The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Even though this area was a casino-centered, adult-themed park, there were still ordinary places for daily activities.

Some people came here literally to gamble away their fortunes, but many others visited to enjoy the dazzling scenery the casino had helped establish. High-class visitors uninterested in gambling often came here with their partners, stayed in luxurious hotels, and enjoyed the festive atmosphere.

The people working here, however, weren’t typically wealthy, especially those in jobs like waitstaff.

Thus, there were, of course, ordinary restaurants where you could get a simple meal.

And plenty of small restaurants and cafes catered specifically to the locals who worked here.

The place we found ourselves at, courtesy of Bella’s guidance, was one such establishment—a modest eatery in a rundown area just a bit away from the casino.

“Hey! I told you not to bring guests here!”

A green-haired bunny girl, sitting at a table, yelled at Bella. Her outfit was the classic bunny costume, though wrinkled, and her hair was disheveled. Her bunny-ear headband lay tossed onto the table. Glitter covered her face and chest, suggesting she had only recently returned from a long night’s work.

“Oh, I’m sorry... I just really wanted to treat the people who helped me out,” Bella said meekly.

I was a bit surprised to see Bella acting so timid. It suited her surprisingly well. Of course, I knew her background, but if I hadn’t, I might have just seen her as a character with a mysterious backstory. Well... maybe Alice and I would have suspected her motives after that previous conversation.

“Fine... but the kind of people who’d be eating on your dime could afford to pay for themselves,” the green-haired woman replied, scratching her head, then sighing as though it no longer mattered.

"Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter as long as there are more girls than guys with you. From your outfits, you look like students, even if you are nobles. Not like you’d be able to try anything funny under school rules anyway, right?”

With that, she dismissed us entirely.

It was normal in a place like this. People who ended up working here usually had rougher lives and hit rock bottom before taking on a job in a place like this. The empire had worse areas than this, so in that sense, Northwood was actually managing this place decently well—though the locals probably wouldn’t share that opinion.

“I’m sorry. She might talk tough, but she has a good heart...” Bella began to say, but before she could finish, the green-haired woman flashed us a “V” sign over her shoulder, with the back of her hand facing us.

A well-known British insult that even Lena, who had crossed paths with the imperial forces, and Charlotte, who hailed from a rivaling neighboring kingdom, recognized instantly, causing them to frown.

Bella chuckled nervously, then hurriedly offered, “Please, have a seat.”

Despite their tendency to get involved in things, it seemed even the main party members understood that causing a scene with Bella’s colleague would only make things harder for her. They took their seats without a word.

...Though it wasn’t like such a minor matter would actually inconvenience Bella. Alice and I were the only ones here who knew her true identity.

Unlike me, whose face was somewhat known due to my role and my appearances, Bella was different. She was officially a princess, but she never showed up at public events.

The children of the Emperor who regularly appeared in public were Jaden, Lucas, and me. Meanwhile, Bella and the youngest handled the jobs that required discretion.

This arrangement wasn’t something enforced by the Emperor—it had developed naturally over time. Bella enjoyed hiding her identity, as it allowed her to get involved in more interesting situations.

“Do you... go through this often?” Charlotte asked seriously.

While such matters were an issue within the empire, it wasn’t as if places like Bella’s kingdom were exempt from similar situations. Brothels and opium dens existed worldwide. Considering that such things likely happened in her country as well, this was probably a useful experience for Charlotte.

“Not too frequently,” Bella replied.

“...”

Besides, Charlotte herself had a righteous personality. Perhaps she was silently regretting her earlier muttered disdain after seeing these conditions firsthand.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

“What do you want to order?”

The restaurant owner, oblivious to the tension, approached us, lightening the mood a bit.

The man’s clothes were worn and stained with patches of grime. His apron was dirty and torn, like the rest of his outfit. Given the cracked window I’d noticed when we walked in, it seemed he probably couldn’t afford replacements.

“What’s good here?” Charlotte asked Bella with a polite tone. Normally, Charlotte would have been horrified by the establishment and the owner’s appearance, but given the situation, she wasn’t in a position to be picky.

Graciously accepting genuine hospitality was part of a noble’s etiquette.

“Oh, please make enough servings of chicken stew for everyone,” Bella said.

“Huh?”

The owner looked at Bella, puzzled.

“Do you have the money for that?”

“Y-Yes! I do!” Bella replied, glancing at our group nervously.

Watching her, I couldn’t help but feel impressed.

If she’d been born twenty years later, she would’ve been a legendary actress.

Then again, with her personality, who knows if she’d have gone that route?

The owner shrugged, counted our party members, and walked back.

“Are you sure it’s alright?” Claire asked, sounding concerned.

“It’s fine. I have enough for this...” Bella replied.

As the atmosphere grew heavy again—

“So, who was that guy earlier?”

Jake quickly broke the tension.

“He was one of the men who approached me and started joking around. I laughed to humor him, and he seemed to take it as a sign that I was interested...”

“So, you came over to us to shake him off?”

Alice, who had remained silent, finally joined in on the act.

“Yes... I’m sorry. I didn’t expect things to escalate like that.”

Though, she’d probably hoped for just that kind of outcome.

“Any particular reason you approached us? There were plenty of others around.”

“Well...” Bella replied, looking genuinely embarrassed. “Other nobles either avoid me as if I’m filthy or try to take me with them. It’s usually one or the other.”

Charlotte’s shoulders twitched. She kept her face steady, but the discomfort showed in her posture.

“You’re from the Rondarium Academy, aren’t you?” Bella asked, looking at Leo. Leo stammered in surprise.

“How... how did you know?”

His response was hilariously clumsy.

“Your uniforms. They’re from Rondarium Academy. I spent a little time near there once and saw students wearing the same uniform.”

Though she didn’t utter some clichéd line about admiring them in her youth, it somehow made the sentiment all the more authentic.

Of course, it was likely all an act.

“That’s why... I thought you, as students... might help me. I apologize...”

“...”

The atmosphere grew even heavier. Amidst the tense mood, Alice had a particularly complex expression on her face.

She had announced her intentions to go “undercover,” making Bella something of a role model she was meant to emulate.

The problem was that Bella’s level of acting was far beyond the reach of the average person. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

...

And as for myself... I might need to bring a similar air to my role.

An emotionless bunny girl might be popular in its own way, but...

Could I even keep a straight face in a bunny outfit?

Before long, the chicken stew arrived.

Given the establishment’s atmosphere, I hadn’t expected much, but the chicken stew turned out to be surprisingly delicious.

Maybe, just maybe, this was one thing Bella hadn’t been acting about.