The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 91
EP.91 A Woman with a Story (1)
Alright. Let’s avoid eye contact.
I tried my best to avert my gaze, hoping it wouldn’t seem too obvious and draw unnecessary attention. But maybe I was a beat too late, or perhaps Alice had already caught her eye, because I could feel Bella glancing in our direction from the corner of my vision.
Not that it mattered, though. Bella was the kind to start teasing regardless of whether she actually made eye contact. While she wasn’t a character from the main storyline, I’d known her long enough to understand her personality. Bella wasn’t shy about making playful jabs, nor did she care much about the outfit she was wearing.
“Oh my, over there, boys!”
But Bella interrupted her conversation with the noble and waved at us. The middle-aged noble she was talking to looked bewildered, but Bella didn’t seem to care at all.
…
I thought the term ‘boys’ was a bit much given the age difference, but that was probably because I knew Bella. In a place like this, using such terms to attract customers was natural.
“Uh… m-me?”
Leo stammered in surprise.
The distance between Bella and us was fairly considerable, enough that he might wonder if she was actually waving to someone behind him. She was within shouting range, though, and her voice was loud enough to make sure we heard her.
Leo looked startled by Bella’s call, and Claire regarded him with an incredulous expression. It wasn’t jealousy, exactly, more like, “There’s no way she’s calling for you.”
After all, we were dressed in school uniforms. If Bella were just an unknowing commoner, she’d hardly have reason to call us over with so many distinguished noblemen milling around. Even if she mistook our uniforms for something else, they’d still resemble military attire more than anything. Whether students or soldiers, we didn’t have as much money as the wealthy nobles.
“Yes, you, handsome!”
Bella called out as she walked directly toward Leo. This time, not only Leo but also Claire looked flustered.
Alice and I, on the other hand, could only exchange looks of sheer disbelief.
I mean, isn’t this supposed to be an infiltration?
Though I’d somewhat expected her to act like this, it was still hard to believe. But on second thought, this might actually be more natural for her. Bella wasn’t one to hide her personality, even when she was working undercover.
As she approached us, Bella wore a masquerade mask—well, more like the kind of mask a girlfriend might wear in a playful “bunny girl” costume for her boyfriend. It was cheap-looking, trimmed with white fluff, and didn’t give off any impression of the refined masks nobles might wear to a ball.
“…”
Lena’s expression was just as stiff as mine.
Ever since we’d arrived in the area, she’d been unusually silent. It seemed she was struggling to adjust to the stark contrast between this place and the military-governed territory she was accustomed to.
“Hehe.”
Bella, who had come right up to Leo, bent down slightly to peer into his face. Bella wasn’t particularly short compared to most men, and in heels that added at least ten centimeters, she stood even taller than Leo. Her long legs were accentuated, her waist was slim, and her chest was… prominently emphasized by her leaning posture.
“What brings you here? Interested in the casino, perhaps?”
“Huh? Uh, I, um…”
As Leo stammered, struggling to respond, Bella ignored both me and Alice standing beside him and took hold of Leo’s hand, lifting it gently.
“Judging by your attire, you must be a young nobleman, right? Want to hang out with me? I could show you around, teach you a few things. I know the casino pretty well, and I’m familiar with the area… Or perhaps the hotel?”
“…”
If I didn’t know any better, I might’ve found something enticing about Bella’s behavior, something alluring. But, well, there’s a saying, isn’t there? Even if someone isn’t a blood relative, once you’ve spent enough time with them, you know them so well that you stop finding them attractive.
That was exactly how I felt now.
Knowing Bella had no particular desire for such things, I didn’t even feel the urge to stop her.
“Wait—”
But it seemed Claire felt differently. Her relationship with Leo was one of constant arguing over who was older and younger, but even beyond that, she clearly still saw him as a boy. If it were my little sister about to be ensnared by a flirtatious stranger on the street, I’d probably step in to chase them off too.
