Joseph was an anomaly in many ways. Especially as a Kindred. But in the end, they were all playing their parts. His retinue of artists and artisans was also his person army and spy network. Nothing was what it seemed, especially the jovial Brujah leading all of it. He'd always fallen back into the façade of the rake, the dandy. Lover of beautiful things. It was easy to be underestimated, to be dismissed as frivolous.
Yes, he was hedonistic. He loved the arts and beautiful, talented people. But it was the thin veneer over a Kindred who had learned that there was strength in numbers and loyalty won through benefice was much more true. Who had lived and loved and lost enough to know what he wanted when he saw and aware enough of how uncertain the times he lived in to let doubt stop him.
Joseph was dangerous because he didn't seem dangerous at all. His priorities were not playing the political dance of rising to the highest power, but being situated in the place most beneficial to him and his. His interest was not controlling the world, but surviving Gehenna as best they could.
"You are allowed to ask anything," Joseph told him. "I am trusting you, because you trusted me, listened to me, when you had every reason to doubt me. For that, I'll tell you anything you want to know."
It upset him that Rhys felt foolish. But it was a tall order to feel. "I feel stupid sometimes, love," he pointed out. "We all do. You want to no longer be at such a disadvantage. You are playing a game you don't know the rules and everyone around you not only does, but gets upset at you because you don't. So I'll do my best to teach you what I know."