However, Rowan had no idea that an even greater conspiracy was quietly unfolding outside the detention center.
Inside his lavish estate, Count Edward sat across from several mysterious figures cloaked in black. The atmosphere in the room was tense, filled with cold calculation as they discussed the next phase of their plan.
"Everything is proceeding smoothly," Count Edward said smugly. "That alien and Princess Silvermoon have both been arrested."
"Good," one of the black-clad men replied. "But we must make certain they never recover from this. You know what to do about tomorrow's lawyer meeting, correct?"
"Of course." Edward nodded with a sinister smile. "I've already arranged everything. Their attorneys will discover that every piece of evidence favorable to them has conveniently disappeared."
"Remember," another figure warned coldly, "the success of our entire operation depends on this. There can be no mistakes."
"Relax," Edward sneered. "That outsider will soon learn the price of opposing us in the Silverblue Empire."
Meanwhile, back at Silvermoon's home, her parents were desperately discussing countermeasures.
As a senior official of the Empire, Silvermoon's father fully understood how dangerous and complicated the case truly was.
"We must hire the best lawyer possible," he said gravely. "This case involves the Empire's guardian beast. It is far beyond an ordinary criminal trial."
"But who would dare take such a case?" Silvermoon's mother asked anxiously. "The charge of harming a guardian beast is far too severe. Most lawyers would never touch it."
"I'll find someone," her father said firmly. "No matter the cost, I will save Silvermoon and Rowan."
Night deepened, and the entirety of Swordheart Star gradually fell silent.
The next morning, the harsh grinding of metal doors shattered the quiet inside the detention center.
Rowan awoke from his light sleep to find a prison guard standing outside his cell holding a document.
"Rowan, someone is here to see you," the guard said coldly. "Your lawyer has arrived."
Rowan quickly straightened his clothes and followed the guard to the visitation room.
The room was plain and cramped, furnished only with a metal table and two chairs. Soon, a middle-aged man wearing a black lawyer's robe entered. His expression was grave.
"Hello. I'm Max, senior partner at one of the Silverblue Empire's top law firms," the man introduced himself. "I was hired by Princess Silvermoon's father to defend you."
"Thank you for accepting this case," Rowan said sincerely. "I know how difficult it is."
Max shook his head, his face growing even more serious.
"To be honest, this is one of the hardest cases I've encountered in twenty years of practice. The charge of harming the Empire's guardian beast is extraordinarily severe. The maximum sentence is life imprisonment, or even execution."
A chill settled in Rowan's chest, but he forced himself to remain calm.
"Then what strategy do we have?"
"First, I need a complete account of everything that happened," Max said as he activated a recording device. "Please describe every detail of yesterday at Sunrise Peak. Leave nothing out."
Rowan carefully recounted the events of the previous day, from climbing the mountain to watch the sunrise, to the appearance of the Starwing Divine Roc, its friendly attitude toward them, and its eventual departure.
Max listened attentively, recording every detail and occasionally asking follow-up questions.
"Based on your description," Max concluded, "the Starwing Divine Roc behaved very warmly toward you. That directly contradicts the accusation that you poisoned it. If you truly intended harm, it should have sensed hostility and reacted aggressively."
"Exactly. That's what makes no sense," Rowan replied. "And Count Edward's claim about me using a vial is completely fabricated. I never carried anything like that."
Max frowned deeply.
"Edward's testimony is currently the most damaging evidence against you. He claims to have personally witnessed the crime, and as an Imperial noble, his words carry considerable weight in court."
"So what can we do to challenge his testimony?" Rowan asked.
"I already filed a request to obtain the surveillance footage from around Sunrise Peak," Max said. "If we could recover video proving your innocence, we might overturn his accusations. But…"
He paused, his expression darkening.
"I just received word that the surveillance systems malfunctioned last night. Every recording file was destroyed."
Rowan's heart sank.
"That can't be a coincidence."
