Oversight did not tighten.
They narrowed.
That was worse.
By the third day after the enforcement demonstration, the campus looked… normal.
Too normal.
No black-sleeved units marching in grids anymore.
No visible dispersal pressure.
No loud updates pinned to every wall.
Instead, certain rooms became inaccessible.
Certain training pairings were quietly disallowed.
Certain privileges slowed to a crawl if you were tagged under "Observed Influence."
No punishment.
Just friction.
And friction, applied constantly, reshapes stone.
Dreyden noticed the difference first in the small things.
His access to advanced simulation chambers now required double confirmation.
His merit transactions processed ten to fifteen seconds slower than before.
Not enough to accuse.
Just enough to feel watched.
He didn't complain.
He logged it mentally.
Across the hall, Lucas was finishing a controlled spar with Arlo. No mana, just physical contact.
