diff --git a/src/authorization/rules/RelationalComparatorRule.js b/src/authorization/rules/RelationalComparatorRule.js
index 7e59184..8746769 100644
--- a/src/authorization/rules/RelationalComparatorRule.js
+++ b/src/authorization/rules/RelationalComparatorRule.js
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
         }
         const rel = this.arbiter.relationManager.getDirectRelation(srcId, relName, dstId, options);
         if (!rel || typeof rel.value !== 'number') continue;
+        if (this.arbiter.valueManager && this.arbiter.valueManager._isValueExpired(rel)) continue;
 
         valueResults.push({
           value: rel.value,
@@ -780,6 +781,9 @@ export class RelationalComparatorRule extends BaseRule {
   }
 
   _getCachedDirectValue(relation, ttl) {
+    if (this.arbiter.valueManager && this.arbiter.valueManager._isValueExpired(relation)) {
+      return null;
+    }
     const cacheKey = `${relation.src}|${relation.rel}|${relation.dst}`;
     const cached = this._directValueCache.get(cacheKey);
     if (cached && cached.stateId === relation.stateId) {
diff --git a/src/core/relation/RelationUpdates.js b/src/core/relation/RelationUpdates.js
index bbadbb2..92c2ba7 100644
--- a/src/core/relation/RelationUpdates.js
+++ b/src/core/relation/RelationUpdates.js
@@ -409,7 +409,23 @@ export class RelationUpdates {
     this._processBatchRemovals(removeOps, chunkSize);
     this._processBatchModifications(modifyOps, chunkSize);
     this._processBatchAdditions(addOps, chunkSize);
-    
+
+    // The batch path bypasses Arbiter.addRelation/removeRelation, so the
+    // arbiter-level rule caches (rule result cache, ChainRule caches,
+    // direct-check cache) are never invalidated there. A query that warmed
+    // those caches before the batch would keep serving stale decisions.
+    const affectedRelations = new Set();
+    for (const op of updates) {
+      if (op && op.relation !== undefined) affectedRelations.add(op.relation);
+    }
+    for (const relation of affectedRelations) {
+      this.manager.arbiter._invalidateDirectCheckCache(null, relation, null);
+      this.manager.arbiter.invalidateRuleResultCacheByRelation(relation);
+      if (this.manager.arbiter.authChecker) {
+        this.manager.arbiter.authChecker.invalidateRuleCaches(relation);
+      }
+    }
+
     return this.manager;
   }
 
@@ -596,7 +612,7 @@ export class RelationUpdates {
       outgoingEdges: new Map(this.manager.arbiter.indices.outgoingEdges),
       incomingEdges: new Map(this.manager.arbiter.indices.incomingEdges)
     };
-    const originalRelationKeys = new Map(this.manager._relationKeys);
+    const originalRelationKeys = new Set(this.manager._relationKeys);
     const originalRelationKeyToIndex = new Map(this.manager._relationKeyToIndex);
     
     try {
diff --git a/tests/rigor/ttl-expiry-parity.test.js b/tests/rigor/ttl-expiry-parity.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf80904
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/rigor/ttl-expiry-parity.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,157 @@
+/**
+ * rigor/ttl-expiry-parity.test.js — value-TTL expiry through the full
+ * comparator check path with an injected clock.
+ *
+ * Contracts pinned:
+ *   - values written with setTTL(rel, ttlMs) expire after ttlMs of engine
+ *     time; expired operands no longer participate in relational
+ *     comparisons (the comparator's value extraction must consult the
+ *     value manager's TTL gate, not raw relation values).
+ *   - with the decision cache enabled, a decision cached before expiry may
+ *     linger up to the rule-result-cache TTL, but MUST become fresh once
+ *     the cache entry itself expires (bounded staleness).
+ *
+ * The mirror tracks per-relation write timestamps under the same injected
+ * clock and computes the expected comparison result.
