The Lord Just Wants to Have Fun

Mission: Provide Shelter for the Refugees

To develop the iron industry, a large workforce is required. Moreover, providing proper living conditions for the workers is essential for them to work enthusiastically.

Build 300 houses that can protect the future servants of Eldir from wind and rain.

Reward: 3,000 points
Time Limit: 30 days
※ If the mission fails, Eldir’s blessing upon the blacksmith workshop will be revoked.

“Well, there’s no guarantee that all the refugees will work in the iron industry, is there?”

Philip chuckled as he read the mission he had received after a long time.

He could guess why Eldir, who was supposedly busy in the celestial realm, had given him this mission.

“This is just a way of telling me to stop messing around and focus on my duty as an Apostle.”

At that moment, Mau appeared with a click of his tongue.

“Why not? The reward is quite generous.”

Until now, the workshop’s productivity had been abnormally high compared to the skill and number of its blacksmiths. That was entirely thanks to Eldir’s blessing.

If that blessing was revoked, production would immediately drop, leading to decreased revenue. It was a critical loss.

However, Philip didn’t seem too concerned.

“I just have to build 300 houses.”

If he mobilized all available manpower and resources, it wasn’t impossible.

However, that would mean completely halting all other operations in the territory.

And right now, it was the peak of the harvest season, one of the busiest times of the year.

Mau believed that this unreasonable mission was given because Philip had been too occupied with glass workshops, soap production, and shipbuilding—things that had nothing to do with Eldir.

Eldir was already stressed from the overwhelming work in the celestial realm, so seeing his Apostle slacking off must have angered him.

Thus, Mau urged Philip to plead for forgiveness.

However, Philip just scoffed.

“Why should I? I just need to build 300 houses within the time limit.”

“Nope, perfectly sane. And I’ve got a plan!”

Philip spoke confidently.

He had something up his sleeve.

This mission did not seem all that difficult to him.

*****

Around the same time Philip received his mission, Count Auguste de Palamos was meeting with a spy who had just returned from Baron Brandel’s territory.

“You brought me the method and materials for creating the ‘Flame Essence’?”

“Yes, my lord.”

The spy smirked with confidence.

After receiving intel from another spy already stationed there, he had disguised himself as a servant and infiltrated the lord’s manor and surrounding workshops.

During that process, he managed to uncover the secrets behind the Flame Essence.

“Baron Brandel was extremely cautious in keeping the production method secret. He completely separated the workers who gathered materials from those who actually produced the essence. That way, no single person knew the full process.”

The gatherers had no idea how their materials were being used.

The artisans who made the Flame Essence had no clue what those materials even were.

And most importantly—the precise mixing ratio was known to only one person:

The chief blacksmith Hans’ apprentice.

“I had to bribe that apprentice heavily to finally obtain the ratio.”

Loyalty could only go so far when faced with a mountain of gold.

That apprentice, despite his rough exterior, was a greedy bastard.

Just as the spy was about to explain further, Count Auguste waved his hand dismissively.

“Spare me the details. Submit a report later. Just tell me briefly—what are the ingredients and how is it made?”

“Yes, my lord. The Flame Essence is created by mixing charcoal, sulfur, and the essence of fire.”

“Oh? I understand charcoal and sulfur, but what is this ‘essence of fire’?”

“This, my lord.”

The spy pulled out a small sack from his bag.

This was the very substance he had risked his life to smuggle out of Baron Brandel’s domain.

“The workshop producing the Flame Essence was always heavily guarded by knights and soldiers. It was so secure that not even a rat could slip through.”

“And yet, you managed to steal it?”

“Fortunately, a stable nearby caught fire, and all the guards rushed over to put it out. I used that distraction to sneak in and take it.”

According to the apprentice’s explanation, Flame Essence ignites upon contact with fire.

Had the flames spread to the workshop, a major disaster could have occurred, so everyone had scrambled to extinguish the fire immediately.

“Luck was on your side. Or perhaps, the God of Wealth himself lent his aid to Auguste. Hahaha!”

With a sinister grin, Count Auguste de Palamos untied the sack and frowned at its contents.

“This is supposed to be the ingredient for the Flame Essence? It just looks like salt.”

When he heard “essence of fire,” he had imagined a radiant gemstone filled with flames.

But this white powder was far from what he had expected.

Seeing the count’s doubt, the spy hurriedly protested.

“No, my lord! I had the same suspicions at first, but I tested it myself—it really is the essence of fire!”

Since the spy had personally confirmed its properties, Auguste nodded in acknowledgment.

“Very well, I’ll believe you. But where exactly does one obtain this?”

“That… The apprentice demanded an enormous sum of money for that information, so I couldn’t—”

“I’ll pay more. Next time, make sure to bring me everything.”

“Understood! Leave it to me!”

“For now, show me just how powerful this substance truly is.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Auguste led the spy to the castle’s magic laboratory.

This room had once belonged to a court magician from the capital, who had used it for alchemy experiments.

However, the alchemy research had ended in failure, despite significant financial investment.

And the magician who had failed to produce results?

He was executed for deceiving the count.

“You said you needed charcoal and sulfur, correct? There are some on the shelves—use them as you see fit.”

