Chapter 74: Patents

Just as Morin was wondering who might be the ‘expert’ in his vicinity regarding his situation, there was a gentle knock on his door.

“Morin… Morin, are you asleep?”

Ludwig’s deliberately lowered voice came from outside the door.

Morin got up and opened the door, seeing the Teutonic Knight peer in furtively, dressed in a plain-colored patient gown.

“Lieutenant Colonel? Why are you out? Your wounds haven’t healed yet, have they?” Morin asked, somewhat surprised.

“Shhh,” Ludwig made a silencing gesture, then squeezed inside and quickly closed the door.

He limped to the table and sat down. After glancing around the room, he looked eagerly at Morin and whispered, “Good brother, do you have any wine?”

Morin understood immediately. This guy was likely suffering from alcohol withdrawal, or he wouldn’t suddenly call him ‘good brother’ or any of that…

As a patient, Ludwig was strictly forbidden from drinking alcohol in the field hospital.

Those dutiful medical sergeants had probably confiscated his entire liquor quota, leaving him craving badly for days.

So, he decided to turn to Morin, an ‘acquaintance,’ for help.

After all, according to the Saxon Army’s logistics regulations, officers were entitled to a weekly liquor quota. Though not much, it was enough to satisfy a craving.

Morin himself never drank in the field, so his quota was definitely still saved up.

“Lieutenant Colonel, the doctor said you can’t drink now. It will affect your wound healing.”

Morin refused seriously.

“Nonsense doctor! I know my own body!”

Ludwig slammed the table, which pulled at his injured ribs, causing him to wince in pain.

He caught his breath, then put on a coaxing smile, leaning toward Morin and hooking his shoulder.

“Morin, just a small sip, I promise just a small sip! Don’t worry. When we return home alive, I promise I will create opportunities for you and my sister, Patricia! I’ll personally arrange for you to meet!”

For a sip of alcohol, the Lieutenant Colonel of the Teutonic Knight Order was even willing to sell out his own sister.

Morin was amused by his behavior.

“You make it sound like it’s a favor to me if your sister ends up with me.”

“Of course, it is!”

Ludwig immediately puffed out his chest and said proudly:

“If this works out, it truly will be a huge favor to you! Our von Seeckt family is a renowned and respectable noble family in Dresden! If you become my brother-in-law, your future career will be a breeze, won’t it?”

He sized up Morin, then clicked his tongue in wonder.

“But seriously, Morin, you really surprised me this time… The man you are now is completely different from the playboy I knew who only chased women at social balls.”

Ludwig’s expression turned serious.

“It seems the battlefield truly can change a person. If before, I sincerely didn’t want my sister to be with someone like you, well, now, my thoughts have really changed…”

“Oh, well, thank you for the Lieutenant Colonel’s high regard.”

Morin annoyedly took a bottle of gin from his marching backpack and picked up a glass from the table.

He poured Ludwig a little less than half a glass, then poured a small amount for himself.

“Just this one glass, as agreed. If the medical sergeants find out, I’m not covering for you.”

“You’re a man of your word!” Ludwig’s eyes lit up at the sight of the liquor. He smiled broadly, carefully took a small sip, and showed an expression of immense satisfaction.

“Ha! It has to be the authentic stuff shipped directly from home!”

He let out a long sigh, as if what he drank wasn’t just alcohol but something extraordinary.

Morin shook his head, seeing his intoxicated look, and also picked up his own glass and took a sip.

The spicy liquid slid down his throat, giving him a burst of clarity.

The two men drank in silence, and the atmosphere in the room was quiet for a while.

Under the dim oil lamp, the two men who had survived the battlefield enjoyed this moment of peace.

“Speaking of which, we owe our survival this time largely to you.”

Ludwig put down his glass, breaking the silence.

“If you hadn’t come up with that thing… the ‘shaped charge anti-armor warhead,’ we would all have been casualties there! Those arrogant fellows from the Guard Knight Order probably never dreamed this day would come!”

“That was also paid for with the lives of those knights, Captain Hauser, and other fallen soldiers,” Morin’s mood dropped slightly.

“Yes…” Ludwig also sighed. “But isn’t that just how war is? However… their sacrifice will not be in vain. The Brigade Commander, the staff officers, and I will ensure that these merits are officially reported.”

He took another sip of his drink, then looked at Morin, as if suddenly remembering something.

“Oh, right, speaking of this ‘shaped charge anti-armor warhead’… when we get back home, you must remember to visit the Imperial Patent Office and apply for the patent.”

“Apply for a patent?” Morin was surprised.

“Of course!”

Ludwig looked at him with an expression that said, ‘Are you stupid?’

“This is your invention, your intellectual property! If you apply for the patent, you’ll receive royalties for every one produced from now on. That’s a huge sum of money!”

“There’s such a good thing?” Morin’s eyes lit up.

He hadn’t thought about any financial returns at the time; it was just an emergency measure for survival.

“Doesn’t that mean I can just retire and count money after registering? As long as Armored Knights exist, I’ll never have trouble selling my ‘anti-armor warhead’~” Morin said, smiling playfully at Ludwig.

“…”

Ludwig stared speechlessly at Morin after hearing his words, finally only able to utter:

“You rogue, your nature really hasn’t changed at all!”

“But don’t get too happy too soon!”

Ludwig’s tone shifted, and his expression became somewhat strange.

“Your ‘shaped charge anti-armor warhead’ is a bit different from ordinary weapon inventions. I estimate it will completely change the future way Armored Knights fight… so there’s a good chance this patent will be classified as a state secret patent.”

“State secret patent? What does that mean?” Morin asked.

“It means this technology can only be controlled and used by the military. No commercial promotion is allowed in any form. In other words, you can’t sell it to other countries or private entities for profit.”

“Ah?” Morin was instantly disappointed. “Does that mean my royalties are off the table too?”

“The royalties are gone, but the Imperial Patent Office will pay you a lump-sum compensation fee.”

Ludwig recalled the details and replied:

“However, the exact amount of this money depends entirely on how hard you fight for it.”

“Fight for it? How do I fight for it?”

“You sue them.”

Ludwig uttered a phrase that left Morin dumbfounded.

“Sue… sue them?” Morin suspected he had misheard. “Sue who?”

“The Imperial Patent Office, and the military.”

Ludwig said calmly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

(End of this Chapter)