Part 5: What Was Not Expressed

Mornings on the beach were meant for quiet strolls and relaxation.
Sophia's plan to arrive early and clear her mind seemed wise,
but things rarely went as expected here.
37: Sophia, you’re late!
37: I've been here since Apollo rose to meet the dawn!
The crowd surrounding 37 seemed even larger than yesterday as she hopped and waved at Sophia.
At the center of the crowd was another familiar figure.
210: Ah, good, the Corrector’s here too? What perfect timing.
210: Hey everyone, come gather around and take a look.
210 was holding up a magazine.
210: —My submission isn't any more childish than this game she’s playing!
Some chuckled—it was a common occurrence for the islanders familiar with their banter.
210 confidently presented the magazine to Sophia and 37.
The magazine pages were a mess. Amid frivolous news and various announcements, a crumpled mathematical proof huddled in a corner.
Fortunately, the author was still identifiable.
Sophia: "A Treatise on the Linguistic Structure of Truth"—210, is that your name?
The towering Theorist just spread his hands out in an over-proud twist without confirming.
210: Certainly it was no easy feat given our island's isolation, to get this published ...  But where there is a will there is a way.
210: Submitting these mathematical essays to outside publications is just the beginning of my many accomplishments to come.
Believer I: I think he's over-blowing the difficulty of reaching out.
Sophia: And is this really a mathematical treatise ...  seems like a lot of words.
Sophia flipped through the magazine quickly, it was nothing more than a common railway journal.
210's essay was listed in the "Excerpts and Anecdotes" column.
Sophia: To publish a paper on truth in a magazine like this ...  Huh ...  The editor's comment is, "Although the content is obscure, the wording is elegant and worth citing."
Sophia: That's impressive, nonetheless.
The compliment was genuine, and the already haughty Theorist's confidence grew even more.
37 though crossed her arms in a breathless huff.
37: I've read that article. It's pure sophistry! Your premise is flawed and the central thesis over-complicated!
37: The beauty of mathematical truth lies in its simplicity. These nonsensical embellishments only lead to misinterpretation!
37: It’s cumbersome, frivolous, and most importantly, it lacks good process.
37: This is all just clever rhetoric, lacking in any substance!
37: Wasted space and meaningless platitudes.
210: Is that so? More meaningless than all this child's play.
210: Or perhaps this game is simple enough for you? Are these piddling lessons in basic reasoning and arithmetic the truth you are looking for?
210: Well, that makes sense for a child. Carry on with your fun and games then.
The children on the beach had eagerly gathered around 210, forming a lively crowd.
At an age when curiosity reigns, they were always interested in this kind of biting debate.
The arguments, conflicts, grandeur, and aspirations converged on a single number.
37: 210.
37: Your numbers clearly contain 2, 3, 5, and 7.
37: You’ve just lumped them together without using them effectively.
210: Oh, so now you're accusing me of being insincere? That I'm making frivolous gestures only to flaunt my intelligence.
210: —How very logical of you ...
210: But all this debate allows me to speak the truth that the other's are concealing from you.
210: These are games for children, 37.
210: There are no revelations to be gleaned from your stubbornly pursuing some childish arithmetic?
210: Oh but we all trust the brilliance of our Star of Hermes and oh-so willingly serve as a companion star under your guidance. But, surely our brilliant star should consider others' duties and responsibilities, no?
37: ...
Sophia stepped in, breaking the tension at just the right moment.
Sophia: Don’t be so serious, 210. We’re just passing the time before breakfast with some games, and 37 isn't forcing anyone else to join in.
Sophia: But I agree, perhaps these games are too simple. In your opinion, what changes would it need?
210: Obviously, the questions should be harder, more fitting our caliber, and there should be scores and rankings, and some sort of elimination and revival mechanism.
210: All the participants should be grouped on the beach, competing in groups of three, and special areas and specific time slots should be scheduled—
37: What? Absolutely not!
37 forcefully interrupted 210's excited rule making.
37: This game and its questions were left behind by Hugh for a reason! It's simple because it was designed for children!
37: I don't want to compete with anyone; I just want to understand the hidden meanings within the sequence of answers Hugh left!
37: Of course, if it were more complex, then the participants might enjoy the thrill of its intellectual pursuit ...
37: But the beauty of the game lies in its simplicity, just like numbers themselves.
37: Stripped of all embellishments, "1" is "1".
37: People, stones, trees, and physical things decay, deteriorate, and change, but "1" remains.
37: This is a simple game, yet it holds the most wonderful wisdom.
37: There's no need to make the simple so complicated. All these facades may grab attention, but it strays from the game's true essence.
210: So you yourself admit it's dull and monotonous.
210: I simply articulated the same meaning with words to made them more convincing, without distorting the truth.
Some of his followers in the crowd nodded as they listened.
They were captivated by his rebuttal.
Such analysis, discussions, and endless numbers was an every day occurrence in this school of thought.
37's response was to draw several squares on the beach.
37: I learned about this from Sophia.
37: "Hopscotch" is a popular children's game elsewhere.
37: The rules are simple; one hops from one end to the other. It was easy enough to learn, and I've never forgotten it.
210: So our star has learned hopscotch? I hope you weren't expecting surprise ...
37: No, I mean, it's easy to play because of its simplicity.
37: For this reason, it spread from where Sophia was before, and now the children on our island play it too.
The group of children who played on the beach yesterday began to laugh.
Child Believer I: That’s right!
Child Believer II: 37's game is fun too.
37 acknowledged her young supporters and carried on.
37: If we complicate the game Hugh that designed with new rules and competition, won't we lose its true essence?
It was a splendid debate, and some followers had already started betting seashells on which side would win.
On the island, such debates might continue from early morning until the time of silence.
If that were to happen, 37's game would be unable to continue, and more important research would tragically remain on hold.
The Corrector felt the need to intervene.
Sophia: Both sides brought strong points. I believe—
210: You're right.
Sophia: Yes, of course, 37 is right—about what, exactly?
210: As you said, it's a children's game; its essence cannot and will not change. I'm curious, though, about what insights you can glean from such "simplicity".
210: Everyone can see the answers at a glance, yet you believe there's some "profound meaning" in this combination of answers—
210 spread his hands in a mocking gesture and shrugged.
210: It's just time wasted, nothing compared to the pivotal proof uncovered by our great Star of Hermes.
210: Go on, figure out how much this children's game is worth caring about.
210: I'm eager to see the outcome.