Screw It, Let's Give It a Shot
"Oof."
I got a response that was both scorching hot and ice-cold.
"No, but if I say no, you just kill me off... Isn't that a bit too extreme?"
It was way too extreme. Not like those pointless WWE-style debates over whether to dip or drizzle sweet-and-sour pork sauce—actual death? Come on.
> I agree. However, vast resources were expended to summon you here, and it cannot be undone. You must understand this is an unavoidable choice to recover those resources.
I must've named her wrong. Calling this ice-cold AI "Sora" was a massive screw-up.
> Initially, you were fated to die in your original world. A steel carriage struck you at midnight while you walked the streets in dark clothes, unseen.
"...?"
Wait, me going outside? Did I suddenly crave something and hit up a convenience store? That was more shocking than the supposed death fate.
> If you refuse, immediate recovery measures will commence, reclaiming 20% of expended resources.
"So, basically, refusing doesn't send me back. It just means you grind me up nice and recycle me on the spot?"
> Not "nice and" ground, but recovery measures will result in immediate death.
So damn cold. Freezing my ass off. Should've named her WhipPT instead of Sora.
Whatever—terms of service or not, I had to accept. No going back. I was doomed to die anyway. Refuse, and I'd get mulched for recycling.
Will you serve as the Moderator of the Ark Gallery?
Round and round we went, back to that first message. No refusing this offer. Refusal meant death. Dragging folks from other worlds to run a gallery? Sketchy as hell, but who pulls a prank this elaborate? Even if it was, this level of commitment deserved playing along.
Will you serve as the Moderator of the Ark Gallery?
[ YES / NO ]
"Fine. Screw it, let's give it a shot."
I slammed the YES button hard.
> Thank you for accepting, Jin Rain. You are now the Moderator of the Ark Gallery.
It was the moment this shut-in NEET gamer welfare-to-work slacker got "employed."
"Sniff... sob..."
> Rain, are you prone to tears? Three crying sessions detected today.
"No... I'm not a crybaby..."
It just hit me kinda hard.
Anyway, I accepted. Slammed that YES button and bowed to fate.
But acceptance didn't magic away my problems.
"Sora, I'm trapped right now."
> Yes. I am aware.
"Food's all gone. I just wolfed down the last scraps pretending to be crazy."
> Yes. I noted your "tear-soaked bread" meal.
"No, that's not..."
Where do I even start? First off, I'm trapped. Outside, those four-eyed wolves prowl. Wolves hunt in packs. Even if they're four-eyed freaks, stepping out means instant human steak dinner for 'em.
Food's gone. Rice? Haven't had a proper meal in three—no, a week. Maybe two days of starving it out?
But no water. No water means death. No "toilet water?" bullshit here—this was some ancient outhouse from history books. By day three, the stench was killer.
"So... Moderator? Can't work on an empty stomach, and there's jack shit here. That's the deal."
Stinky toilet? Tolerable. Humans sleep snoring in shit stalls once accustomed. No warm bedding against night chill? Can still crash, though back and neck pain await.
But no water or food? Dead. Car crash or starvation—either way, death loomed closer.
> No need to worry. Gallery management will resolve this.
"What do you mean..."
Can't go outside, I said! This super-competent AI's trust rating was plummeting.
Why drag me here and ghost for a week? Why the pittance of food?
> Access the gallery first. Seeing is faster than explaining.
I ignored the nosedive trust and logged in.
> Ark Gallery accessed.
> Accessible Accounts: 2
> Account List: Moderator (Admin), Jin Rain (General, Nickname TBD)
Separate logins for general and Moderator accounts, huh.
> Log in with Moderator account first.
"...Got it."
Trusting super-competent Sora had reasons, I selected Moderator.
"...?"
A sudden fanfare blared. In this silent room—save wolf howls and my gut rumbling—cheerful trumpets rang out. Panicking at the volume, I whipped toward the door. If those wolves heard...
> No worries. The sound is user-only.
"Jeez, you scared me..."
House-sized four-eyed wolves? I'd die without resisting even a shepherd. And it had sound effects too? Holographic screens and audio—insane tech.
Dizzying titles scrolled by, with the points notice on top.
"Points? Like mileage?"
Reminded me of points piled up from an old game site. Useless beyond cute nicknames.
First, gotta figure out what they're for.
"Sora, what's this points thing?"
> Points are the gallery's universal currency. Currently disabled. Moderator privileges can enable them.
"Oh?"
Money. And the Moderator controls it. Points earned in-gallery used as currency—I manage usability.
I imagined points as the world's reserve currency.
"Oh..."
A world where this is reserve currency? Totally broken.
"So, we can spend these like cash?"
> Yes.
"But aren't there other currencies? Like... real, backed ones, not virtual coins."
Virtual currency lacks trust. Real currency needs a reliable issuer for credibility, users, supply, circulation... Boring econ lecture.
Physical-backed money builds true faith. Surely some holds reserve status? Points carving a niche seemed unlikely.
> They exist, but per gallery intel, most trades are barter-based now.
No niche problem anymore.
"Why? World this backwards? Or post-apocalypse?"
Even slow progress means the biggest empire's coin dominates. "Sluggish development" didn't cut it.
> Not destroyed, but near it—and heading closer.
Near-apocalypse world. Should've clocked it with the wolves outside. I was dense.
"Ended up in a wild world, huh."
"Any in-gallery shop?"
Cute nicknames? Nah. No real money? Time to dominate that slot. Can't have my "salary" tanking.
> Exists. Moderator can buy with points. Purchased items can be listed for users to buy.
Answered my biggest Q. Sora's the best—always crisp and perfect.
"Sweet. Let's get started?"
The moment my Moderator career kicked off.
> Understood. Call anytime with questions.
As I declared work mode, the chat screen slid back.
My first Moderator move?
"Gotta grab some abalone porridge and barley tea first."
Off to the shop.