52. What About This Instead of a Patent?
“What the hell is this?”
Karl was walking after the morning lecture when the Four Idiots suddenly grabbed him.
They dragged him straight to the lounge and thrust a stack of pristine white documents right in his face.
“Looks like a fake enlistment form. If it is, I’ll break every last limb of yours.”
“What? Even if we went crazy, we wouldn’t go that far!”
“Yeah, yeah. Karl. That crossed a line.”
“…”
That’s true. Sorry. Even I think re-enlisting is crossing a line.
“So what is this, then?”
“Read it for yourself.”
“It’s not a loss for you at all.”
“On the contrary, it’s a gain. A big gain.”
“Karl, you’ll like it too?”
So what the hell is it? If you just tell me what it is, where does it help, you idiots?
With a sigh, Karl started carefully examining the documents they handed him.
“Hmm…”
*thud*
“Hey, you guys.”
“Yeah! Karl.”
“Has your family sent you some allowance?”
“Eh?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?!”
No. If it’s not that, why would you go through all this trouble?
He waved the pristine papers in front of the Four Idiots. More precisely, patent applications.
“If it’s not that, why bother with this?”
The Four Idiots had handed him patent applications. And the content was all about fish bread and hotteok.
Starting from the name, shape, color, manufacturing method, even the tools and molds to make them.
It seemed they had prepared everything that could be patented and were ready to snatch it up with a triumphant “Hee hee!”
“Why, Karl? It’s obvious, right?”
“So what’s the obvious reason?”
Schlippen crossed his arms and shouted boldly.
“Winter’s coming soon!”
“That’s right.”
“I’ve been thinking about it during the festival period. The colder it gets, the better it sells! Because it’s warm! And easy to eat! Sweet!”
“That’s also true.”
“If we can spread this widely across the Empire, there’s a high probability it’ll become a national snack overnight! It’s very high, I’d say!”
Sometimes I think these kids really are in the same boat as me.
How do they know that fish bread and hotteok sell well in winter and become national snacks.
Seeing their confidence, I can’t help but doubt it.
“So we talked about it, Karl.”
Wilhelm, picking up Schlippen’s words, opened his mouth in a somewhat serious tone.
“We’ll patent it, get fair compensation, and spread it across the Empire. If things go well as we expect, we can sit back and rake in money. There’s nothing better for winter snacks.”
“Well, that’s true. But why are you telling me this in front of me?”
“You’re asking the obvious. It’s ridiculous for the creator of this, Karl, to not know and then have you guys pull off some scheme.”
The other three nodded vigorously at Wilhelm’s words.
So, it’s like, as the creator, you should include your name in this patent, right?
“Fine. You guys do it. I’m out.”
“What?”
“You guys do it. The patent. I’ll yield.”
I only suggested the concept. The ones who pulled it off to the highest level at the festival recently were them.
In other words, the Four Idiots here are the ones who confirmed the possibility of success with the patent.
I know how much money can be made with a patent. But there’s no reason to risk my life for money.
Our family isn’t some tiny rural fiefdom, and we’re the top count family.
Besides, we already get huge pensions from the Empire because of the Medal of Honor.
“The ones who made it a great success are you guys. I just conceptualized the mold and helped with odd jobs later.”
“Hey, Karl. Still!”
“Do you know how much money I’ll get if the patent application is accepted?”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just sign your name. We’ll handle the rest.”
“You’re not trying to make us heartless bastards, are you?”
No, not that. I really don’t need the money. You idiots.
By the way, you guys seem to have forgotten that I’m a Medal of Honor recipient.
If a guy like that patents something about eating and makes a lot of money, it’d look pretty bad, right?
“Here. Look. Who am I?”
“Karl?”
“Karl Adelheit.”
“A returning student.”
“One of us.”
Damn it. How did you all get it wrong when you were shouting?
“…”
Ah. No. I can’t call it wrong. Looking closely, they’re all right.
“Some of the things they said are correct, but still, not that.”
He tapped his chest. More precisely, the place where the medal is. Alexander let out an “Ah!” and cheered.
“Medal of Honor recipient?”