However, before Claire could make a move, a man’s voice shouted from nearby.
“Hey!”
Storming towards us was the middle-aged nobleman who had been talking with Bella moments before. He didn’t exactly fit the stereotype of a decadent noble. His physique looked well-maintained, and though he wasn’t a pretty boy like the male leads in a romance, he was rather handsome.
Still, he came across more like a nouveau riche than an established noble.
…Actually, I might have misjudged him in assuming he was a “noble.” A real nobleman would have recognized our uniforms and either stayed away out of fear or at least noticed Alice’s face. Moreover, Jake, who was observing this spectacle from a step back with an amused look, was a duke, not to mention that Alice was the princess. The fact that he hadn’t identified them suggested he was far removed from court politics.
“You think you can toy with me? We were getting along just fine just a moment ago.”
He grumbled angrily.
…Looked like he’d been on the verge of falling for Bella’s sweet talk.
“Oh dear, but I find myself more drawn to this side. Look.”
Bella gently placed her hands on Leo’s shoulders and pulled him to the side. After positioning Leo to compare faces with the man, Bella nodded.
“Yep, this one is much better looking.”
What are you saying to a minor?
…Well, in games like these, teenagers were often treated as semi-adults.
“…”
The noble’s face turned red with anger. Seeing his face turn red like that, the handsomeness I noticed earlier completely vanished.
“Wait a minute!”
Claire, who had tried to intervene between Bella and Leo, shouted again in surprise.
But this time, it wasn’t because of Leo.
“Ouch!”
Bella let out a sharp scream.
The noble had stepped forward and grabbed Bella’s arm.
“…….”
Hmm…
After seeing the current situation, I was sure of it.
Bella had definitely interrupted her conversation with that man and came over here to put us in this situation. Alice seemed to think the same, watching the scene with a very complex expression.
“Shouldn’t we help her?”
Lena, who had been observing beside me, asked.
Hmm…
If we just stand by and watch, it might leave a bad impression.
As I silently stepped forward, I heard Alice let out a small sigh.
“Hey.”
But there was no need for all of us to get involved. Because another man had already grabbed hold of the arm that had been holding Bella’s.
It was Jake.
“It’s not proper to roughly grab a lady’s arm like that.”
Jake said with a smile.
“A lady, my ass—”
The man ignored Jake’s words and tried to pull his arm away, but—
“Huh?”
He muttered in disbelief, a bewildered look crossing his face. His arm wouldn’t budge. No matter how hard he tugged or twisted, Jake’s hand held his arm in place, not moving an inch.
“Agh, aaargh…!”
Not being able to move also meant that Jake was holding his arm tightly. As Jake applied more pressure, the man let out a sharp scream.
“M-my hand…!”
Desperately struggling and writhing, he eventually released Bella’s arm. Bella quickly pulled her arm away, clasping it with her other hand. The fierce expression she’d had moments earlier had transformed into one of pitiful vulnerability.
…Honestly, I didn’t know what to think.
Seeing that the man had let go, Jake released his grip as well. The man, who had been trying to wriggle away with a grimace, immediately lost his balance and fell backwards awkwardly.
“Do you even know who I am?!”
The man spat out angrily.
“And do you know who I am?”
Jake replied, sounding amused. The man’s face went blank as if he’d been struck speechless. It seemed he had finally realized what kind of place this was.
Above a wealthy person, there is always someone wealthier, and above a status, there is always another status. Though people didn’t openly state their status, this place was full of high-ranking nobles and tycoons.
“…….”
In the end, the man opted to flee without even bothering to dust off his clothes.
“Are you alright?”
Charlotte, who had earlier found this place vulgar, asked with concern, seemingly having changed her mind after seeing the situation.
“Oh, yes, yes… I’m fine.”
Unbelievable.
Watching Bella drop her former bravado and speak in a feeble tone, I couldn’t help but think to myself.