In pairs and dozens, the Apeiron believers enter the venue.
The plaintiff and the defendant are also seated.
Sonetto: ...
She looks pale, but she is gazing steadily at the front.
Sonetto: Back in the Foundation, I once won a public debate of a similar nature.
Sonetto: This is my duty. I won't let it get in the way of the team's investigation.
Vertin: Sonetto ...
Sonetto lowers her head in silence, then sets off resolutely to the center of the hall.
... This scene is all too familiar.
Inside the hall, a judge sits in authority.
6: By our tradition, Ms. Sonetto will be given the poisoned wine, so she will be muted and stay that way forever.
6: However, Sophia raised her objection against the decision. After giving the matter some discreet thought, I have decided it is necessary to hold an Assembly and take care of it democratically.
6: Those of you who agree to the death sentence may remain seated. Those of you who wish to commute Ms. Sonetto's punishment, please put your pebble into the pot in the middle of the hall.
6: Now, Ms. Sonetto, Ms. Vertin, you may defend yourselves.
6: ... Until the sand in this hourglass falls to the bottom.
Truly, this is a formidable war.
Relax and take a deep breath.
Do as the training taught you.
Sonetto: I am Sonetto from St. Pavlov Foundation.
Sonetto: I wish all the honorable audiences here would lend me their ears to hear my defense as a humanitarian gesture.
Believer I: What number are you?
A sharp question is thrown at them from the auditorium.
Believer I: Defendant, the court requires an answer. What is your number?
Sonetto: What? Me?
Sonetto: No, I don't have a number ...
Believer I: Don't waste our time. People without a number cannot stand in the Hall of Truth.
Believer I: All her words are void. Sentence her to death now!
The crowd mumbles approval.
The judge knocks at the stone bell.
6: 42's argument is valid. Defenders, what do you wish to contend?
Vertin: What? It's valid?!
Sonetto: I ...
Sonetto's face has gone pale.
What she has prepared—formal justice, procedural justice, or the training she had—simply has no effect here.
This is a new territory.
37: Objection!
A petite figure stands up from the auditorium.
37: According to the record, the last time we inflicted severe punishment was in 1980 to a visitor who ate beans.
37: He ate a Carbuncle that feeds on beans. Then he was sentenced to death according to the set theory.
37: In our scripture, eating beans is the most evil sin, which undoubtedly fits the most severe punishment.
37: But if we are now executing people for breaking the silence at the Assembly, how would it reflect our attitude towards the consumption of beans? Has the latter become less sinful?
37: I suggest Sonetto's punishment be commuted!
The crowds start to clamor.
Believer II: A good argument ...
6: 37's argument is deemed valid. The debate will continue.
37 sits down, feeling satisfied. Then a tall man languidly stands up.
210: Objection.
210: The punishment for eating beans is to throw the offenders into the Gorgon Current, while the punishment for the silence breaker is to drink poisoned wine.
210: Among all the punishments we have, there's no other punishment more dreadful than being thrown into the Gorgon Current.
210: Because eternity and infinity are the two things we have the least knowledge of, which makes them the most ghastly punishments among all.
210: Giving her the poisoned wine doesn't make the consumption of beans less sinful. Her argument is invalid.
The objection comes quicker than the knock on the stone bell.
37: Objection! Both of the crimes would fall into the same category if we are taking the punishment as the frame of reference, which is death!
210: Objection! The two crimes in question are not commensurable, which makes your comparison invalid!
The debate is heating up.
The crowd is becoming restless. More and more pebbles are thrown into the pot.
Sonetto: What's this ...
Sonetto: I'm completely lost in this irrational debate. I ...
Vertin: I see. So that's how it works.
Sonetto: Timekeeper?
Vertin: Relax. I will help you.
Calm down. Raise your right hand.
This is just a debate. It's not about reality, it's not about justice, and it's not about reason.
It's about winning.
Vertin: I—object!
COMBAT
Believer I: The law of excluded middle ... a good sophism. Good for you to create a paradox from one sentence of my argument.
Believer I: But pitifully, you've made a fatal mistake.
Believer I: You've taken my argument as the basis of your defense. I said, "People without a number should be expelled from the Hall of Truth."
Believer I: You don't have a number, either, Ms. Outsider. Based on my argument, which has also been approved by you, I argue that all your arguments are invalid!
Vertin: Ah!
Vertin: There is no time left.
37: Vertin has a number. I saw it.
Believer I: Pardon me?
Believer I: 37, do you know what you are saying?
37: Yeah. I read her number, just now.
37: Vertin's number is 0.