The line moved faster without Derren.
Kael did not mean to think it that way.
He noticed it anyway.
Eight seconds now.
The compliance board updated before noon.
Processing Time — 8 seconds
Disruption Rate — 0.0%
Alignment Index — 99%
Shorter lines.
Cleaner transitions.
Fewer red marks.
The Preventative Containment lane had shrunk to a narrow corridor against the painted wall. No one stood in it that morning.
Director Halven addressed the square briefly.
"Public stability continues to improve," he said. "Containment procedures have reduced long-term variance."
No mention of names.
No mention of transfers.
Just variance.
A baker corrected a customer gently.
"You're Tier Two residential," he said. "Allocation is capped today."
The customer blinked.
"I thought I had extra credit."
"Reassigned after last cycle."
The baker did not raise his voice.
He did not accuse.
He corrected.
The customer nodded and stepped back.
Behind them, a volunteer with a white enamel pin adjusted the spacing between households.
"Two arm-lengths," she said pleasantly. "It keeps the flow clean."
No one resisted.
Kael watched a child near the fountain seam practicing seal posture with exaggerated pride.
He wore the volunteer pin on his collar.
He wasn't old enough to enforce anything.
But he stood straight as if he were.
"Alignment matters," the child told a smaller boy. "It keeps us safe."
Kael felt something tighten behind his ribs.
He had once explained thresholds to that child's father.
Now the child explained alignment like scripture.
Lyria approached quietly.
"It's working," she said.
"Yes."
"And that frightens you."
"Yes."
They watched as a woman stepped forward voluntarily.
"My cousin visited last night," she said to the clerk. "I want to log it."
The clerk smiled faintly.
"Self-report logged. Alignment preserved."
The woman exhaled in relief.
"Better to be clear," she said.
"Better to be aligned," the clerk corrected gently.
The exchange was smooth.
No tension.
No steel.
Just cooperation.
A man near the fountain seam murmured to his neighbor,
"At least now someone is in charge."
The neighbor nodded.
"We sleep better."
The line did not falter.
No one asked about Derren.
No one mentioned the transfer.
The system had shortened the queue.
And absence had improved it.