Chapter Text
The first time Nefer saw her, she was handing out bread rations to young children on the ragged streets of Nasha Town. Her light blue robe was scarcely enough to cover her, yet her entire demeanour provided her with a modesty her outfit lacked. Short antlers jutted out of her long violet-blue hair, a dead giveaway as to who she was.
This was the Lady Moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions. A figure of humility and mystery, the priestess had been crowned with her antlers, chosen not by a god, but by her people. They worshipped the Moon Maiden, their Kuutar, a god who had been silent for 500 years. Their god had abandoned them, yet the Frostmoon Scions remained in the past, bound by their blind beliefs and traditional rituals.
This was the intel provided to her by her whispers, her shadows across Teyvat. She had heard, as everyone did, of the Lady Moonchanter’s supposed kindness and altruism, but Nefer always took such information with a grain of salt. No intelligent person would willingly give so much of themselves for others without any incentives or personal gain.
And yet.
The longer she observed the moonchanter, the stronger her disbelief grew. Much of the people of Nasha Town were swindlers, thieves who would stop at nothing to gain an upper hand through manipulation. They would take advantage of anything that breathed if they were able to. So why was the moonchanter doing this? She’d lived in Nod Krai her entire life, she should know that it was their nature to exploit people like her.
She approached the other woman quietly, standing slightly away until the moonchanter noticed her.
“Hello, I’m Lauma, moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions. May I ask for your name?” Lauma greeted warmly, sending Nefer a smile.
“Nefer,” came her brisk reply.
“You’re the boss at the Curatorium of Secrets,” Lauma stated in recognition.
“I am.”
“Would you like some fruit? These are the best we could find in the morn, picked in the wake of the morning dew. It is my hope that partaking in this delicacy may bring your spirits to new heights.”
Lauma handed her the fruit, and Nefer twirled it in her fingers, feeling its texture and nodding slightly. She bit into the soft fruit, its sweetness enveloping her taste buds. She was correct in her judgement of the fruit being of high quality, Nefer would certainly give her that. Was there something she desired in exchange for such a fruit? It wasn’t easy to come across food this good in Nasha Town without parting with a hefty amount of mora.
“The Frostmoon Scions welcome you to Hiisi Island any time. We encourage everyone to visit, and it would be wonderful for us to become better acquainted with the Curatorium of Secrets,” Lauma beamed.
Ah, so she wished to become a business associate. Of course, the fruit had only been an underhanded tactic to manipulate Nefer towards becoming more agreeable. Unfortunately for Lauma, she was not so easily fooled by her false naivety.
“I may consider it. But if you want any help, remember that my services will incur fees,” Nefer warned.
“And if I just wanted to see you?”
The question came unbidden, and a quiet pause stagnated between them as Nefer considered the query critically. She would need to conduct further research into the moonchanter’s habits and motives to accurately interpret her behaviour.
“You know where the Curatorium is, don’t you?”
“Not for business,” Lauma amended, as Nefer briefly considered the connotations behind her words, “All this time you’ve been in Nod Krai, and we’ve never had the opportunity to speak until now. I simply wished to know you better. In your business perspective, would it not be mutually beneficial for us to have a friendly relationship?”
She was correct, but Nefer didn’t appreciate the casual manner in which Lauma approached the situation, almost as though she was angling towards something as trivial as friendship. There was no benefit there, only the inescapable burden of expectations and unreturned favours.
“You are correct, but I will still maintain that any and all meetings stay strictly professional, so the Curatorium is fine,” Nefer decided with a finality that bore no argument.
“I respect your wishes. I hope to see you soon then, Nefer. Take care, and may the moon goddess smile upon you.”
Nefer provided her with a brief nod before turning to the city centre. It wouldn’t do to linger around the moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions for too long, lest the loose-lipped citizens of Nod Krai notice and spread accusations of the Frostmoon Scions attempting to garner favour from the Curatorium of Secrets arose.
