From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 478 Yingxin's Confession

Feeling her hair being stroked by fingers that weren't her own, Ivy tilted her head uncontrollably.

Under the healing spells of the druids and the harpist bard, most of the wounded have regained their mobility.

The Tifflins have accepted their new identities, retrieved the magically crafted tools from the Dawnstar Keep warehouse, and are enthusiastically beginning to plan their fields and dwellings.

The nature spirit Senir and his shadow half Oliver were of great help. During the time of the Shadow Curse, the unbalanced magic was disturbed by the swaying between the three planes, giving rise to many strange life forms that did not belong to any one plane.

One example is the twisted vines that have spread almost throughout the entire Old Town of Rasven.

Although they have lost their habitat, these unnatural plants still stubbornly survive.

The spirit of nature, Senir, did not intend to eliminate them directly, but these unnaturally born plants occupied much of the fertile land, making it difficult for the Tiffers to carry out their land reclamation plan.

Therefore, with the help of the shadow half-body Oliver, the two nature spirits used nature magic to persuade and urge these plants to voluntarily retract their vines that occupied a large portion of the ground, and instead take root underground, seeking the nutrients they needed to survive in the space of the underworld.

Floric, the temporary commander of the Flame Fist, did not rush off with his men. Instead, he stayed behind to prepare and discuss countermeasures with the high-ranking harpist Jasira.

In the battle against the cultists of the Supreme God, both Flame Fist and Harpist have developed a great deal of camaraderie.

Besides, Jahira has been a great hero of Baldur's Gate for a hundred years, and her praises (or fantasies) still permeate the taverns of Baldur's Gate to this day. It's perfectly normal for Floric to seek her advice.

Baldur's Gate is not close to the Cursed Lands of Shadows; it would take about ten days to reach them by foot alone.

Fortunately, Katheric Sorm of the Tower of the Moon maintained contact with the cults within Baldur's Gate. Through the Santalite Order, they smuggled Mind Flayer Tadpoles, produced by the Mind Flayer Master, into the city disguised as sought-after goods, and then used these Mind Flayer Tadpoles to expand the influence of the Supreme God.

After the battle at the Tower of the Moon began, a merchant ship from Baldur's Gate happened to be docked in the port of the Tower of the Moon.

However, after the Tower of the Moonrise was destroyed by a Dawn Cannon fired by the Shadow Destroyer, a broken rock hit the mast of the merchant ship, breaking the mast in two and creating a large hole in the side of the hull.

The location of the hole was quite ambiguous, neither too close nor too far from the merchant ship's waterline, but right in the middle. Fortunately, this merchant ship, belonging to the Santalin Society, also had watertight compartments, and it hadn't completely sunk yet, but was now pitifully moored beside the reef.

All the warriors who were preparing to leave this place and head to Baldur's Gate to fight against the Supreme God planned to set sail on this merchant ship.

Traveling downstream along the Chongsa River, the waterway that winds day and night, is far more comfortable than traveling on foot.

As for the broken mast and the holes in the hull, Ivy's magic could certainly fix them.

It just requires the Flame Fist and Harpists to collect materials for repairs. After being submerged in the Chongza River for so long, the damaged pieces of the merchant ship have long since drifted away. Even if they haven't drifted far, the wood soaked in the river can't possibly fit perfectly back into the previous hole, so it's better to find new materials.

Flamefist and Harpist were searching for materials to repair the merchant ship, Tifflin was busy clearing land and planning building areas, Ironhand Gnome was trying to make new runic gunpowder bombs, and the adventurers could naturally find something to do.

So when night fell, Shadowheart went to Ivy's room in Morningstar Keep and offered to trim his hair.

Upon first seeing Ivy's dog-chewed hairstyle, the half-elf girl's nervousness eased considerably, and her anxiety was dispelled by laughter.

She reached out and brushed aside the stray hairs on Ivy's head, revealing a sweet smile: "The training of the Night Judge wasn't all painful for me. The skills in cutting and dyeing hair were an unexpected bonus. All the newcomers in the monastery knew how to find the right herbs and extracts to change the hair color without damaging the hair. The training was for disguise and trickery, not self-discovery, but I no longer live by Shar's rules."

