Early the next morning, Sina and a few of the maids were already busy preparing the Princess.
She insisted on wearing formal attire in stronger, bolder colors, unlike the pastel shades she usually wore.
"Your Highness, but we only have dark colors, black and dark green," said Sina, showing her the two dresses.
Her face clearly showed that she wasn't fond of either choice.
Viana chuckled at her expression and said, "I'll wear the dark green one."
Sina immediately frowned and, while preparing the dress, muttered, "You'll look old in this dress."
Viana burst out laughing at Sina's grumbling, which only made her frown deepen.
"If I wear bright colors, they'll all just be looking at me instead of focusing on the meeting," she said with a giggle.
Hearing her reasoning, Sina's face lit up again, and she became more enthusiastic.
"Ah, that's absolutely right. How silly of me not to realize it," she replied, then continued chatting away while dressing Viana.
Meanwhile, the Princess stared at her reflection in the mirror but her mind occupied with thoughts about what she should say during the meeting.
It wouldn't just be Prince Rayne attending, but also several high-ranking officials from Elysia Kingdom and the Valendale Empire.
And, of course, Viana's father, the King of Elysia.
***
"Her Highness Princess Viana Yanis is entering the meeting room!"
The guard at the entrance announced the arrival of the Princess.
Everyone turned to the entrance and saw a beautiful young woman with blonde hair styled in an elegant half-updo, wearing a formal dark green dress.
All the attendees stood up to welcome her arrival, and she walked toward the far end of the meeting table.
There, her father and Prince Rayne were already seated on three thrones placed on a small platform at the end of the room.
She immediately took her seat in one of the thrones beside her father, maintaining a polite and composed demeanor.
Then she glanced at the attendees in front of her and noticed Duke Callissto, who was present with a sour expression.
'That sly rat is here too,' she thought to herself.
Not long after, the meeting began, with Prince Rayne briefly explaining the slave trade issue in the Valendale Empire as he stood before everyone.
"The slave trade is disrupting the economies of all nations, including the Valendale Empire."
"Not only are laborers losing their jobs because employers are turning to free slave labor," he continued, delivering his speech, "but there's also the fate of the people to consider..."
Viana listened attentively to Prince Rayne's words, but suddenly, a transparent screen reappeared before her after being absent for a long time.
[Your next task is to resolve the issue of the slave trade, particularly in Elysia Kingdom and the Valendale Empire.]
[The time frame given is 1 month.]
[If successful, you will be rewarded.]
She almost jumped out of her seat in shock at the sudden appearance of the screen in front of her.
Clearing her throat softly to compose herself, she carefully read the words on the screen.
'This is exactly what I'm working on now. What kind of system are you, always late in giving tasks?' she grumbled internally.
But the transparent paper floating before her no longer responded and disappeared.
"Hence, as the Crown Prince of the Valendale Empire, I acknowledge Princess Viana's prior success in uncovering similar schemes in her own kingdom," Prince Rayne's voice resonated in her ears again.
It was as if she snapped out of her thoughts, smiling at everyone present as her name was mentioned.
"Your Highness Princess Viana, your experience is invaluable. Would you be open to guiding our efforts directly?" Prince Rayne asked her while bowing slightly before her.
Everyone present gasped, witnessing the Crown Prince, who clearly held a higher rank than the Princess, bowing to her.
Especially Duke Callissto, who clenched both fists under the table, his face slightly flushed.
He deeply resented the idea of the royal family of Elysia Kingdom gaining support from the Valendale Empire, as it would complicate his efforts to garner favor from the nobles in Elysia.
Viana smiled and replied, "If it would aid the people of Valendale and strengthen the bond between our empires, I would be glad to assist."
Prince Rayne smiled with satisfaction at her response, then asked, "Your Highness Princess, do you have any insights you'd like to share with us about the matter?"
Viana smiled again and answered gracefully from her seat. Her voice was clear, calm, and filled with confidence, reaching every corner of the room.
"Your Highness, if we truly wish to dismantle this slave trade network, we must prepare to face all its challenges, including corruption among nobles and royal officials who may have ties to the slave traders or profit from their activities."
Both her father and Prince Rayne were taken aback by her bold statement and turned to face her in unison.
However, she paid no heed to their gazes and continued.
"I propose forming an independent investigative committee. Every member of this committee should be someone outside of the both governments to maintain impartiality. Their main task will be to monitor every step of the investigation's progress and identify any irregularities during the process."
Everyone, including Prince Rayne and her father, King Clive Yanis, was left in awe by the Princess's long but highly rational explanation.
However, there was one person who wasn't astonished, instead, his face turned even redder. Duke Callissto.
He couldn't believe that the Princess, who was famously thought of as frivolous and known for squandering money, could articulate such ideas, especially in a meeting room.
Normally, she would simply sit quietly with a bored expression whenever her father forced her to attend royal meetings.
But now, she seemed entirely different. She appeared more dignified, carried herself with greater elegance, and showed remarkable intelligence in her speech.
He clenched his fists again, so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
'She cannot be allowed to live. I could be dragged into all of this,' he thought, picturing himself standing before the masses, with a guillotine looming above his head.