At the edge of the park, past the capital's lake…

Straf stands in front of a large, wrought iron gate. Ducks' faint quacking comes from behind his back, and the sun low in the sky struggles to shine some light on the dirt road amidst the trees. Straf sizes his opponent up, the gate menacing with black spikes along its top, threatening to impale anyone brave enough to attempt to climb it.

Two heavily armored men approach the gate from the inside, when they realize Straf is not a random wanderer that has stumbled across the estate. They have seen him for quite some time in fact, but only now have decided to approach.

「You. What are you looking for?」

One of the men calls out, drawing Straf's eyes from the spikes above to themselves.

「I'm here to see the fat bald prick. Who the fuck does that cocky bastard think he is?」

Straf replies with his mouth slanted into a somewhat displeased scowl. The men behind the gate glance at each other.

「…Who?」

Behind his narrow helmet slit, the man's eyes return to Straf. His voice reverberates slightly through the shiny metal.

「Tsk. He tell you to act dumb? The fat bald fucker who thinks he can rig the elections all by himself, without the government's help.」

Straf clicks his tongue, growing ever more displeased by the minute as he walks closer to the gate.

「He's not fat, though…」

「…Or bald.」

The armored men glance at each other and comment, unsure what to say otherwise.

「The owner of this place! The magnate! Since he's oh-so-fuckin'-busy and can't find the time to see me, I've come to see him myself! He better be thankful, 'cause the next visit will be with tax goons!」

Straf says in a loud voice, nearly shouting at the men with his hand in his pocket.

「…Right. Sir Vinis isn't taking any visitors at the time-」

「Open up! I'm comin' in!」

Straf interrupts the guard, nodding his head up at the gate.

「No you're not! I just said he's not taking any visitors-!」

「Tsk. 'scuse me.」

Straf clicks his tongue, places his palm on the center of the gate, and simply starts walking in.

「What the fuck?-」

Crrrrrrreaaaak… Clang!

「Wha-!?」 「Woah!」

The guards cry out in shock when the gate's internal lock snaps, and its pieces come flying past their heads at high speed. Slightly bent at the center, the gate swings open without offering much resistance after the lock.

「H- Hey! Hold it!」

The guard shouts, and the men draw their swords while backpedaling in front of Straf.

「Stop right there, or I'll-!」

One of the men raises his sword above his head, menacing Straf with it.

「Hey! I'm from the government! You swing that at me, and you won't live to face the consequences!」

Outright growling, Straf points at him menacingly. Still holding his sword above his helmet, the armored man's impetus dies down, and he instead holds his empty gauntlet out towards Straf along with his partner.

Straf continues walking towards the mansion doors, only nominally opposed by the guards' shouting and flaccidly threatened by the swords waving above their heads.

「Stop! Stop right there!」 「One more step-! One more step and I'll-! You can't just-!」

「Make me.」

Straf nonchalantly replies, placing his hand back in his pocket and ignoring the guards' desperate demands.

「I said stop! Stop!」

「I said make me.」

Straf scoffs at the guard as he jumps right in front of him, only to backpedal some more when Straf is about to walk into him. They run a few paces back and place themselves in front of the mansion door, spreading their arms to block the way.

A maid opens one of the oaken doors, peering out and under the guard's armpit to see what's the commotion. Straf continues onward, approaching the guards.

「Not one step further!-」

「I said 'scuse me.」

Like a man-shaped bulldozer, Straf continues completely unopposed despite the physical obstruction. He pushes the door ajar, sending the maid stumbling backwards as he ignores the guards' arms in the way.

「Wah!」

She exclaims, stomping her heels on the hardwood floor in an effort to regain balance.

「…Go tell him! Go tell Sir Vinis! Go!」

One of the armored men commands the other. He nods, and runs off up the broad, red-carpeted stairs in the center. The remaining guard feebly continues opposing Straf, while the horrified maid unwittingly finds herself in the way as well.

「Aa- Aaaahh!…」

The maid yelps. A single glare from Straf sends her fleeing backwards, hugging the silver tray close to her chest for comfort. She rams her back into the wall and tries to make herself small as Straf approaches the stairs.

「Is he up there? I'll rip his fucking wig right off his bald head… Bet he thinks nobody knows…」

Straf asks the maid, nodding up at the direction the guard ran off to. She remains too terrified by the sudden invasion to reply.

The other armored man returns with his sword sheathed, and he waves his arms at his partner, shaking his helmet side to side. This gives his partner a momentary pause as he falls behind Straf in deep confusion.

「Sir Vinis wants to see you…」

The armored man runs up to tell Straf. His partner sheathes his sword, and they walk with Straf side by side, breathing heavily from fatigue.

「Hoooh? Now he wants to see me? Fuckin' prick. He'll see me alright.」

Straf scoffs, his mouth still angrily aslant. The guards lead him towards an unassuming door, and one of them knocks his gauntlet on the door.

Thud thud.

「Enter.」

A voice calls out from the door.

SLAM!

Straf kicks the door, just as one of men is reaching for the handle. Despite their faces being masked by their helmets, their sheepishly extended gauntlets, and their general body language reveals nothing but utter terror that they allowed this to happen.

