The Princess' Harem-Chapter 21: The Independent Comittee

The assembly room grew quiet after the vote results were tallied. The outcome was crystal clear, the majority of those present supported Princess Viana's proposal.

The King announced that the meeting was adjourned and would resume at a later time to discuss the formation of the independent committee.

As the nobles began whispering amongst themselves or preparing to leave the room, Duke Callisto sat frozen in place, his fists clenched tightly beneath the table.

His face remained red with anger, but he didn't dare say another word. He knew his objections had been decisively dismissed.

Meanwhile, Viana felt both exhausted and relieved. The tension in the room had been overwhelming, but she was proud that she had managed to handle the situation herself.

She glanced at her father, King Clive, and offered him a faint smile upon seeing his calm expression. He seemed unsurprised, as though he had always believed his daughter could win this battle without his help.

Count Lazarus had already risen from his seat and left the room, but his presence still unsettled Viana. His unexpected support during the discussion had left her wary.

Was he genuinely on her side, or did he have ulterior motives? She couldn't bring herself to trust him.

At the same time, Prince Rayne leaned back casually in his chair, appearing relaxed as though everything that had unfolded had been part of his plan.

His blue eyes met Viana's green ones, and he smiled while giving her a subtle nod.

Viana quickly looked away, her heart uneasy.

Prince Rayne's behavior baffled her, sometimes he was charming and supportive, but other times he felt like a mystery she couldn't solve.

***

Later that night, Duke Callisto stormed into a small meeting room within his castle.

Inside, three other nobles, his closest allies in court, were already waiting for him. They were just as displeased with the vote's outcome as he was.

"This is unacceptable," growled the Duke, pacing the room. "That Princess... She's gaining too much support. If this keeps up, she'll destroy everything we've built."

One of the nobles, Marquis Tobias, folded his arms across his chest. "We underestimated her. She's not the naïve girl we thought she was. And with Prince Rayne backing her, her position is even stronger now."

Duke Callisto stopped pacing and slammed his hand onto the table. "We need to act fast. If she forms this independent committee, our trade operations will be exposed. We can't let that happen."

A young noble sitting nervously in the corner spoke up. "What do you suggest, Duke Callisto? Surely we can't go against the King's orders."

Duke Callisto smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice. "We don't need to defy the King. We just need to discredit the Princess. Make her look incompetent, that she is actually a danger to the Kingdom. If we do this right, we can turn her supporters against her."

The others nodded in agreement, and plans were quickly drawn up.

They decided to sabotage the committee's work, plant false evidence, and spread rumors about the Princess herself. Whatever it took to protect their own interests and maintain control over their wealth source.

***

The next morning, Viana met with Prince Rayne to discuss the next steps for forming the independent committee.

Although she hesitated to work with him, she knew it was necessary. Besides, she couldn't help but wonder how high Prince Rayne's Love Percentage was now.

"Thank you for what you did yesterday," Viana said as they walked through the royal gardens. Reyes and one of Prince Rayne's royal guards followed a few steps behind them.

"The vote might not have happened without your suggestion," she added.

Prince Rayne chuckled. "Well, I couldn't let Duke Callisto win, could I? Besides, your plan makes sense. You're stronger than you think, Princess Viana. You just need to trust yourself more."

Viana frowned slightly, unsure if he was being sincere or simply flattering her. "This isn't about me. It's about the Kingdom. We need to stop the slave trade, no matter what it takes."

"And we will," Rayne said firmly. "But be careful. The nobles who opposed you won't just sit back and accept defeat. They'll fight back in their own way. Be ready for that."

Viana nodded, already aware of the risks. The thought of Duke Callisto and his allies scheming against her sent a chill down her spine, but she wouldn't let fear stop her.

And suddenly, a small screen displaying "Love Percentage" appeared above Prince Rayne's head, reigniting her spirit.

The percentage had now reached 10%.

***

Within just a few days, the independent committee was successfully established.

The members of this committee were selected from both the Elysia Kingdom and the Valendale Empire.

Viana took personal responsibility for overseeing the selection process and monitoring the committee's performance, ensuring their work remained focused and untainted by bribery or corruption.

One of the committee's first assignments was to investigate locations where slaves were believed to be held or transported.

Viana decided to join the committee on their very first investigation. She wanted to see the conditions on-site for herself and assess the committee's efforts.

Of course, she was accompanied by Reyes for protection, while Prince Rayne had returned to the Valendale Empire for his own duties.

When they arrived at an abandoned warehouse outside the capital, closer to the Valendale border, Viana was completely taken aback by what she saw.

Rows upon rows of cages made from metal bars filled the warehouse. Although most of the cages were empty, a few still held captives.

The remaining captives appeared extremely weak and malnourished, their faces hollow and filled with despair.

Her heart ached as she personally helped free the captives and listened to their heartbreaking stories of how they were taken.

Many of them had been kidnapped from small villages, with their families either killed or threatened.

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Her face tightened as she turned to the committee members who were with her, listening to the captives' stories.

"This has to stop," she said firmly with her lips pressed together. "No matter the cost, we must dismantle this slave trade network."