Chapter 6: The Academy Gates

The Great Hall buzzed with energy as the newly sorted students mingled with their housemates. Cedric stood at the edge of the room, his eyes scanning the crowd. House Stone's table was a mix of personalities—some students looked eager and excited, while others seemed reserved and calculating. Cedric recognized a few faces from his brief time in the palace, but most were strangers.

A tall, lanky boy with messy brown hair approached him, his grin wide and infectious. "Hey, you're Cedric, right? The prince?"

Cedric nodded, offering a polite smile. "That's me."

"I'm **Garrett**," the boy said, extending a hand. "Garrett Thorn. My family's in construction—well, mostly my dad. I'm here to learn how to build things that actually last."

Cedric shook his hand, appreciating the boy's straightforwardness. "Nice to meet you, Garrett. I'm looking forward to working together."

Garrett's grin widened. "Same here. I heard you're into infrastructure and stuff. That's cool. Maybe we can team up on some projects."

Before Cedric could respond, a sharp voice cut through the chatter.

"House Stone," Headmistress Elara called, her tone commanding. "Follow me."

The students of House Stone fell into line, trailing behind the headmistress as she led them out of the Great Hall and through a series of winding corridors. The academy was a labyrinth of stone and shadow, its halls lined with tapestries depicting great feats of engineering and innovation.

Finally, they arrived at their dormitory—a spacious common room filled with comfortable chairs, worktables, and shelves stacked with books and blueprints. The walls were adorned with maps and diagrams, and a large fireplace dominated one end of the room.

"This will be your home for the next five years," Headmistress Elara said, her gaze sweeping over the group. "House Stone is more than just a house—it's a family. You will work together, learn together, and grow together. Remember, the strength of a structure lies in its foundation. Build yours well."

With that, she left, leaving the students to settle in.

---

Cedric claimed a corner of the common room, setting up a small workspace with his books and notes. As he organized his materials, he noticed a girl sitting nearby, her nose buried in a thick tome. She had dark hair pulled into a tight braid and glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

"What are you reading?" Cedric asked, curious.

The girl looked up, her expression guarded. "*The Principles of Structural Engineering*," she said, holding up the book. "It's… fascinating."

Cedric raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you don't believe that."

She sighed, setting the book down. "It's not that. It's just… everyone here seems so excited about building things, but I'm more interested in why things fail. You know, like bridges collapsing or buildings crumbling. If we can understand that, maybe we can prevent it."

Cedric nodded, impressed. "That's a smart way to look at it. What's your name?"

"**Elara**," she said, her tone softening. "Elara Voss."

"Cedric," he replied, extending a hand.

Elara shook it, her grip firm. "I know who you are. You're the prince everyone's talking about."

Cedric winced. "Not exactly in a good way, I'm guessing."

Elara shrugged. "People talk. But I don't care about that. I care about results. If you're as smart as they say, maybe we can work together."

Cedric smiled. "I'd like that."

---

The next morning, the academy's rigorous schedule began. Cedric and his housemates were ushered into a large lecture hall, where a stern-looking man with a bushy beard stood at the podium.

"Welcome to *Foundations of Governance*," the man said, his voice booming. "I am Professor Alden, and I will be your instructor. This course will teach you the principles of leadership, resource management, and decision-making. Pay attention—your future depends on it."

Cedric took detailed notes, his mind racing as he connected the professor's lessons to his own experiences in his past life. He noticed Elara sitting a few rows ahead, her hand shooting up every time the professor asked a question.

After the lecture, the students were divided into groups for their first project: designing a sustainable irrigation system for a hypothetical village.

Cedric found himself paired with Elara, Garrett, and a quiet boy named **Finn**, who had a knack for sketching detailed blueprints.

"Alright," Cedric said, taking charge. "Let's start by identifying the key challenges. What's the biggest issue this village is facing?"

"Water scarcity," Elara said immediately. "If they had enough water, they wouldn't need an irrigation system in the first place."

"Good point," Cedric said, nodding. "So how do we solve that?"

Garrett leaned forward, his eyes lighting up. "What if we build a reservoir? We could divert water from a nearby river and store it for dry seasons."

Finn sketched a rough diagram, his pencil flying across the paper. "We'd need a series of canals to distribute the water evenly," he said quietly.

Cedric smiled, feeling a surge of excitement. "This is good. Let's flesh it out."

---

As the days turned into weeks, Cedric threw himself into his studies, excelling in subjects like economics, engineering, and political strategy. He quickly gained a reputation as one of House Stone's top students, earning the respect of his peers and the attention of his professors.

But not everyone was impressed.

One evening, as Cedric was leaving the library, he ran into **Roland**, who was leaning against a wall with a smirk on his face.

"Well, well," Roland said, his tone mocking. "If it isn't the little architect. How's House Stone treating you?"

Cedric ignored the jab, his expression calm. "It's treating me well. How about you?"

Roland's smirk faded, replaced by a scowl. "Don't get too comfortable, little brother. The academy isn't a place for weaklings like you."

Cedric met Roland's gaze, his voice steady. "We'll see about that."

With that, he walked away, leaving Roland fuming in his wake.

---

As Cedric lay in bed that night, his mind buzzed with plans and possibilities. The academy was everything he had hoped for and more—a place where he could learn, grow, and prove himself.

But he knew the real challenges were yet to come.