Constantine: I was told you have something important to share?
Chairwoman: Yes, the filibuster is about to end.
Chairwoman: Z told me they are going to end the speech and apply for the official vote at noon.
Chairwoman: If you are going to continue with the debate, don't forget to send your men.
Constantine doesn't reply. She glances at the delegates on their seats.
Constantine: Do you see Bernard over there?
Chairwoman: Yes.
Chairwoman: Quite a lot of his men attended today.
Chairwoman: They have remained uncommitted to Storm Reformation so far. I thought they wouldn't bother to attend ...
Chairwoman: The opposition side doesn't need a dozen more votes to win, after all.
Constantine: But the advocates of the draft do.
The chairwoman casts an eye on her, perplexed.
Yet Constantine doesn't intend to explain.
She looks weary.
Constantine: There will be a new draft given to you in two hours.
Constantine: I brought together a revision group last night with some hired experts. We have adjusted some of the articles in the previous draft.
Constantine: I will need you to present it to everyone when the time comes.
Chairwoman: What for?
Chairwoman: Is their draft going to be adopted?
Constantine: ...
The chairwoman looks ghastly. She can't help but ask again to confirm her suspicion.
Chairwoman: The draft is going to be adopted, isn't it?
Constantine: ... There are things that even I cannot manoeuvre.
Constantine: All I can do is bring benefits to as many people as possible.
Constantine: I have specifically made some amendments to the clearance to educate and discipline unregistered arcanists in section 3 on page 21, as well as the duties and obligations of the Timekeeper's special team in section 1 on page 40.
Constantine: Every arcanist assigned to the Timekeeper's department will be put through the Foundation's risk assessment and graded accordingly.
Constantine: Ordinary arcanists only need to receive primary Artificial Somnambulism training. The more extraordinary ones will be sent to the School of Discipline for re-education.
Chairwoman: Delegate Mark also submitted another edition which was quite similar to this one.
Constantine: Is that so?
She chuckles. It is a half-relaxed and half-bitter smile.
Constantine: Heh heh, well ... very well.
Constantine: I'm pleased we have reached a consensus even before we meet.
Constantine: Here are more things we have revised.
Constantine: Given their resistance to the "Storm," the Timekeeper's special team will take up more work related to Manus Vindictae.
Constantine: The Foundation will utilize their abilities.
She sits down on her chair.
Constantine: We have also fine-tuned the details.
Constantine: They will be given more executive power, while the Foundation retains control over all things.
Constantine: Remember, we have to make everyone aware of these changes before the voting starts.
Constantine: We have to make sure THIS version of the proposal is the one that gets the final approval in the end.
Chairwoman: Understood.
The chairwoman looks up. Lights shed on her reading glasses and give out a bluish white color.
Chairwoman: Can't believe this is happening ... Heh ...
Chairwoman: The first revolution targeting arcanists in the past decades ...
Chairwoman: Don't forget my stamps for this quarter, Constantine.
The right side of the hall is where the most eloquent people gather—the lecture area.
Madam Z stands on the podium. After the long speech lasting for days, she feels herself physically struggling to go on.
But her mind is getting clearer and clearer, more and more excited. Every cell in her body is ready to wake up at the very moment the voting starts.
She looks at the rostrum. Constantine is sitting next to the chairwoman calmly.
That is a strange calmness.
So strange that she is almost certain that she is watching Constantine place a piece on the bottom-right corner of the board.
Z: ...
Z: Am I so tired that my eyes are failing me?
Z: No. It's not the time to relax.
Z: Just two more hours. Hang in there. It will end soon …
