The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 93
EP.93 A Woman with a Story (3)
Sometimes, the notion of “gaming logic” significantly affects the storyline. For example, a character might enter a cutscene without any weapon in hand, yet when the battle begins, they mysteriously pull a weapon from thin air.
The problem is that there’s no explanation for this. If the characters at least had a scabbard on their waist, we might assume that’s where they drew their weapon from, but no, they just casually pluck a sword right out of their side with nothing to hold it in. It’s not as though they have some kind of fourth-dimensional pocket or any similar justification. In this game, characters are simply expected to have a weapon on hand, regardless of what they’re wearing—be it a school uniform, a dress, a swimsuit…
…or even a bunny girl outfit.
Yes, even Alice, when thrown into a fight, had no trouble pulling out her weapon.
But after living in this world for nearly a decade, one thing I’d observed was that such feats were impossible here. If you wanted to bring a weapon, you had to physically carry it. And if the weapon was large, there was no hiding it—especially not a weapon like the two-handed sword Alice used, which could never be concealed under clothing.
My revolver was no different. For a moment, I’d even considered picking up something smaller, like the Derringer Mia had stashed under her bed, but even with that, there was nowhere to hide it in a bunny outfit.
Though I hadn’t actually acquired the bunny costume yet, I tried making a mock-up out of paper and tucked it between my chest just in case. Aside from being uncomfortable, it was also plainly visible.
To put it bluntly, it’s not like I was lacking in that area, so if it was that obvious on me, it wasn’t going to work for Alice either, who looked about the same size. Hiding a weapon there just wasn’t an option. I even wondered if I could stash something in the bunny tail, but quickly dismissed the idea—if it misfired by accident, my pelvis wouldn’t survive the ordeal. Even if I could reset the time, I’d prefer not to experience that.
…Not to mention, in a bunny outfit, someone would definitely try to grope me, and anything hidden in the tail would surely be discovered. And with the extra weight, it’d be drooping down noticeably.
After mulling it over, I reached only one possible conclusion: wrap things up before I ever needed to wear a bunny girl outfit.
The mission would be a success if I could simply confirm the information on the infiltrating Templar knight.
Besides, I already knew where the Templar knight was.
…The green-haired woman who, after finishing her time with a client, was now casually seated in the dining area, looking like she had just finished her shift.
She was the Templar knight.
*
Bella probably knew, too. In the game, the Papal State might have been formidable, but the Emperor aimed even higher than that.
Despite possessing the Book of Prophecy, the Emperor didn’t solely rely on it; he had a knack for gathering and piecing together information himself. It was that proactive approach that often left the Papal State powerless against him. Not that it mattered much to me—the Papal State wasn’t exactly painted in a sympathetic light in the game, so I didn’t feel strongly about it.
The Emperor likely knew not only that a Templar Knight had infiltrated this place, but precisely who it was. That’s probably why he sent Bella here, too—just as in the original story.
Now, if someone heard about a woman wandering alone near a casino late at night, they might think it sounded dangerous, but that wasn’t actually the case here. Perhaps because this place was inspired by Las Vegas, the security around here was actually far better than in other areas.
Even in the dead of night, the streets were brightly lit, and I spotted guards patrolling here and there. Among those in plain clothes, there were likely soldiers from this domain mixed in, too. Nothing harms a tourist destination more than a tourist getting robbed—the money would end up in the wrong hands, crime would increase, and negative rumors would spread, discouraging future visitors.
Though staff like waiters weren’t particularly protected, the “tourists” were thoroughly safeguarded by the domain’s standards. This ensured they’d want to return. So as I casually strolled through in my tourist attire, there was little chance of anyone trying to harm me.
Leaving the brightly lit hotel, I made my way along the illuminated avenue toward the casino. The streets were packed with tourists, revelers, and couples, drunk and laughing as they embraced the city that never slept. Some people had a bunny girl or waitress at their side, while a few middle-aged women had tall, handsome young men as their companions.
While it didn’t quite cross the line into a Sodom-and-Gomorrah level of debauchery, by the standards of this early-20th-century-inspired world, it was undoubtedly a scene of decadence and indulgence.
Passing through the faint scent of alcohol, I arrived at the entrance of the casino. The men flanking the doorway wore black suits and fedora hats. They gave me a brief glance but didn’t block my path, likely assuming I was a guest—and a female one at that. This place attracted the wealthy, so young women wandering alone weren’t unusual.
Plus, I wasn’t armed, which probably didn’t raise any alarms by their standards.
Without hesitation, I stepped into the casino.
A dazzling golden glow filled my view.
…Impressive.
It was far more extravagant than anything I’d seen in the game. But then, the graphics hadn’t been that advanced. Still, the general layout of the casino seemed consistent with what I remembered.
If that was the case, the Templar Knight would likely be in a similar spot.
I quickly located the stairs and started up. Inside the luxurious, windowless building, crowded with people and devoid of clocks, I was struck by just how many wealthy people there were in the world. Given the casino’s international reputation, it made sense that the rich people from all over the world would flock here.
The duties of a bunny girl in a place like this weren’t complicated—serve drinks to the guests, gather tips.
And tips mostly went between…well, you know.
“…..”
The thought made me a bit dizzy.
Hurrying my pace, I headed up to the second floor.
And there, I quickly spotted her distinctive green hair.
Her expression was completely different from what I’d seen this morning. She wore a bright smile, and her skin seemed to sparkle, as if she’d dusted it with glitter to catch the guests’ attention. Her short bobbed hair swung with each movement, making her seem lively and energetic.
“Oh my, thank you!”
With a playful sway, she pushed her hips back and subtly leaned forward, flaunting her chest for a tip from a delighted customer. Watching her, I nearly lost my composure.
So… I’d almost ended up wandering around here in an outfit like that?
Let’s just get the information and finish this.
I walked straight toward her.
Just as she was straightening up, having accepted a tip wedged into her cleavage by a bleary-eyed, drunken man, our eyes met. For a brief moment, a look of surprise flashed across her face. Then, she flashed me a mischievous grin.
I didn’t like that grin one bit.
Still, I couldn’t just walk away without talking. After all, I hadn’t come this far for nothing.
“Sorry, honey, but I’m a devout follower of the Goddess. I’m not against same-sex relationships, but I don’t serve female customers.”
She said with a bubbly tone as I approached her without breaking eye contact.
She likely already knew who I was. After all, I had been quite disrespectful to the person who came as the Pope’s representative in Velbur. Plus, I had ruined their plans.
The word of my presence must’ve circulated well in advance.
“…..”
Without a word, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a check, carefully unfolding it to reveal the 30-pound sum, then promptly tucked it into her cleavage. I was careful not to let my fingers brush against her chest.
…Not that it would’ve mattered if they did, but still, it just felt… inappropriate.
“…”
Seeing the check suddenly slipped between her breasts, the green-haired woman blinked a few times, then looked up at me with a broad smile. But her eyes, veiled by her mask, held no trace of amusement.
“Well, since you’ve been so generous, I guess I can’t just let you walk away without a word! Shall we go somewhere more private?”
I nodded silently, and with a pleased expression, she turned and began walking.
Without hesitation, I followed close behind.