Without delay, Philip guided Francesca straight to Silon Village.

*****

“This place is just as amazing as the rumors say.”

After soaking in the warm spring water and relieving her travel fatigue, Francesca emerged with a refreshed smile.

Her complexion was so radiant that Philip momentarily averted his gaze.
If he stared too long, he feared he might unwittingly fall for her charms.

“I’d love to move our company headquarters here.”

“Haha, I’ll take that as a compliment. I’ve arranged a modest meal—let’s head to the dining hall.”

Philip had prepared dishes from Earth using Silon Village’s specialty ingredients.

Just as the aristocrats had been enchanted by these unique but ingenious dishes, the elves, too, were utterly captivated.

“Who knew that simply baking Tooth Beans with cheese would taste so good!”

“Incredible! This fried chicken is tender and has no gamey taste at all!”

“Tofu? You can make something like cheese from beans?”

“Master Delpharos, this is unfair! Have you been enjoying all of this by yourself until now?”

Even Philip was unaware, but elves turned out to be serious gourmets.

Despite encountering these dishes for the first time, they didn’t hesitate to shower them with praise.

‘Huh, they even like stir-fried spicy pork? I thought elves were strictly herbivores.’

< Where did you even get that nonsense, Apostle? >

‘Well, if there’s a gluttonous cat-angel obsessed with popcorn, why wouldn’t there be meat-eating elves?’

< Why are you picking a fight?! Meow! >

Ignoring Mau’s outburst, Philip turned to Francesca.

“Did you enjoy the meal?”

“It was wonderful. I especially liked the dessert—those waffles were exactly my taste.”

“Hoho, I’ll provide you with the equipment and recipe before you leave.”

“Much appreciated.”

Having taken a great liking to the hot springs and local delicacies, Francesca ended up extending her stay for two extra days despite her busy schedule.

“This was truly a meaningful visit, Baron. It was well worth the trip.”

“I, too, am pleased to have strengthened our ties with the Callisto Trading Company.”

“Are you really sure you won’t step under our wing? I could nurture you into something incredible.”

“I’m sure. Absolutely not, so just give up.”

“Hoho, alright. Then, let’s meet again next time.”

On the third day, Francesca departed with Philip seeing her off.

On the way back to the lord’s castle, Treasurer Buchini spoke with excitement.

“My lord, thanks to this negotiation, our territory has gained wings to soar! We might even seize dominance over the western region in the future…!”

‘Nope. Not aiming for dominance. I just want to enjoy myself.’

What was the point of bothering with ruling over everything?

A nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

Philip had no intention of getting on the royal family’s or the great nobles’ radar and being suppressed.

< Apostle, what if a civil war or factional struggle breaks out? >

‘Then I’ll just sit back with some popcorn and watch the show, then side with the winning team.’

Of course, Buchini had no idea what was going through his lord’s head and was still grinning from ear to ear.

“Sir Buchini, you seem rather pleased.”

“How could I not be? Not only did we establish a joint trading company, but we also received a massive investment of 10 million Dalant.”

‘This man would wake up even in his sleep for the scent of money…’

Clicking his tongue internally, Philip offered a piece of advice.

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch. And you know what they say—if you like freebies too much, you’ll go bald.”

“Hahaha, bald, you say? If I can make money, I don’t mind going bald at all.”

Yeah, let’s see if you still say that when the time comes.

Philip held his tongue but made a mental note.

‘If Buchini ever does go bald, I’m definitely teasing him about it.’

*****

A few days after Francesca’s departure, a translucent scroll appeared before Philip’s eyes.

[You have completed the mission: “Provide shelter for the displaced people.” Reward: 3,000 points.]
[Lord Eldir is pleased with your plans for constructing a second forge. Let’s get started quickly.]

‘Oh, so the construction is finally done.’

Just two days ago, he had received a report that the project was in its final stages. Now, it was officially completed.

Judging by Eldir’s eagerness, he was excited to see his temple expanding.

‘I’ll start soon, so don’t be so impatient.’

Just as Philip smirked, Jude arrived to report.

“My lord, we have completed the construction of 300 houses for the displaced people. We’ve also finished distributing household necessities to each home.”

“Good work.”

“Heh, it was nothing. We merely used the materials and designs you provided, my lord.”

Francesca’s timely arrival with additional laborers had also helped speed up the construction.

“Even so, a good overseer is crucial for any project.”

Common issues in construction projects included material embezzlement and shoddy work.

If Jude hadn’t kept a sharp eye on things, completing the mission would have been far more difficult.

“Well, since you insist you didn’t do much, that saves me the trouble. I was debating what kind of reward to give you.”

“No need for deliberation, my lord. Just promote me.”

Despite only having been a retainer for a short time, Jude shamelessly asked for a promotion.

Currently, he held the rank of a second-tier scribe.

Given his capabilities, it was an ill-fitting position.

“I’ll promote you to a rank that suits you, so get some rest.”

“I look forward to it. Ah, also, my lord, I inspected the crops on the way here…”

Jude had always been interested in land management and taxation policies.

After hearing his observations, Philip’s expression turned serious.

“As I thought, we can’t avoid making changes.”