Having left the Palace, Prime Minister Terence Burke's back was soaked with sweat; he realized he had been betrayed.
Coincidence?
There are no coincidences in politics, and even if something truly is a coincidence, the Emperor must believe so too.
Lobbying the Emperor to declare war was not a problem; it was part of the Prime Minister's job and not considered overstepping bounds.
However, coinciding with the attack on the soldiers and being misinterpreted by the Emperor as a coup was a serious problem.
After some thought, Terence Burke pinpointed his suspicions on the Undersecretary for Agriculture, "Rafael", but he couldn't understand why his confidant would betray him.
Rafael had secured a lucrative position managing a farm, a role Terence himself had pushed him into; it was indeed a favor received.
