This chapter doesn't contain much new stuff compared to LN; however, there are some important moments that were changed.
'Hmm, yes, today I will play the role of a dark horse in the tournament between strongest fighters!'
Cid was eagerly walking towards the arena as he bit the Tuna King burger (apparently, yet another business of Shades, focused on fast food). Why, yes, despite all his achievements in taking over the Demon Realm and fighting against big snake, he still enjoyed these little plays he staged. Plus, there was still his third heroine candidate! In short, a lot of stuff to do-!
"Hello, Cid."
He blinked and turned around, only to see Rose Oriana standing in front of him with a strained smile on her face.
'Oh, right, I wanted to use the Mundane Mann appearance after coming to arena…'
"Hi, Rose," well, she did say that she wanted him to be informal with her, right?
"I see you like food from Tuna King, huh?" her smile became a little more sincere.
"M-m-m…" he nodded at her and, after some thought, extended a burger out to her, "Wanna some?"
"O-Oh-? Thank you, Cid," she carefully took the burger from his hands as if it was some kind some kind of sacred treasure.
"Don't sweat it. I can see that something gloomy is on your mind…" he started probing. If it is what he thinks…
"H-Huh, I guess you are as perceptive as always…" her smile faltered, "My father is coming to the Bushin Festival."
"Ri-i-ight?" 'Please be it, please be it…'
"And he said…" Rose sighed, "He said that I am to be married."
'Yes! Yes! YE-E-ES!'
"And… that's bad, right?"
"No, of course not," she shook her head, "as a princess of Oriana kingdom, it is my utmost duty to serve my nation…"
"But I can see that you do not wish to," Cid pressed further.
"…I do not," she turned her gaze away in shame, "But I can't disappoint my people."
'I guess a little push is needed…'
"You know…" he started as Rose's attention turned back to him, "I am not a selfless person. And, honestly, the only thing I ever wanted is to achieve my my dream."
"What do you mean…?"
"Oh, that's quite simple," Cid looked at her, "Just ask yourself: do you honestly think that what you want to do is wrong?"
Rose went silent. Cid could see her biting her lip as her arms clenched. Then, she sighed and asked him one simple thing:
"Do you really believe in me that much?"
"M-m-m," he nodded at her.
She looked at the still warm burger in her hand. Then she turned her gaze back at him, now filled with determination.
"Thank you, Cid… For believing in me, and… For everything…" she quickly walked up to him and moved her face to his own.
'Smells like rose…' Cid thought as Rose gave him a quick peck on his lips.
"I know that you are in relationship with princess Alexia, but I still do not wish to back down. Follow my dream, you said, right?" a smile bloomed on her face, her cheeks giving off a faint pink color, "Then, after everything is over, I will take you with me."
'Hold up, wait, what?'
"Just wait and believe, Cid. I promise, as long as you believe in me, we will meet together again."
'No-no-no, hold up- wait, isn't that the scene where MC gives a promise to their love interest? But I am a mob- oh, right, I lost my mob privileges after obtaining harem. Hmm, guess it's fine then…' he sighed as Rose gave him one last gaze and slowly walked away.
"She did what?!"
Alexia was looking at the paper in disbelief.
"You heard that right," a silver-haired woman in not-so-covering clothes pushed her glasses, "Rose Oriana, the champion of Midgar Royal Spellsword Academy, has heavily injured her own fiancee and went on the run."
"What the hell is that even…" Alexia sulked.
Despite not liking Rose that much after the Council President decided to court Alexia's boyfriend right in front everyone, youngest princess still deeply respected the foreign one. So much respected, in fact, that the three of them (including this breast monster of a writer sitting across of her) decided to team up in order to dig out everything related to the Cult of Diablos after the Sanctuary event.
Natsume Kafka did not have that much of a fighting ability, being easily scared of just existing on battlefield, but she had a large network of information, able to dig out pretty much anything, so long as you provide enough compensation.
And now her abilities turned to the best, as she was the one to find out the juicy details behind the assault… And the possibility of Cult of Diablos being related to this case.
"Oriana's King decided to step in personally and said that Rose will be judged by their own laws, so Midgar should not intervene."
"And of course my father will let all of that slide as always…" Alexia sighed.
