High School Soldier
146. Is this a joke?

Today, at 12:30 the official relief force got the order to return. Today is also the day of the promotion and award ceremony for Expeditionary Force soldiers and volunteers.

Several witches belonging to the Kingdom of Arevelk and Yekirnovo lined up lengthwise while chanting a series of spells to open the imperfect Gate. They did this job with great pleasure, as they were given a fair pay by the Indonesian government, with something equal in value to 30 pure gold coins. Surely they are not paid using rupiah given the use of paper money that has not been done in this world, at least the witches are given an item that is equal to 30 pure gold coins.

1 Pure gold coin is equal in value to 200 pure silver coins, and 1000 bronze. Then, the value of 30 pure gold coins can be to buy a tactical vehicle and its equipment. At least the witches were also paid by their home country for almost the same value. Because they are doing work that has to do with world peace.

The weather on Indonesia's otherworldly frontline today is very sunny, with blue skies dotted with few clouds and flocks of birds flying, as well as some wild young wyverns. Then, all the aid troops' fighting vehicles lined up to prepare to enter the imperfect Gate that would open in a few moments.

Because opening the Gate imperfectly with a size large enough takes about 10 minutes with abundant magic energy like the one in the Holy Land. But, if opening an imperfect Gate with limited magic energy, it would take up to 1 hour, it also depended on the magic energy the magician stored in charge of opening the Gate. The witches also could not use all the magic energy they stored, or it would end up being fatal.

But, the magicians in charge of opening the Gate in the Holy Land did not have to worry about running out of magic energy or physical energy. They could fully absorb the magic energy present in the Holy Land, and they thought they could open the biggest Gate in the history of this world with such abundant magic energy.

After all, everything in the world has a limit, even the strongest magicians have a weakness. Although the magicians thought they could open an enormous Gate with abundant magic energy, their physiques also had a limit to absorb the magic energy. Unless they have an extremely rare ability, that ability causes a magician to store enormous amounts of magic energy with extremely weak physical strength. Witches who have this ability there are only 1 in the Kingdom of Arevelk, the Great Witch.

Voluntary soldiers who have participated in the battle with the Expeditionary Force have the special honor of going to Indonesia, and attending the promotion and award ceremony. It was based on the statement of the President who stated “Every person who helps TNI soldiers fight, be it WNI or other world citizens, will be rewarded according to their form of struggle”, he said, and the TNI Commander himself who delivered this in front of the volunteers.

Of course, this made almost all the soldiers of the Kingdom of Arevelk and Yekirnovo envious of the volunteers. Even some of the mercenaries who joined the volunteer forces said a few words aimed at making the Arevelk and Yekirnovo warriors head hot. The childish behavior of the mercenaries turned out to be able to cause some small fights that could easily be broken by third-party friends.

It is only natural that there are Arevelk and Yekirnovo soldiers jealous of the volunteer forces, the majority of which are filled by former slaves employed by the Expeditionary Force and some mercenaries belonging to merchants. Because they would also want to see what the country of origin of the troops wearing the striped green uniform.

Volunteers wore cheaply purchased long black shirts and pants, after a lengthy bargaining process, and were purchased by taking a small amount of TNI defense budget money this year. It is impossible to take them to an official meeting attended by leaders of Indonesian allied countries and witnessed by millions of Indonesians with conditions still regarding shabby clothes and looks outdated.

The former Demihuman slaves and mercenaries looked astonished by the white clothes they were wearing.

“Why are we given white clothes like this?”

“True. Do they not know if the white color is very expensive and valuable?”

“Do we deserve to wear luxury clothes like this?”

Such was the conversation between Demihumans and mercenaries who were confused by the white shirt they were wearing. Some of them even thought that the entire Indonesian people were nobles because they had a lot of white clothes.

White is a very rare color in this world, that's why Demihumans and mercenaries wearing white shirts were hesitant to wear these clothes. Because only people at the level of kings and emperors can afford to buy dyes for white. Even nobles with high standing were very rare to have clothes in white.

Because according to the people of this world, the color white symbolizes the highest purity and honor. The history of several countries in the world record if the material to make white color is very contested, to cause wars on a small to medium scale.

Although all the people living in a joint city with all their possessions to buy a white cloth with a length of 1 meter and a width of 1 meter, it was not necessarily enough to buy it, it was not necessarily enough to buy it, even kings and emperors could only afford white cloth no more than 20 centimeters long and 5 centimeters wide. That's why white dye is only used for crown decoration, even the crown decorated with white cloth is very rarely out of the treasure room guarded by 100 elite soldiers. In other words, the color white in this world was worth far more than a super rare gem, and its owner would guard it with a life bet.

