"Everything started to make sense…"
Aside from the other things Ferdinand had done which I wasn't aware of, there are certain things I can pinpoint that he was involved in.
The kidnapping of nobles and the world tree's existence.
He must've passed the information on to his group regarding the nobles who will be back at Ford Institute. And since it happened worldwide, I can confidently say that their people have been scattered around in different parts of the continent.
Who knows if the person serving you food or driving the carriage for you is a Saviour?
That's exactly what happened to my group when they were being served food by the maids and servants.
Thankfully, they were no fools. Even though we were being respected and showered with good hospitality, their guards weren't off.