Don't get her wrong, she loves her father, but… He's just too soft! Too indecisive!
"And her fiance… Perv Asshat, was it?" Alexia asked rhetorically, "Duke's second son… Yeah, Rose will bear a heavy punishment should she ever get caught…"
"So, what do you want to do?" Natsume looked sharply at the princess.
"…We need to help her."
"This is going to be hard," writer's glasses made a flare.
"I know."
"And Rose herself decided to not tell us about anything, which means she doesn't want us getting into it."
"Indeed."
"And you still wish to do so," Natsume wasn't asking.
"Yes," yet Alexia still answered.
Writer sighed.
"Then I will dig up everything about this case, princess Rose herself, and her fiancee Perv Asshat."
"Good," Alexia nodded and took a sip of black coffee.
"Then I shall go-" yet her attempt at leave was met with princess suddenly standing up and walking towards the writer.
"No-no-no, dearest Natsume Kafka, there's still one thing I wish to ask for…"
"Y-Yes?" writer's gaze nervously danced around the room.
Alexia gently took Natsume's collar, slightly stretching writer's clothes and making her big, soft breasts bounce and stand out even more.
"What, exactly, were you aiming for by flirting with my boyfriend?" Alexia inquired with empty eyes and a smile full of love and forgiveness.
'Dearest Lord Shadow, I hope this finds you well…' Beta mentally wrote a letter…
"Achoo!"
"A-And the winner is… Mundane Mann…" judge looked in disbelief at the contestant who was just sneezed (literally) away mid-charge by a frail-looking middle-aged man.
'Damn, I wanted to use that one later… Why did I sneeze all of sudden?' Cid wondered.
Like, he had full control of his body, right? Then suddenly, out of nowhere, God- oh right, he killed her… Ahem, that smart glasses demoness only knows why, he sneezed. But alright, he'll take that, he'll take that…
As it turned out, first few battles will not be done in actual arena… Well, because there were too much participants, so organizers decided to split everyone up and do qualifiers in other places. And, well, Mundane Mann got into the most shitty arena ever possible: literally mud and grass outside of the city.
Well, he just won the last battle, and on the next (or so) day he will be able to enter the legit battles, in the cool arena and all. As of now, there were not even that much viewers, and upon seeing him winning in the most bullshit way possible everyone started shouting something about staged plays… Now how did they even know?
Ahem, nevermind… So, he was finished with qualification battles, it was now evening and he was coming come, to think about what to do next- Huh, a newspaper? And it has Rose Oriana's face on it? Well, well…
Cid quickly took one out of the pile with slime suit (which was now begging for upgrade) and started reading.
Uh-huh, Rose Oriana, current champion, uh-huh, attacked her own fiancee in the presence of Oriana's King and ran away, uh-huh… Uh-huh! Good! All according to his vision!
Now, question… Will she be able to do everything by herself or will he need to intervene? Hmm, let's see… Right, this day passes, now the next two… Yeah, three days later he will personally descend in a cool way to her and offer his guidance! Because 'three' is a cool number- Nah, did you really believe it? Of course, he's going now!
And he knows exactly what he needs!
Epsilon, who just wanted to practice before her stage play, found a letter saying that the instrument will be returned tomorrow in place where her piano stood.
Rose Oriana slowly walked through the secret passages. Doubts plagued her mind as more and more pursuers started catching up. Of course, she still had more than enough power to fight them back, but…
She sighed.
Exactly, fight them back. The pursuers were none other than brave knights of her own kingdom that just were adamant in their duty. She could easily slaughter them, but what good would it do? Nothing.
And so she simply knocked them out. Now, she needed to find a way out of this mess. The mess she herself made.
She sighed once more.
As of now, everything was fine. So long as she continues to break through, she can escape, so one day, she could find a way back… A way to help her father…
She remembered. Remembered how Perv Asshat, so-called fiancee, revealed how he was controlling her father. Just seeing once bright, full of wisdom eyes of Oriana's King turning into dull, lifeless orbs as his body did whatever Chancellor ordered him to…
No! Rose shook her head. She will find a way. She has to. She took it upon herself. And with a sigh, she stepped into one of the tunnels.
