I'm a hidden boss

Bishop, with a sudden movement, freed his hand from Sigfrid's grasp. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice lacking its usual calm. The hostility in his tone surprised Sigfrid, who arched an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. "Are you a student at the Academy? What are you doing in such a remote place?" he asked, his voice soft, almost melodious.

Bishop replied with icy coldness, "What's it to you?" She turned, ready to leave with Amelia, but Sigfrid's hand stopped her again. "Don't worry, you see, I'll be a professor at the Academy, that's why I asked," Sigfrid said, his smile trying to hide the growing tension. Bishop ignored the comment and continued walking. Sigfrid, seeing that his attempts at pleasant conversation were failing, gave up.

He watched Bishop walk away with Amelia, a cold smile replacing his former kindness. "What an interesting woman," he muttered to himself, before turning and walking into a dark, narrow alley. There, waiting in the gloom, were the man and woman he had seen talking secretly in the bookstore. Upon seeing Sigfrid, they both knelt, waiting for his orders. But instead of receiving them, they were greeted with a brutal kick.

"Idiots!" Sigfrid roared, his voice filled with fury. "I can't believe you let someone listen in on your conversation! If you'd been paying attention, you could have seen it!" Rage surged through him, a flash of violence masking the calculated coldness he'd displayed moments before.

Sigfried gave them a cold look and told them to leave, then he looked towards the forest where Bishop and Amelia were heading and a smile appeared on his face.

***

The fresh air of the Evernot Forest caressed Amelia's face as she arranged the summoning materials on a white cloth spread on the ground. Terror Chalk, five liters of gargoyle blood—a viscous, dark liquid that emanated a nauseating stench—five lesser demon horns, a floating lava flower that pulsed with a faint orange glow, and finally, the Grimoire of the Sword King, lay in perfect order. To one side lay a C-rank sword, a gift from Bishop's father, but which would now serve simply as a vessel for the ritual. Amelia, with trembling hands, drew the magic circle according to Bishop's precise instructions, her nerves on edge.

Bishop, watching her from a safe distance, sensed his sister's tension. "Don't worry, Amelia," Bishop said, his voice calm and serene, a stark contrast to the ominous atmosphere of the ritual. "Hedius is a demon who values ​​rank. While I can't completely contain him yet, I can prevent him from taking your soul as the price of the contract. That's what blood is for. Hedius likes gargoyle blood, so you don't have to pay any price."

Amelia nodded, her breathing ragged, but with a newfound determination in her eyes. Once the magic circle was complete, Bishop approached, his golden aura enveloping her in a warm light. He infused his golden mana into the circle, a vibrant energy that made it glow with blinding intensity. Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly. The air grew thick, charged with a dark, oppressive energy. From the magic circle, emanating a blinding white light, emerged an imposing figure: a man with snowy hair and curved horns that ascended toward the sky, dressed in an elegant dark suit that emphasized his aristocratic bearing. The 73rd Greater Demon, Hedius, manifested before them.

In the Demon World, the purity and quantity of Demonic power were crucial factors in determining a Demon's title. Although his own Demonic power was only at the level of a mid-rank Demon, the purity of his power was equivalent to that of a Demon Lord, a fact that Hedius, sensing the resonance of that power, could not ignore.

The 73rd High Demon, Hedius, knelt before Bishop with unexpected submission, his gaze fixed on the young woman with a mixture of fear and reverence. "Tell me, oh mighty Demon Lord, what is your command?" His voice, once filled with the arrogance befitting a high-ranking Demon, was now a respectful whisper.

Amelia, however, was too terrified to understand the silent exchange between Bishop and Hedius. The demon's sudden bow, the "Demon Lady" tone, had petrified her. She didn't hear the order Bishop gave Hedius.

"Integrate with her" Bishop said, Hedius was a little against it but still obeyed the order

Integration is a superior version of the Demonic Contract in which the souls of the Demon and the Contractor merge, turning the Contractor into a pseudo-Demon. With that, the Demon's talent will be transferred to the Contractor and since Hedius is a Demonic Marquis, that is a huge boost, only that part of the Demonic power will remain sealed.

A white light enveloped Amelia, and a silent scream escaped her lips as the demon integrated with her. The process was rapid, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, but the change was radical. Amelia, her eyes closed, trembled at first, but then a dark, glowing, deep red energy began to emanate from her. When the light dissipated, Amelia had changed. Her eyes, once brown, now glowed with an intense crimson light. A dark and powerful aura surrounded her, displaying the latent power she now harbored.

A holographic screen appeared before Bishop, glowing with intense light:

[Mission Complete]

[Degree of Completion - SS]

[Reward - Cool Mind Lv6].

Your mind will be immune to any involuntary emotion, your ability to act against your personality would increase exponentially.

It was an unexpected reward, but at that moment, it didn't matter. What did matter was the result of the summoning. Hedius's residual spirit had entered the sword, raising its rank from C to B. Bishop threw the weapon toward Amelia, his voice short and direct: "Come."