With his hand in his pocket and a scowl on his face, Straf enters the room, glaring at the man sitting at a large dark oak desk inside.

「…Minister Vindict, I assume?」

「Ptfoo.」

Straf disdainfully spits on the floor as the man spreads his hands with his elbows on his desk, slightly leaning in. As they would do with a normal guest, the guards move in to Straf's sides.

「Y- Your guest, Sir Vinis…」

Mortified, hanging his head low, the guard announces.

「Leave us, it's alright. The minister simply insists on doing me a favor. Isn't that right, Minister Vindict?」

The man at the desk commands the guards, waving them off with his fingers. Neither fat nor bald, he smiles smugly at both Straf and the guards, lightly supporting his head on his fist. His light brown hair, almost golden, extends way past his head and rests on his shoulders.

His smiling face is only beginning to show the effects of time, with light wrinkles on his forehead and crow's feet at the sides of his eyes. Not any younger than 30, but neither in his 40s, the man's exact age is difficult to pin down, as his face bears signs of youth and old age alike.

「W- Well then… Excuse us…」

The guards bow in quick succession and exit the room, closing the door behind them.

「…Have a-」

Crrrreak.

The door swings open, interrupting Sir Vinis as he points his palm at the chair in front of his desk. Straf looks over his shoulder, and the guards awkwardly back into the doorway.

「Er… Excuse us…」

The helmet in the gap nods, and attempts shutting the door again.

Crrreak.

As soon the guard lets go of the handle, the door slowly swings open again. The guards return and examine its latch closely.

「Er… Sir Vinis, the lock is…」

「…It's torn out, sir…」

The guards explain, their armored shoulders slumped.

「…Never mind the door, get someone to fix it later. Now leave us.」

Veiling his frustration, the magnate sighs and waves the guards off again.

「Right… Sorry… Excuse us…」

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The guards bow repeatedly, and they do their best to close the door again.

Crreak.

It gently swings open just a little, and the magnate sighs again.

「Well, have a seat, minister.」

He says, pointing his palm at the chair in front of him. Glaring at him, Straf pulls the chair out and sits down.

Thud!

Straf throws his boots up on the desk and leans back in his chair, crossing his arms as he glares at the man. This level of audacity surprises even Sir Vinis, who raises his brows a little while looking at the boots.

Leaning in, Sir Vinis interlocks his fingers, and a brief silence begins when they lock their gazes together.

「May I know what happened to your arm, minister?」

He asks, looking at Straf's arm in cast slung onto his neck.

「Work accident.」

「Work accident…」

He nods, quietly echoing Straf's reply. He stands up, and walks up to a cabinet near his side. He opens it, and pulls out a brown bottle. He places it on the desk, and pulls out two low, round, thick crystal drinking glasses and lays one of them in front of Straf, and one in front of his chair.

Kkkrkk… Krrkk. Krrrk… Pop!

He tugs at the cork in the bottle, and after a few tugs, it comes loose with a distinct sound. He pours some of the mostly translucent light brown liquid into Straf's glass, and into his own.

「Do you drink?」

He asks, lifting the glass just below his chin as he sits back down, placing the bottle on the side of the desk.

「Is that an accusation? I don't.」

Straf says with a disdainful glare, rocking slowly in his chair with his arms crossed.

「I do.」

Sir Vinis replies, shrugging his shoulders. He then brings the glass to his lips, and gives it a quick tilt for a large gulp of the contents. He sets the glass down with a steeled exhale.

「So you won't drink with me?」

He asks as Straf reaches for the glass and brings it underneath his nose, giving a few sniffs. Aside from the very obvious yet inoffensive smell of alcohol, the liquid has a faintly sweet note akin to corn, with an indescript dessert in the mix. Perhaps a cake.

「I thought you are a winery magnate.」

Straf comments, and throws the content of the glass into his mouth. He slams the glass down with a loud clunk.

「Oh, I am. I just don't drink wine.」

Sir Vinis replies, nodding his head. He reaches for the bottle, and pours more into Straf's glass.

「Don't dip into your own supply, huh?… Man, you're shit out of luck.」

Straf scoffs, grinning at Sir Vinis when he places the bottle back down.

「And why is that?」

He tilts his head, and some of the hair slips off his shoulder.

「You think this worn-out trick will work? Well, too bad for you, I'm the type of guy who acts exactly the same no matter how many drinks I've had. Now explain yourself.」

Straf demands, glaring at the man. He then takes the glass, and throws the contents down his throat again.

Clunk.

「I believe you're misunderstanding, minister. You're a guest, and guests should be welcomed warmly.」

As quick as the drink is gone, Sir Vinis pours another with a smile.

「Yeah? You're nice and polite now that I'm here. You had the rare chance to talk to someone in the government, and you're like nah fuck you about it?」

Straf asks, throwing his hand up while he raises his brows in an accusatory fashion. He takes the glass and empties it again, before Sir Vinis can even take a sip from his own glass.

「I admit I may have come off as a little crass…」

He says, pouring Straf another drink from the rapidly emptying bottle.