"You use this method to mark your change?" Ivy stared into Yingxin's eyes in the mirror. Her fair skin and black eyeshadow made her olive-green eyes appear even larger. "To change the way others see you, you must first change your own image. Very clever. Almost all intelligent beings rely on visual information. When your companions see your new image, they will immediately realize that the blind follower of Shar from the past is far removed from them."

“That’s right.” Yingxin’s cool fingers brushed a stray hair from Ivy’s temple and tucked it behind her ear. “The gazes and reactions of those around me reinforced this impression in myself—that I do not belong to Shar, nor am I her puppet.”

"Alright." Yingxin cupped the back of Ivy's head with both hands, letting the image in the mirror turn its head with her movements. "Tell me what kind of hairstyle you want."

Ivy paused for a moment, then answered softly, "I trust your taste."

"Ha! What a difficult customer." Yingxin jokingly scratched the back of Ivy's head with her fingers, then turned to get the scissors. "You're special, Ivy."

Yingxin's scissors made a snip sound: "Perhaps many people have already told you this... but I still have to say it, you are unlike anyone I have ever met—so powerful, knowledgeable, witty and humorous, seemingly prepared for everything, and most importantly, you seem very close to us, yet sometimes I feel you are far away, almost like some kind of celestial body that can be seen but not touched."

Shadowheart's assessment was a rather novel statement for Ivy.

In the past, people always regarded him as a talented spellcaster, a terrifying dark wizard, a wizard who could truly fight against death, and a mysterious savior from the horizon.

But no one has ever used the metaphor of a celestial body that can be seen but not touched to describe him.

"Didn't my hair prick your hand?" Ivy asked jokingly.

“Yes, they are hard and stubborn…” Yingxin brushed a strand of hair from Ivy’s forehead and focused on working with the scissors.

Shadowheart's hands were trained to wield Shar's weapons, so naturally, there was no problem with dexterity.

Soon after, Ivy's new look was perfectly unveiled.

"How is it?" Yingxin used divine magic to create a ball of water to wash the stray hairs off her hands, and asked Ivy for her opinion with some uncertainty.

Ivy looked at herself in the mirror, turning her head left and right, running her fingers through her neat short hair, and nodded with great satisfaction.

"Completely exceeded expectations, even by my critical standards."

The new hairstyle designed by Shadowheart gives Ivy a different temperament. If he used to show a more mysterious and magical side, now he looks more tough and confident.

His star-studded cloak and the mithril staff forged by the Lonely Mountain dwarves further amplified his majesty as a legendary spellcaster. "Thank you," Ivy waved, clearing away the cut hair, and sincerely thanked Shadowheart.

“You’re welcome,” Yingxin said softly, her expression softening. “Actually, I’m the one who should thank you… Your help to me lately has surpassed my own faith. I thought faith was the most important thing in my life—but I was so wrong. My life was just a drama that Shar put on a whim, a trivial lie.”

Ivy approached Yingxin, put her hand on her shoulder, and said earnestly, "You have a long life ahead of you, with countless possibilities. Just as Shar couldn't define your hairstyle, she can't define your future either."

“But I’ve already wasted too much time…” Yingxin shook her head gently, her olive-green eyes reflecting the blazing light of the undying flame. “Something we’ve shared has been going on for a while now… It’s an emotional connection, and it undoubtedly goes beyond friendship… I’ve realized it, but I haven’t acted on it.”

“Perhaps now…” Yingxin took Ivy’s hand from her shoulder and held it to her chest with both hands, “it’s time to take action…”

"I want to be with you, from now on, forever." Yingxin's breath, carrying the scent of night-blooming jasmine, sprayed on Ivy's face, making him feel slightly intoxicated.

In a daze, Ivy only heard Yingxin ask, "Is that what you think too?"

“Forever is a rather long time.” But after a moment, or perhaps even shorter, Ivy snapped out of her reverie. “I’m a spellcaster who’s devoted to magical research. While I don’t reject human connection, it’s not my whole life. Being with me is probably much less interesting than you think.”

"You didn't refuse? Right?" Yingxin's reaction was quite different from what Ivy had expected. "Actually, I've had enough of this life filled with crazy adventures. Maybe after all this is over, I can go live with you in Streihaven. How about the professors get houses? Or we can start from scratch, save up money to buy one together? And then live a peaceful life. You go teach, and I stay home and grow flowers? No, that's not enough! Besides flowers, I also want to raise lots and lots of animals! Especially the furry kind! As long as you don't mind my smell..."

