He blinks at the mention of orphanages, the only real surprise in the mostly-tedious opening statements. He was right: this committee would deal with things he was interested in. He gives Korva a look before turning his attention to the next speaker, a delegate here seeking to extract wealth from the rebuilding process. Shawil could appreciate the dedication to creating a fortune, if not a country.
"Thank you to all the delegates willing to speak to the urgent matters of infrastructure and rebuilding a country ravaged by lawlessness, Hell, and war. I greatly appreciate each and every one of your contributions."
It's not lying; it's diplomacy.
"As you are no doubt aware, this committee is part of a convention intended to create a written constitution for Cheliax, to provide a framework for the governance of this country," he says, looking at each member of the committee individually in turn. "It may yet extend beyond the scope of this assembly to implement specific policy proposals." This time, he meets Carlota's gaze.
"Some of you have already brought forth issues relevant to the specific purview here: the powers of the crown, the estates, the other corporate interests, to levy taxes, tolls, tariffs, and, of course, war. The manner in which funds will be dispersed, investments will be decided upon, contracts will be made, and so forth. Of course, knowing where the line between a broad framework and a specific policy exists can be tricky, so I will err on the side of allowing all discussion, even if my hope is we will eventually focus on our core mission. With that, I will open the floor."
Just because he despises politics doesn't mean he can't be good at it.