「…But I have meant what I said, minister.」

He sets the bottle down, and interlocks his fingers again, looking Straf in his eyes with a serious face.

「Yeah? What makes you so fuckin' cock-sure you can just win, huh?」

Straf snarls at the magnate with a slanted mouth, glaring daggers at him while pouring the drink down his throat.

Clunk.

「…I am a winery magnate, minister.」

Sir Vinis states in a tone as if it the answer was obvious, shaking his head a little and momentarily unwrapping his fingers from each other to slightly spread his hands.

「So? Last time I checked, elections are won by the people who have the most friends in the government, not the people who own the most wineries.」

Straf says, holding out the empty glass in front of Sir Vinis.

「Isn't it obvious, Minister Vindict? I am a winery magnate. Wineries make money…」

He says, pouring the last of the bottle into Straf's glass. The contents of the glass are gone before Sir Vinis can set the bottle down. He pauses to take a small sip of his own glass, then continues.

「…If you drink wine, it was mine. If you don't drink wine, good chances are that you ate my grapes. I think the only things that I do not produce are the corks and the labels for the bottles.」

「So?」

Unimpressed, Straf shrugs his shoulders as he looks down at his empty glass.

「I own the vineyards. I own the wineries. It's safe to say I make more money than the kingdom itself, after you adjust for expenditures. I run a very efficient business, minister.」

He leans in, once again locking his fingers together, looking Straf in the eyes.

「And you're going to win the election, because?…」

Straf stares at Sir Vinis with a look of disappointment on his face.

「Money, minister. Money. Is it not obvious? The folly of me coming to meet with you, when I have the winning hand already? What's the point?」

The magnates smiles, shaking his head a little as he asks.

「You like to beat around the bush, huh? Why don't you just say it?」

Straf nods his head up at the magnate, and he replies with a smug smile. The two stare at each other in a brief moment of silence. With an amused grin, the magnate opens his mouth.

「…The election has a fatal flaw, minister. The people will choose their favorite, but there is no rule saying how they have to pick their favorite, am I wrong?」

Sir Vinis asks, and Straf simply glares at him with a tight-lipped grimace in silence.

「Should I win, my profits will reach new heights. That is without lowering the tax on alcohol. By simply introducing my wines into the military rations, I stand to gain a massive profit alone. My pedigree is that of merchantry, minister…」

「Uh-huh…」

He spreads his hands as he explains with a grin. Straf slowly nods his head.

「Therefore, I can think of this election as a business expense. Any costs incurred to ensure I win would be quickly offset by the profit I stand to gain. I can safely set aside a large amount of money to pay the citizenry to vote for me.」

「Uh-huh…」

Straf takes his boots off the desk, and leans onto it with his elbow.

「…The loss of this election would be simply an unacceptable loss of profit, even if I would not spend a single copper coin on it. After all, who would not want to drink my prestigious wines when I'm the king?-」

Sir Vinis asks, spreading his arms with a grin.

「Actually, the queen stays the queen, you just get to rule the kingdom.」

Straf cuts in, correcting him.

「…Well, the ruler. The point stands… I predict my profit will double- Quadruple, even, when the word outside the kingdom spreads that mine are the wines of a ruler. That aside… The people decide, don't they? Sorry to say, but this meeting is ultimately pointless.」

The wealthy winery magnate puts on a snide smile as he leans in towards Straf with his fingers interlocked.

「So… Your big idea is to buy votes?」

Straf asks, crossing his arms as he lowers his head.

「Well… I would not call it like that. I'd call it vote incentivization-」

Sir Vinis lifts his palm as he searches for cleaner words, but Straf's chuckling gives him a pause. His shoulders jump up and down as he chuckles, grinning with his head lowered. Though initially surprised, Sir Vinis regains his composure and interlocks his fingers again.

「…Do you see now, Minister Vindict? The election result is a foregone conclusion. I assure you, I have more cards up my sleeve should you change a law or two by today.」

He asks, and Straf's chuckling only grows louder, slowly transforming into regular laughter as he covers his face with his hand.

「…Are you laughing because you are now aware how badly you have been outmaneuvered? It is no shame, minister. After all, this is the first time I've heard of an… Election. Or are you laughing for some other reason?…」

Sir Vinis asks further, in a tone attempting to be amiable. Straf lets out an amused, contented sigh as he calms his laughter down.

「Ahahah… Ahh… So, what are you gonna do when you win, huh? The first things.」

Straf asks with a greatly amused smirk, crossing his arms.

「Why, wine for the military, promotion of wines as a luxury that anyone can afford… I believe the military in particular will give a lot of young men a taste for wine. All in all, I plan to run the kingdom like my wineries… Efficient and profitable.」

He explains with a friendly smile, spreading his hands again momentarily.

「Get the whole world drunk, huh?」

「Not the whole world, I need my workers sober…」

Sir Vinis quips in reply. A brief silence. Both he and Straf laugh. Sir Vinis covers his mouth with his hand, grinning heavily from his own indiscretion. Straf sighs again.

「One last question…」

「Ask.」

The amused magnate shrugs his shoulder in encouragement.

「…Who counts the votes?」

Straf leans in on his elbow as he asks with a faint smile…