+ */
+import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { rigor } from '@rigor/core';
+import { Arbiter } from '../../src/index.js';
+
+const TTL = 5000;
+const DOCS = 2;
+const docKey = (i) => `doc:${i}`;
+
+const realNow = Date.now;
+let engineNow = 1_000_000_000_000;
+Date.now = () => engineNow;
+
+function makeWrapper(disableCaching) {
+  const arbiter = new Arbiter(disableCaching ? { disableCaching: true } : {});
+  arbiter.addNode('user:alice', 'user');
+  for (let i = 0; i < DOCS; i++) arbiter.addNode(docKey(i), 'doc');
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('has_balance', { type: 'direct' });
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('has_price', { type: 'direct' });
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('premium', {
+    type: 'relational_comparator',
+    comparator: '>',
+    left: { rule: { type: 'direct', relation: 'has_balance' }, extractValue: true },
+    right: { evaluateFrom: 'object', rule: { type: 'direct', relation: 'has_price' }, extractValue: true }
+  });
+  arbiter.valueManager.setTTL('has_balance', TTL);
+  arbiter.valueManager.setTTL('has_price', TTL);
+
+  const balance = new Map();
+  const price = new Map();
+  const ops = [];
+
+  const wrapper = {
+    engine: arbiter,
+    balance,
+    price,
+    setValue(doc, kind, value) {
+      const rel = kind === 'balance' ? 'has_balance' : 'has_price';
+      const src = kind === 'balance' ? 'user:alice' : docKey(doc);
+      // Pin the write timestamp: clone-replay re-writes relations with the
+      // CURRENT Date.now(), which would silently un-expire old values; the
+      // engine honors the changed_last_at override.
+      arbiter.addRelation(src, rel, docKey(doc), { value, possibility: 1.0, changed_last_at: engineNow });
+      // The engine only refreshes changed_last_at when the value actually
+      // changes; the mirror must mirror that.
+      const target = kind === 'balance' ? balance : price;
+      const existing = target.get(doc);
+      if (!existing || existing.value !== value) target.set(doc, { value, ts: engineNow });
+      return { ok: true };
+    },
+    advanceTime(ms) {
+      engineNow += ms;
+      return { ok: true, now: engineNow };
+    },
+    check(doc) {
+      const result = arbiter.check('user:alice', 'premium', docKey(doc));
+      const b = balance.get(doc);
+      const p = price.get(doc);
+      const bFresh = b !== undefined && engineNow - b.ts <= TTL;
+      const pFresh = p !== undefined && engineNow - p.ts <= TTL;
+      const expected = bFresh && pFresh && b.value > p.value ? 1 : 0;
+      return { engine: result.possibility, expected, reason: result.reason, bFresh, pFresh };
+    },
+    clone() {
+      const fresh = makeWrapper(disableCaching);
+      for (const op of ops) {
+        const [name, ...args] = op;
+        fresh[name](...args);
+      }
+      return fresh;
+    }
+  };
+
+  const record = (name, fn) => (...args) => {
+    const res = fn(...args);
+    ops.push([name, ...args]);
+    return res;
+  };
+  wrapper.setValue = record('setValue', wrapper.setValue);
+  wrapper.advanceTime = record('advanceTime', wrapper.advanceTime);
+  wrapper.check = record('check', wrapper.check);
+  return wrapper;
+}
+
+describe('Value TTL expiry through the comparator path (rigor)', () => {
+  it('FIXED MATRIX: expired operands flip the decision; cache staleness is bounded', () => {
+    {
+      const w = makeWrapper(true);
+      w.setValue(0, 'balance', 100);
+      w.setValue(0, 'price', 50);
+      assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 1, 'fresh: 100 > 50');
+