The white shirt worn by volunteers was also one of the envy triggers of the Arevelk and Yekirnovo warriors. Because they also want to feel wearing white clothes that are said to be very contested in this world.

Nio and the rest of the TNI, Russian and North Korean soldiers were not dressed like volunteers. But, they wear the PDL which is used when attending official ceremonies, such as the promotion ceremony that will be carried out after they arrive in Indonesia.

“Bos Nio, is the white color in your world very cheap?”

A mercenary who knew enough Nio asked like that with a worried face. The half-rabbit Demihuman even felt fear after seeing the envious gazes of some of the soldiers of Arevelk Kingdom and Yekirnovo. He told Nio that he did not want to go to Indonesia to get an award rather than wearing a white shirt with a very high risk of death because there might be a hitman who is after his clothes.

“Yes, that's right. Even ce*ana dal*m sold in my country is mostly white.”

(olog note: if not censored get angry later ane.).

“Hah...!!!???”

“Even the socks of the students in my country are white.”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.............................................................................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The people who heard Nio's words almost all put on pale faces, even some female Demihumans almost fainted before the female TNI soldiers helped them.

“Nio, what did you say to them!?”

The one who asked earlier was Herlina who was trying to make one of the female Demihumans aware of her stupor. He was only worried that Nio was saying something to the point of making some female Demihumans almost faint. Since Herlina and some of the soldiers had not mastered otherworldly languages yet, this girl was very worried that Nio would say romantic things to the female Demihuman to the point of knocking them unconscious.

“Whatever I say, please don't hit me. I just said that semp*k same socks sold in Indonesia are mostly white.”

Herlina and the few female soldiers who heard Nio's words put on a cold face and gaze at Nio. Then some of the male soldiers laughed loudly after hearing Nio's words, and praised that Nio's laugh was also possible for a stiff warrior like Nio.

“What's really why? Is the white color in this world very rare?”

Other world girls then walked up to Nio after hearing Nio's shocking statement regarding the use of white in Indonesia.

“Tu-Tuan Nio, what's the white color in your world no price?”

Sigiz asked like a confused person paying compensation after making an expensive car belonging to someone else scuffed. Sheyn and Lux only gulped violently after listening to some Demihumans who heard Nio's words about the use of white for ce*ana dal*m and socks.

Zariv and Edera stood looking as if they saw something very amazing, and imagined if the people of Indonesia were so rich that it made white like there was no price.

“Eh? Why suddenly discuss white anyway?”

“Why!? It's about self-esteem, Mr. Nio. The white color for us is the same thing as life! Even the color white was the cause of the war in the past! You see, even though Sheyn and I are queens, we don't even wear white.”

A moment later, Nio understood that because this was another world, where there were many things that did not make sense.

Edera then approached Nio to speak, “Tuan Nio, you know, ce*ana dal*m your white color can be exchanged for the position of king or emperor.”

Then, Nio actually stood pecking with eyes that could not blink. This young man then moved when he heard the cheering sounds of some soldiers.

Nio and the few people around him turned to the source of the sound, and saw an imperfect Gate 30 meters in diameter open. A moment later, the order to board the vehicle sounded, and Nio dashed quickly leaving the volunteers and the otherworldly girls while carrying a large backpack on his back.

However, Nio had no idea if the otherworldly girls would go to Indonesia as well and see her receive her new rank.

The entire engine of the fighting vehicle was turned on, and the one that entered the Gate imperfectly first was the attack helicopter, followed by the transport vehicle and the combat vehicle.

Sigiz and Sheyn had ordered their best troops to settle down for some time until they returned from Indonesia. Half the power of the Rose Line had also been commanded by Sheyn to help the Arevelk army guard the Holy Land from enemy attack.

Meanwhile, on one of the transport trucks, Nio still could not believe that white was so valuable in this world, when white was often used for trivial things.

**

The entire hero walked in the hallway of the castle that was used as the Alliance's headquarters. There were hundreds of servants and staff who were in this place when the nine heroes fulfilled the call of the Alliance's higher-ups. The entire staff and servants stared at the heroes without stopping their work.

But, it was their gazes that made the heroes uncomfortable, as if they were making a very embarrassing mistake. The servants and staff who encountered the heroes only saluted them according to protocol, and stared at them with a look of resentment after the heroes passed by them.