Nefer didn’t have to wait long for Lauma to find her. Three days had passed since they had met, and Lauma strolled into the Curatorium, immediately bending down to speak with Ashru. She hadn’t yet seen Nefer leaning against the door to her study, and appeared to be listening intently to Ashru’s meows.
“Lady Moonchanter, I had no idea you were adept in the feline language,” Nefer teased, raising an eyebrow at her cat, “Ashru had never deigned myself worthy enough to be blessed with understanding the intonations of her meows, even if I was the one who found her.”
“Animals tell me their troubles, and I give them the stars,” Lauma stated, smiling at Ashru, “And Ashru here has been telling me all about how you’re always holed up in your study with reports.”
“So my cat is a traitor? Duly noted,” Nefer joked, giving Ashru a playful glare as he meowed loudly at her.
“He cares very deeply for you. Animals only react so lovingly towards people they trust wholeheartedly, which speaks to their own feelings and values,” Lauma observed, standing upright to face Nefer fully.
“I didn’t rescue him from the desert for nothing,” Nefer chuckled, her pitch slightly high, feeling slightly uncomfortable from the compliment, “Are you here for anything in particular?”
“I was wondering if you had any information on healing medicines I could use? There is a young girl on Hiisi Island who has a chronic cough, and requires daily monitoring and treatment for her condition,” Lauma explained.
“Sit, Lady Moonchanter,” Nefer gestured towards the emerald velvet couch as she pondered the situation, “Does she show any signs of wheezing? How affected is she by exercise?”
“Please, Miss Nefer, just Lauma is fine. After she has coughing fits, her breaths have audible wheezing, and she cannot undergo any rigorous exercise without inducing coughing fits,” Lauma continued, her hands absentmindedly rubbing together on her lap.
“In that case, it’s just Nefer to you then,” she replied, “And I believe I can obtain a suitable medicine, but it will not arrive until tonight at the earliest, and as all commissions here at the Curatorium of Secrets, it will incur a fee.”
“Thank you, Nefer,” Lauma said gratuitously, “Just tell me the fee, and I will pay it.”
“The consultation fee will be 10,000 mora, and each tub of medicine will cost a further 50,000 mora,” Nefer stated, watching Lauma’s expression sharply.
Nefer knew that the Frostmoon Scions did not have a monetary focus, their traditional beliefs causing them to donate more than they gained. The salary of a moonchanter, while nothing to be scorned at, was not particularly luxurious either. If this girl required medicine every day, Lauma would be required to pay a hefty sum over time.
“I can pay that,” Lauma said with a polite smile.
“Is it you who pays, or the Frostmoon Scions?” Nefer questioned brazenly.
“I represent my people, so there is no point in attempting to separate the two, not in matters such as mora,” Lauma answered, her voice taking on a defensive tone.
So it was an out of pocket cost then.
“Since you are a first-time customer, I will extend my courtesy by providing you with a 25% discount on these purchases. However, do not expect any more for future orders,” Nefer explained.
As she spoke, Ashru leapt onto the couch and into Lauma’s lap, who extended her hand to stroke his fur as he purred happily.
“Thank you, Nefer, truly. This was an amazing help,” Lauma said, sending her a light smile, “I shall return in the dusk to retrieve the medicine.”
With that, Lauma placed the correct sum of mora on the counter and left, passing by Jahoda, whose braids flew behind her as she rushed inside.
“Boss Nefer! Oh wait, wasn’t that the Lady Moonchanter? What’s she doing here?” Jahoda asked energetically, huffing slightly as she came to a teetering stop in front of Nefer.
“Tell me, Jahoda, what is clause number 3 on your contract?” Nefer questioned.
“The boss is always correct,” Jahoda recited back immediately.
“And the boss is telling you not to ask questions,” Nefer finished stonily.
“Oh… yes boss, whatever you say,” Jahoda grumbled.
“Jahoda?”
