I'm a hidden boss

Alfil turned his head, looking at Amelia with a calm expression that contrasted with the internal storm of possibilities that opened before her. The idea of ​​using Amelia as a key piece in her escape plan was consolidated. The holographic screen, invisible to Amelia, continued to display the message: [Villain Creation] [Amelia - Devil Route] [Depending on the level of the demon you make a contract with, the reward will be higher]. "I will not make a contract," Alfil said, his voice soft as the rustling of the wind through the reeds, "but I will help you have a contract with the 73rd High Demon."

Amelia, still stunned by the unexpected proposal and Alfil’s sudden change in attitude, looked at her in disbelief. “The 73rd High Demon? Hedius?” she asked, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Alfil nodded slightly. Hedius was, among the High Demons, the only one she could summon with the resources available at the Imperial Academy. Summoning High Demons No. 2 or No. 7 was out of her reach, at least for now. She would need an S-rank Demonic-power to even attempt it.

Alfil explained to Amelia, with patience and precision, the necessary components for the invocation. He detailed each step with meticulous accuracy, describing the rituals, ingredients and incantations required. Amelia, absorbed in each word, listened attentively, her bright eyes reflecting ambition and hope. At the end of the explanation, Amelia tried to get up, but Alfil, with a quick and unexpected movement, gently pushed her back onto the bed.

Before Amelia could react, Alfil brought his lips close to her ear and whispered, his voice low and sensual, "You're mine now." Chains of energy, bright as threads of red obsidian, sprouted from his fingers, entwining around Amelia's hands and his own. When he removed the chains, Amelia's face was completely red, a mix of surprise, excitement and... was that... submission? Alfil's smile widened, a smile that revealed the satisfaction of having taken another step forward in his master plan. The future, like a chessboard, lay before her full of possibilities.

Amelia left, leaving Alfil alone in her room. After the intense interaction, an unusual calmness invaded her. She prepared to attend her classes, one more step in her elaborate plan. The first class of the day was about selecting the participants for the second-year demonstration. Upon entering, the classroom was bustling. The students were nervous, awaiting the teacher’s decision. Professor Hermit, an imposing figure known for her overwhelming power, presided over the class. Her reputation preceded her: she was one of the most powerful magicians in the world, possessing the [Eye of Truth] ability, an ability that made her practically infallible. No truth escaped her; she could discern the true power of each person, regardless of camouflage or concealment. For Alfil, this represented a serious inconvenience. Hiding her demonic power from Hermit was essential to her plan.

Using her Stealth skill (Lv5) to the fullest, Alfil hid behind her classmates, practically invisible to the naked eye. The tension was palpable. Professor Hermit, with a gesture of authority, began to name the contestants. Each name announced elicited a whisper from the audience, a mix of joy and disappointment. Arnold, one of the potential villains in Alfil’s plan, was selected. A deathly silence fell over the classroom as Hermit’s piercing gaze swept across the room, searching for his next target. Alfil held her breath. The Stealth skill was effective for the other students, but not for Hermit. To them, Alfil was simply invisible, a void in the air. To Hermit, it was a game of cat and mouse, and Alfil wasn’t sure she could win.

Hermit's gaze fell on Bishop, and the sensation of being watched was overwhelming, despite her concealment. Time seemed to stop. The room fell into absolute silence. Not a whisper, not a movement. Professor Hermit, in a clear, resonant voice that echoed in the deathly silence of the classroom, said, "Bishop Chess, come here." The announcement revealed her in the full light of the professor's inquisitive gaze, a full stop to the tense silence that had enveloped the room. The students, unable to perceive her presence until that moment, looked at each other in confusion, not understanding the abrupt change. 

The other students, following Professor Hermit's penetrating gaze, observed the exact spot she was referring to. In that space, apparently empty an instant before, Alfil appeared. Or, rather, Alfil's appearance. A woman with long black hair, hidden behind dark-framed glasses that prevented them from clearly seeing her eyes and part of her face. Her posture was unsure, slightly hunched, and her movement as she advanced towards the stage was clumsy and hesitant. The transformation was almost perfect: it hid her demonic aura and her power, presenting herself as a shy and fragile-looking student.

With a shaky voice, barely above a whisper, Alfil said, “I-I don’t have… that good of grades.” The waver in her voice was palpable, not just an act. The truth was that the idea of ​​participating in the demonstration bothered her deeply. Her goal was to manipulate the villains from the shadows, not to become a public figure. Besides, if her father, Count Chess, discovered her true power, he might force her to take responsibility for the county, something Alfil wished to avoid at all costs.

Professor Hermit, with her piercing gaze that could see beyond appearances, felt a hint of unease. Bishop Chess's response was not what she had expected. It was not the response of someone with the power she perceived, and the student's apparent weakness contrasted markedly with the strength she had detected. A slight wry smile appeared on the professor's lips, a sign that Bishop's little charade had not completely fooled her.

"Aha," Hermit said, his voice cold and sharp, "but your innate ability is undeniable. Or are you trying to hide it, Miss Chess?" The question was a veiled accusation, the beginning of a confrontation that Alfil sensed he could not avoid. The air tensed. The game of appearances was over. The conversation turned into a duel of wills between the powerful mage and the cunning student who hid overwhelming power behind a carefully constructed facade.