HDFL 01

Chapter : 01

The City of Water, Benin.

It had only been a few hundred years since the islands, once nothing more than marshland, had transformed into the greatest trading city in the Empire.

People fleeing the wars that ravaged the mainland sought refuge along these shores and made the islands their home. Driving millions of wooden piles into the muddy ground, they built an entire city above the water. On islands with almost no farmland, trade was the only way they could survive.

“People living on stilts.”

The mocking nickname, dripping with contempt, did not remain in use for long.

True to the people who had carved out a home from an empty sea, they turned Benin into the finest commercial city on the continent within just a few decades. Beautiful and exotic treasures from every corner of the world flowed into the city.

Thus, the people of Benin proudly called themselves Benia, honoring the strong and wise ancestors who had built their city.

Even now, when that glorious city had become the continent’s greatest den of pleasure.

“This year’s suckers are finally arriving.”

Sitting alone on the harbor dock, Lucrezia let out a derisive snort. There was unmistakable hostility in her eyes as she watched the ships entering the port.

The annual Benin Carnival season was just around the corner.

During the months-long festival, nobles from the mainland and neighboring kingdoms flocked to the floating city.

They came to enjoy long holidays in Benin, renowned not only for its breathtaking scenery but also for its mild weather throughout the year. The high-ranking nobles of the capital, where the climate was considerably colder, especially preferred spending this season in their townhouses in Benin.

Which meant these few short months were the busiest time of the year for island natives like Lucrezia.

Especially for people like her, who made a living emptying the pockets of outsiders.

“I hope this ship has a worthwhile opportunity.”

Taking a small telescope from inside her coat, Lucrezia focused on the newly docked vessel.

Among elegantly dressed noblewomen in brightly colored dresses and gentlemen clad in refined suits, enormous crates were being unloaded from the ship.

Those massive boxes—completely out of place in a vacation resort—were undoubtedly filled with artwork, luxury goods, and precious jewels.

For the nobles who visited Benin, Carnival was not merely a social season for displaying their family’s wealth; it was also one enormous black market.

“The Count Helten family… the Viscount Larhen family… the Marquis Denician family. Looks like all the major houses from the capital have gathered again this year.”

After noting the family crests flying from the ships and estimating the size of the cargo being unloaded, Lucrezia dusted the sand from her clothes and stood.

Most of the influential families had already arrived.

Now it was time to find work.

Jack’s medicine payment is due soon…

How am I supposed to come up with that much money?

Lucrezia lived with a middle-aged man suffering from a rare illness.

Though they shared no blood, he was as good as her father.

Her only family in the world.

Once renowned as a blacksmith in the back alleys, Jack had begun to lose the use of his body for reasons no one could explain when Lucrezia was fourteen years old.

It was around that time that she had thrown herself into the underground world in earnest, desperate to pay his mounting medical expenses.

If taxes hadn’t risen so ridiculously, we wouldn’t be drowning in debt like this.

Benin, a city frequently plagued by flooding, was protected by a massive dam known as Libera—a name meaning salvation.

The colossal barrier regulated the flow of seawater and prevented the city from being submerged. It was the masterpiece of the Verna Ducal House, which had ruled Benin for generations.

What people had once believed to be nothing more than an enormous ancient stone abandoned in the sea had only become operational thanks to the tireless efforts of successive dukes.

But over ten years ago, after the House of Verna was exterminated for treason, Libera became nothing more than a tool for extorting taxes.

A count who had once faithfully served the duke was appointed governor, and he imposed crushing taxes for the operation of Libera.

That was when Benin, once celebrated as a city of art and culture, began its descent into corruption.

“…Damn governor.”

Like every native of Benin, Lucrezia loved her island.

Watching the slum dwellers, unable to bear the ever-growing tax burden, being thrown into the water to die filled her heart with helpless rage.

But all Lucrezia could do was earn enough money to pay for Jack’s medicine…

…and their overdue taxes.

I can’t just sit here worrying.

I need to find a way to make money.

As if to wash away her gloomy thoughts, she took one last look at the brilliant blue waves sparkling beneath the sunlight before turning toward the bustling commercial district.

