Chapter 64 - Angelica-san
Together with Angelica-san and Hanna-san, I made breakfast and lunch boxes for everyone in the fortress. It was a huge hit. Angelica-san was in high spirits, giving instructions to the two of us.
"As expected, Angelica. The Madonna of Nakanohara is alive and well here. I'm relieved."
At Lewis-san's words of praise, she was laughing, "Ufu-fu," while wearing her apron.
"What is a 'Madonna'?"
"Even though she looks like that, she used to be the number one most popular in Nakanohara."
Paul-san told me secretly. Apparently, the number one is called the Madonna.
"She dropped in rank after getting married, but there are fans who say her appearance in an apron is even better, so she's currently dominating the married women's category."
I see. So that's why she's always wearing an apron.
"How do you decide the number one?"
"It's simple. You go to the vigilante corps' assembly hall and vote. Only men over forty can vote."
"I understand only men, but why is there an age limit?"
It's strange that only middle-aged men have the right to vote.
"Young ones take it too seriously. It's better as something to talk about over drinks. Imagine if strange factions formed in town. It would cause all sorts of trouble, wouldn't it?"
I see. In short, it's a hobby.
By the way, the bandits here also seem to be participating.
Looking at Angelica-san, she had finished her meal before I knew it. While Hanna-san was eating her meal while talking with Will and Beowulf, she was feeding the bandits who were asking for seconds with a full smile.
So that's how popularity is maintained.
"What about Will and Beatrix? Both of them were known as beautiful girls at the orphanage."
"...Middle-aged men are, you know..."
He looked down. I see. So it's because their insides are middle-aged men and their way of thinking is middle-aged. A middle-aged man falling in love with another middle-aged man would be rare. The men of Nakanohara are quite harsh.
"Jeanne was in the top ten last month."
"Eh, me?"
I accidentally dropped the bread I was holding. After thanking the nice middle-aged man with a wonderful smile for handing me a new one, I asked if it was true, and it seemed to be true.
"In the past, Bishop Catherine reigned as number one for a long time. Fighting priestesses are popular."
I see. I feel like the preferences are quite biased, but in short, it's goddess worship. No wonder Katherine-sensei, who is bold in everything, is popular.
Does that mean... there's a possibility that I'll become number one eventually?
This is troubling. What should I do? I have no plans to return to secular life for now... For the time being, I'll ask Adolf-san to at least get rid of that decorative plate where magic is coming out of my chest...
I came to my senses here. No, no. What am I thinking? I have to do rat extermination today. This is no time to be dazed by romance. I should wash my face and cool my head. If I don't maintain my tension, it'll be a disaster if I can't even do rat extermination properly.
When I returned, the cleanup had begun, and by that time, Marcelo-san and Beatrix, who were the daily rotation, had arrived.
"Good morning. How was it?"
"It was civil engineering work. I was just watching, but riding a horse in the mountains made the journey really difficult."
I explained it like this.
"What are you doing today?"
"Basically the same as yesterday. However, I want to have Marcelo draw a Teleportation Circle to increase our movement speed."
"I don't mind. I've already received permission from Mayor Adolf. We've already finished talking about the payment, so let's start going around as soon as we settle in."
Apparently, they are going to draw Teleportation Circles for a limited time. I don't quite know where and how they'll be connected, but I'll find out if I come tomorrow.
"Then, I'll stay here. I wouldn't be useful even if I were with you, right?"
"What are you doing not investigating before the battle! Come with us!"
The lazy person who was out of the rankings was scolded by Paul-san for trying to slack off.
"Geez, I guess I have no choice. Fine. Let's go. Well then, Jeanne. Good luck with the rat extermination!"
She was snapping at me. I wonder if she noticed I was smirking.
Leaving aside the mage who was worried about the journey, I returned to Nakanohara via the Teleportation Circle with Angelica-san, who was satisfied with being pampered by the bandits, and Hanna-san, who was returning to town to report on yesterday's work. As we were leaving, the bandits repeatedly reminded all three of us to come tomorrow.
Thinking about it, it was an exchange between three people in the rankings and two middle-aged-men-like girls. It felt a bit ticklish, but first, I'll work hard at today's rat extermination to rank up—no, I mean, to do my job.
I returned to the town of Nakanohara. I stopped by the Bird's Head Tavern with Angelica-san to get some chicken carcasses.
"I'm sorry, Angelica-san, for having you help me. I can only defeat one rat at a time by myself."
"No, it's fine. I've never done rat extermination before either. Teach me various things."
