[401-600] THE MECH'S TOUCH

Chapter 402: Final Sprint

Too many people tried to make a living as a mech designer. Due to a low barrier of entry combined with substantial capital requirements, most people who graduated with a degree in mech design managed to to get one foot through the door.

That did not mean they immediately became full-fledged mech designers. Getting the other foot through as well took an extraordinary amount of effort. Without talent, wealth or connections, most mech designers turned into overqualified mech technicians or marginal businesspeople who only sold two mechs a year or so.

Obviously, these low-ranking mech designers really didn't do anything useful, so by and large they wouldn't be missed if they were pulled out of their current jobs.

Like any state, the Bright Republic faced an abundance of mech designers and a shortage of technical personnel. Using an abundance of one resource to make up for the scarcity in the other made a lot of sense.

The truth was that low-ranking mech designers used up a lot of resources that could have been spent more productively. For example, property prices in Bentheim reached insane levels due to the sheer amount of mech designers setting down their workshops on the same planet.

Bluntly said, without culling them every once in a while, the Bright Republic's mech industry would eventually turn into a stagnant and lethargic environment.

Due to his upbringing, Ves understood some of the opinions policy makers held towards mech designers. After enlightening Carlos with what he knew, his friend fell silent.

"So they're treating us as a nuisance, is that right?" He asked.

"It's not so bad. In the previous wars, many mech designers died, but those who thrived during the chaos went on to reinvigorate their careers after the war. Don't see it as a burden, but instead, look at it as a precious opportunity to polish your abilities under the most ruthless training program imaginable."

While neither the Bright Republic or the Vesia Kingdom ever admitted it, the Bright-Vesia Wars invigorated the states and ceaselessly improved their military might. The cost was great, but the consumption of less well-performing assets gave ample room for things that worked better.

This applied to both mech pilots and mech designers. States that rarely engaged in war always lost their edge over time as their underlying inefficiencies spread through their ranks like an incurable disease.

"You sure see the bright side in everything." Carlos chuckled. "If you ask any other mech designer, they want to do everything they can to avoid being sent to the frontlines."

While Ves believed in what he said, he mostly wanted to console his friend and shift his mindset to a more productive mindstate.

"That's the difference between you and the rest. Mech designers should never stop improving their skills. Every challenge is a valuable experience that can enrich your skills and your design philosophy. I hope that by the time you return to the LMC, you can assist me in designing its next mechs."

Carlos immediately perked up. "Is that a promise?!"

"Haha! I knew that would catch your attention." Ves smiled and retrieved a small box before passing it to him. "It's not a promise, but a possibility. As long as you can show you've progressed, then the LMC will open its doors to your design input."

That meant a lot to Carlos. He knew more than anyone else how much Ves obsessed over the quality of his products. Ves always took control over the entire design process because he trusted no one else to do a good job.

"What's in this box?"

"Open it up."

Four shiny pills rested in the box. The glimmered in yellow and it appeared as if they had been shaped by the sun.