This should have been a quiet night.
A moment of respite for those that tirelessly seek the truth.
—But not tonight.
The lamps flicker brightly, reflecting faintly off glossy pages.
210: I never would have expected our ever diligent corrector to be so taken with outside literature.
210: These weren't on the purchase list, were they?
Several colorful magazines are spread open in front of Sophia, 37 is hunched-over beside her, examining them as if they were rare and precious shells.
Sophia: ...I met several newsboys on the pier on my way back, and they clamored around trying to give me these.
Sophia: I was just preparing my report for 6, but it seems 37 has taken a special interest in them.
37: Of course, Sophia! Look the dimensions of these magazines form rectangles with a length equal to their width times the square root of 2!—an irrational number!
37: The way they so boldly turn their backs on integer ratios can only mean one thing—there is a profound meaning hidden within them! Naturally, we're going to have to read these magazines immediately to solve what mysteries they hold!
210: Let me solve this mystery for you, our Shining Star of Hermes. The hidden meaning is that they used A4 paper.
37: A4? What could any of this have to do with "A" or "4"... Unless A were a variable with a factor of 4... I must know more.
210: I'm afraid these contain neither deep mysteries nor hidden knowledge. They're just travel magazines.
210 reveals the name of the magazine in his hand.
37: "Wandering on the Shore"... published by UTTU Magazine?
37: Oh, wait take a look at the beach on the cover!
The beach is immediately recognizable as the very same on which they're standing.
Sophia: Strange... I wouldn't have expected the Lyceum to grant an interview to a magazine like this.
210: Oh... There's nothing strange about it, really.
210: This magazine must have been published after the first Emanation hit. Back then the island engaged in numerous exchanges with the outside to better understand its impact on the world.
210 flips through the pages briskly, until a confident smirk creeps onto his face.
210: See, I was exactly right - as always. These photos are of 77 and 42.
Sophia: Hmm? But the world beyond the islands has been ravaged by the Emanation many times now. They couldn't possibly have preserved records from back then... Unless-
37: Unless these magazines are from a land like our own, safe from the Emanation's reach.
37: UTTU Magazine... Convert UTTU into numbers, and you get 20, 19, 19, 20. What could it all mean?
37 is lost in deep contemplation, it almost seems as if there are numbers dancing over her head.
Sophia: Let's ask 6 if he knows anything about this UTTU Magazine.
Sophia: Strange, I thought I saw him on the beach with us earlier... but where is he now?
As Sophia starts to look around. Her sharp-eyed companion immediately pounces upon a figure hidden behind a rock.
37: I found you, 6! But what were you doing back there! Why didn't you say hello?
6: ...
6: I had no intention of interrupting your frivolities... Besides, you didn't say anything either.
The leader puts some distance between himself and the others, brushing the sand off from his coat.
6: I assure you, no offense was intended. You are more than free to read these magazines as you like...
6: With that, I shall take my leave.
Try as he might to extract himself from this confrontation, 37 simply will not give him the space.
37: Wah! You want to hurry off so soon? You must know exactly where these magazine things are from.
37: A pivotal mystery is at hand, with mathematical ramifications that could shake the very foundations of the known world!
6: There is no mystery at hand, 37- The previous leader simply had dealings with this publication and granted them an interview.
6: Only it wasn't called UTTU back then... But never mind, forget I mentioned anything.
The leader abruptly halts himself as if to avoid any further probing.
Fortunately for him, the others seem not to catch his mumbling.
210: Oh, well, looks like they finally remembered to send us a copy.
210: In this time of pervasive regression, there's still a magazine out there steadily advancing forward, I'll take it as a good sign.
Sophia: Whatever the case, it has certainly piqued my interest to give it a read.
37: Who cares what they wrote in these things, none of that's important right now! The √̅2:1 formatting ratio is the key here! This is what we should be focusing our mental efforts on!
37 picks up three magazines from the ground, then hands them to 210, Sophia, and the still eager-to-depart 6.
6: ...
6 sighs almost imperceptibly and places his fingers on the magazine's pages.
