Firstly if you thought that was rude, than I am sorry for that. I am in regards of communication... VERY direkt and just say what I think without any care of how can I say it nicer. Sorry for that.
If it is traced, mad respect to your skills, but than your tracing skills are... too good ;) Sure here it is just about an H-Game, but if it was an Character from something like Disney hell would break loose just from their and of things.
And from my point of view you were just in denial or sitting in your chair smiling and lying about the fact that these two artworks are too similiar to be a coincidence.
You did not just use that char as simple inspiration if they are similiar and the same on so many levels.
If you would at least say, yes I went overboard with my tracing/drawing skills this would be a whole other thing. The problem is not that these are too similar, the problem is you say these are completly different chars.
Edit: Finding chars/artworks/fanart on the internet is one thing. Using that for a game you want to earn money with is a different story ;)