High School Soldier
Still fascinated

Two tactical vehicles and one panzer crossed the vast grassy plain, then four horse-drawn carriages of the Yekirnovo Kingdom moved more slowly behind them, in the bright shining sun this morning. Above, fly four large transport helicopters with eight attack helicopters as bodyguards as well as personnel carriers when the passenger capacity in the transport helicopter is full.

The 12th team now operates two tactical vehicles and one panzer when it previously acquired three tactical vehicles. However, one vehicle was returned to the weapon maintenance unit and combat vehicles, as the team had obtained one vehicle that could transport more members.

Another reason for the recall of one 12th Team vehicle other than them getting a new vehicle is for repairs. The crew unit for vehicle maintenance was a group of fierce warriors, and most of his hair had grayed. Because Nio's subordinate in charge of driving once crashed the vehicle into the enemy ranks wearing metal armor, the state of the front was full of dents and some parts were loose.

The vehicle maintenance crew imagined the 12th Team's fighting style to be so reckless, that it almost damaged one vehicle that cost more than a billion rupiah (depending on the weapon variant and the defense system on the vehicle body). Just the words “I'm sorry and my members” that Nio is able to give to the mechanics, Nio, but in the end he received a scolding from the vehicle maintenance crew that his subordinates should have been in charge of driving when the enemy first attacked in the 21st Border Zone.

The amount of spare parts inventory with vehicles returning from assignment in the condition of some damaged parts is inversely proportional, the number of parts returned from the assignment, and the troops could not ask the magicians Arevelk and Yekirnovo to open the Gate to Indonesia to bring in additional parts for vehicles that were always used recklessly.

Nio becomes the driver of the vehicle in the front row, and next to him is Lux. While the five other world girls are at the back with Arif and Hassan. The girls looked at Lux with envious gazes, yet only allowed what the girl wanted if not for her to rampage halfway through. Arif and Hassan sit next to the exit at the back, as well as being reserve drivers and automatic weapons operators. All weapons on each ground and air vehicle are on standby.

Land vehicles move slower than air vehicles, and they must be willingly preceded by an entire helicopter to reach their destination.

The vehicle Nio was driving led by a group of land vehicles, including all four horse carriages. However, the entire vehicle was traveling at the same speed as the horse pulling the carriage, even a 125cc duck motor would very easily precede this troupe.

“Lettan, can't we move faster?”

Sergeant Major Hassan complained about seeing twelve helicopters flying toward them. Indeed, if it goes at full speed the tactical vehicle will lose also to a helicopter that can go at full speed of more than 700 kilometers per hour.

“I've also never driven this slow since learning to drive.”

Nio answered his vice-captain's complaint. If he pressed the gas pedal too hard, he would leave the carriage troupe, but the second tactical vehicle and the panzer would easily follow. So that the entire vehicle moves in automatic mode, and the driver just holds the steering wheel without stepping on the pedal.

In the reflection of the rearview mirror, a delegation of representatives of the Yekirnovo contingent who also received an invitation to attend the Change of Years ceremony held in the capital of the Kingdom of Arevelk named Iztok. The Indonesian contingent sent a 12th Team of 20 people as representatives to attend the ceremony. The North Korean and Russian contingents sent 30 people each as representatives. So that the representatives of ‘otherworld’ amounted to 80 people.

In the vehicle that Nio was driving, the engine sound of the entire vehicle combined with the sound of a lyre-like musical instrument.

The lute player was Edera who sat on the back bench. She was not a worshiper of the Song Goddess, but a worshiping girl of the protective goddess of the half-human race.

Her pretty fingers plucked strings that produced beautiful instruments that sounded like the best musicians in the world. If he performs a concert in Indonesia, the location for the concert should be able to accommodate hundreds of thousands of visitors, or the audience who want to watch the Edera performance is not part of the place. Or at least that's how Nio, who is unfamiliar with the music world, imagines it to be when he's reminded of the world-famous composer's performance on TV.

“Master, what should I play next?”

“Try playing a song about soldiery. But.. come on, Edera, can't you call me sir? You are also Hevaz, Queen of Sigiz, Zariv, Queen of Sheyn. Lux can call me by my name without a prefix sir, you guys should too, right?” Nio said as he continued to look at the dirt road, but he was also embarrassed to be called ‘Tuan’ by someone higher than him.

“No... no need to be ashamed, Mr. Nio.”

For some unclear reason, the faces of the five otherworldly girls reddened to their ears. But, Lux stared in awe at the person driving beside her without knowing her reason for doing so. Meanwhile, Hassan and Arif who are still in the process of learning the language of this world certainly do not understand what their superiors say with the girls, and they choose silence while playing games or reading novels that have been downloaded on their respective phones.

“And besides, how can I call you ‘Nio’ at the time I will be...”

Sigiz was silent, but the other girls understood Sigiz's words and chose silence with a slightly flushed face. Considering Sigiz said the end with a very small voice, it seemed like Nio could not hear anything.

“What will it be?”

“It... no.. umm...”.

Sigiz tried to divert the conversation. Then Edera played a melody of spirit, as Nio asked with a flushed face along with the other girls in this vehicle.

Once again Arif and Hassan are not aware of Nio's orders asking them for one vehicle with him, and the young man uses the excuse that they both become reserve drivers and weapons operators. They felt Nio could take the opportunity that made him one vehicle with many girls without involving the two of them. They are not at all interested in the girls who are one vehicle with them, because Hassan has had a future wife and Arif already has a lover.

In essence, Arif and Hassan do not want to bother Nio to get one or even all of these girls. But orders remain orders, even though they feel that this will only prevent Nio from getting a partner.

