But none of them looked unprepared.
"I've been summoned back to the capital in ten days," Elara said without preamble. "Imperial decree. Mandatory attendance for succession proceedings. No extensions possible."
The room absorbed this silently.
"Which means," she continued, "we have ten days to make every operation in Port Crestfall sustainable without my physical presence. The supermarket, the drink distribution, the vendor contracts, security, finances—everything must function independently."
Dimitri raised his hand slightly. "Your Highness, ten days is not enough time to—"
"It has to be." Elara's voice was flat, factual. "I don't control the timeline. I can only optimize within the constraints given."
She walked to a board where she'd drawn organizational charts.
