Provisional pass

Marcus woke up the next morning to the sight of Charlotte gazing at him with a gentle smile. Her expression was soft, a far cry from the cold and distant demeanor she once held. The warmth in her eyes made him feel surprisingly at ease, as though something had fundamentally shifted between them.

"Good morning," Marcus said, his voice still laced with sleep.

"Good morning," Charlotte replied softly, her smile widening.

Without a second thought, Marcus leaned in and kissed her softly, a gesture that now felt more natural than it ever had. As they pulled apart, Charlotte's cheeks flushed, but the smile remained. Marcus stretched, getting out of bed and heading toward the bathroom. They both freshened up, moving through their morning routine with an ease that felt as though it had always been this way.

After dressing, Marcus called out to Alice. "Alice, go to Charlotte's room and bring her academy uniform," he instructed.

Alice, ever efficient, bowed quickly and left to carry out his order. Barely three minutes had passed before she returned, and behind her was someone Marcus hadn't expected: Adam, Charlotte's butler. The moment Adam entered the room, his cold, calculating gaze swept over Marcus before shifting to Charlotte.

Adam nodded respectfully to Charlotte before turning his icy stare back to Marcus, his distaste barely hidden. Marcus, however, wasn't caught off guard by this. He knew all too well about Adam and his eventual role from the novel. This butler, seemingly loyal to Charlotte, had been a key factor in her eventual alliance with Leo, helping orchestrate Marcus's downfall.

In the novel, Adam had grown close to Leo and conspired with him, aiming to secure a place of favor with Leo who was Lucian disciple, the academy principal, and one of the highest-ranking mages on the continent. His hatred for Marcus wasn't new either—Adam had always felt looked down upon by him and had eagerly awaited an opportunity to exact some kind of revenge.

As Marcus observed Adam, he could feel the butler's simmering disdain, his sharp gaze lingering a little too long on Charlotte, a possessiveness veiled beneath his professional demeanor.

Adam finally spoke, his voice filled with suspicion. "My lady, why are you with him?" His eyes narrowed toward Marcus. "Did he force you? Just tell me, and I'll take care of it."

The audacity of Adam's words caused Charlotte's expression to twitch with anger, but Marcus was quicker to respond.

"Oh?" Marcus said, amusement lacing his tone. "I'd love to see what you think you'll do."

With that, Marcus let his mana flare, releasing a wave of magic pressure that caused Adam to drop to his knees, his face contorted with rage and effort as he struggled under the weight of Marcus's power. The air in the room grew thick with tension, and Alice, who stood at the side, took a small step back, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Do you think the Duke of Whitewood will take this quietly?" Adam spat out through gritted teeth, his body trembling from the pressure. "You think you can just do as you please, Marcus?"

"Why wouldn't he?" Marcus said with a smirk. "After all, Charlotte is my fiancée."

Adam's face twisted with hatred. "You're not married yet, and everyone knows the lady doesn't like you."

Before Marcus could respond, Charlotte's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Adam!" she snapped, her tone sharp with authority. "Know your place."

Adam flinched at the harshness in her voice, but Charlotte wasn't done. She glared down at him, her anger radiating from every word. "Who said I don't like him? Marcus is my future husband, and you will respect him as your future master. Is that clear?"

Adam's eyes widened in shock, clearly taken aback by Charlotte's sudden defense of Marcus. He had known Charlotte since she was a child, and he had always believed that she despised Marcus, even dreaded their arranged marriage. Yet here she was, standing up for him in a way Adam had never expected.

Marcus, meanwhile, took in the scene with a sense of satisfaction. He had nearly forgotten the complexities of Duke Whitewood's situation.

The Duke had arranged the marriage between Charlotte and Marcus not out of love but necessity. His estate was facing financial ruin, and he had sought help from Marcus's father, who agreed on the condition that Charlotte's hand in marriage be given to Marcus.

At the time, Duke Whitewood had seen the arrangement as beneficial—both families were Duke houses, after all—but when he informed Charlotte, she had been devastated. She had cried and rebelled against the decision, which was why Duke Whitewood had secretly harbored plans to annul the engagement, in the novel when he knows about Leo, he aligned himself with Leo in the hopes that Charlotte could marry someone she actually cared for.

Marcus inwardly chuckled, thinking about how cliché it all was. "What a Cliche plot," he mused. "What was the author of this novel thinking?"

But now, things had changed. Charlotte was no longer the same girl who resented him. Their relationship had shifted, and Marcus had every intention of ensuring that things unfolded on his terms.

Adam, kneeling before them, gritted his teeth in frustration, unable to understand the change between them. But the truth was clear—Charlotte's words had shaken him to the core.

