\Andreas was not one to procrastinate. On his very first day in Astranaar, guided by Fandral's explanations, he summoned officials of all levels from across the capital for individual questioning.
Accustomed to Tyrande's leisurely management style, these officials were caught off guard by Andreas's sudden inspections. Unprepared, most of them gave stammering, vague answers to his questions.
Andreas' brow furrowed deeply at the sight of these officials who didn't even understand the basics of their own jobs.
"What kind of people has Tyrande been using... prioritizing loyalty over competence to this extent?"
After the first day's screening concluded, Andreas let out a bitter laugh and complained softly in his temporary quarters.
Shandris stood behind her boyfriend, thoughtfully massaging his temples. She spoke with a hint of helplessness, "It couldn't be helped. Due to her limited administrative capacity, the distrust toward my mentor from various sectors of Astranaar was very obvious."
"She could only appoint people she trusted to key departments to ensure her orders could reach from the top down to the grassroots level."
"Heh," Andreas sneered. "Her governance methods are a mess, but she's quite adept at political infighting. Her talent tree was clearly spec'd into the wrong branch."
Having spent many years with Andreas, Shandris had long since grown accustomed to the "slang" that occasionally popped out of his mouth. Even if she didn't fully understand it, she didn't bother to ask for details, as she could grasp the general meaning.
Andreas bowed his head in thought. Although the reasons were different, the situation he faced now was very similar to the one Tyrande had encountered. To ensure that his orders were carried out without question, he had to install his own people in key departments.
However, dismissing a large number of important officials at once without cause would inevitably trigger social unrest. This process had to be planned for the long term, starting with the most critical departments and replacing personnel gradually.
As for military power, with Shandris there, Andreas had no concerns whatsoever.
The judicial and interrogation system was Maiev's domain. While he couldn't guarantee that the hot-tempered Warden would always follow his orders, Andreas was reasonably confident he could handle that "wild mare" by understanding her temperament and stroking her ego.
When it came to internal affairs, the first thing that needed to be secured was undoubtedly the treasury, as this concerned the ruler's purse strings.
The Finance Minister appointed by Tyrande wasn't exactly a total incompetent, but he was certainly no great statesman either.
"Prisim."
"Present."
Shandris's eyebrows twitched slightly. She looked with some surprise at the hooded woman who had suddenly knelt before Andreas.
Andreas didn't mind Shandris's presence and gave his orders bluntly, "Investigate Finance Minister Hammond inside and out. I want to know everything—how many mistresses he keeps, and even which way he leans when he relieves himself. Dig up every piece of dirt on him you can find."
"As you command."
After Prisim vanished soundlessly once again, Shandris gave Andreas a sharp, annoyed poke on the back of his head.
"Is it really necessary to describe it that way? How vulgar."
Andreas said with a laugh, "It was just a joke. See? Prisim didn't have any objections."
"Oh, right." At this point, Shandris' expression turned serious. "When did Prisim arrive? I can't sense her presence at all anymore. Has she improved again?"
"Yes." Andreas leaned back, comfortably resting his head on Shandris' soft yet firm thighs. "I only found out recently; it must have happened within these last thousand years."
"Actually, her strength has been stuck on the edge of a breakthrough for a long time. It was only because of her mindset that she couldn't cross that threshold. Breaking through that bottleneck... means she's finally let go of the past. It's a good thing."
"Let's leave the rest of the business for tomorrow. It's getting late."
Seeing the meaningful smile on Andreas' face, Shandris tilted her chin up without a hint of shyness.
"Hmph! This time I'll definitely show you what I'm made of. I don't believe for a second that I'll be the one begging for mercy every time."
... (One R-18 Later) ...
After a pleasant night, when a refreshed Andreas arrived at the administrative hall of the Great Temple, the investigation files Prisim had gathered overnight were already laid out on his desk.
"Still as efficient as ever."
He flipped through the organized data. Most of the mistakes Hammond had made were common ones that almost all officials inevitably committed. Using those reasons to dismiss him likely wouldn't convince the public.
Fortunately, Prisim had found a breakthrough in the seemingly ordinary files. She had specifically drawn a striking red line under a particular piece of evidence.
...
Hammond had been in the Ministry of Finance for nearly two thousand years. He wasn't part of that first batch of incompetent cronies Tyrande had parachuted in, but had slowly climbed the ranks through his own ability and loyalty.
"Conventional"—that was the best word to describe Hammond.
He sought not merit but to avoid mistakes; this mindset had kept him secure in his position as Finance Minister for over a thousand years.
If Hammond weren't Tyrande's confidant, Andreas might have been able to tolerate him for a while longer. After all, compared to the other useless ministers, Hammond at least had some genuine skill.
But the position of Finance Minister was too important. Andreas didn't dare gamble on Hammond's stance and attitude, so he had to start his purge with this steady Finance Minister.
Clack.
Tossing Prisim's files in front of Hammond, Andreas gestured toward them with his chin.
"Read it for yourself and think about it. I believe you are a smart man."
Hammond had long, blue-purple hair tied back in a neat ponytail, and his beard was trimmed very precisely. Combined with his currently somewhat melancholic expression, he had a bit of an artistic air about him.
When he was summoned by the new Regent, he had a bad premonition. He picked up the files and read them; when he saw the line marked in red, his hand holding the documents suddenly trembled violently.
Andreas watched the pale-faced Hammond with a faint smile. "Minister Hammond, I have always believed in a certain saying: cultivate the self, regulate the family, govern the state, and then bring peace to the world."
"You have managed to cultivate yourself and govern the state, but as for regulating the family..."
A bitter smile appeared on Hammond's face. "...Lord Moonshadow, it is indeed a lapse in my private morality. I will submit my resignation before the end of the day."
Andreas crossed his hands on the desk and nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. I like intelligent people who know when to bow out."
"Since you have taken the initiative to set an example, I won't drive you to a dead end." Andreas pointed to the files in Hammond's hand and said with a smile, "Take these files back with you. You should know how to handle the follow-up... right?"
"Yes. Thank you for your leniency, my lord."
Years of hard work lost in a single morning. Hammond's expression was somewhat desolate, but within that desolation was a trace of relief.
As Hammond turned to leave, he gripped the files tightly. The line marked in red was crumpled by his fingers, facing directly toward Andreas.
"...His wife, Susan, in order to satisfy her extravagant lifestyle, has maintained a close cooperative relationship with the merchant Charlie, who was executed by Warden Maiev Shadowsong. Recommendation: Execution!"