+      w.advanceTime(TTL + 1000);
+      assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 0, 'after TTL both operands expired -> deny');
+
+      w.setValue(0, 'price', 200);
+      assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 0, 'balance expired, price fresh -> deny');
+
+      w.setValue(0, 'balance', 300);
+      assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 1, 'both refreshed -> allow');
+
+      const cw = makeWrapper(false);
+      cw.setValue(0, 'balance', 100);
+      cw.setValue(0, 'price', 50);
+      assert.equal(cw.check(0).engine, 1, 'cached arbiter: allow cached');
+      cw.advanceTime(TTL + 1000);
+      const staleWindow = cw.check(0);
+      cw.advanceTime(70000); // past ruleResultCacheTTL (60s)
+      assert.equal(cw.check(0).engine, 0, 'bounded staleness: fresh deny after cache TTL');
+      assert.ok(staleWindow.engine >= 0, 'stale window decision is well-formed');
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('PROPERTY CAMPAIGN: parity holds across time advances and refreshes (no decision cache)', async () => {
+    const result = await rigor.campaign(
+      [rigor.object('graph', makeWrapper.bind(null, true), [
+        rigor.method('setValue', function (d, k, v) { return this.setValue(d, k, v); },
+          rigor.args(rigor.gen.int(0, DOCS - 1), rigor.gen.enum(['balance', 'price']), rigor.gen.oneOf([5, 50, 100, 200]))),
+        rigor.method('advanceTime', function (ms) { return this.advanceTime(ms); },
+          rigor.args(rigor.gen.oneOf([1000, 4000, 6000, 30000, 70000]))),
+        rigor.method('check', function (d) { return this.check(d); },
+          rigor.args(rigor.gen.int(0, DOCS - 1)))
+      ])],
+      rigor.crucible([
+        rigor.invariant('comparator parity under time', (ctx) => {
+          if (ctx.action !== 'graph.check' || ctx.error !== null) return true;
+          return ctx.actual.engine === ctx.actual.expected;
+        }),
+        rigor.invariant('no action errors', (ctx) => ctx.error === null)
+      ])
+    ).run({ effort: 400, seed: 'ttl-expiry-parity', maxTraceLength: 30 });
+
+    const inv = result.crucibleVerdict;
+    assert.equal(inv.passed, true, [
+      `TTL parity violated in ${inv.failureCount} cases:`,
+      ...result.failures.slice(0, 3).map((f) =>
+        `  [${f.invariant}] action=${f.action} args=${JSON.stringify(f.args)} actual=${JSON.stringify(f.actual)} error=${f.error}`
+      )
+    ].join('\n'));
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/rigor/value-freshness-parity.test.js b/tests/rigor/value-freshness-parity.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ffc7d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/rigor/value-freshness-parity.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+/**
+ * rigor/value-freshness-parity.test.js — value-layer and batch-path cache
+ * freshness.
+ *
+ * The needle class: queries that warm the rule-result / decision caches,
+ * followed by mutations applied through the BATCH path (which bypasses
+ * Arbiter.addRelation/removeRelation and their cache invalidation), must
+ * still return fresh answers:
+ *   - comparator decisions reflect the latest values after batch modify
+ *     and batch remove+add;
+ *   - direct checks reflect batch adds/removes with warm caches;
+ *   - transactional batches either fully apply (success) or fully roll
+ *     back (poisoned op -> state unchanged, checks unchanged).
+ *
+ * The mirror tracks balance/price per document; comparator expectation is
+ * balance > price (engine returns 1/0 with reasons
+ * allow_rule_matched / values_compared_comparison_false).
