The reason the Count of Basel had approached the Judicial Minister was simple.
He wanted to gauge my ties to central politics. There was a time when I had stood on the same side as the Judicial Department while keeping the Finance and Administrative Departments in check, but now we were political enemies. The direction of politics shifts with power.
The current balance of central politics had left the Military and Judicial Departments ruling the field. The Administrative Department was catching its breath, and the Finance Department had effectively been reduced to trailing along behind the Military Department. All of it had come about because of the Finance Minister's greed.
It was unfair to Adelbert, who had never once gotten to wield that power himself, but politics turns those obsessed with power into monsters. The Count of Basel seemed intent on using this monster called politics.
"Sir Archibald. Personally, I like nobles who know how to make a deal."