"I... I apologize, Young Master Marcus," Adam finally managed, bowing his head low. "I was wrong. I didn't understand the situation."

Marcus narrowed his eyes, the temptation to kill Adam simmering just beneath the surface. He knew that this butler was nothing more than a snake—a schemer and a manipulator. In the novel, Adam had been the one who orchestrated Charlotte's betrayal, aligning with Leo in secret to help him get closer to Charlotte and became the reason of Marcus's downfall.

But Marcus was patient. He wouldn't kill Adam just yet. Not here, not in the dormitory, and not while Adam was still Charlotte's butler. But he vowed silently to himself that the time would come.

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Marcus released the magic pressure. "Get out," he said coldly. "And don't forget your place again."

Adam bowed low once more before quickly retreating, his body tense with the weight of his failure. Marcus watched him leave, his thoughts already planning how to deal with the butler in the future.

Once Adam was gone, Marcus and Charlotte finished dressing, Alice assisting as usual. The tension in the room eased, and soon enough, they were back to their usual routine. They shared breakfast together, their conversations light and easy as they enjoyed the calm before another day of classes.

---

The day passed uneventfully. It was an ordinary day filled with lectures, training, and a growing sense of routine. Marcus continued to navigate the intricacies of the academy with ease, his status as a top student solidified after his duel with Leo and his rising reputation.

That night, after the day's classes had concluded, Marcus returned to his dorm room. He had barely settled in when there was a knock on the door. Opening it, he found Professor Erza standing there, a folder of documents in her hand and a playful smile on her lips.

"I have something for you," Erza said, stepping into the room.

Her eyes flicked to the side where Charlotte sat, casually reclining on the couch. Noticing Erza's arrival, Charlotte stood and smiled politely. "Good evening, Erza," she said, her tone warm.This time she didn't call her professor erza and just call her erza.

Erza smiled back, though there was a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Good evening, Charlotte."

Charlotte, sensing the unspoken tension between them, excused herself with a smile. "I'll leave you two to it," she said, giving Marcus a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to leave. "Good night, Professor."

"Good night, Charlotte," Erza replied, watching her leave before turning her attention back to Marcus. "It looks like your life is getting more interesting by the day."

Marcus smirked. "You have no idea."

Erza handed him the folder, inside of which was the provisional pass that would allow him to go outside the academy and venture in the dungeon..

After handing Marcus the folder, Erza gave him a knowing look, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "With this provisional pass, you're free to leave the academy after your summoning class next week," she said, crossing her arms.

Marcus glanced at the pass, then back at Erza. "Summoning class, huh?" His curiosity piqued. He had been looking forward to seeing what his summoning spirit would be. In the novel, Leo had summoned a rare, powerful spirit, and Marcus wanted to ensure he could summon something equally, if not more, impressive.

"I'm curious to see what kind of spirit you'll end up with, Marcus," Erza continued, her tone dropping to something more serious. "

Marcus nodded, his thoughts already drifting to what lay ahead. "I've been waiting for this moment for a while now," he replied. "It'll be interesting to see what spirit I end up summoning."

Erza grinned, stepping closer to Marcus. "Oh, I bet it will be rare spirit," she said, her voice softening as her hands rested on his chest.

Before Marcus could respond, Erza closed the distance between them, their lips meeting in a heated kiss. The kiss deepened, and soon they found themselves tangled together in the quiet of the room.

Erza's mischievous nature seemed to melt away in the heat of the moment, replaced by raw desire. Marcus's hands slid down her back as she let out a soft moan, her fingers curling into his hair.

They stumbled toward the bed, their bodies pressing together in a feverish rush. Clothes were discarded quickly, and soon the room was filled with the sounds of their passion.

The night stretched on, filled with whispered words and heated exchanges, until they both lay spent, bodies entangled in the sheets. The intensity of their night together left them both breathless, a satisfied smile playing on Erza's lips as she rested her head on Marcus's chest.

"I love you" Erza murmured, her voice low and drowsy.

Marcus chuckled softly, running a hand through her hair. "I love you too."

For a while, they lay in comfortable silence, the weight of the night pressing down on them as sleep began to take over. Soon enough, Erza drifted off, her breathing slow and steady as she rested against him. Marcus, however, lay awake for a bit longer, his thoughts already moving forward to the next week, the summoning class, and the dungeon that awaited him after that.

He knew that his journey was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning.

The weekend arrived before Marcus knew it, the days slipping by in a blur of training, classes, and moments stolen with Charlotte and Erza. He was eager for what lay ahead, his mind constantly drifting back to the upcoming summoning class and the dungeon pass that now sat securely in his possession.