She is, after all, a high-level mage. I wondered what she would do, and she finished them off with a single mid-level ice magic spell. Five rats were trapped inside a block of ice that fell with a thud.
"They'll be dead if we leave them for half a day, so let's come back later to collect the tails."
She was smiling. It was overwhelming. Is this the power of a former number one... Since it was chantless, it was over in a single breath after the rats gathered.
When I timidly told her I wanted to practice Holy, she said, "Sure," and easily thawed them for me. After finishing off two rats that had fallen into a state of suspended animation with Holy, she made another block of frozen rats. We repeated that five times and achieved a result of twenty-three rats.
"Well then, I'm off," she said, and walked toward the sewage treatment plant. It was as if she had done the rat extermination on her way to work.
After seeing Angelica-san off, I thought about various things. The people around me are so amazing, yet I'm still only at the level of one rat. Will I be alright continuing as a monster exterminator like this?
When I reported to Hans-san, he said, "You don't look very energetic." When I said Angelica-san was too amazing, he replied, "Of course."
"Angelica was an elite magic soldier in the former Kingdom Army. If she hadn't resigned over the Albert incident, it wouldn't be strange for her to be a unit commander in the central army in the Royal Capital by now."
"Is that so?"
"She's smiling and wearing an apron now, but during the war, she was called 'Angelica the Ogress' and was quite scary. The number of enemies she crushed with magic is more than a thousand. Besides, after resigning from the Kingdom Army, she teamed up with the secularized Marcelo of the Teleportation and fought guerrilla wars against Engrio, receiving several medals. She has years of experience over you."
Angelica the Ogress... I can't imagine it at all. But she was such an amazing person.
"Angelica was the first one to overtake Bishop Catherine, who had been in the number one spot in Nakanohara for a long time. You guys are still far from her."
Wait? I feel like the conversation is going in a different direction...
"You're probably overthinking things because you were shown Angelica's magic and lost confidence. You're a priest, aren't you? If you work hard at exterminating monsters, you'll eventually overtake her."
Wait a minute, please. What are you talking about?
"You made it into the top ten, didn't you? Priests have an advantage. Look at Priest Katherine. Before I knew it, she was number one."
He started giving a speech. What's wrong with him?
"Priest Katherine will probably be chosen at this year's Harvest Festival, but since you're in the winning range, have more confidence and work hard."
This conversation is definitely strange.
"What are you talking about?"
"Hmm?" Hans-san tilted his head.
"Aren't we talking about this year's Nakanohara Madonna selection?"
"What is that?"
"...I see, forget it..."
He waved his hand and looked away. He had an expression that said he had messed up.
However, there's no way I'd let it go after hearing this much.
"I'll bring Beatrix next time."
These words seemed to be effective. Hans-san sighed, but in the end, he told me.
Apparently, every year at the Thanksgiving Festival in September, they vote for and announce the number one adult woman in Nakanohara. As a preliminary selection for that, they do something similar every month. The time I ranked in was for July. By the way, last year, the married women's category was Angelica-san, the unmarried category was Katherine-sensei, and the overall winner was Katherine-sensei. However, it seems Hanna-san has been climbing the rankings since the recent Revenant battle.
It's not like anything happens if you're chosen; it's just that the middle-aged men enjoy it as something to talk about over drinks. However, there are some women among the top rankers who care about it. So, thinking that I, who am currently in the winning range, would be the same, he was concerned about me...
He couldn't be more wrong.
"Sorry. My mistake. Forget it."
Hans-san is unusually weak. This is interesting in its own way.
"It's fine. In exchange, tell me secretly who you're planning to vote for."
Hans-san held his head, but when I pressed him, saying, "What are you going to do?" he confessed.
"For now, it's Bishop Catherine. Don't tell anyone."
He said it in a small voice while looking around.
"But the Headmistress is already fifty. Your target range is too wide."
"It's not like that. The concept of the Nakanohara Madonna is a fighting woman. It's different from romance."
He was indignant.
"It's something more sublime. Don't misunderstand. Listen, the beauty of a fragile woman who has spent days—no, years—accumulating daily training, demonstrating the skills she has acquired, and fighting for the town and the people living there at the risk of her own life. Don't forget that."
I got scolded. And with a speech, too.
Apparently, they were doing it during the war too, and the reason the active Angelica-san overtook Hero Catherine was related to that.
I didn't quite understand what was sublime about it, but I thought it would be bad if I dragged it out any longer, so I left early. As I was leaving, he repeatedly told me not to tell anyone. Apparently, it's taboo to speak of the voting content.
I can't keep up with the sensibilities of middle-aged men. But for some reason, I feel better, so I guess it's fine.