He Is Slandering Him!

Hovis handed the water in his hand to Yumian. "I believe in evidence and the law."

"What evidence could Noah possibly have? This was slander to begin with." Yumian looked at the water he was offering and hesitated almost imperceptibly. "I don't drink water from outside."

Hovis gave a scornful laugh. "Young master."

Those two words seemed to touch Yumian's reverse scale. He snatched the water away and turned around to throw it into the trash can.

Hovis's expression turned cold as well. "What are you throwing a tantrum about now?"

"I'm showing you what a young master is." Yumian said coldly, raising the hand with the wristband on it. "How much was it? This young master will compensate you tenfold."

"Yumian," Hovis said. "You really haven't improved at all."

He could not be bothered to deal with the sulking young master and turned to head back into the Capital Police Bureau.

Yumian's chest rose and fell noticeably. Hovis had truly angered him.

Only after standing there for quite some time did Yumian turn back. Hovis had not gone far and was leaning against the wall, listening to one of his subordinates speak.

Yumian stared at him for a long while before finally calming his breathing. Then he bent down and picked the bottle of water out of the trash can.

Filthy.

He thought to himself.

Even though the trash bag had just been replaced and there was nothing inside besides that bottle of water.

Yumian still thought it was filthy, yet he had still reached into the trash can because of a single sentence from Hovis.

He thought Hovis was right. Over the years, he truly had not improved at all.

He was still so easily led around by the nose by a single word from him.

A week later, the case accusing the Crown Prince of violent abuse was publicly tried in court.

Every forum on the Star Network had been lively for a week, and on this day, they crashed one after another.

The public discussed this shocking case, as well as Emperor Orito VI's fairness and selflessness.

After all, not only had he not shielded his own child, he had even allowed the entire Empire to watch the trial live.

If the Crown Prince's charges were confirmed, it would be an event capable of changing the Empire itself!

On the aircraft, Shi Sheng browsed through the discussions on the forums.

[It's good that the trial is public. No one will be able to lie.]

[Are you a student upstairs? How naive. How do you know the judge and the Capital Police Bureau haven't already been bribed?]

[Come on, Hovis is handling this case.]

[That makes it even scarier, doesn't it? The Huo family used to be involved in the gray market. It's already ridiculous enough that someone like him became the chief of the Capital Police Bureau.]

[And the Military Department marshal has killed countless people... Goddess above, it feels like our Empire is really finished.]

[But I think that Beta is lying. How could the Crown Prince possibly be abusive!]

[My mentor could die and the Crown Prince still wouldn't commit a crime.]

[Heh, you Omegas only care about faces. How are you any different from those brain-dead fans who like Thanatos?]

[Just sitting at home and still getting dragged into this. What's wrong with liking the marshal? Is the marshal not better-looking than you?]

[...]

Shi Sheng had been reading the posts expressionlessly when he suddenly saw content mentioning Elaine. He was so angry that the hair atop his head nearly stood up.

He quickly switched to an alternate account and liked every comment speaking up for Elaine. Then he posted an eight-hundred-word comment full of emoticons, praising Elaine as an unprecedented hero of the Empire.

The moment it was posted, countless people mocked and attacked him. The comment was even reported.

Elaine had just looked up from his documents when he saw Shi Sheng's cheeks puffed up in anger.

"What's wrong?"

Shi Sheng came back to himself and hurriedly closed the page, shaking his head like a rattle drum.

Elaine watched him for a moment, then reached out and touched his cheek. "There's no need to trouble yourself over irrelevant things."

Shi Sheng was not sure whether Elaine had seen it. He merely signed:

"I'm not troubled. I only care about Elaine's affairs."

A gentle smile filled Elaine's eyes. He took Shi Sheng's hand. "We're almost there. Are you afraid?"

The aircraft was headed toward the courthouse where today's trial would be held.

Shi Sheng shook his head.

Elaine said, "It's all right even if you are afraid. I'm by your side."

Shi Sheng nodded vigorously, his eyes bright as he looked at Elaine.

Perhaps because they lacked verbal communication, he seemed especially fond of looking at Elaine like this.

Some affection and concern did not need words.

He was wearing a hat today. Elaine adjusted the slightly crooked brim for him, then lowered his eyes to adjust his anti-bite collar.

There were rows upon rows of collars in the jewelry cabinet at home, all chosen by Elaine for Shi Sheng. Every time he went out, he could wear a different one.

Yet today, Shi Sheng was still wearing the beast-bone collar set with translucent amber.

An Alpha's fingertips were always cool. When they brushed against his skin during those movements, Shi Sheng felt as though he were burning.

After learning of the other's feelings, Shi Sheng had become more easily affected by Elaine than before.

Whenever he thought that this handsome, gentle Alpha liked him too, Shi Sheng felt as if he were about to float away.

Returning the favor, he helped Elaine adjust his bite guard as well.

The aircraft came to a stop at that moment.

Elaine got out first and extended a hand toward Shi Sheng.

The moment Shi Sheng was led down by Elaine, he felt flashes directed at him.

Elaine wrapped an arm around his shoulders, blocking most of the reporters' cameras.

They walked into the courthouse together.