+ */
+import { describe, it } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { rigor } from '@rigor/core';
+import { Arbiter } from '../../src/index.js';
+
+const DOCS = 3;
+const docKey = (i) => `doc:${i}`;
+
+function makeWrapper() {
+  const arbiter = new Arbiter();
+  arbiter.addNode('user:alice', 'user');
+  for (let i = 0; i < DOCS; i++) arbiter.addNode(docKey(i), 'doc');
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('has_balance', { type: 'direct' });
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('has_price', { type: 'direct' });
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('can_read', { type: 'direct', relation: 'owner' });
+  arbiter.setRelationConfig('premium', {
+    type: 'relational_comparator',
+    comparator: '>',
+    left: { rule: { type: 'direct', relation: 'has_balance' }, extractValue: true },
+    right: { evaluateFrom: 'object', rule: { type: 'direct', relation: 'has_price' }, extractValue: true }
+  });
+
+  const balance = new Map();
+  const price = new Map();
+  const ops = [];
+
+  const wrapper = {
+    engine: arbiter,
+    balance,
+    price,
+    setValue(doc, kind, value) {
+      const rel = kind === 'balance' ? 'has_balance' : 'has_price';
+      const src = kind === 'balance' ? 'user:alice' : docKey(doc);
+      arbiter.addRelation(src, rel, docKey(doc), { value, possibility: 1.0 });
+      (kind === 'balance' ? balance : price).set(doc, value);
+      return { ok: true };
+    },
+    batchSetValue(doc, kind, value) {
+      const rel = kind === 'balance' ? 'has_balance' : 'has_price';
+      const src = kind === 'balance' ? 'user:alice' : docKey(doc);
+      const target = kind === 'balance' ? balance : price;
+      const batch = [{ operation: 'modify', srcKey: src, relation: rel, dstKey: docKey(doc), options: { value, possibility: 1.0 } }];
+      arbiter.relationManager.updateRelationsBatch(batch);
+      // A batch MODIFY of a relation that does not exist is a silent no-op
+      // in the engine (mirrors _modifyRelation), so the mirror must only
+      // record when the relation was already present.
+      if (target.has(doc)) target.set(doc, value);
+      return { ok: true };
+    },
+    batchSwap(doc, kind, value) {
+      const rel = kind === 'balance' ? 'has_balance' : 'has_price';
+      const src = kind === 'balance' ? 'user:alice' : docKey(doc);
+      const batch = [
+        { operation: 'remove', srcKey: src, relation: rel, dstKey: docKey(doc), options: {} },
+        { operation: 'add', srcKey: src, relation: rel, dstKey: docKey(doc), options: { value, possibility: 1.0 } }
+      ];
+      arbiter.relationManager.updateRelationsBatch(batch);
+      (kind === 'balance' ? balance : price).set(doc, value);
+      return { ok: true };
+    },
+    txBatch(doc, kind, value, poison) {
+      const rel = kind === 'balance' ? 'has_balance' : 'has_price';
+      const src = kind === 'balance' ? 'user:alice' : docKey(doc);
+      const batch = [{
+        operation: 'modify',
+        srcKey: src,
+        relation: rel,
+        dstKey: docKey(doc),
+        options: poison ? { value, possibility: 1.5 } : { value, possibility: 1.0 }
+      }];
+      const result = arbiter.relationManager.updateRelationsBatchTransactional(batch);
+      if (result.success) {
+        const target = kind === 'balance' ? balance : price;
+        if (target.has(doc)) target.set(doc, value);
+      }
+      return { success: result.success, error: result.error };
+    },
+    check(doc) {
+      const result = arbiter.check('user:alice', 'premium', docKey(doc));
+      const b = balance.get(doc);
+      const p = price.get(doc);
+      const expected = b !== undefined && p !== undefined && b > p ? 1 : 0;
+      return {
+        engine: result.possibility,
+        expected,
+        reason: result.reason,
+        balance: b,
+        price: p
+      };
+    },
+    checkRead(doc) {
+      const result = arbiter.check('user:alice', 'can_read', docKey(doc));
+      return { engine: result.possibility, reason: result.reason };
+    },
+    clone() {
+      const fresh = makeWrapper();
+      for (const op of ops) {
+        const [name, ...args] = op;
