Mistborn.

—

[Two days later.]

Walking out of the portal that Margarita created, directly in the heart of Oxenfurt—Whoreson Junior's mansion to be exact—Richard saw a guard standing there, stupefied at seeing the Butcher of Oxenfurt in the flesh. Noticing the garden fountain that had been repurposed as the mages' hub for the portal, he then heard the guard snap to attention and give an order.

"By the order of 54-RH-E, King of New Redenia, Sigismund Dijkstra, I am hereby escorting the Butcher of Oxenfurt to the Academy where the temporary royal court is located! If for any reason the Butcher disagrees with this arrangement, my duty changes to 55-RH-I, to inform the Butcher of the current location of the false king of Redania, Radovid V!"

Chuckling seeing for the first time Redenia soldiers that are very patriotic, unlike the one that he met so far which is always no better than a gang of rebels with little bit of extra power, Richard says to him, "Lead the way soldiers."

"Right this way, Butcher."

Walking through the streets of Oxenfurt and seeing many people going about their daily lives despite the fear in their faces, Richard nodded in acknowledgment. From their faces alone, he could clearly see how the fat man was able to assure his subjects that everything would be okay and the world would return to normal, despite knowing that the monsters of this world were becoming stronger and more intelligent, with many new races and beasts appearing one after another.

Not only that, seeing the merchants still selling their wares in the streets meant that the economy was still functioning despite the Conjunction of the Spheres. This also meant that not only had Oxenfurt itself become a stronghold against the monsters, but there were also many other places that the new King of Redania had secured as bases of operation for combating the monsters. Curious about how the fat bald man was able to ensure the safety of these merchants even though there were many dangers outside these walls of protection, Richard then heard Moiraine comment.

"It seems that this King Dijkstra is very good at ruling. From changing the meaning of Butcher into something to be admired to reassuring common people that the world will return to normal, every checkbox is marked with a perfect score. I like him; he can be considered an ally," Moiraine commented.

Wanting to nod in acknowledgment of her opinion, Richard was unable to do so because he saw someone on the rooftops jumping from place to place like a superhuman ninja. Wherever they jumped, they used coins of steel to propel themselves from one rooftop to another. To be exact, they were manipulating these coins like a metal bender, enabling incredibly agile movements. The attire they wore consisted of dark clothing with signature cloak strips of fabric. Whenever they flew using those coins, it created a peculiar scene, like a fluttering mist obscuring the wearer's silhouette, blending them into the darkness.

Turning to the patriotic soldiers, Richard asked, "Who are they?"

"They are the personal army of King Dijkstra, Butcher. They are called Mistborn, using Allomancy Magic that allows them to do these unimaginable things. Some of them are natives from another world whom the King saved from all over Redenia, and others are transformed from loyal soldiers who followed the King when he was just a spymaster inside Novigrad. As for myself, Vatslav, Lance Corporal of the Redanian Army, once I finish escorting the Butcher to meet the King, I will be transformed to join their ranks."

Seeing the excited and longing expression on Vatslav's face, mixed with a hint of reluctance likely stemming from prejudice regarding mages, Richard nodded and once again acknowledged the fat man's adept ruling.

"By the Light, that man certainly works swiftly. He can foresee and adapt to the changing tides of authority and power. I'm genuinely curious to see how he, an ordinary man, manages to wield such influence without them rebelling. Or maybe… He is no longer ordinary," Moiraine intrigued.

"Yes, my lady. King Dijkstra, also known as the Lord Ruler by the native people of Mistborn, had a serendipitous encounter when he decided to return to Novigrad to his old base. At that time, King Dijkstra didn't know that the well of spa he used daily while in the city had transformed into something magical. So, after he immersed himself in the pool, King Dijkstra changed into something different, something more than just a normal human. At that time, he knew nothing about Allomancy until he witnessed it firsthand."

"Having finished absorbing all the water and traveling back toward Oxenfurt, on the way he witnessed Mistborn Vin Venture, now Queen Sigismund Vin, battling Mordus—an intelligent undead who could transform into a giant insect. Observing how she controlled and burned the metal to enhance her abilities, he instantly understood his own powers at that exact moment when he absorbed those magical waters."

"Seeing someone who understood the origin of his power, King Dijkstra decided to halt his journey and assist his future countrymen. Clumsily fighting for his life, he finally managed to kill the monster and save Queen Lady Vin, who was severely injured after protecting common folk from imminent death. This occurred when King Dijkstra was precisely in the village of Carsten, at the Vegelbud Residence to be exact."

"He certainly didn't mind the story being told as the truth," Moraine admired.

"Yes, my lady. King Dijkstra believes truth is like polished gold that needs to be cherished. This legend and story are recorded in the Poetic Elda, created and penned by Julian Alfred Pankratz, also known as the poet Dandelion. If you wish to read the official history of New Redenia starting from Year 0 after the Second Conjunction of the Spheres, I recommend my lady to peruse Linus Pitt's works and books detailing the events beginning with King Dijkstra in Novigrad, saved by the sire Butcher."

Nodding in acknowledgment at someone capable of quelling the disastrous event caused by the Conjunction in just two short weeks without the Heralds' intervention, and already establishing order amid the chaotic mess of the world, Richard suddenly frowned as he recalled a detail from the soldiers' story. Specifically, it was about magical places appearing in locations that were never before considered mystical.

"It seems we forgot one additional wish," Ciri commented.

—