Because the Emperor had ordered a public trial, reporters were permitted inside the courthouse today, and some members of the public were also allowed to attend.

The vast gallery was filled with people.

Izel and Yumian sat together, neither of them showing much expression.

Noah sat in the plaintiff's seat with his head lowered. He wore pure white clothes, his hair was somewhat messy, and a mask covered his face.

He looked even more innocent and pitiful.

When Ning Zhao was brought to the defendant's seat, he even wore the same gentle smile as usual.

Even while being accused and kept under guard, he appeared before the public in an entirely new outfit.

Low murmurs rose from the gallery. The presiding judge rang a bell, signaling the start of the trial.

The situation was not favorable to Ning Zhao.

Noah had an injury assessment from the medical center, as well as proof that he had stayed by Ning Zhao's side.

He even had witnesses to prove that while in the palace, he had barely interacted with anyone else.

Izel's expression was solemn, the usual carelessness in his brows and eyes replaced by contemplation.

Yumian looked anxiously at Ning Zhao, but the latter seemed as though he were watching someone else's affair, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.

Yumian even felt that Ning Zhao was distracted.

After reviewing the evidence Noah had submitted, the presiding judge turned to Ning Zhao. "Your Highness, would you like to make a statement?"

By then, the Star Network had already exploded.

[What is there to state? This is ironclad!]

[Those bruises are terrifying. How hard would someone have to hit him?]

[That's why you really need to keep your eyes open when finding an Alpha. You never know how good they are at pretending.]

Sunlight slipped in through the courthouse's spacious, bright glass windows.

Ning Zhao narrowed his eyes under the light and looked toward Izel.

Izel was looking at him too, his brows tightly furrowed.

Ning Zhao smiled and opened his mouth. "I..."

"The defense would like to submit additional evidence."

A voice abruptly interrupted him.

Everyone immediately turned around, and an uproar broke out.

At the entrance to the courtroom above the steps, a lawyer was walking in.

Behind him followed the Empire's tall, stern marshal, as well as a red-haired Omega.

Even though Shi Sheng had rarely appeared in public after getting married, quite a few people had seen his face on gossip forums.

Yumian's eyes widened in surprise as he watched his eldest brother lead Shi Sheng slowly toward the center of the courtroom.

Ning Zhao was somewhat surprised as well, but he soon lowered his eyes and concealed the thoughts within them.

The lawyer said, "People of the great Order Goddess, please allow me to submit a crucial piece of evidence in defense of the innocent Son of the Sun."

He nodded to Shi Sheng and brought up a recording.

"This is evidence that the plaintiff slandered His Highness the Crown Prince."

Everyone saw a bizarre scene.

In the footage, Noah was crazily beating himself.

The room erupted.

The Star Network livestream exploded once more as well.

[My god, what is he doing? How could he bring himself to do that?]

[So it really was slander! Look, he didn't have a single injury before he started.]

[But why would he do this?]

The lawyer asked the same question. "I am very curious, plaintiff. What sort of mindset led you to slander His Highness the Crown Prince in such a clumsy and laughable manner?"

Noah abruptly raised his head to look at the footage before him, his face turning pale. "Impossible. How could there be a recording?"

He had been in his own bedroom. How could he have been recorded?

Thinking of this, he shouted, "Your Honor, this was secretly filmed! It violates my privacy!"

Someone in the gallery laughed upon hearing that.

Noah's expression shifted.

The lawyer said, "But it does prove your slander, doesn't it? And—"

He paused and turned to Elaine. "My apologies for the delay, Marshal. Please proceed."

Elaine nodded and showed the arrest warrant in his hand to the presiding judge.

"Citizen Noah is suspected of endangering the Empire's security. He is to be transferred to the Military Department immediately."

This time, even the presiding judge revealed a shocked expression.

Ning Zhao finally came back to himself, while Izel in the gallery looked at him once more.

Yumian stood up. "Big brother, what does that mean? What about A-Zhao?"

Elaine glanced at him. When he turned to the presiding judge, his voice was calm. "You should understand the next procedure better than I do."

With a bang, the presiding judge struck the gavel. "The trial is adjourned."

The officers behind Elaine stepped forward and took Noah away.

Noah was still in shock himself and could only shout instinctively, "What nonsense are you saying! Are you going to slander an innocent person's reputation for the Crown Prince's sake?"

"The Military Department has never wronged an innocent person." Elaine said evenly. "The evidence will naturally be made public in due time."

Shi Sheng quietly let out a breath of relief.

The information he had obtained, along with Noah's suspected collusion with the enemy, was already enough to prove Ning Zhao's innocence.

At the very least, Ning Zhao had been saved.

[At least Yumian won't be sad anymore.]

Hearing his thoughts, Yumian froze.

He hurriedly walked over to Shi Sheng and could not help asking, "What happened?"

Shi Sheng looked at Elaine.

By then, people had gradually begun leaving, though most were still watching them curiously.

Elaine turned sideways, using his body to block their line of sight toward Shi Sheng, and said to Yumian evenly, "We'll talk when we get back."

Yumian was unwilling, but he did not dare defy his eldest brother.

When he turned around, all he could see was Izel catching up to Ning Zhao as they left together.