The spy gathered the ingredients and began grinding them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

Then, he added the stolen essence of fire and saltpeter into the mix.

“Is it ready?”

“Yes, my lord. Please step back—it is dangerous.”

After Auguste retreated, the spy carefully packed the mixture into a small leather pouch and threw it into the fireplace.

Whoosh—!

As the flames engulfed the pouch, it flared up with a bright flash.

However, the flames quickly died down.

Auguste, who had been eagerly anticipating a powerful explosion, frowned in disappointment.

“Is that all? This is no better than pouring oil into a fire.”

The rumors had claimed that Flame Essence could cause an explosion as loud as thunder, capable of obliterating a massive dam in a single strike.

Even though they had only tested a small amount, the result was underwhelming.

“Er… It seems that the essence of fire wasn’t concentrated enough. The apprentice mentioned that more essence improves the explosive effect.”

“Is that so? Then try again.”

With Auguste’s approval, the spy gulped nervously and resumed his preparations.

Knowing that the count was watching him intently, he felt immense pressure.

‘If I fail again… he’ll execute me!’

Count Auguste had already spent a fortune to obtain the Flame Essence formula.

If it turned out to be a fraud, the spy would meet the same fate as the previous court magician.

Thus, he poured all of the essence of fire into the mortar and ground it finely.

However, he did not increase the amount of charcoal or sulfur.

With the mixture now complete, the spy once again tossed the powder-filled leather pouch into the fireplace.

‘Please work, please…!’

As if his desperate prayers were answered—

BOOOOOM!

A deafening explosion shook the laboratory.

“Oh! It worked—”

The fireplace detonated, sending out a massive blast of fire and sound.

The spy, standing right in front of it, was instantly killed—his body shredded apart in the explosion.

Count Auguste de Palamos, witnessing his subordinate’s literal disintegration, was blown away by the force of the blast.

With a loud crash, he was hurled through the door, shattering it as he tumbled into the corridor.

“Ughhh…!”

“My lord! What happened?”

“Stay with us, my lord!”

His knights, who had been waiting outside, rushed over in alarm to check his condition.

Fortunately, Auguste’s injuries were not severe.

The enchanted necklace he wore had activated a shield spell, absorbing most of the impact.

“I… I’m fine…”

Just as he struggled to speak, more explosions erupted from inside the laboratory.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The lab had once belonged to a court magician, and various alchemical substances were still stored inside.

The problem?

Many of those materials—including sulfur and sulfuric acid—were highly flammable.

The fireplace debris and sparks ignited them, triggering chain reactions of explosions.

The sheer force collapsed the walls and pillars, causing flames to spread uncontrollably throughout the castle.

“My lord, we must get you to safety!”

“Escort the count out, now!”

Thanks to his knights’ swift action, Auguste managed to evacuate before the flames could engulf him.

But the disaster was far from over.

The fire, which had started in the magic laboratory, spread to the castle’s tower above it.

Then, the tower—its foundation weakened by the explosions—began to tilt…

Right toward the warehouse.

“No! Not there—!”

The warehouses contained exotic silks and rare spices, luxury goods that his family’s trading company had stored for their most valuable transactions.

But Auguste’s desperate cries were in vain.

With a thunderous crash, the burning castle tower collapsed onto the warehouses.

BOOOOM!

“What in the world is happening?!”

“It’s lightning! The castle must have been struck by divine punishment!”

As servants and retainers arrived, bewildered by the chaos, Auguste roared in fury.

“What are you fools standing around for?! PUT OUT THE FIRE! NOW!”

Soldiers and servants scrambled to contain the flames.

But when they poured water from the well onto the warehouse fire—

The flames only grew fiercer.

Why?

Because the spices stored inside contained essential oils, which acted like fuel when mixed with water, spreading the flames even further.

“Why… Why isn’t it going out?! WHY?!”

“It’s hopeless, my lord! This place is too dangerous—you must evacuate!”

“Get the count and his family out of the castle immediately!”

The firestorm soon engulfed not just the warehouses, but also the lord’s manor, homes, and market stalls.

For three entire days, the flames raged, reducing much of Count Palamos’ domain to ashes.

******

“My… my fortune… gone…”

Staring at the burnt remains of his castle and treasury, Count Auguste was so shocked that he nearly fainted.

But he quickly regained his senses and barked an order to his retainers.

“If word gets out about the real cause of this disaster, our house will be disgraced. Keep your mouths shut—no one is to speak of this!”

But his threats were meaningless.

The rumors had already spread like wildfire—and not just any rumors, but highly exaggerated ones.

“Did you hear? Count Palamos tried to steal Baron Brandel’s Flame Essence!”

“And the God Eldir, in his wrath, struck the count’s castle with heavenly fire!”

“Tsk, serves him right. Who did he think he was, trying to snatch divine power for himself?”

This catastrophic fire didn’t just wipe out Auguste’s wealth—

It also shattered his family’s reputation.

His trading company suffered severe financial damage as contracts fell apart, and their creditworthiness plummeted.

Once an ambitious noble, aiming to dominate the western territories—

Now, he was a laughingstock.

A few days later, this ridiculous tale finally reached Philip’s ears.