Morning came quickly and as the morning sun shone through the windows into the living room-

[Breaking, Damien Dixon, tech billionaire and infamous playboy has gone missing. Authorities warn that he might resort to "extreme acts" when pushed to a corner. Citizens are advised to quietly report any sightings and to NOT confront the man no matter what]

Richard watched as the news outlets all reported the same thing.

Damien Dixon, his previous identity, had become America’s most wanted overnight.

Moreover-

"When did I become a playboy?"

The news presented images of receipts for memberships to private clubs and even pulled up the dreaded "files" claiming that Damien Dixon was "on the list".

"You were on that island?"

Cindy asked as she showed him a disgusted look but Richard only rolled his eyes as he answered with an annoyed tone-

"I’ve never talked to the asshole, hell I’ve been waiting for nearly a decade! A whole decade for Andrea to..."

"A virgin? Merlin’s descendant is a virgin at 25?"

"I was busy, okay?! How do you think a 25 year old tech nerd could start a billion dollar industry?"

<That is one of the many talents that the accursed line has, so long as they forgo their charms, their genius would always shine brightly. No wonder those that were pulled away from the magical realm had become legends>

The goddess who Richard thought he would never see again manifested herself next to Cindy just to speak on the matter.

"... So I’m assuming that manifesting yourself is a product of our pact?"

<I expected nothing less of you Richard- or should I call you R2?>

"Stop- that literally awakens the heart of two fandoms"

<Is there a problem?>

"None... but I prefer not to touch on my dark history"

<No use hiding it, the woman Andrea already revealed it to the whole world>

The goddess pointed at the television and there, a familiar image was presented.

"That bitch..."

<Maybe you should have had a close friend destroy your PC?>

"I did!"

<I guess that wasn’t a friend then>

"..."

Richard could only sigh, it was one thing for lies to be made of him but when the truth about his own interest comes out-

"Are you sure being part of that list is a lie?"Cindy asked while looking at the image of a fictional character who looks well underage on the news channel.

"I was a child back then! Those were files from when I was 13! Is it more normal for a 13 year old boy to get the hots for a 32 year old MILF?"

Richard answered Cindy but his response was shot down with one question-

"Why didn’t you delete it though?"

"..."

Of course, if those were marks of his past, then he would have easily just deleted them when he got over it. But-

’After going through them... I can’t just forget about them, could I?’

<After going through them... I can’t just forget about them could I>

Although his words were only in his mind, the thoughts he had were laid bare by the Goddess which caused Cindy to stare at him with disdain.

Normally, he wouldn’t really care about it but this was something about his own degeneracy-

"Degenerate"

The words of the goth chick did not cause Richard any joy. While fictional goth chick berating you could give a certain sense of pleasure. When it’s done by a young girl who looked less like a "goth mommy" and more like a "depressed emo" her insults turned into sharp knives than the expected sexual slaps.

<Now, now Cindy, there’s no need to berate Richard. The fact that he did not delete his past could also be proof of his good nature>

"How?"

<The parasocial feelings he developed for fictional characters is likely what led to him having a hard time deleting them. Much like how he was unable to give up on a poisonous snake for decades only to get bitten in the end>

At first the Goddess’ words felt like they were trying to help Richard. But the more she said, the more those words of hers became spears impaling the poor man’s psyche.

Yes, Richard did have a hard time letting go of things, some may even say that he was a hoarder.

Even though he didn’t really feel any lust towards the childlike characters anymore. Looking at the characters that gave him joy in his youth was like a drug. A hit of nostalgia that made him recall "better times".

Unfortunately, all those feelings of his that could have become the "good points" in any other fictional character from anime, manga or even western media was immediately shot down by Cindy’s realistic response.

"That’s just an obsession, he’s not a good person who can’t let go of important things. He’s just an obsessive fool who can’t give up a sinking ship. He’s the type of idiot who would declared, "the captain sinks with his ship", despite not having a single investment on the darned vessel"

<But it is such individuals who become legends- no?>

"Legends are stories of failure, beautified by an obsessive character. The story did not care whether the "Legend" failed or succeeded, what matters is that the "Legend’s" heart was "in the right place". A stupid reframing of tragedy that fools idiots into doing stupid shit for an ideal"

<Really? Do you hate such idiots?>

"..."

Cindy did not answer the Goddess which led to a sudden silence in the room.

On the other hand, Richard did not try to pour any more oil on the flames. He could already tell that there was something more to Cindy’s hatred but he did not push her any more than he should.

He lived for years with a volatile woman, he knew well when and how to approach such situations.

’Now that I think about it, why did I even put up with her?’

A question popped up in his head, Andrea had never truly loved him and yet he still persisted in maintaining their relationship.

’She was there for me during college, helped me out when I was starting my business... when did it start to fall apart?’

Now that he was thinking about his own situation clearly, he felt something off about his relationship with Andrea.

<Interesting no? Even a womanizer like Merlin was fooled into a trap by a woman. The man who turned a measly peasant into a king was locked away by his own student. Makes you wonder how such intelligent men fall>

The words of the Goddess explained things a bit but not completely.

Even if Richard accepted that his failings were something he inherited, a nature of his ancestry of his genetics. It still didn’t explain the sudden change in his relationship with Andrea.

Yet, the more he thought about it-

<If you want answers then why not look for them now? Damien Dixon will die soon, right? All you need to do after that is dig up the secrets buried beyond your sight>

"What do you know?"

Richard felt like the Goddess knew something he didn’t, maybe she knew the answer to the question he had. The suspicion that was brewing within his mind but one that he was unwilling to accept-

<I only know what you know, it’s been a while since I was able to manifest properly. So long that the rule I had is now long gone>

The young man let out a sigh, he turned to look at the tv, Andrea was once again on the screen. She was shedding crocodile tears, to those with inside information, the lie was obvious but to those without- the words of the crying woman became truth.

It is now the world where the loudest speak the truth, no matter what the truth actually was, if you have a loud enough voice and a far enough reach. Even black would become white, good becomes evil while evil becomes the norm.

"I... need to find answers"

Richard still did not have a proper path, he was still coasting along the new world he found himself in but-

<Good, once you truly let of the past is when you would finally achieve a true awakening>