Chapter 2570: The Arrival of the Akola Artists

————Still half left, probably another 40 minutes or so~~

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Finally, Xia Duo experienced the Speaker Permission Level again. Just like before, he did not find any problems. The completion level of this Remote Conference System by Niya was unexpectedly high, so high that he could barely offer any new suggestions.

As for some minor details, he could offer quite a few suggestions, but Niya already knew about these; she just hadn't focused on them because she was in a rush to show him the prototype. Niya would certainly be able to fix them before heading to Seventon.

"Your performance this time really exceeded my expectations. This Remote Conference System is done very well! If you must have me offer suggestions, then I can only say, do a good job with the encryption. Also, when you go to Seventon, apply for a patent, both for the implementation form and the Spell details."

Hearing Xia Duo's earlier words, Niya was still a bit shy, but by the end, her attention was immediately drawn to the implementation form patent that Xia Duo mentioned, and she couldn't help but ask:

"I can understand applying for a patent for Spell details, but how can one apply for a patent for an implementation form? Others don't necessarily have to use our Spells to realize this remote conference function."

"Of course you can! In my view, as long as there is a considerable degree of unique innovation, one can apply for a patent. Although remote conferencing is not the first to appear, we are the ones who standardized it, which is also worthy of a patent opportunity," Xia Duo explained calmly.

In fact, the questions Niya raised simply did not exist on Earth. Let alone innovation in implementation forms, even changing a material or a new shell could lead to a new patent application.

Therefore, on Earth, patent applications were often filed in long strings to block the paths of others as much as possible. Of course, from another perspective, applying for a patent also meant disclosure. Once the patent term expired, others could use it at no cost. Even during the patent period, others could not conduct research, it was just that they could not use it commercially.

Walking out of the Laboratory, Xia Duo teleported directly to the Cultural Center on the ground. After contacting Lawrence and confirming that the other party was still rehearsing, Xia Duo went to the Cultural Center first to find an office and waited patiently.

Currently, Netheril's patents were only those directly related to Magic, and it was mandatory to collect patent fees from various Mage Tower organizations, not from individuals. As long as an individual had the ability to acquire new Knowledge and new technology, the Arcane Union would not interfere at all.

Regarding the patent issue, Xia Duo had more confidence in the current new Council, but he was also worried that as the power structure stabilized later, all parties would begin to slack off. Therefore, he had to inject his own influence as much as possible while he could still exert influence in the early stages.

Consequently, for a considerable period, Xia Duo needed to lead or provide Guidance to Netheril, using the overall strength of Netheril to complete the construction of a true great nation, so as to cope with future challenges.

If one were to cast their gaze even further, by leading the Northland Alliance through Netheril, one could further integrate the entire Xilu, and even the entire strength of the Dong Bu Di Qu.

The current Northland's situation was changing with each passing day. Ye Er Ken and Keman had already completed centralization reforms. The next step, of course, was to seek further strength, just like Yinerfalang.

That was a more refined way of putting it; more bluntly, it was that some people would rather not have patent fees than see more people acquire new Knowledge and new technology, and they even placed heavy restrictions on existing public Knowledge.

As for why this was the case, the theft of the Nether Scroll could only be considered an inducement; the reality was that some vested interests wanted to block the path for latecomers. This was just like how the rich most wanted to prevent others from becoming rich, rather than bringing others to wealth.

This immediately made him think of Lawrence's plan. Perhaps there were already some results at this moment. The current stage was the most critical period for shaping the Territory's culture, and he had to focus on it to avoid an unstable foundation.

Fortunately, in this world and this era, things had not yet reached the point of complete rigidity, and with the addition of Xia Duo, the situation had taken on a brand-new change.

Although it was a question, Xia Duo's tone was quite certain. It was not just that he was waiting for Niya's notification; in fact, while waiting for Lawrence to come over, he had already confirmed the existence of those Elves.

……

So, back on Earth, as long as one believed they could keep it secret, then of course one did not have to apply for a patent.

But the decrease in registered patents was actually a result, not a cause. The root of everything was still the conservative atmosphere in Netheril over the past hundred years.

Rulers would instinctively shape the ideology of the whole society according to their own will. The more advanced the technology, the more solid the ideological barriers would become, because that was resisting the entire world.

Among them, two were even still visiting the Floating City now! Even if ten more Floating Cities were built, there had to be people to operate them. The theory of weapons-only was not acceptable, not to mention that Xia Duo himself opposed meaningless wars.

Xia Duo called this step the true great nation strategy, but the late-starting Xia Ling had limited population after all. Even if they opened up childbirth and introduced new populations, it would be difficult to catch up with the Elf nations for a considerable period.

Don't look at how his Floating City now awes the Northland and the South; it was just like a single nuclear bomb. Others might be afraid, but once a full-scale war broke out, his meager assets would not be enough to fight.

Because in the eyes of those people, wealth and power became the standard for measuring the high and low status of people. Once latecomers possessed wealth or power similar to theirs, they would naturally feel a loss of the sense of superiority derived from wealth and power.

On the spot, from a more long-term perspective, Xia Duo naturally still hoped that the Xia Ling he directly controlled could become a pole on its own and lead the entire Plane.

"I heard that some Elf artists have come to the Territory recently?"

Before long, Lawrence ran over to the office where Xia Duo was. "Sorry to have kept the Lord waiting for so long. I wonder what Indication you have for me?"

Of course, Netheril had developed for so many years that a large amount of Knowledge had long since become public Knowledge. It was just that in the past hundred years, fewer people had registered patents, making it seem as if Magic development had stagnated.

It is conceivable that as long as thinking does not progress, even if technology is advanced, it will only lead to more severe exploitation, and ideological progress under more advanced technology will be exceptionally difficult.

……

That was why Xia Duo could say without a moment's hesitation—I have arrived, and the people here are blessed.

Because from the moment the patent was born, all Mage Tower organizations in Netheril had already started paying fees. Once the Arcane Union and the patent owner received the money, they naturally would not care about anything else.

So no matter what those people said, as long as it was possible, what those people actually did was to prevent latecomers from acquiring wealth and power.

In this way, whether it was to deal with the possible return of the Eastern World or an invasion from an Other Plane that also only existed in probability, they would not be a scattered mess.

To summarize, patents generally have two major benefits: one is to protect the interests of the creator, and the other is to promote technological progress.

After Niya left, Xia Duo also left the Laboratory, because before Niya left, she told him that quite a few Elf artists had come to the Territory recently.

Even if there had been no incident of the Nether Scroll being stolen, those people would have found other excuses, or even not bothered to find an excuse at all.