First voting

An elder added, "All of us will monitor your academic performance. Those who do well will get better rewards, and we will openly back you. While those who lag will be left alone to survive. We don't want weakling on the bench, so all of you better become serious."

All the kids nodded their heads.

The old head looked at the candidates. "I believe all of you understand the basic rules. Now before we move to this year of voting, I want a sentence from each candidate. A sentence that they believe suits them best." 

This made everyone focused on the 4 candidates. All of them were curious about what kind of sentence each of the candidates would say. 

Blake stood up first. He looked around the chamber, and then his gaze stopped at the old head and said, "I am the best and will lead the family to be the best."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Many children, all the generals, and a few elders clapped at him. Blake bowed down and sat down. 

Next to stand up was Jenny. She showed one finger and said, "I will make the family first in the alliance." 

Whoa! Clap! Clap!

A mix of shocked and clapping reactions came. It looked like nobody expected such a bold statement from her. She bowed and sat down. 

Tim was next to stand up. He pulled his robe a little outward and said, "Others say I'm already doing." 

Clap! Clap! clap!

Many claps, especially everyone in the robes, as well as a few elders. 

At last, it was time for Drake to speak. Kane got up and looked around with a crazy wide smile on his face. He saw nobody seemed to be interested in listening to him. 

Drake's voice came, [What are you planning to speak?] 

Kane ignored Drake, looked into the old head's eyes, and said, "I will do anything to live." 

Silence!

No claps, no surprise, nothing. Instead, many frowned at his statement. Some of them even had disappointed looks on their face. Not caring about them, he sat down. 

Drake's inner voice came in happiness, [Well said] 

Kane smiled, <haha glad you like that.>

[Yeah, no point begging these guys. It is not like anyone will vote for me based on this one sentence.] 

<Haha true but need to change that for the next meeting.> 

The old head said at this moment, "Now it's time for the first voting. Everyone needs to announce who they are going to vote for. Let's start with the old generation to the current and at last new generation."

Old Head was the first to vote, and he said, "For this time, I vote for Jenny." 

The elder next to him said, "I vote for Jenny." 

2nd elder said, "I vote for Blake."

3rd elder, "I vote for Blake." 

4th and 5th elders both choose Jenny. 

6th elder voted for Tim while 7 elders also selected Tim. 

The 8th elder chose Jenny.

The 9th elder paused and looked at him but then said, "I vote for Jenny," while shaking his head. 

The last elder just said the name, "Blake." 

Kane said to Drake, < so out of 11 old-gen votes, Blake got 3, Tim 2, and Jenny 6. Your stepsister is quite popular in the old generation.>

[Yeah, but I am surprised Tim only gets 2 votes. It looks like Uncle does not have much influence among other households.] 

The next round of the current generation started and in this round, all 3 army generals voted for Blake. 

<Geez, 6 this makes Jenny and Blake tied at votes your mother sure has massive control over the army.> 

[She is a war champion, after all.]

<Sigh all her support for one kid, leaving nothing the other.> 

Drake said nothing. 

The last round started, the first four votes were candidates, and all of them voted for themselves. 

The first 4 kids voted for Jenny, whereas the next 5 kids voted for Blake. 

Two kids voted for Tim. Only 2 votes left and the vote count so far is 11 votes for Jenny, 5 votes for Tim, 12 votes for Blake, and 1 vote for Drake. No one going to get the young Lord's position, but if Blake got 1 more vote, he would win this year's voting and would get extra benefits. On the other hand, Drake was on the verge of failing this year's voting. 

The second last vote came to Jenny making a tie between them once again. 

Drake's voice came, [Going by the pattern Blake is about to win. Only the kid of the last elder left, so if same to assume she will follow her elder.] 

Kane shook his head, < no, it's not that simple. I believe this vote will be a waste vote.> 

[Why?]

<Well, the rule of voting forces members to choose at least one candidate. The catch is not every household decides who support right. So what do you think those people want from this voting?>

[A draw where no one gets extra benefit.] 

<Correct. Now if she votes for either Jenny or Blake, will offend the other party.>

[Going by this logic, if she wastes the vote, won't both parties get offended?]

< They will but won't do anything. It's a game of balance. If one does badly I go to another and vice versa this way none do badly.> 

[Ah, so it's like this.]

The last girl looked around with a stoic face. Her gaze paused at him and she said while smiling at him, "I vote for Tim."

Kane's face fell. He shook his head, < she doesn't have to do that.> 

Drake's voice came, [Well, it's not like you expect to receive her vote.]

Before Kane replied to Drake, Jenny said loudly, "Thank you, everyone, for voting for me."

Blake and Tim followed the suite. Kane also stood up. The smile crept back on his face as he said in a contracting manner, "Thank you everyone for giving me this chance for survival." He looked at the bench. "I hope to see many of you smiling next time." With that, he sat back. 

No one said anything for a moment, then the old head said to him, "Kid, there's a saying, 'You reap what you sow.' It is not the family but your action." 

All the others started whispering and nodding at the old head statement. 

Kane said nothing. He knew a barking dog had no respect. He just nodded to the old head and sat there quietly. 

The old head announced, "This marks the end meeting. Jenny, Blake, and Tim, you guys can give me your list by tomorrow." With that, Old Head walked out of the chamber. Behind him, others also started moving out of the chamber. 

When all the elders and army generals moved out, Blake stood up and, instead of going to the path behind, he started walking toward Drake.