Description inconsistency in the source MIB: the DESCRIPTION text ('Enter the metric (1-65535; 0 for auto cost) of this area') is copy-pasted from an editable, area-level cost-setting object (compare swL3ospfAreaMetric, which is genuinely read-write and area-scoped), but this object is actually read-only and lives in the internal OSPF link-state database table, indexed per-LSA. Based on its real position (swL3OspfInternalLsdbEntry 5, alongside LSID/RouterID/sequence number/age/checksum), it reports the cost metric carried inside a specific received link-state advertisement, not something an admin enters -- it's read-only telemetry admins check when inspecting why SPF chose a particular path.