"William Aladfar Oirthear, please step forward and receive your diploma," said Ogma, standing on a stage alongside several other influential figures within the Academy, including Professors Deidre and Naitus.
Doing as he was asked, Will made his way up to the stage with a relaxed smile as the venue erupted in applause. Prince Aldebaran had prioritized building support behind the scenes rather than confronting him over the past cycle, so his popularity was at an all-time high, with nearly a third of the entire student body either contracted to him or benefiting from one of the scholarship funds he and Lyra had devised to prevent Aldebaran from getting a complete stranglehold on the Academy in their absence.