The next morning, members of the Independent Committee began their operation to cleanse the kingdom and arrest those involved in the slave trade case.
The King assisted by deploying the Royal Guard, an elite force of the Elysia Kingdom, to escort and support the Independent Committee in their mission.
Meanwhile, Princess Viana was asked to remain in the palace to rest, as she had already played a crucial role in capturing the criminals.
In the end, nearly fifty people were arrested, including Count Richard, Duke Callissto, Marquis Tobias, Count Lewis, and Count Dunan.
However, Duke Callissto was released due to insufficient direct evidence linking him to the slave trade case.
But the effort didn’t stop at arrests—each enslaved person was traced, and many of them were successfully freed and reunited with their families.
This process took place within both Elysia and Valendale. As for the other kingdoms that had not participated in the case, they pledged to return any captives originating from Elysia or Valendale.
News of the noble arrests spread rapidly throughout the Elysia Kingdom, sparking widespread discussion among its people. Parents, as well as nobles whose voices had previously gone unheard, sent letters to Princess Viana, expressing their gratitude.
Yet, what shocked everyone the most was the revelation that the case had involved a Prince from the Valendale Empire. But then, everyone felt relieved when the Empress and the Prince were finally stripped of their titles and exiled.
On the day of the trial for the nobles of Elysia, people from all across the kingdom gathered outside the courthouse, eager to witness the proceedings of this shocking case.
The voices of the gathered crowd echoed into the courtroom, where the nobles on trial sat in the defendant’s seats. Duke Callissto was placed separately, though he was still facing judgment.
The King and Princess, both present, sat on the royal thrones reserved for the ruling family, serving as the highest judges of the trial.
Viana, attending such proceedings for the first time, observed everything with keen interest.
"Count Richard, is it true or not that you possess a logbook detailing the quantity of shipments sent to the Valendale Empire?" asked one of the prosecutors representing the Independent Committee, holding up a book.
The logbook was placed among the other pieces of evidence displayed on the table before the three judges, and, of course, the royal family.
Count Richard remained silent, his head bowed, hands resting atop his protruding stomach, cold sweat forming on his brow.
"Count Richard? If you do not respond, your silence will be taken as an admission of guilt," one of the judges warned.
The Count lifted his head, but his gaze met Duke Callissto’s, causing him to stammer as he answered, "Y-Yes. That logbook contains records of my shipments to Valendale."
The prosecutor then walked over to the rest of the evidence, picked up two more books, and deliberately raised his voice as he addressed the court.
"The two logbooks are copies of those we obtained from the Valendale Empire, thanks to the Princess," the prosecutor said, offering a respectful nod to Viana, which she returned with a smile.
The prosecutor continued, "These two books reveal discrepancies in the shipment records when they reached Valendale Empire, many items went missing before arriving at their intended destination."
"This didn’t happen just once, but at least once every month."
Then, he picked up a letter from the evidence table and displayed it for the judges to see. They read it carefully before nodding in agreement.
The prosecutor turned and stepped forward toward the audience. "And this is the official letter from Valendale, confirming that they caught the slave traffickers red-handed. Yes, they kept the enslaved women inside empty wine barrels for days, without food or water!"
Gasps filled the courtroom, and a wave of outrage spread through the crowd.
"That’s utterly inhumane!"
"Monstrous! If that had been my daughter, I would have killed them myself!"
"Silence!"
The judges tried to calm the audience, and after shouting "Silence!" multiple times, the uproar gradually subsided.
After delivering a devastating blow that fueled the crowd’s anger, the prosecutor stepped back, allowing the judges to deliberate.
The final decision was then presented to the King and approved by him. Naturally, Viana read the verdict as well and fully supported it.
Then, a court staff member took the letter from the King and handed it to the judges. One of the oldest judges stood up and read the verdict aloud.
"On this day, the High Court of Elysia Kingdom, led by the presiding judges, and witnessed and approved by King Clive Yanis, declares the defendants guilty of abducting women from Elysia Kingdom and selling them into slavery.
Therefore, the court has decided that the defendants will be sentenced to death, their wealth confiscated, and their noble titles revoked.
As for Duke Callissto, for accepting bribes and obstructing the work of the Independent Committee, we impose a fine of five million gold coins, which will be used as compensation for the victims."
The entire crowd erupted in cheers upon hearing the verdict, filling the courtroom with a deafening uproar. The soldiers guarding the courtroom struggled to maintain order amidst the excitement.
However, the King and Princess Viana had already left the courtroom, escorted by their respective Royal Guards.
As they walked through the courthouse corridor, the King, who was beside her, suddenly spoke. "I am so proud of you, my dear. You have handled this case remarkably well."
Viana, who had been feeling immense pride for being able to help the people of Elysia, something she had never done in her past life, was slightly taken aback by her father’s words.
In her previous life, he had never praised her like this, making her feel deeply touched.
With a radiant smile, she hurried ahead of the King, lifting her gown slightly as she curtsied. "Thank you for your kind words, Your Majesty King Yanis. It means so much to me."
The King, surprised that she had rushed forward just to bow and express her gratitude, laughed before stepping closer to her.
"You will make an exceptional Queen one day. But now, I believe you deserve a reward for your success. Tell me, Viana dear, what is it that you wish for?"