Walking by the family members of the other graduates, one could make out the conversations. Some were talking loudly on phones, trying to find the rest of their party. Others were speaking about all the security that was walking around. Men in black suits and earpieces were walking about, scanning the crowds with dark sunglasses covering their eyes. They must have had something to do with the royal presence that was inside the building.
Susanna ushered everyone swiftly to get to their seats. They weren't that close to the graduates but they were close enough to see where they were sitting among the sea of close to 1,000 students. You could see the other families trying to get the attention of their graduates, all waving their hands when someone would look their way. 
"Do you see them?" Luz's grandmother asked her. Luz shook her head, trying to spot the decorated hat she knew her brother had. 
"He's in the 14th row; like right in the middle. Have to wait for him to look this way to see his face." Esmeralda pointed out. Luz turned to her grandma, trying to point out where her sister had shown her. 
"And Melissa?" 
The family spent another 5 minutes discussing where the two were, all trying their best to gain their attention whenever they remotely looked their way. 
"As the Dean of St. Timothy University, it is my pleasure to introduce our guest speaker. Crown prince, Roland Dracon, everyone." Luz's eyes immediately shifted to the man who had stood from the group of chairmen on the stage. 
The large screen above the stadium showed the whole exchange between the prince and the dean. It also showcased the man's sharp features. 
His face wasn't cleanly shaved like it was a year ago. The small short and groomed beard made him look older, but it suited his jawline. His curly hair was slicked back like it usually was. Luz wondered if so much gel was good for the scalp. He did seem slightly bigger; at least to Luz it seemed like his suit was tighter. There weren't drastic changes to the man's physique, he was still the prince of Odacia. 
The man cleared his throat once he reached the podium. Luz snapped her head towards him, anticipating his words of congratulation. He gave the crowd a dazzling smile, giving a small wave in greeting. 
"Hello, everyone. It's an honor to be here in front of all you graduates." The crowd clapped and waved, trying to get his attention. 
"I know that some, if not most, of you think it odd to have the crown prince give a speech at a university graduation. You might be thinking: 'This is the crown prince. What does he know about spending time stressing over an essay or spending hours on end trying to finish an assignment due in 20 minutes?' 
"And to be honest, I probably don't. At least not to the extent you might have. I too went to university. I too spent hours trying my best to write an essay while having a time frame of an hour to finish. Only I had someone breathing down my neck to make sure I finished so as to not let the country know I'm not the best when it comes to anything school-related." 
This got a chuckle from the crowd. 
"I grew up with a silver spoon, as some might say. But that doesn't mean I will go along with my life without caring for my people. Odacia was founded with the intention to create a safe haven for those of magical descent. And I want to continue that legacy of making sure no one ever feels like they are suffering. I want all of you to look at me and know that I am trying my best. That I have spent hours dedicating my time to studying about each and every one of your special qualities."
The people in the stadium were at the edge of their seats, praising their prince for his dedication. The graduates sat nodding their heads, some even wiping at the tears that had fallen down their faces.