“Yes boss Nef?”
“Go to the port with this order and hand it to that blasted Liyue woman’s spy.”
“Wow, who’s paying us 200,000 mora for a tub of expensive medicine? Oh, not one, but five? A million mora! What a hustle!” Jahoda exclaimed as Nefer suppressed a wince.
It wasn’t her fault her intelligence network was effective enough for her to know the exact annual salary of a moonchanter. Really, it was entirely Lauma’s fault for being the only selfless individual in the whole of Nasha Town, or perhaps even Nod Krai. How was she supposed to tell the woman she wouldn’t be able to afford such an expensive medicine?
It mattered not. Nefer would be able to cover the loss within a few days, and she’d taken the money out of her own account instead of the Curatorium’s so it wouldn’t affect Jahoda’s pay.
So truly, she was a fantastic boss.
When the door opened hours later, Nefer expected it to be Jahoda, but those familiar energetic footsteps did not sound out against the wooden floorboards. Instead, light steps approached, and the heady scent of morning dew filled the air around her.
“Lauma, I’m afraid you’ve arrived earlier than your package,” Nefer said without looking up from her report.
“Did I? I suppose I’ll just have to wait then, since I’m already here,” Lauma replied.
She could hear the smile in the other woman’s voice. It shouldn’t be possible so soon after meeting someone, but Nefer found herself horribly in tune with every movement Lauma made.
“Ashru told me you’ve been alone for hours,” Lauma continued into the silence, “I thought I might accompany you while we wait for your staff to return.”
“You think I desire your company?” Nefer questioned.
She’d been staring at the same line since the moment she realised who it was that had entered, but Lauma didn’t have to know that.
“The birds outside have been tweeting about how the gorgeous woman residing here never receives enough sunlight, even in the sunny weather we’ve been having lately,” Lauma answered, “Even if you may not want me here in particular, I find that the deadliest snakes are oft the loneliest. Other animals are weary of its danger, approaching it only if strictly necessary. I wouldn’t wish such solitude on you, Nefer.”
“It’s not always necessary to speak the truth so boldly, you know,” Nefer grumbled as she shifted slightly, “I don’t believe I’ve heard you utter a single lie the entire time we’ve spoken. Are you capable of it? Or is deceit forbidden by your goddess?”
“I simply do not see the point of lying. When everyone twists their words, then words lose all meaning. I prefer to speak the truth as I see it. That way, there is no chance of my being misinterpreted,” Lauma responded with a frown.
“You really believe that? If you are incapable of lying to anyone, you will only be taken advantage of. The world isn’t kind, Lauma, it will choke you with its sweet words. By the time you realise you’ve been manipulated, it will squeeze, and you will lose that innocence and vitality you hold so close to your heart,” Nefer said darkly.
“If the world is so dark, then why did you lie to me about the price of the medicine?”
Nefer froze as Lauma’s stare bore into her soul. She’d known?
“Perhaps I’ve underestimated you, Lauma,” she acknowledged, “I simply did not wish to see a child die because you could not afford the life saving medicine she needed.”
“I knew it,” Lauma smiled, “There is a heart beating in you after all.”
The door slammed open, and this time it really was Jahoda, a large satchel slung over her back.
“I’m back, boss Nef! I’ve got all the-“
“Unfortunately, our supplier only provides us with a single tub of medicine at a time due to its exotic nature,” Nefer interjected, “So I’m afraid you will have to return for the next batch when the current tub runs out.”
Jahoda looked as though she wished to argue, but a glare from Nefer quickly shut her up.
“That’s alright,” Lauma replied with a knowing smile, “I will return in a few days time to collect the next batch.”
Nefer nodded wordlessly as Lauma left, with Jahoda swinging her head left and right to stare confusedly between Nefer and the door. Jahoda opened her mouth once more, but Nefer lifted a finger to her lips, effectively shushing her.
“Clause three, Jahoda, remember clause three.”