One Eminence upon seeing her going into the wrong tunnel sighed and moved the piano to another room.
As she walked further, she started reminiscing… The rare, honest smile of Cid Kagenou… The explosive, competitive spirit of Alexia Midgar… The overprotective, clingy nature of Claire Kagenou… The honorable, just character of Iris Midgar…
Rose wiped a tear. Huh, another intersection…
Shadow banged his head into the wall and groaned in frustration as he watched Rose choose yet another wrong passage.
Ugh… She can still hold on, but if it continues like this… She felt strength slowly sipping away, and she could only use her magic to help herself. Even then, for some reason her magic control was slowly slipping away…
But she must hold on! For her father! For her nation! For her beloved!
Cid looked blankly as Rose pumped her fist up and went into the tunnel that he deliberately disguised to make sure she goes into the right one.
Maybe, just maybe… there was a way… A way for her to obtain unparalleled might? A way to take her father and country from Cult's clutch? A way to earn… freedom?...
Her ears picked up a familiar melody. As princess of country of arts, she has known a lot of of musical pieces. And this one was especially familiar to her…
Moonlight Sonata. The piece created by a well-known musical composer, Shiron. Why was it played here?…
Rose's curiosity slowly moved her towards the sound.
Shadow cheered internally as Rose finally went the right way.
Oriana princess slowly opened the damaged door and opened the passage up.
Her breath hitched as she saw the beautiful landscape of ancient temple, its cracked walls covered in bleak, yet still wonderful depictions of heroes and demons.
And, at the center of it, him.
The one who gives a stage to her.
Shadow.
Rose closed her eyes and allowed his play to take her away, into the land of darkness. Darkness, pierced by a single ray of light that completely evaporated it. Light, that casted shadows in the process.
And as soon as he finished, she applauded. Applauded for the beautiful stage he arranged.
He slowly stood up and gave an elegant bow.
"That's… beautiful…" she sighed in amazement.
"Now…" he started, his voice reverberating across the temple.
She saw him slowly walking down from his stage.
"Answer me, Rose Oriana… What do you wish for?" his piercing gaze was locked on her.
She felt pain on her chest. Of course, she knows the answer.
"I… wish for power. Power to help my people… to save my nation! And… to help the one I love!"
"Hmph."
His face was covered in darkness, materialized, yet she still could feel his approving smile. He raised his finger and pointed at her as the beautiful purple flame danced around him.
"Granted."
And in the next moment, Rose felt tension leaving her body. In disbelief she watched as even the old scars completely disappeared, new healthy skin appearing in their place. And her magic…
She suddenly realized that her magic was way easier to control now.
"Remember well."
She turned back to him as his domineering voice shook her out of her thoughts.
"While having power is important… It is way more important to know how to wield it properly. Be it in battle… or peace."
She blinked momentarily as the sudden wind blew in all directions from Shadow's place. And when she opened her eyes, he was already nowhere to be seen.
Rose felt her heartbeat slowly calming down. She was granted power. Now, she only needs to use it…
She has time until Bushin Festival ends. And, judging by this…
Rose caressed the small letter left by Shadow.
They have something planned right at the end of it.
Better use that time for growing accustomed to new power, then. She doesn't want to disappoint the one that gave her power…
Rose sighed. How she wished to just cuddle with Cid right now! But she has a deal to finish. After that… She will take the reign over her Kingdom and marry him.
Thank you for this opportunity, Shadow… Or, as she knows him…
Stylish Bandit Slayer.
Cid sneezed again as he carried the piano back into Epsilon's room. He wondered if he should get a check-up from Eta.
Meanwhile, Victoria felt a disturbance in the force. The word came out by itself: "Riva-a-al…"
The most important change is the fact that Shadow met with Rose three days before it actually happened in LN; each fight in LN2 CH5 was done in separate day. Cid only met with Rose after battling Quinton. Here, instead, he went immediately after first two rounds (and these two happened on the same day, too), which didn't allow her will to crumble and Curse to develop. So now Cid has a hellbent yandere that wants to take him away to herself that also wishes to completely annihilate everything Cult-related and become a Queen… Nice job fixing it, Shadow!
...Or was that all your intention?