The following days fell into a rhythm of careful concealment and quiet investigation. To the outside world, nothing had changed. Sophia remained the quiet, unassuming student who walked with her head slightly bowed, her thick glasses masking the sharp intelligence and strength that lay behind them. Adrian continued to rule the Student Council and the Black Vipers with his usual mix of charisma and terrifying authority, his attention constantly divided between managing the alliance with the Silver Lotus and digging into the history of the Silver Vipers. Marcus stayed faithfully at his side—the loyal, unshakeable second-in-command—while secretly serving two masters, his silence a fortress protecting Sophia’s true identity.
Only in the late hours of the night, behind the locked door of Sophi