“Correct. Alexander. I’ll give you 10 points.”
“Waaaaah!”
“…”
No, it’s a joke, but if you react that sincerely, it’s weird.
“Here. I’m a Medal of Honor recipient, right?”
“Yeah. But?”
“But, not but. Schlippen. If people see a Medal of Honor recipient applying for a patent and making money, they might misunderstand. ‘Oh, the Medal of Honor recipient must be poor!’”
Then Schlippen tilted his head.
“What does patent have to do with being poor. After all, the patent came out to have legitimate rights to the concept or mold I proposed or something I made, right?”
“…”
When it’s like this, why is that guy who is so sharp normally a fool?
He doesn’t even say to enlist. He even submits a sick leave application. Etc.
“Schlippen is right. Karl. The patent isn’t bad.”
“Of course not, Joachim. But we have to think about appearances. I think Medal of Honor recipients have to be more careful because they receive respect and admiration from the Empire more than others.”
Alexander, who seemed to have been persuaded to some extent, nodded first.
Then Schlippen and Wilhelm also muttered ‘That could be.’
“But doing it just among us is too…”
However, Joachim seemed to think that Karl should still have his share.
You kids. You have integrity and conscience, no matter who the protagonists are. Yeah. Romantic success!
“…”
If it’s really that troubling, Joachim. And you guys too.
Looking at the guys, a good idea suddenly popped into my head.
I had been thinking about it before, but it was too big a task, so I hadn’t done anything about it.
“Could I use some of the money earned from the patent as I say?”
“How, Karl?”
“Just say it. I’ll listen.”
“Would you create a foundation?”
The Four Idiots looked at me with “Foundation?” and simultaneously.
“Yeah. A foundation. More precisely, it would be like a pension foundation for disabled veterans.”
*
Schlippen looked at Karl, who was enthusiastically explaining the foundation.
“The Empire is also promoting many support policies. It’s not that there’s not enough, but because there are many good points in various aspects, we’re suggesting to create a foundation.”
“First of all, it’s good because it creates a social perception that the money used by Empire citizens will return to those who fought for the Empire, and they feel their hard work is recognized. And not just disabled veterans, but their families too…”
“There’s no need to make it extremely huge. The Empire is already implementing various policies for disabled veterans in terms of war and welfare. We just need to add an appropriate arm to it.”
Sometimes, Karl looks at the world with eyes different from us.
He’s the same age as me, same gender, same noble, same class.
How does he have such vision? How can he have such confidence?
Is the power of the army really that great? Did soldier life help that much?
“Hey, Schlippen.”
Wilhelm next to him poked his side.
“What do you think? That. The disabled veterans’ pension foundation.”
“…”
If I give a negative opinion, it’ll make me look like a really bad guy?
“Not that. Isn’t it a bit strange to just use part of the money from patenting the patent?”
I looked at Wilhelm with a look that said what are you talking about.
Then, the son of Marquis Gramstad, Wilhelm Fritz, smiled.
“Since we’re doing it, let’s borrow the family’s power and do it properly.”
“Family power?”
“Yeah. It’s a good thing. It’s something that should be done.”
Karl’s intention was simply to use the money that comes to his share as he says.
But Wilhelm didn’t stop there and seemed to see it even broader and larger.
“Of course it should be done. It doesn’t make sense to just use it as money that returns to Karl. That would be abandoning our duty as nobles.”
“…”
Actually, I thought so too. So, not only the money from the patent, but also part of the money from the sale of snacks later will be used for the pension foundation’s operating funds.
A foundation that comprehensively cares not only for disabled veterans but also for their families.
Not just something the Empire does by law, but a voluntary heart to help them.
“What do you think? Alexander. Joachim.”
“It’s the obvious thing. Would Karl do such a thing only for his share? Do we have no conscience?”
“The Imperial Count of Tierdal votes in favor of the pension foundation.”
The Four Idiots, who took advantage of Karl’s excitement about the pension foundation and neglected for a moment, decided to seriously consider the pension foundation among the successors of the Marquis of Adria, Marquis of Gramstad, Imperial Count of Brune, and Imperial Count of Tierdal.
All positive and serious.