She walked for quite some time through the maze-like network of narrow alleys before finally stopping at a dead end where not even a single ray of sunlight reached.

Standing before a dilapidated building on the verge of collapse, Lucrezia knocked on the door with practiced familiarity.

Knock. Knock-knock.

When the rhythmic knocking ceased, the wooden door creaked open.

The moment she stepped inside, a red-haired young man with a scar across his cheek greeted her with a broad grin.

“I knew you’d come around this time. Waiting for you paid off.”

“What are you doing here, Theo? You’re not the guild’s informant.”

“The last guy got caught stealing guild information and ended up dead. They didn’t have anyone suitable, so I volunteered. I figured it’d be a good chance to see you more often, too.”

Theo chuckled.

Lucrezia frowned slightly.

Theo was a notorious womanizer who had confessed his feelings to her several times—and been rejected every single time.

For someone who couldn’t resist chasing after women, he had shown an unusual degree of sincerity toward Lucrezia.

Unfortunately for him, she had never been interested.

If anything, the only thing that bothered her was that the boy she’d grown up with happened to be the guild master’s son.

…Still, it isn’t entirely bad.

As the guild master’s heir, Theo had access to all sorts of information that ordinary guild members could never obtain.

Although dealing with him was somewhat uncomfortable, it was good news for someone like Lucrezia, who needed a large sum of money in a short amount of time.

“Enough small talk. Tell me about work. Any decent requests come in?”

“Mostly relationship drama lately. Let’s see…”

He flipped through several documents.

“One client wants someone to teach their cheating spouse a lesson. Another wants their lover’s mistress secretly thrown into the sea so she’ll be reported missing. Oh—and we just got a request to assassinate an heir. Interested?”

Among the nobles visiting from the mainland, there was never a shortage of people hoping to disguise their family’s dirty business as unfortunate accidents during Carnival.

Lucrezia quietly sighed as she skimmed the requests Theo handed her.

She didn’t mind stealing if the reward was worthwhile.

But she refused jobs that involved taking lives.

No matter how desperate she was for money, murder and adultery simply weren’t her style.

“Show me something better than that. You know I don’t take shady jobs.”

“You really are strange, aren’t you? Everyone else jumps at the easy dirty work, but you always choose the difficult jobs instead.”

“I don’t care what you think. Now hand over the file you’re hiding. Don’t tell me you were planning to pocket it right in front of me.”

“Oh? You noticed?”

Theo scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

“My sleight of hand never works on you.”

He slid a single sheet of paper across the table.

Unlike the other requests, which contained lengthy explanations, this one was remarkably brief.

Payment upon employment: 5,000 ducats. Absolute confidentiality required. Applicant must be a native of Benin.

Five thousand ducats.

That was enough money to pay six months’ worth of taxes for the entire slum district—and still have plenty left over.

Lucrezia’s eyes widened.

Theo smiled awkwardly.

“I stole this from my father’s desk. It just seems suspicious. I didn’t think it was right to give it to you.”

“What’s the actual job?”

“Act as a guide around Benin for the duration of Carnival. Doesn’t that sound fishy? No matter how rich someone is, who would pay that kind of money just for a guide?”

For generations, it had been common for visitors to hire local Benia as guides through Benin’s labyrinth of canals and narrow alleys.

The people of Benin took immense pride in their heritage, and once you left the main streets, most locals spoke dialects that mainlanders could barely understand.

Those interested in less-than-legal business naturally preferred to keep trustworthy locals nearby.

But such simple guide jobs were usually paid in silver lira, not gold ducats.

Even then, the pay was meager.

Even with strict confidentiality as a condition, the amount offered was absurdly generous.

“Do you know who the client is?”

“…Not exactly. Besides, the client specifically requested their identity remain confidential, so I couldn’t tell you even if I did.”

Though they were fairly close, Theo was still a member of the guild.

Seeing the troubled expression on his face, Lucrezia decided not to press him any further.

It’s definitely suspicious…

But it’s awfully tempting.

Just this one job would solve all my immediate problems.

Within the underworld, any assassination request had to be officially registered with the guild.