There is no rule to honor heroes as to honor the leader of a country, because the summoning of heroes is the second thing to do after thousands of years ago, so the rules for over-respecting the heroes haven't yet been created. The look of hatred that the heroes received was the result of their performance in a fight that was much lower than the monster army that managed to break through the walls of the fortress of the Indonesian troops.

According to the historical records that contained great battles in the past, the heroes of the past who were called were even able to end the battle within a few years. Then, looking at the work of the heroes on the battlefield before, made the Alliance officials confident that the battle with Indonesia and its allies would last longer than expected.

“After the Alliance is defeated, can't we return to our country?” sakuya who felt a sense of unease was much bigger than the other heroes. He held his own hand to suppress his nervousness.

Meanwhile, Indah only walked in with a downcast face and was anxious about the future of the heroes after the Alliance lost the previous war.

“What? Do they deserve to give us such a look after the help we give? Do they think the TNI is weak? At least give us a thank you instead of such a disgusting look!”

Theodore cursed the servants and staff of this place who gave them such a hateful look. Hate Heroes from the Kingdom of Thailand, aka Anurak support the statement of Hero Iri Hati who came from the US.

Rio was glaring in silence the staff and servants who gave them such a hateful look. And as soon as the servants and staff saw Rio's gaze, they continued their work and put away their hateful gazes.

Although Rio's face looked mediocre, yet he might also feel fear if the heroes were summoned to be punished. Then, he put away such thoughts after recalling their great power. Yes, Rio thought if the Alliance side decided to give them a punishment after ‘kabur’ from the battlefield, he would use his strength to fight back.

“We have been summoned to this world, and are forced to confront the mad forces of the TNI and its allies. Is this a joke if all we get is a bad call. What's wrong with saving yourself from danger?” The Lonely Hero from Russia muttered like that. The man named Bogdan seemed to also have the same thought as Rio, which was against the Alliance if what they got after fighting hard was punishment.

Meanwhile, the Hero of Regret, aka the former Israeli soldier named Gurion, just walked after the other heroes with bowed faces. He simply did not want to see any more of the strength of the Indonesian forces and their allies, or he would regret having sided with the Alliance.

These heroes are not a group of adventurers in a fantasy novel who bluntly ask for a reward after work. They were in the group that had lost the previous war, and it was not their will despite fighting alongside a nation that was not their origin. The heroes remained aware of their position as equal to the general of the army, and could not simply ask for a reward after the side they defended lost the great war.

“Masa bodo.”

“Yes, I also don't care what I receive after helping them.”

Sakuya chimed in on Rio's words, and the two smiled faintly together. The teenage girl also had thoughts about going against the Alliance if what she received was a bad thing.

After a few minutes of walking in this long, winding passageway, the nine heroes arrived at a large door. This door was guarded by four robed people, and two of the four guards opened the door which seemed to be extremely heavy.

The heroes then came out of the dark hallway, and entered a well-lit room, though lit only by hundreds of candles and light coming in from some of the large windows of the room.

“Hah, so these kids are the heroes called?”

An old man who was the Emperor of the Duiwel Empire was sitting on one of the seats that were specially used for the higher-ups of the Alliance. Beautiful could not stand the words of the Imperial Emperor Duiwel who seemed to demean the heroes.

“My name is Otsoa, Emperor of the Duiwel Empire, member country of the Alliance.”

Some of the heroes who were sick of seeing Otsoa's face almost yelled at him to shut up, but they undo the intention because of the status of the two sides who were far adrift.

“Well, I'll give you an explanation about being called here.”

At first Otsoa said things that mocked the heroes, the other Alliance higher-ups could not prevent the old man from stopping his punishment, and the heroes forced themselves to hold back.

Otsoa attributed the Alliance's defeat that almost touched the ‘hampir destroyed’ level to the escape of the heroes from the battlefield. In essence, Otsoa was only a representative to say the dissatisfaction of the top brass of the Alliance towards the work of the heroes in the previous war.

“Alright, until the next war is implemented, you must travel to improve and find your original strength.”

“Increase and discover our original strength? So you mean we weren't strong from the start?”

“Maybe that's one of our mistakes. Right, the heroes should be able to bring out their original strength by doing a lot of fights or something. Like past heroes who stopped great wars in the past with their original strength, you guys should be able to do the same.”

Rio and the whole hero just listened to Otsoa's words like the advice that goes in the left ear comes out the right ear, and Rio can only get angry in the heart with a bowed face, “Alright, we just need to strengthen ourselves to defeat the enemy, right? The sooner we beat the TNI, the sooner I get Beautiful from Nio.”