Claire was more intense than I expected, and Leo was far more gentlemanly.

Of course, Leo’s personality was something I’d seen plenty of in the original work. He was that infuriating, almost stereotypical harem protagonist—a true gentleman by the standards of this world, never touching a lady without permission and handling every situation as gently as possible.

Though, I’d never seen him wearing a silk hat or anything.

Alice was walking in front of me, and though I could only see her back, I could catch glimpses of her red ears peeking out beside her hair. She was probably blushing so hard it looked like she might faint from embarrassment. Even as Leo and Alice walked by, envious glances from men around us followed them like a magnet.

Not that anyone really believed the appeal of the bunny girl costume was genuine attraction. Most men flocked to the bunny girls because, well, it usually meant the man had plenty of money. Men likely knew this, but still, if a bunny girl offered them that kind of “service,” few would refuse.

In contrast, Alice’s reaction—face burning behind her half-mask—screamed pure, honest embarrassment. Hers was not the expression of a seasoned casino server. And with Leo looking young and handsome, as any good protagonist should, the dynamic between them felt all the more convincing.

To anyone watching, they looked like a scene straight out of a fantasy: a bashful waitress smitten with a kind, gentlemanly noble. It was enough to make other men feel a pang of jealousy.

Though technically, they were both still minors.

Meanwhile, I seemed to be catching the attention of more women than men.

It was probably because I looked… pitiable.

Most men here walked around with their faces uncovered, but women generally hid behind fans or wore half-masks like the bunny girls. Women gambling wasn’t forbidden, but it certainly wasn’t fully accepted, either.

But even behind those masks, I could sense the clear look of “poor thing” directed at me from other women.

Unlike Leo, who led Alice without even touching her, Claire held my wrist firmly, practically dragging me along.

And while Alice’s neckline was clean and empty, mine… well, there was an obvious wad of cash lodged between my chest. 

Some women in this world preferred the same sex, and some wealthy women occasionally paid generously to get close to young servers in these settings.

Judging by the sympathetic glances I was receiving, it seemed most of these women were imagining something along those lines.

…Should I rewind?

Maybe I should go back to the beginning and convince Alice all over again.

As I let Claire drag me along, I seriously considered it, but in the end, I gave up on the idea.

After all, I’d agreed to come because Alice had wanted this so badly.

Knowing full well how embarrassing it would be, I’d come anyway. Who was I to blame?

In resignation, I decided to follow Claire without a second thought.

And, thankfully, that blank state of mind was perfect for keeping a straight face.

---

"So, you came here to gather information? Dressed like that?"

Claire’s disbelief made Alice’s face flush even redder.

They’d led us to a secluded corner of the building, down a hallway where few guests ever ventured, and now stood in front of us, arms crossed.

Claire, of course, was completely maskless.

I, however, couldn’t bring myself to say anything about it. Not because I was afraid of Claire, but because this situation was just that mortifying. I knew if I opened my mouth, my voice would crack.

Alice and I had removed our masks and held them in our hands. I was doing my best not to fidget with my black half-mask, while Alice nervously toyed with her white one, eyes darting around uncomfortably.

"…There’s someone here who has the information we need, disguised as a server," Alice finally managed to say.

Claire sighed, running a hand down her face.

"Did you really need to infiltrate in an outfit like that? You could have come in as a guest, like us."

"…"

This was a bit ironic.

In the original story, Claire had been the main reason Alice ended up in the bunny girl outfit.

In the original, Alice had been irritated by Claire’s snide comment along the lines of, “I’m out here working hard, and you’re just sitting back comfortably,” and out of spite, Alice had disguised herself in the same way as Claire.

Yet, here and now, it wasn’t Claire but Bella who had provoked Alice into action.

In a way, it hinted that Alice had started to see Bella as her real sister. Since Bella, a fellow princess, was out working on the field, Alice, also a princess, felt it would be strange to sit back. It was the same sentiment Alice had felt toward Claire in the original story.

In a way, her consistency was almost admirable.

"Say something to her," Claire said, nudging Leo.

"Huh? Me?"

Caught off guard, Leo, who had been too flustered to look in our direction, looked at Claire, then us, then reverted his gaze back to the ceiling.

"…"

Seeing Leo’s utterly unhelpful reaction, Claire sighed again.

In the original story, Leo hadn’t recognized Alice right away when they first met. He’d only started suspecting her absence when she didn’t show up for a night mission on the second day.

So, his reaction wasn’t exactly out of place.

"And you, sister."

"…Yes."

Reluctantly, I turned my gaze toward Claire. Her eyes blazed as she looked at me.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

Hmm.

Something told me that “why not?” wouldn’t be the right answer.

I’d already guessed why Claire was so upset as she dragged me along earlier.

That orphanage we’d stayed in had been that kind of place. Even if she hadn’t known it at the time, she must have realized it during her investigation into my background.

So… bluntly put, she was not pleased about me wearing the kind of outfit that implied I could “sell myself.”

"It’s my fault."

Before I could respond, Alice spoke up.

"She’s only dressed like this to protect me since I insisted on infiltrating here."

"…Fine."

Thankfully, Claire seemed to accept Alice’s explanation. Alice was one of the few people close enough to me to read my expression. Claire, having watched Alice closely, must have picked up on that as well.

"So where did you even get these outfits?"

"That’s…"

Alice was unable to answer this time.

It was Bella, of course, who had provided us with these bunny girl costumes. She’d likely arranged this just so she could enjoy the sight of us dressed like this, though she was nowhere to be seen.

Thinking back, I hadn’t seen her even before rewinding time. Judging from Chiara Verati’s reactions, Bella had probably been quite close to her.

…Was she watching us from a safe distance somewhere, perhaps enjoying the show?

"Then why are you two here all of a sudden? And Claire, why aren’t you wearing a mask?"

"Uh?"

Clearly flustered by the sudden question, Claire, who had seemed so confident until a moment ago, hesitated.

"Before you answer that, could you—"

"These outfits aren’t hard to come by. Honestly, do you think many people working here would proudly talk about their pasts?"

"…"

"If I said I wanted a job here, I could get an outfit like this easily. Whoever hands out the uniforms doesn’t care who I am. They’d never guess I’m a princess."

It sounded a bit far-fetched, but it wasn’t entirely implausible.

Who in their right mind would think an actual princess was working here? They’d probably assume she was just someone who looked like her.

"Alright, now your turn. I get why Leo’s here, but—"

Hearing Alice’s comment, Leo looked a bit hurt, but Alice ignored it and turned back to Claire.

"—why is a woman walking around here without even covering her face? And what was that about sticking money down Sylvia’s chest?"

"…"

Finally, I looked down.

There were still several pound notes tucked between my chest.

I reached to pull out the bills and return them to Claire but stopped myself.

…Handing back sweaty, damp bills would be awkward, wouldn’t it?

Claire’s expression was just as complicated.