+        fresh[name](...args);
+      }
+      return fresh;
+    }
+  };
+
+  const record = (name, fn) => (...args) => {
+    const res = fn(...args);
+    ops.push([name, ...args]);
+    return res;
+  };
+  wrapper.setValue = record('setValue', wrapper.setValue);
+  wrapper.batchSetValue = record('batchSetValue', wrapper.batchSetValue);
+  wrapper.batchSwap = record('batchSwap', wrapper.batchSwap);
+  wrapper.txBatch = record('txBatch', wrapper.txBatch);
+  wrapper.check = record('check', wrapper.check);
+  wrapper.checkRead = record('checkRead', wrapper.checkRead);
+  return wrapper;
+}
+
+const docArg = rigor.gen.int(0, DOCS - 1);
+const kindArg = rigor.gen.enum(['balance', 'price']);
+const valueArg = rigor.gen.oneOf([5, 10, 50, 100, 200]);
+
+describe('Value-layer and batch-path freshness (rigor)', () => {
+  it('FIXED MATRIX: batch modify, batch swap, and transactional rollback stay fresh', () => {
+    const w = makeWrapper();
+    w.setValue(0, 'balance', 100);
+    w.setValue(0, 'price', 50);
+    assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 1, 'v1: 100 > 50');
+
+    w.batchSetValue(0, 'balance', 10);
+    assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 0, 'batch modify must be fresh: 10 > 50 is false');
+
+    w.batchSwap(0, 'balance', 200);
+    assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 1, 'batch remove+add must be fresh: 200 > 50');
+
+    const tx = w.txBatch(0, 'balance', 1, true);
+    assert.equal(tx.success, false, 'poisoned tx must report failure');
+    assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 1, 'tx rollback must leave state unchanged: 200 > 50');
+
+    const txOk = w.txBatch(0, 'balance', 5, false);
+    assert.equal(txOk.success, true, 'clean tx must succeed');
+    assert.equal(w.check(0).engine, 0, 'clean tx must apply: 5 > 50 is false');
+
+    w.engine.addRelation('user:alice', 'owner', 'doc:0', { possibility: 0.9 });
+    assert.equal(w.checkRead(0).engine, 0.9, 'direct check before batch');
+    w.engine.relationManager.updateRelationsBatch([
+      { operation: 'remove', srcKey: 'user:alice', relation: 'owner', dstKey: 'doc:0', options: {} }
+    ]);
+    assert.equal(w.checkRead(0).engine, 0, 'batch remove must invalidate warm direct caches');
+  });
+
+  it('PROPERTY CAMPAIGN: interleaved single/batch/tx mutations keep comparator parity', async () => {
+    const result = await rigor.campaign(
+      [rigor.object('graph', makeWrapper, [
+        rigor.method('setValue', function (d, k, v) { return this.setValue(d, k, v); }, rigor.args(docArg, kindArg, valueArg)),
+        rigor.method('batchSetValue', function (d, k, v) { return this.batchSetValue(d, k, v); }, rigor.args(docArg, kindArg, valueArg)),
+        rigor.method('batchSwap', function (d, k, v) { return this.batchSwap(d, k, v); }, rigor.args(docArg, kindArg, valueArg)),
+        rigor.method('txBatch', function (d, k, v, poison) { return this.txBatch(d, k, v, poison); }, rigor.args(docArg, kindArg, valueArg, rigor.gen.boolean())),
+        rigor.method('check', function (d) { return this.check(d); }, rigor.args(docArg))
+      ])],
+      rigor.crucible([
+        rigor.invariant('comparator parity after every mutation', (ctx) => {
+          if (ctx.action !== 'graph.check') return true;
+          if (ctx.error !== null) return true;
+          return ctx.actual.engine === ctx.actual.expected;
+        }),
+        rigor.invariant('no action errors', (ctx) => {
+          if (ctx.action === 'graph.txBatch') return true;
+          return ctx.error === null;
+        }),
+        rigor.after('graph.txBatch', ({ actual }) => {
+          return typeof actual.success === 'boolean';
+        })
+      ])
+    ).run({ effort: 400, seed: 'value-freshness-parity', maxTraceLength: 30 });
+
+    const inv = result.crucibleVerdict;
+    assert.equal(inv.passed, true, [
+      `value freshness violated in ${inv.failureCount} cases:`,
+      ...result.failures.slice(0, 3).map((f) =>
+        `  [${f.invariant}] action=${f.action} args=${JSON.stringify(f.args)} actual=${JSON.stringify(f.actual)} error=${f.error}`
+      )
+    ].join('\n'));
+  });
+});