"I agree," Max said quietly. "Someone clearly tampered with the evidence. Unfortunately, proving that will be extremely difficult. For now, we can only search for other evidence, perhaps identifying the poison used on the Starwing Divine Roc or finding additional witnesses."
At that moment, a guard entered the room.
"Time's up. The meeting is over."
"I'll continue searching for evidence in your favor," Max said as he gathered his files. "But I must warn you, the situation looks grim. The pretrial judge has already scheduled the formal trial for tomorrow, and your bail request has been denied."
Rowan was escorted back to his cell, feeling heavier than before.
He now understood that he had fallen into a carefully orchestrated trap, and the forces behind it were far more powerful than he had imagined. Destroying all surveillance evidence overnight was not something Count Edward could accomplish alone.
That afternoon, Rowan met another attorney, this one representing Silvermoon. But the situation was equally bleak. The accusations against her were just as severe, and there was little evidence capable of clearing her name.
As evening approached, an unexpected visitor arrived at the detention center.
A guard informed Rowan that a senior executive from the Virtual Universe Corporation wished to meet him.
The news shocked him, but it also reignited a spark of hope. As one of the most powerful organizations in the universe, perhaps the company could help him escape this nightmare.
The visitor was a middle-aged woman dressed in the official uniform of the Virtual Universe Corporation. A high-ranking insignia gleamed on her chest.
"Mr. Rowan, I am Lillian, Executive Director of the Galactic Division of the Virtual Universe Corporation," she introduced herself briskly.
"Director Lillian, it's an honor to meet you," Rowan said respectfully. "I never expected the company to pay attention to my situation."
"The Virtual Universe Corporation protects the legal rights of every employee," Lillian replied. "We are fully aware of your case, and the company has expressed serious concern regarding the accusations made by the Silverblue Empire."
Hope flickered inside Rowan.
"Then the company will help me?"
"We have already issued an official diplomatic inquiry to the Silverblue Empire," Lillian explained, "demanding that you receive a fair trial and requesting permission for our legal specialists to participate in your defense."
"That's wonderful," Rowan said gratefully. "With the company's support, I feel much more confident."
But Lillian's expression turned solemn.
"Unfortunately, the Empire's response has been extremely firm. They insist this is an internal matter and refuse all outside interference, including our request to assist in your defense."
The hope in Rowan's chest faded once more.
"Then what happens now?"
"The company is applying pressure through higher diplomatic channels," Lillian said. "But these processes take time, and your trial begins tomorrow. All I can promise is that the company will not abandon any employee, though we may not be able to intervene directly before the trial."
After Lillian left, Rowan felt more hopeless than ever.
Even an organization as powerful as the Virtual Universe Corporation could not rescue him quickly. That alone revealed how terrifying the forces behind this conspiracy truly were.
Night fell once again, and the detention center became deathly quiet.
Lying on the hard bed, Rowan thought about the trial awaiting him the next day. According to the lawyers, the chances of conviction were overwhelmingly high. If found guilty, he would face endless imprisonment, perhaps even death.
"I can't just surrender like this," Rowan swore silently. "Even if I'm convicted tomorrow, I'll keep searching for the truth. I'll clear both my name and Silvermoon's."
The trial began as scheduled the following morning.
The courtroom was located inside the Grand Hall of Judgment within the Supreme Court of the Silverblue Empire, a solemn chamber beneath a towering dome where a massive scale symbolizing justice hung overhead.
The Chief Justice was a highly respected elder whose every movement radiated authority and dignity. The jury consisted of twelve experts from various fields who would determine the final verdict based on law and evidence.
"The court is now in session for the trial of Rowan and Silvermoon on charges of harming the Empire's guardian beast," the Chief Justice declared solemnly.
The prosecutor began with an opening statement, carefully outlining the accusations.
"After coming into contact with the Starwing Divine Roc at Sunrise Peak, the guardian beast immediately began displaying symptoms of poisoning. A witness has testified that the defendant Rowan used a suspicious liquid at the scene. This is an exceptionally vile crime that endangered one of the Empire's sacred guardian beasts."
