The council returned at dusk.
Faces composed.
Too composed.
Ace sat quietly.
Ravenna stood straight.
The room held its breath.
---
The Non-Verdict
"We find," the chief councilor began,
"that immediate sentencing would cause unnecessary unrest."
Ace blinked.
"…That's not a verdict."
"Correct."
Ravenna exhaled slowly.
---
The New Order
"Effective immediately," the council continued,
"all structural doctrines will require certification."
A pause.
"Additionally, all accused parties are released under supervision."
Supervision.
A leash disguised as leniency.
---
Ace's Response
Ace raised a paw.
"So you didn't decide whether I was wrong."
The councilor met his gaze.
"We decided it was inconvenient to decide."
Ace nodded.
"Honest," he said.
---
Outside the Chamber
Crowds waited.
Not chanting.
Watching.
The release spread faster than the decree.
People noticed the hesitation.
The uncertainty.
For a body built on authority—
hesitation was a crack.
---
Ravenna Speaks (Quietly)
As they walked—
"They think supervision will contain it."
Ace padded beside her.
"It won't."
"No."
"It will just document the spread."
They shared a small smile.
---
The First Consequence
That night—
A city published its failure logs publicly.
No permission.
No certification.
Just names.
Mistakes.
Fixes.
The council issued warnings.
They were ignored.
---
End Beat
Ace sat on a rooftop, watching lights flicker.
"They didn't choose," he said.
Ravenna leaned beside him.
"They never do."
Below—
People were already choosing for them.
Not rebellion.
Not chaos.
Just a quiet shift toward accountability.
Because when power refuses to decide—
legitimacy decides for it.