Part 5: Either This or That

Back at the institute, you worry over the professors' highlights in the report.
There are still data gaps in the orbital trajectory of the secondary star, but you know this won't be an issue, it's just that...
Examining the observational data will take a lot of energy and time, and arcane skills will get you the previous data more easily, provided you can accept the..."negligible" error.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Ouch ...?!
Something just hit your head hard. You look up to find the greeting of a black star.
...You feel that if you don't decide soon, your fragile neck will have to retire early—actually, would that be so bad?

Under the cloth is a wooden disc full of vine-like patterns—the flowers of the mandrake.
You chose the easiest way. Has anyone ever mentioned your lack of adventure and patience?
You put a piece of paper on the disk, and trace a circle on it.
You close your eyes and relax, allowing the power from beyond your mind to take over your arm. You hear the paper rustling, a masterpiece is in the making.
A moment later, your hand stops, as if the strings controlling it were broken.
You open your eyes and see an absurd, unusual painting. It looks just like a mural from ancient times.
You touch it, imprinting the drawing in your mind, and close your eyes again.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Phew... Now concentrate. Imagine the secondary star orbiting the white dwarf...
The scenario of your dreams begins to play out  in your mind.
Kumar: A podium, dazzling spotlights. Kumar rises from her seat, and a shower of applause.
Kumar: A smile graces her face, the usual indifference is gone without a trace.
Kaalaa Baunaa: No, no ... Try again.
The scene of your dreams begins to reappear in your mind...
You concentrate, but the sound of a flushing toilet is coming from the distance...
Water spirals down the toilet. Two black spheres are carried by the current, between them a bottomless darkness...
Kaalaa Baunaa: What's this...?
Clearly, the sound of the water has created a strange image in your meditation.
But soon you notice that the trajectory of the spheres in the water looks just like—
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
The long face will do you no good. Record the precious data before it goes away.

You drive to the observatory and feel your way into the moldy reference room. This smell can ruin your appetite for days.
Cheer up. Look at you, sneaking into the reference room in the middle of night, how adventurous you have become!
Kaalaa Baunaa: Ugh. At least it's not as bad as Kumar's bedroom...
Kaalaa Baunaa: So, the past data of the secondary star is...
As you move the pile of documents, a swarm of bugs pours out from the bottom.
Kaalaa Baunaa: NO!!!
For a moment, you wish you had a torch so you could burn the place down and kill these cute little buggers.
You see? The tedious life of a researcher has turned you into a child devoid of compassion and sympathy!
Kaalaa Baunaa: sigh ...I can do this.
You tiptoe, hold your breath, and rummage through the data books on the floor.
You pick up a bounty of records, and soon your bag is filled with all the data logs you need.
Kaalaa Baunaa: panting
After escaping the insects' nest, sweet air fills your lungs.
Such an epic adventure in search of truth should be etched into the annals of history.

Kaalaa Baunaa: These data ... The orbital movement of the secondary star was even more extreme than it is now?!
As you read the data, sweat begins to run down your cheeks.
Kaalaa Baunaa: It was even closer to the white dwarf in the past ... until it reached a minimum distance and returned to its orbit?!
Kaalaa Baunaa: My prediction...is wrong?
You know what this can mean, the endless toil of starting over again, not unlike a Sisyphean punishment...
Kaalaa Baunaa: No, no, something must be wrong with these data, either the observer or my mistake …
You eagerly want to prove the data is wrong, but the copy of data for comparison is stored in the Banner University library.
Unfortunately it's already late at night, and the library is closed ...
You're itching to act. It will be a sleepless night if you don't get an answer.
Why hesitate?
...
...
Kaalaa Baunaa: Ha...!
You sneak into the library, which is quiet as a graveyard.
You find the data and quickly flip through the pages, noticing that there are blank spots at where important data should be.
Kaalaa Baunaa: These are...remnants of an erasure.
Kaalaa Baunaa: The owner of this data book had meticulously recorded the deduction process of the data set, only to later delete this part of the data completely...
Kaalaa Baunaa: This missing data could either completely overturn my research, or finally prove my findings!
Kaalaa Baunaa: Unbelievable. He must have known that I would find this place...
Kaalaa Baunaa: I'm sure he knew how important this data was.
Kaalaa Baunaa: What compelled him to do all this?
"In arrogance, all is beneath you. In humility, nothing eludes you." You see a familiar maxim taped to the bookshelf.
You lower your head and see the corner of a book by your feet.
The answer you've been looking for.
You open the data book, and soon see the familiar signature of the observer.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Ironically, it reads "Kumar".
But yet...she was always been the one who supported your predictions the most.
The star hanging above your head wobbles and sways...