The Mech Touch

us to buy from their material suppliers.
Only until the Tovars are starting to feel the pinch will they draw back on external commitments.
Our analysts believe that price hikes are unavoidable in the near term and getting cut off from several important materials is a very real possibility in the long term. ”

At first, it sounded bad, but Raymond didn ’t appear very distressed.

”It could be worse. ”

Raymond concurred.
”The LMC already enjoyed a good run on the eve of the next mech generation.
We ’ve surpassed a million total sales in the history of our mech company! Think of how impactful that is and how much money we ’ve earned! It won ’t be a problem if the LMC ends production and tries to coast along for the next few decades! ”

Of course, they would never do that.
Ves had to keep designing and selling more mechs in order to advance his design philosophy.

He understood Raymond ’s point.
They didn ’t have to be too remorseful if the economic circumstances worsened.

Ves definitely expected the economy to take a nosedive.
Monthly inflation had already surpassed 30 percent in recent days while the price of many goods had shot up as they became less abundant.

”This only concerns our operations in the Bright Republic, right? ”

”Don ’t think that the situation is better elsewhere.
Many foreign third-party manufacturers have signalled an intention to stop producing the Soldier mechs because they ’re not economically viable anymore.
In fact, our partners from the Reinald Republic and other hard-hit states have stopped communicating with us entirely.
Perhaps they ’re still producing some Desolate Soldiers, but we can forget about receiving our fees. ”

”Even when the Reinald Republic is falling apart, its people still want to scam us one last time. ” Ves grimaced.

”It ’s not as if there will be any court left standing to prosecute them for their contract breaches. ”

In general, the economic outlook of the entire region worsened considerably more than Ves initially expected.
The sandmen truly disrupted the regional supply chains more severely than many companies could cope.

Even the states that were safer such as those in the fourth line of defense weren ’t looking too good.
Due to the interconnectedness of trade, the deterioration taking place in one state also impacted the economy of another state!

The consequence was that it was not very useful to shift production in the safer states such as the Independent State of Pillis which would be next if the sandmen managed to break the Bright Republic.

Both Ves and Raymond discussed the possibility of production stopping entirely in the coming half year or sooner.

Production would instead shift to producing only the most essential supplies and war materiel.

”I hope this production shift won ’t take place before I ’m ready to publish my next commercial mech design. ” He muttered.

”When do you expect to unveil your new mech design? ”

”Not too long.
A month at most, maybe a little longer.
We have to get it right at once since its mech concept is very radical and difficult to believe. ”

Though Ves and Gloriana directed most of their focus towards designing the Adonis Colossus, they still made sure to keep the Deliverer project alive.

The former project was already nearing the phase.
Once they finished implementing the defensive augments on the Adonis Colossus design and made some other tweaks, Ves could hand off the optimization and prototype testing phases to his design team.

Of course that would also be the time when Ves had to prepare its design spirit, which was something he was still holding off due to the recent changes in direction.

”Compared to the custom mech project, the Deliverer project is much more important to our future and the future of our state. ” Raymond remarked.
”Do you think it will work? ”

”It has to.
I know it sounds rather dubious, but don ’t discount it right away.
The Ylvainans will definitely surprise us with their uncanny performance.
They already managed to do so with my Transcendent Messengers and Holy Soldiers. ”

”I think you ’re giving them too much credit.
The success of your work rests mainly in their sound design and fantastic glows.
I have high expectations for the glow that comes with your Deliverer mechs.
Is there really no way to make them compatible with Brighter mech pilots? ”

Ves firmly shook his head.
”Glows don ’t work the way you think they do.
We settled on describing this phenomenon as a glow because it was the most neutral option available.
If you think of it in different terms, such as a soul, then you ’d understand why only Ylvainans can unleash the full potential of the Deliverer. ”

”I see… ” Raymond answered skeptically.

Though the Larkinson elder possessed a good understanding of mechs and how to run a mech company, he was too new to understand the LMC ’s principles.

Like any Brighter, Raymond looked down on religion and superstition.
In his perspective, the glows that had become the trademark of the LMC ’s products was simply some kind of unexplained metaphysical phenomena.
Even though it was rather mysterious, everyone had grown rather used to them after witnessing so many mechs with the same properties.

”At least there is one upside to making the Deliverer exclusive to Ylvainans. ” Ves grinned.
”I can jack up the price considerably without worrying about scaring away too many customers.
My credibility with the Ylvainans is so high that they ’ll buy anything I produce. ”

Raymond frowned.
”Take care not to break that trust.
Many companies wish to have the relationship you ’ve managed to forge with the Ylvainan people. ”

”It doesn ’t matter if the Ylvaine Protectorate falls due to failing to repel the sandmen.
In fact, we don ’t even have to raise our prices of our Deliverer mechs.
With how much cash we have, we can afford to subsidize the production of Deliverers if that is what it takes to get them in the hands of our customers as quickly as possible. ”

Ves was willing to do this because he believed that his Deliverers were to winning the Sand War!

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