Today's Avalon has no nobility, but is ruled by knights. Although the royal family can bestow armor on knights, they essentially have little actual power. They can only indirectly influence the Round Table Hall by cultivating new knights loyal to the royal family... However, when compared to the merchants, the substantial influence of the royal family over the new class of knights is much inferior. A new generation of knight families who possess only restrained power, without a foundation or money, are easily influenced by their sponsors.
Professor Moriarty, Edward's foster father, is in the business of doing just that.
Among the old knight families, some are flourishing while others are in decline. The latter includes those who are willing to accept patronage and those who are not.
