Chapter Text
Nod-Krai was now thriving in the wake of the Traveler’s victory and the courageous team’s daring plan to save the city from the Wild Hunt and the Moon-Avenger Rerir, the Great Sinner. After many battles and tense operations — when every minute could have tipped the scales — these heroes restored Nod-Krai to life, bringing balance and security back to the region. Nod-Krai now gleamed with renewed stability. The populace gradually returned to ordinary life: markets filled with merchants and craftsmen, their stalls once again bustling and awash with bright fabrics and rare artifacts. The technological centers damaged during the conflict had been rebuilt — some even upgraded: laboratories and workshops buzzed with renewed activity, and new power installations ensured the city ran smoothly without interruption. Trade flourished, external expeditions set off for rare resources, and internal supply chains operated with enviable precision. The city felt like a living organism, where each street, market, and center of knowledge slowly came into harmony, and residents sensed that after the raging storm, Nod-Krai had truly entered a new, safe, and promising era.
Nefer sat at her desk in the Curatorate of Secrets, surrounded by neat stacks of folders, parchments, and scrolls filled with records. She calmly reviewed reports, corrected annotations, clarified research details — even allowed herself a slight smile when she found minor inconsistencies that could have caused confusion. The work demanded attention, but her mind was clear — she felt order where others would see only a tangled mess.
Today she had sent Jahoda off to check the new archives — a task requiring attention to detail and patience: she needed to cross-verify the latest records of supervised expeditions and ensure that all documents were correctly classified and securely stored. Jahoda left, and the office fell quiet and nearly empty; Nefer resumed her work.
Suddenly, a letter sealed with the official stamp of Sumeru fell onto the table. Ashru — the little courier, mewing melodiously — settled on the woman’s lap. She instantly felt the familiar chill tracing down her spine, a sign of impending changes. For a few seconds she held the letter, catching her breath: the details within signified it was time to return to the city she had long avoided — to deal with matters that could no longer be postponed.
After a while, Jahoda returned with the completed report. She laid the scroll on the desk, smiling faintly and tiredly, and froze slightly when Nefer looked up.
— Jahoda, — Nefer said evenly, — it seems I’ll have to leave for Sumeru for a short while. I think you can temporarily take over management here.
Jahoda flinched; her eyes widened, and in her mind strange thoughts immediately began to buzz:
Oh my god, what if I mix something up? What if the archives explode because of misused seals?! What if the boss comes back in a week and everything’s a mess?!! (；ﾟДﾟ)
She tried to pull herself together, took a deep breath, and stepped back before nodding:
— I-I understand… I’ll do my best to handle everything.
Nefer gave a slight, almost friendly smile, but seriousness lingered in her eyes:
— I don’t know yet how long the trip will take, but I hope to finish my business quickly. Keep things under control.
Once Jahoda left to check the new archives and finally calmed down, Nefer stepped out of the office and onto the empty street, where the wind stirred light sand and dust around the bustling roads of Nashgorod.
On the journey, her thoughts drifted gently toward nostalgia: the desert where she grew up; evening walks across the dunes; her first scientific experiments and debates with professors at the Academy. She remembered Saino, Candace, Tighnari and others whose faces and personalities left a mark on her memory — their wisdom, integrity, and sometimes unexpected humor.
It washed over her like a soft tide: memories of nights in the academic corridors, of the heat and the smell of sand, of first mistakes and the first small victories — of learning to observe, analyze, and make decisions.
She involuntarily recalled the library where she and Kathayuon often read together for research projects. To be honest, that now-librarian was probably one of the few people who treated her as “an equal.” Because to most other students — and even professors — the desert-born were no more than wretched scum, given a “chance” to access real knowledge.
A lot of time had passed since then, and many things had changed. Had the previously established divide between Sumeru students and desert folk really shifted…?
After the liberation of Sumeru from the rule of the sages and the rescue of the young Sovereign Kusanali, the city had truly transformed. From what she heard through rumors, the brave Traveler had led that operation together with her faithful companion — in which many Sumeru residents took part: the desert-born mercenary known by the nickname “Flamemane,” the indomitable general Mahamatra Cyno, the beauty Nilou with her unmatched dancing talent, the jungle-watcher Tighnari along with his student Collei, and the acting secretary of the Academy — AlHaitham — known for his incredible achievements.
Nefer paused at the last name and thought:
— If you’re just sitting here, — she said without lifting her head, — you could be useful. Can you read? Or only count corners?
He tilted his head slightly, as if trying to understand whether it was a joke or a provocation.
— I can do both, — he answered.
— Good. Then look here.
Much time had passed since then, of course she had heard about his rapidly growing reputation in Sumeru, and generally guessed that a person like that could easily earn a high title. After all, he had also temporarily served as the Grand Sage of the Academy — it was hardly surprising that rumors about him reached many of the woman’s trading partners, who often told her about changes and the latest news from her homeland.
Remember me, boy? Haha — though that nickname certainly doesn’t suit you anymore.
The Traveler had mentioned in a recent letter that she, Paimon, and their friends from Sumeru met with the Ibis-King, who had indirectly referenced her. The woman was grateful that her friends decided not to reveal who exactly was the last person to be interrogated by the speaking cat.
Well, I feel like I’ll have to deal with a lot more…
Sighing tiredly, she thought.