Ivy didn't speak, but gazed into Yingxin's eyes and pulled her a little closer to her chest.

Finally, Yingxin's voice trembled with a sob, and her smooth forehead rested against Ivy's chest.

“No…no…” Yingxin’s tall white braid swayed slightly. “My parents are still under Shar’s control…I can’t abandon them…I’m just too scared…Shar…you can’t imagine her power…”

“It’s alright…you won’t be alone.” Ivy reached out and patted Shadowheart on the back. She had changed all her armor and clothes. The black and purple that Shar admired had disappeared from her body, replaced by a moon-white robe. Ivy guessed that it was lent to her by Isabella, after all, Shadowheart was also a follower of Serene.

“Shar’s plot will not succeed, and we will rescue your parents.”

"Thank you..." Ivy felt the shadow in her chest want to smile, but she only shrugged her shoulders.

Ivy sighed and cupped Yingxin's face in her hands. Her black eyeshadow, stained with tears, turned into two dark tear tracks, making this strong girl appear especially vulnerable.

“Perhaps we shouldn’t focus on things that are so far away.” Ivy brought the tip of her nose close to Shadowheart’s. “After all, no one knows whether an accident or tomorrow will come first. Even Shar can’t make you act exactly according to her script, so what good is planning for the future that far away for us now?”

“But…” Yingxin parted her lips like a drowning person craving fresh air.

"Why don't we try to have it first... As for what happens after we lose it, we'll talk about that after we lose it..." Ivy continued to pry open Yingxin's psychological defenses.

"Ah..." Yingxin gasped for breath, biting Aiwei's lips roughly. "Yeah... anyway, I have nothing left to lose... it's just a lover... how can that compare to losing myself?"

The panting was replaced by the sound of mucous membranes touching.

The sound of the fabric falling to the ground was so faint that it couldn't compare to the love song the two were playing together.

“Bal by your side…” The evil thought, holding a dagger in its hand, stood outside the door, staring in disbelief at the sounds coming from inside.

She came to talk to Ivy and wanted to share with him the dagger she had found in the Mind Flayer colony.

That dagger, which resembles two venomous snakes intertwined and twisted together, can cut through flesh multiple times in a single attack, while the paralyzing toxin hidden in the blade can effortlessly enter the unfortunate target's body through these wounds.

When Xie Nian first held it, she knew it was her toy, almost like another hand. They had dissected many targets together, and were even more intimate than lovers.

As a new personality that also lost its memory and was born from a pile of rotten flesh, Evil Thoughts just wanted to find someone to share its dark past with.

I never expected to run into something like this.

Hearing the seductive music coming from inside the door, Xie Nian felt as if his face was on fire, and this evil fire continued to spread downwards.

The evil thought tried to reach out and stop it, but the sensation of the cold prosthetic hand gliding across its abdomen did not extinguish the evil fire; instead, it made it burn even brighter...

"This is the reproductive desire of Baal's offspring..." Evil thoughts screamed in his mind, desperately trying to stop the multi-purpose prosthetic limb that Ivy had personally crafted.

"What are you doing standing there?" Mingsala's appearance successfully helped Xie Nian restrain his desires.

The nearby drow paladins naturally heard the commotion coming from inside the house.

A gloomy look flashed across her face before she scrutinized the blush on Xie Nian's face.

“Heh—” Minsara scoffed dismissively. “Do you need me to find you a bottle of invisibility potion? But remember to clean it up properly. DOOM probably doesn’t want to see suspicious liquid at the door first thing in the morning.”

do you have?
The sentence circulated in the mind of the evil-minded person for a moment and then disappeared.

From any perspective, drinking a potion provided by a drow who might poison one's food is a dangerous thing.

Even for her, the offspring of the god of murder, it was the same.

“You’ve probably misunderstood something.” Evil Thought had completely calmed down. “My prosthetic arm is a little uncomfortable, so I came to see Evil for a checkup. But he doesn’t seem to be able to come right away, so I’ll come back tomorrow.”

The excuse was lame, but evil intentions didn't care whether Ming Sara believed it or not.

(End of this chapter)