Next, Count Edward took the stand as the primary witness.
With convincing emotion, he described his so-called eyewitness account, insisting he personally saw Rowan scatter an unknown liquid before the Starwing Divine Roc.
"I immediately felt something was wrong," Edward said dramatically. "But I was too far away to stop them. Looking back now, I should have rushed over immediately."
Rowan's attorney, Max, challenged the testimony, pointing out numerous inconsistencies, including the excessive viewing distance and Edward's questionable motives.
But without solid counterevidence, the objections felt weak and ineffective.
Silvermoon also spoke in her own defense.
"I have revered the Empire's guardian beasts since childhood," she declared emotionally. "I would never harm them. The Starwing Divine Roc treated us with kindness, and that alone proves our innocence."
However, the prosecutor immediately countered:
"It was precisely because the guardian beast trusted the defendants that they were given the opportunity to poison it. Exploiting the creature's goodwill makes this crime even more despicable."
The trial lasted the entire day.
Both sides argued fiercely over every detail, but overall, the evidence overwhelmingly favored the prosecution. The "accidental" destruction of the surveillance footage deprived Rowan and Silvermoon of their strongest evidence, while Count Edward's testimony appeared highly credible.
By evening, the Chief Justice announced a recess. The jury would deliberate overnight, and the final verdict would be delivered the following day.
Rowan was escorted back to the detention center, his heart heavy as lead.
After witnessing the day's proceedings, conviction seemed all but certain.
He thought about his family and friends back on Earth. He thought about the beautiful memories he had made in the Silverblue Empire. Anger and unwillingness churned within him.
Late that night, the detention center fell silent once more.
Rowan lay on his bed, staring through the barred window at the endless stars overhead.
Tomorrow, he might lose everything. His freedom. Perhaps even his life.
Then suddenly, a long, piercing cry echoed through the night sky.
The sound resonated deep within every soul who heard it.
Rowan immediately recognized it.
It was the cry of the Starwing Divine Roc.
"That's impossible!" Rowan shot upright in bed. "Wasn't it poisoned? Why is it here?"
The cry grew closer.
The entire detention center erupted into chaos as guards rushed outside.
A massive figure appeared in the night sky.
Under the moonlight, the Starwing Divine Roc's feathers shimmered with silver-blue radiance as it soared directly toward the prison.
"Quick! Activate the barrier!" the warden shouted.
But the Starwing Divine Roc's power exceeded everyone's imagination.
With a single beat of its wings, a devastating wave of energy slammed into the prison's defensive shield. The barrier shattered instantly like fragile glass.
Then came a scene that left everyone utterly stunned.
The Starwing Divine Roc flew directly to Rowan's cell and tore through the thick metal wall with its claws as easily as ripping paper.
"Rowan."
A voice suddenly echoed inside Rowan's mind.
"Come with me."
Rowan froze in shock.
He could actually understand the Starwing Divine Roc.
This was not spoken language. It was direct mental communication, like pure telepathy.
"Are you speaking to me?" Rowan cautiously replied through his thoughts.
"Yes, child," the Starwing Divine Roc's voice echoed warmly in his mind. "I sensed your injustice, and I sensed that familiar aura within you. Now come. Leave this place with me."
Rowan did not hesitate.
He knew this was his only chance.
He quickly climbed through the torn wall, and the Starwing Divine Roc gently lifted him in its enormous claws before soaring into the night sky.
Everything happened too quickly for the guards to react.
By the time they regained their senses, the Starwing Divine Roc and Rowan had already vanished into the darkness above.
"Quick! Inform headquarters!" the prison warden shouted in panic. "The Starwing Divine Roc has rescued the prisoner!"
High above the clouds, Rowan felt the cool night wind rushing past him and the exhilarating freedom of flight.
The Starwing Divine Roc flew with remarkable steadiness, almost as though it were deliberately trying to make him comfortable.
"Why did you save me?" Rowan asked through telepathy. "And weren't you poisoned?"
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