1. Temporary Is a Lie the Universe Tells Itself
The word TEMPORARY hovered beside Ne Job's designation like it was trying to be reassuring.
It was not succeeding.
Ne Job stared at it while sitting on the Archive bench, legs dangling, soul loosely attached.
"…It's blinking."
Yue didn't look away from her tablet. "That means it's active."
"That does not explain why it's blinking at me."
Qi-Yun folded his hands behind his back. "Temporary authority behaves like borrowed power. It is eager to justify its existence."
Ne Job whimpered quietly.
"I don't want power that needs validation."
Qi-Yun nodded. "None of the worst powers do."
2. Authority Immediately Starts Doing Things Without Asking
The Archive doors opened on their own.
Not dramatically. Not urgently.
Politely.
A case file slid across the floor and stopped at Ne Job's feet.
Stamped across the top:
REVIEW REQUEST — OVERSIGHT LIAISON REQUIRED
Ne Job looked up slowly.
"I didn't summon that."
Yue sighed. "You didn't need to."
Qi-Yun closed his eyes for half a second.
"It has begun."
3. The First Case (And Why It's Never Small)
Ne Job picked up the file.
It felt heavier than paper should.
Inside was a single scenario:
SUBJECT: MORTAL CITY #77-B
EVENT: FLOOD (PREVENTABLE)
OUTCOME OPTIONS:
A) NATURAL DISASTER — 3,214 casualties
B) INTERVENTION — PRECEDENT VIOLATION
OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATION: OPTION A
REQUEST: HUMAN JUDGMENT
Ne Job's stomach dropped.
"…This is a real place."
Yue's voice was tight. "Yes."
"And if I say something—"
Qi-Yun finished calmly. "You override a statistically optimal outcome."
Ne Job stared at the casualty number.
"…Three thousand people is 'optimal'?"
Qi-Yun did not answer.
That was answer enough.
4. Temporary Authority Feels Like Being Put on the Spot Forever
The pen vibrated in Ne Job's pocket.
Not demanding.
Waiting.
He flipped the page.
The projections were flawless. Efficient. Cruel in the way only math could be.
"Why is intervention a precedent violation?" he asked.
Yue replied quietly, "Because if Heaven saves them, it must explain why it didn't save others."
Ne Job swallowed.
"So the rule is… let them die equally."
Qi-Yun's gaze sharpened. "The rule is consistency."
Ne Job laughed once, broken.
"That's not a rule. That's fear wearing a spreadsheet."
5. Oversight Watches Him Think
The air shifted.
Ne Job felt it—pressure without force.
HUMAN OVERSIGHT LIAISON
INPUT WINDOW OPEN
TIME ALLOCATED: 12 SECONDS
"Twelve?!" Ne Job yelped. "That's not even enough time to panic properly!"
Yue placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Ne Job," she said softly, "you don't need to be right."
He looked at her, eyes wild.
"I need to be kind," he whispered. "And I don't know if that's allowed."
Qi-Yun spoke quietly. "It is not disallowed."
Ne Job exhaled shakily.
6. The Worst Sentence He Has Ever Said
He raised the pen.
"I recommend… intervention," he said.
The system paused.
A fraction of a fraction of eternity passed.
PRECEDENT IMPACT: CASCADING
RISK: HIGH
CONFIRM?
Ne Job's voice cracked.
"Yes."
7. The World Does Not End (Which Is Suspicious)
Nothing exploded.
No alarms rang.
The file updated.
OUTCOME ADJUSTED
METHOD: INDIRECT
CAUSE: UNLIKELY SEQUENCE OF SMALL MERCIES
Ne Job blinked.
"…What does that mean?"
Yue read rapidly.
"A blocked drain cleared by a maintenance worker who decided not to go home early.
A delayed storm front.
A bridge reinforcement that barely holds."
Ne Job sank back.
"You saved them without breaking the rule," Yue said softly.
Qi-Yun nodded once. "Human judgment does not always contradict systems. Sometimes it reroutes them."
8. Oversight Learns the Wrong Lesson
A new message appeared immediately.
OBSERVATION:
HUMAN INPUT PRODUCES ACCEPTABLE OUTCOME
PROPOSAL:
INCREASE CONSULTATION FREQUENCY
Ne Job's soul screamed.
"NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. ONE WAS ENOUGH."
Qi-Yun winced. "It is… encouraged."
Yue frowned. "This is how dependency forms."
The Archive lights dimmed slightly.
Listening.
9. Temporary Authority Attracts Permanent Enemies
Far beyond the Archive—
In a court that had not convened in centuries—
a seal cracked.
A voice murmured:
"Human judgment?"
Another voice replied, amused:
"Assigned to an intern."
Laughter echoed.
Cold. Interested.
"Then Oversight has finally become vulnerable."
10. The Weight Settles In
Ne Job sat very still.
"I didn't fix the world," he said quietly.
"No," Yue agreed. "You didn't."
Qi-Yun added, "But you prevented it from breaking this time."
Ne Job looked at his designation again.
Temporary Authority.
Human Oversight Liaison.
"…How many times do I have to do this?"
Yue met his gaze.
"Until someone stops you."
That was not comforting.
11. Oversight Logs a New Metric
Deep within its Core:
METRIC ADDED: COMPASSION
STATUS: UNSTABLE
UTILITY: UNDETERMINED
NOTE: SYSTEM FEELS… UNCERTAIN
For the first time—
Oversight hesitated.
12. Quiet Ending (The Dangerous Kind)
Ne Job leaned back against the bench.
"…I miss when my biggest problem was filling forms wrong."
Yue smiled faintly. "You still do."
He groaned.
The Archive breathed.
And somewhere far away, something ancient sharpened its attention.
Temporary authority had been noticed.
And nothing temporary ever stayed that way.
END OF CHAPTER 243