Richard entered the familiar office building like it was natural, we it was. After all, just a week ago, people would line up to greet him.

Not in an exaggerated way but they would always try their best to meet him on their walk to their workstations or offices.

He didn’t force them to do that, but making a good impression on the big boss was something any employee would do. Unless the boss was scum in which case, the employees would desperately try to avoid them.

Still as Richard walked through the busy halls, he can’t help but recall the workers who he passed by-

"Selena, Joshua, Aaron, Andrew, Eustace, Erika, Diane..."

The people he passed by were all familiar faces, he recalled them, despite having only a limited number of people who he could remember. Their nametags were matched to their faces and their work ethics were- although not the best, it was still something that he would remember.

Richard would not claim that he’s the "best kind of boss a worker could have" but he did try his best to be a decent one.

The memories of this building which he forcefully repressed were slowly rising within him.

But he controlled them, he calmed them down.

If he didn’t, the magic that altered with perception which made him evade even the lenses of the countless CCTV cameras would break.

He would then be seen by others, recorded by the cameras and while he currently had the appearance of a random asian man, his appearance would still grab attention.

At worst, the distraction Ragnar was doing would become useless and he could even endanger the people who he was working with.

This was part of his challenge, part of the test the Goddess gave him and also part of his training to finally become a true mystic.

Richard steeled his heart as he walked through the countless offices. He didn’t take the elevator and just used the stairs.

Each floor awakened memories that reminded him of better days.

Each floor held a thought, an idea, a conversation shared.

The happy faces of the employees gave Richard a sense of calm-

’At least they were still doing good...’

But what he was about to do could completely shake their world. Turn it upside down and likely cause many to suffer.

It was thus a good thing that most of the people had already cut ties with him.

He had seen many people who he used to be quite close with talk badly about him, disparage his name and separate themselves from Damien Dixon.

While it hurt him to know that nobody defended him, when he thought about the consequences of doing so-

Even he himself would have abandoned the bastard being portrayed in the news.

Whether it was true or false, the narrative was already set in stone.

Unless Richard could present his own evidence...

Unfortunately, the current trend of society did not really care for people like Richard.

If he used the law, social justice would attack him. Even if he did prove his innocence- so what?

He was a r*pist, an abuser and a man who was publicly labeled as a criminal by the FBI.

The people who could have helped his cause, the idiots who fought against the government at every turn also hate him as he was a man who "stole land for data centers" and "a patriarchal bastard who abuses women".

By the time he heard the sirens chasing after him in less than 24 hours, the calls he got from friends while he was still processing his emotions.

He knew that shit was already lost.

Only idiots would "fight the good fight", because deep down, Richard knew that he was really a bastard either way.

His sins were inflated but they didn’t come from nothing.

While the crimes pinned on him by Andrea could still be disputed, the problem he had with her had long gone past the world of the mundane.

As such thoughts echoed in his mind, Richard pushed open the door to his office and inside there he met her.

"Welcome Damien... so how does it feel to finally use magic?"

Andrea stood alone inside the room, she should be seeing her door just open randomly.

Nothing should be reflected in her eyes but she knew-

"Since when?"

Richard didn’t bother to keep up his magic. The spell that masked his appearance and the spell that twisted perception. They were disabled at the same time as he glared at the woman who he thought would be with him for life.

"Don’t you already know?"

In response to his question, Andrea answered with a sassy smirk.

But unlike the sass from Cindy that was playful and somewhat comical, the way Andrea spoke was filled with condescension. Her eyes were cold and held up high as she sat on the table with her legs crossed.

Richard was unbothered by her act though as he quietly waited for a real answer. No follow up words, no anger, just cold silence as he stared at the b*tch before his eyes.

"I built this with you, you know? I knew about the rings, I hinted at marriage but you always... ran away"

"So you destroyed my reputation and shacked up with Robert?"

Andrea showed a pleased smile but when Richard mentioned Robert, she rolled her eyes and showed a disgusted look.

"He’s just a horndog, all he knows is how to dominate women. Just a bastard in heat 24/7"

Hearing her response, Richard revealed a mocking smile as his eyes went towards Andrea’s lower body.

"I guess he broke you through huh?"

But the response he got was not as he expected as Andrea replied with a scoff declaring-

"He wished!"

Richard went silent, his emotions unreadable but Andrea saw through his act.

"Realized something?"

"Not really, how about you tell me?"

"Hmm~"

Andrea showed a playful expression as she stood up and went behind the desk. She pulled the drawer out and pulled a silver ring from it.

Richard knew what the ring was, he knew what it was for but-

"Here~"

She threw the ring at Richard who caught it without any problem but just as he had it in his hands-

"The other ring is with its rightful owner~"

THe moment he heard her words-

*BANG*

A huge bloody hole appeared in between her eyes, yet "Andrea" still had a smile on her face and her body remained upright.

Richard waited for a few moments and as he saw the grin grew wider-

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

He emptied his magazine on the body leaving a terrifying sight. Instead of the standard bullet holes, "Andrea’s" body was literally shot through like swiss cheese. Large open cavities that one could peak through and it took a moment before blood started to flow through the holes as if realizing late that an empty space where it could flow through with least resistance appeared.

Still, the woman before him did not fall, did not falter and still stood there with a grin.

"Hehehe, I guess heroes always do arrive late~"

Despite having her lungs shot out, the woman was still able to leave those final words as if nothing happened to her before her body crumpled to the ground naturally.

Richard stood there silent-

The goddess said nothing, there was not huge commotion, things were still "normal".

But...

’Where...’

Richard stared at the corpse of the woman who took the appearance of Andrea.

’WHERE IS SHE!’

His emotions exploded but he was able to control them in time.

The chaos that was about to decimate the building was prevented as the woman’s corpse simply turned to ashes.

A quick intense flame that gave no smoke, no smell and didn’t burn anything but all the traces of the woman who had taken on the form of Andrea.

For how long did she act?

For how long was Andrea gone?

Such questions did not need answers as Richard could already tell.

He knew when it started, he could trace it all back.

When the madness that blinded him started...

But the more he realized, the more his rage grew.

In order to prevent any uncontrolled actions-

’I need to find her’

The goddess’ silence proved her position, Richard could not rely on her. He could only do things himself and since the fake Andrea was dead-

"Robert"

He muttered before vanishing from the spot.