novelraw Chapter 201: Patent
Chapter 201: Patent
Patricia’s surprised expression turned into one of confusion.
"Me? Director, I want to help too, but how am I supposed to stop the Head Corporations?"
"You will go to the Head Corporations, and get us a patent for the Severity Level Reduction Technology. I’m busy with operations right now, so you’re the only one who can do this."
Patricia blinked.
"...A patent?" she repeated. "How would that help us right now?"
Lyra paused for a brief moment.
She leaned back slightly, her fingers hovering above the machine as alarms and data streams continued to scroll past.
The hum of equipment filled the brief silence.
Each Corporation under the System Church owned at least one unique technology.
That technology was the reason they controlled their Sectors, and why no independent organization (coined Illegal Authorities) could challenge them openly.
To commercialize any technology, a Corporation had to receive a patent from the Head Corporations.
The patent was a form of protection.
It allowed a Corporation to sell the technology legally, and more importantly, if anyone else tried to use that technology without permission, the Head Corporations would step in and crush them without hesitation.
"Did you notice something, Patricia?" Lyra asked, still not answering directly. "We’ve had the Severity Level Reduction Technology for a while now, but Doc never told us to get a patent. Not once. Even though he was already planning to commercialize it."
Patricia frowned and thought back.
"Now that you have said this... He did mention he planned to commercialize the technology, but then... why didn’t he push for a patent immediately if commercialization was always the goal?
"He even told me that he planned to get promoted to Co-director and change the company name in exchange for letting you take the patent, Director.
"But it’s weird how he never talked about ’when’ we should get the patent," Patrica said.
Lyra’s lips twitched.
Doc was good-natured. At least, that was how she saw him as.
But he was arrogant, too.
They hadn’t even discussed leadership changes seriously, and he had already decided that he would become Co-director?
That she would just accept it?
Suppressing the sarcastic remark threatening to slip out, Lyra spoke evenly.
"Doc delayed the patent on purpose."
Patricia’s brows knitted together. "What do you mean?"
Lyra returned to the machine, adjusting the output flow while speaking.
"The City’s biggest pursuit—no, the System Church’s biggest pursuit—is the System itself. That’s why the Head Corporations place so much value on Saints.
"Saints are proof. Proof that they’re getting closer to a technology that allows direct connection to the System.
"And now, L Corp has the Severity Level Reduction Technology," Lyra said.
Something clicked in Patricia’s mind.
She inhaled sharply.
She muttered, "Right now, the technology can reduce Severity to Level 2 for all cyborgs. That alone is already something no one else has managed to do. If we could reduce it by just one more level... Level 1..."
Patricia looked up, her eyes wide.
"Every cyborg we create would qualify as a Saint."
Lyra nodded.
Severity Level Reduction Technology could currently only reduce Severity to Level 2.
But the Head Corporations didn’t know that.
They would assume it had the potential to reduce Severity all the way to Level 1.
And that assumption changed everything.
Patricia swallowed.
"So once the patent is announced..." she began slowly, "...everyone will want to see it."
"Yes," Lyra said.
"All mechanics will gather. Researchers. Inspectors. Representatives from every faction. And since no one trusts anyone, they’ll bring guards—Saints and powerful automatons.
"All the powerful figures and authorities that will be there will be focused on us. On the technology we have brought."
Patrica’s breathing grew a little faster as she pieced everything together.
"That means the Head Corporations’ response to the war will be delayed. They won’t mobilize immediately. By the time they realize what’s happening, it’ll already be too late.
"That means the patent will buys us time," Patricia finished.
System Church was massive, and like all massive organizations, it had many factions.
The existence of the rule that forbade wars between Corporations was proof enough of that.
If the Corporations had been allies, such a rule would never have existed.
It had been created because wars allowed Corporations to expand their influence, gain territory, and eventually challenge the authority of the Head Corporations themselves.
Factional conflict was constant. Open hostility was merely restrained.
And if all factions were forced to gather in one place to evaluate a new patented technology, none of them would lower their guard.
Every faction would suspect the others of plotting something.
Every delegation would arrive armed.
Which meant the Head Corporations’ combat forces, their Saints, and their high-ranking authorities would be occupied.
They would be late to stop the war.
A technology that could allow them to connect to system had more priority than war between two Corporations.
Patricia suddenly froze.
Her eyes widened as a realization struck her.
"Wait. You said Doc delayed the patent on purpose," she exclaimed.
Lyra didn’t respond immediately.
"Does that mean..." Patricia’s voice dropped. "Does that mean Doc planned this? That he planned to use the patent announcement to buy time for the war to end, and for us to rescue him?"
"Yes," Lyra answered quietly.
A bitter smile crossed her face.
The fact that she was making decisions under pressure, only to realize that Doc had likely predicted all of them in advance, left an unpleasant taste in her mouth.
Patricia didn’t notice the expression. Her thoughts were racing.
"This doesn’t make sense. How could he be so sure we’d go to war for him?"
Patricia stopped mid-sentence.
"...Unless he already knew us."
Unless he had studied L Corp before ever joining it.
Their values. Their habits. Their past.
Unless Rune Sage had chosen L Corp deliberately, knowing exactly how they would respond if he was captured.
The casual excuse he had used—the L Corp’s director is easy on the eyes, so I will join them—suddenly felt hollow and calculated.
Patricia shivered.
For the first time, the good-natured Doc looked terrifying.
"Patricia."
Lyra’s voice cut through her thoughts.
"Whatever his intentions are, he helped us with Severity Level Reduction Technology, so now it’s our turn to do the same."