From what Nio understands from the lyrics Edera sings, the song is a funny story about a girl who falls in love with a soldier. The girl tried everything she could to get the attention of the soldier man, but almost always ended up failing and made him sigh many times. However, in the end the soldier returned from the battlefield safely, then proposed to the girl to ask her to marry. More precisely, it was the unexpected ending of the girl, as her wish came true.

However, the song made Nio think and say in his heart, “Why did I shoot him? But that's not the right time. Then what should I call him? We've been dating, time still call him ‘kakak’. But if you call him Arunika, when I was young.”

He asked Edera, “How long have you learned to play that instrument?”

“Before I was captured and enslaved by the Luan Empire.”

As he said it, the ears of the Edera cat twitched funny like a cat. Because he remembered when the TNI first came to this world and recruited slaves and pickpockets on the outskirts of the Imperial capital of Luan. While still a slave, Edera had no chance to touch the lute-like instrument. He continued to play an instrument when he was released from his slave status, but was temporarily suspended while imprisoned for the attempted murder of Nio and the Indonesian envoy to the Luan Empire.

“What all races Demihuman half cats can play musical instruments?”

“Ya, right. Before our tribe fought with the Luan Empire, usually children my age had a preferred musical instrument.”

Nio turned his gaze to one of the Arevelk Kingdom generals sitting beside him.

As their eyes met, Lux timidly said confidently while nodding, “I can't play any musical instruments. However, you can praise my strength in battle.”

Then, Lux continued her words, “Well, I know you like girls who are good at playing instruments. But, even if it's too early, do you want to wait for me in the room tonight!~”

Although Luhe, aka Lux, without concealing her intentions by stating directly, it was very clear from her lewd tone she intended to seduce Nio. But, halfway through, his talk suddenly ended with a strange shout.

Given that Nio was in the driver's seat of a tactical vehicle, he had no idea what was going on. However, the person sitting behind Lux, Hevaz, and Sigiz who were beside her seemed to be pulling Lux's hair tied in a ponytail for unknown reasons. Then, all the girls sitting behind smiled towards Arif and Hassan, but the two young men felt a serious threat behind their smiles which seemed to hint at them to keep things a secret just now.

What the hell are they doing? Nio thought. As he glanced back to check what was happening, Sigiz frantically changed the subject, as if he wanted to cover up their previous petty quarrel.

“Everyone stands out in their respective fields, right?”

As a human being himself, Nio nodded in agreement to Sigiz's words and muttered:

“If they are still alive, I want to know the reaction of Beethoven or Mozart when hearing the music of this world, and the people of this world playing their typical musical instruments.”

“Master, who is the person you mean?”

Nio's body was goosebumps when he heard Hevaz speak while wrapping his hands around Nio's neck. At the same time, Hassan and Arif looked at Nio with envious, hateful gazes.

“In my world, they are composers. They lived hundreds of years ago, but the music they wrote survives to this day. They were eccentric people in his time.”

If the two legends knew about Demihumans, would they be envious of them? Nio pondered about it.

The land-drawn caravan continued to advance towards the east, and Nio was second-guessing what his lover was doing.

Because the road is compacted soil, sometimes the group must avoid holes filled with water. Tactical vehicles can easily pass through the puddle due to the skill of the driver and the advanced features installed in the vehicle. But it is different with horse carriages. Every now and then, the entire personnel had to get off the vehicle to push the carriage to relieve the work of the horse trying to pull the carriage from the muddy waterhole.

“Adapting to the environment is more important even though this world has no traffic rules.”

What is learned in the school of driving both civilian vehicles and military vehicles is how to drive safely while complying with traffic rules. However, in a world without traffic rules or road signs, those rules are not that important.

Incidentally, some male officers of the Arevelk and Yekirnovo contingent were interested in learning to drive light tactical vehicles. However, when he saw those otherworldly officers driving, Nio recalled how frightening the female driver was. In fact, he told officers Arevelk and Yekirnovo:

“Until any time, do not give them permission to drive a car, just teach them a bike. They're too dangerous to let go, there's bound to be an accident. Innocent people will be doomed if they drive. Put them on the blacklist.”

That was when Nio got the order to evaluate the driving skills of the Arevelk and Yekirnovo contingent officers.

Sigiz had also seen his commander, Zvail, taken by Nio for several hours for almost making the vehicle he drove run over by the main battle tank and harmed Nio who accompanied Zvail learned to drive.

Until finally, they are interested in learning to drive a gasoline or electric motorcycle that has the equivalent power of a 250 cc gasoline engine that is imported for fast-motion missions. But still, their unconvincing ability makes the vehicle maintenance crew forbid them to touch the motorcycle. Then, they are offered to learn to drive a bicycle, which is considered not too detrimental if damaged or destroyed.

“Nio... could it be that you enjoy driving?”

Answer the question Lux:

“Not really, I just don't want to trouble my subordinates. I also do not want my driving ability to be blunt because it always relies on others.”

Nio said that confidently, including convinced that Arif and Hassan did not understand his words.

“Other reasons?”

“I feel that driving is a test of one's intelligence and emotional control. And emotional control is very important for soldiers isn't it?”

There was a slight change to his expression that seemed to always be calm. Lux looks flushed on the cheeks with a slight smile, then inwardly says, “I don't understand at all what she's saying. But it looks like it's really cool.”

After that, Sigiz said:

“Iztok City is not far ahead. We can see it after crossing those hills.”

As Sigiz said.

After passing through the hills, a new world seemed to open in front of the 12th Team: a one-story building, and a floating land that was where stood a magnificent palace named ‘Awan’ Palace. Although Nio had already visited this city, he was still fascinated by this fantasy scene.