Lilya: Any news from Zeno?
Sonetto: They are moving as planned. The deployment will be complete within two hours.
Sonetto: What about Arcana?
Lilya: Same old. Standing still on the rock as if she's a part of it. Soaking up the salt in the wind, I guess.
Sonetto fiddles with the communication device, making sure Lilya's voice is loud and clear.
Now Regulus can hear their exchange with perfect clarity.
Lilya: She's found herself a good spot, overlooking all of us from up there.
Lilya: The center of the island where the "number people" are heading, the entrance to the cave where Vertin and 37 are going, and the beaches in the "Storm" ... Nothing escapes her sight.
Regulus: Ha! Impressive! Maybe she's planning her escape?
Lilya: Is she also going to swim? Hah, it seems like we're in for a swimming competition.
Lilya: Speaking of which, it would be nice if those "tortoise" slowpokes could swim a little faster!
She hangs up and resumes surveillance of her target.
The next two hours are critical.
The islanders are busy with the cleansing ceremony, while the outsiders are preparing for their departure.
Regulus: Look, Sonetto, I understand your plan now.
Regulus: But I still can't shake off a bad feeling about all this.
Sonetto: Don't worry, Regulus. We have gone over this many times.
Sonetto: The margin of error should be below 0.00025%. I'm confident that it will work.
Regulus: I know, I know! Spare me with the numbers. I know I can rely on you!
She waves her hand quickly, as if swatting away the numbers like flies.
Regulus: I'm still worried about Vertin. Will she make it back in two hours?
Regulus: If she doesn't come back in time, who's going to take charge and guide us? We'll have to steer our own course, won't we?
Sonetto: Yes.
Sonetto nods.
Sonetto: Laplace is gathering every piece of information they can find on the "Storm." The discovery of the asymmetrical nuclide R was already a remarkable breakthrough.
Sonetto: It would help the immunity research a lot if the Timekeeper could find something useful in that cave.
The pirate is not satisfied with the answer. Evidently, she has a strong opinion on the matter.
Regulus: Hmm. I don't think she's going to have a lovely time there, judging by what happened to me last time.
Having spent the longest time there, she's undoubtedly the most qualified to comment on the subject.
Regulus: Is it just me, or do you also find this a bit fishy? The dangers aside, using an "answer" as a reward?
Regulus: What?! Is this deity some sort of answering machine?
APPLe: In fact, Apeiron is a philosophical concept introduced by the ancient Greek philosopher Anaximander, which means "the origin of everything."
APPLe: It is the physical manifestation of the "boundless," the "indeterminate," and the "infinite." Everything arises from it and returns to it.
APPLe: But it appears to serve a more practical purpose for the believers on this island.
Sonetto: Ms. Marta told me about this. There are limits to the knowledge one can acquire, even when using "numbers," which are considered closest to the essence.
Sonetto: But Apeiron is a boundless, limitless existence. If we wish to seek knowledge beyond our own limitations, we must turn to It for help.
She faithfully recites what she learned from the teachings of Apeiron.
APPLe adjusts his bow tie, grateful for her contribution.
APPLe: To the best of this APPLe's recollection, the more ancient, abstract, and intangible an entity is, the more likely it possesses arcane powers beyond our fathom.
APPLe: By communing with the supreme existences through sympathetic magic, worshipers could gain the guidance of their transcendental Gnosis.
APPLe: They would, of course, exact a price from the worshipers as well.
Sonetto: Price?
Just hearing the word makes her heart sink.
Sonetto: Could you be more specific on that, Mr. APPLe?
Sonetto: What's the price? Lives? Or ...
Sonetto: Something else?
37: Vertin, jump over here!
37: Very good! Now you are on number 1.
37: And you should jump to 7! This is a 4 by 4 magic square. You just need to make sure every 4 steps you take adds up to 34.
Howling wind fills the air. The unstable footing is the only solid thing they can rely on.
The path into the cave is completely different than before.
The transparent stairs are gone, as are the swirling golden lines in the air. Now only cold rock walls surround them, and numbered bricks lie beneath their feet.
It's a game of hopscotch unlike any other.
Vertin: I don't understand, 37. This place was different the last time we were here.
37: It has changed because the test has begun! The path to new knowledge is always harder than verifying a known result.
37: Don't worry. This is like a labyrinth with a Minotaur. There is always a way to the center.
Vertin: But weren't those labyrinth walkers offerings to the Minotaur?
Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to care or be concerned at all.
37: Now we're going to solve the magic square! Vertin, the next number is 10.
Whoosh!
The world churns around them, a space is revealed.
As the magic square is solved, the maze shifts once more.
37: Oh, no. It turned into a magic circle! We have to calculate again.
37: This one's easy. The sum of the numbers on each circle should be equal to the sum of the numbers on its diameter plus the number in the middle.
37: We're just going from a square to a circle. It's not that difficult.
37: You are now on 32. We need to find 17 or 21.
Completely absorbed in solving the puzzle, she doesn't notice what's coming up behind her.
A geometric figure with the number "21" hurtles toward her. For a moment, she thought she heard it chuckle.
Vertin: ...!
Vertin: Careful, 37!
Vertin: The numbers are coming to life. We need to put them back in place!
COMBAT
The ground ceases to shake, and everything comes to a standstill once again. The numbers have returned to their original positions.
37 breezes past them with a cheerful smile, making a beeline for the exit.
37: Like I said, it's not that big of a deal!
37: Hm?
She stops.
Before the gate stands a familiar figure.
37: I thought the next question would be the Ford Circle, the Monster Group, or Hilbert's Infinite Grand Hotel.
37: I never thought it would be 6!
37: Hello, 6! Are you the real thing?
6: ...
6: Yes, I'm the real 6.
37: Mm. I wouldn't be so sure. When it comes to the essence, we are all shadows cast on a wall by a flickering fire. How do you know you're the real 6?
6: Heh.
That was too much to take in. Even 37 can't help but step back.
37: Urh, did you just smile?
37: Hmm. Now I very much doubt that you are real.
6: I didn't. And I am the true 6.
6: This gate has always been guarded by a 6.
The leader reverts back to a blank expression.
37 doesn't seem too thrilled to see her friend here.
37: I have a bad feeling about this—I think the question we're about to answer will be very simple!
37: It's just a formality, isn't it? You'll ask a question and let us through. I've seen you do that on other tests before.
6: Formality is also important.
37: No, only the essence is important, only the Forms are important!
6 shakes his head, showing no inclination to continue the debate.
6: This is a question about the essence and Forms, 37.
6: Please pay heed to it.
6: As for Ms. Vertin, we only expect you to lend a patient ear.
Vertin: Very well.
37 looks at 6 with determination, the same look she had when she faced that challenge in the game of kottabos.
She's confident that she can solve any problem that comes her way.
6: 37.
6: If your pursuit of Truth were to lead to the destruction of your faith and beliefs,
6: would you still keep going?
37: What?
She exclaims involuntarily.
37: What kind of question is that?