The thunderous applause for Catherine and Victoria slowly faded into a reverent silence as President Miranda Whitman stepped back to the podium. A solemn expression settled over her face.
"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and graduates of Blackwood University," she announced, her voice carrying a weight of tradition, "before we proceed with the conferral of degrees, we shall begin this ceremony as we always have... with reverence and pride."
She paused, letting the moment build.
"Please rise for the Anthem of The Sacred Blackwood Family."
Without a single word of protest or hesitation, the entire hall stood up in unison. The sound of thousands of people rising together echoed like a wave. Alex rose with them, his expression calm but his mind sharply observant.
The lights dimmed further, leaving only a soft golden illumination on the stage and the towering Blackwood crest above it.
