Removing a variant component doesn't work

The bug

When the variant component is removed from an entity, it stays the same variant as it was before.

How to reproduce

1. Download and open the attached world. There's an axolotl; it's pink because it has no variant component (q.variant==0)
2. Add a variant component: /event entity @e[type=axolotl] add_blue
3. Now remove it: /event entity @e[type=axolotl] remove_blue

Expected results
The final command should revert the axolotl back to pink

Observed results
It stays blue

Notes
This also affects mark_variant and skin_id