Copyright sportskeeda
Nefer is one of the most mysterious characters among Genshin Impact's Nod-Krai cast, and we recently got to know her story in the recent Archon Quest: An Elegy for Faded Moonlight. In the previous version Luna I, she was introduced as the head of the Curatorium of Secrets and a member of the Voynich Guild.However, we never really got to know much about her, like her origins, how she came to Nod-Krai, her mysterious ability to gather intel, etc. In this quest, we finally got to explore her past via her memories, which went all the way back to Sumeru's desert. This article explores Nefer’s role, personality, and the path that shaped her life.Who is Nefer in Genshin Impact?Nefer with her cat Ashru in the Curatorium of Secrets (Image via HoYoverse)Nefer is the boss of the intelligence network Curatorium of Secrets while also being a part of the Voynich Guild in Genshin Impact's Nod-Krai. Despite the region being a lawless land, Nefer maintains a balance between her clients, markets, and underground dealings. She strictly follows her own set of rules to keep order where none officially exists.In terms of personality, Nefer may seem intimidating at first, but she isn’t someone to fear. Over time, the people of Nasha Town in Nod-Krai have come to trust her as they approach her for commissions, big or small. Today, most of them value her services and the information she provides, while some believe she can see through a person’s lies before they even speak. She has also built quite a reputation even across Teyvat over the years.Nefer’s origin story in Genshin ImpactNefer's father, Sinuhe, in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)Through this Archon Quest, we get to explore her unexplored memories of her past, which trace back all the way to the desert in Sumeru. She once lived in Aaru Village with her father, who was the chief of the Shimti tribe. The people of this tribe were the descendants of the refugees of Tullaytulah, the ancient City of Sapphire in Genshin Impact's history.Back then, her tribe used to constantly struggle with basic resources like water, especially during sandstorms. One day, her father, Sinuhe, helped out some scholars from the Akademiya, who appointed him as a special ambassador in return. However, this was just a bluff that Sinuhe had fallen for, as the scholars were highly prejudiced against the desert dwellers.Shimti tribe slain in battle against the Iab tribe in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)One day, Sinuhe returned to the tribe, claiming he had solved their water supply issues by securing it from a new well. Though a young Nefer doubted his claim, she didn’t think much of it at the time. Eventually, the nearby Iab tribe declared war on them, as the well stood on their land. The brutal conflict eventually ended with Sinuhe and several tribesmen losing their lives.After the battle displayed in the memories, Nefer saw an unsent letter among her father’s belongings on the battlefield, one she had never seen before. In it, Sinuhe had written to the Akademiya, pleading for help to resolve the water crisis peacefully.Nefer's life in Akademiya as a scholar A scholar named Mahamata came to Aaru Village from the Akademiya (Image via HoYoverse) Enter caption Enter captionSome days later, in the memories, a young Nefer came to Aaru Village to seek refuge. The chief, Uncle Anpu, noticed Nefer's potential and talents and wanted to make her the candidate for the Akademiya to recruit as part of a new reservation policy. A day later, A scholar named Mahamata came to the village and accepted her into the Akademiya.Uncle Anpu gave Nefer hope that the Akademiya could help her pursue her passion for learning and studying under Sumeru’s greatest scholars. But that didn't become the case at all. Instead, she faced constant bias from students and professors who looked down on her for being from the desert. Eventually, she gave up trying to fit in and began understanding Sumeru’s social systems.Nefer confronted her professor (Image via HoYoverse)One day, she confronted her professor in the library about the constant discrimination she faced. As she had expected, the professor admitted it was because of her origins, despite her strong performance in classes. Instead of reacting, she went to read the unsent letters stored in the Akademiya archives. There, she found one written by her father, who was requesting the Akademiya to accept her as a student.Instead of feeling sorrow, Nefer mocked her father for being naive enough to trust the Akademiya. To her, nothing had changed as they still looked down on the desert folk as if they weren’t part of the same land. She swore never to be like him and left the Akademiya with a promise to herself to make things right with her own hands.Nefer takes her revengeNefer in the aftermath of her revenge (Image via HoYoverse)After leaving, Nefer approached the Iab tribe while pretending to be the Akademiya's representative scholar. She had come to understand the power politics between the desert tribes and decided to exploit them to her advantage. By offering a large wager of mora on which tribe truly controlled the well between the Iab and the Unut, she provoked both sides into conflict.In the end, another brutal battle wiped out both tribes, similar to what happened to her father's Shimti tribe in the past. Standing among the dead bodies, Nefer smiled coldly while seeing in their downfall the same foolishness that had once claimed her father. She never really understood why humans are the way they are. This moment marked the start of her journey and her mindset for her current life.Nefer's Moon Wheel from the Ibis King in Genshin ImpactA mural of the Ibis King (Thoth) in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)Long before she came to Nod-Krai, Nefer had met the Ibis King (Thoth) while he was trapped within the Aaru at the peak of King Deshret's Mausoleum in Genshin Impact. Back then, he couldn’t leave the realm, so he sent an emissary to her instead. A small black cat named Ashru acted as his voice, and by inhabiting it, he was able to meet Nefer and speak to her directly. During their first encounter, the Ibis King tried to lure Nefer with stories of his past. He claimed he once served King Deshret as one of the Seven Pillars under him, drank wine in the king’s court, and even worked alongside the Goddess of Flowers. He spoke grandly of his powers, like weaving fate for mortals while promising Nefer that if she accepted his grace, she would gain immense power.Nefer didn’t believe a word of his, thinking he was just a smooth-talking trickster true to his title, the Lord of Lies. After all, King Deshret had exiled him and two other courtiers to the Aaru realm, and it wouldn’t be difficult for them to invent grand stories to deceive others in the desert.Ashru in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)After thinking it over, Nefer chose to negotiate with him. She didn’t believe him, but she did believe his power and gifts were real at that moment. Not only was she gifted a Moon Wheel out of her negotiation, but she also gained a chess box set as part of their agreement that can help her look into anyone's true memories. This box helps her to gather intel today as part of her role in the Curatorium of Secrets in Genshin Impact. She still keeps Ashru close even now, not just out of affection but in case the Ibis King ever speaks through him again. Nefer’s overall journey from an outcast, a scholar, to the head of the Curatorium of Secrets shows how knowledge and intellect can shape someone's destiny in Genshin Impact. Her confidence in her nature hides a lifetime of struggle, but it also reveals her mastery over patience and perception. Through her encounters with the Ibis King and her steady leadership in Nod-Krai, Nefer reflects the kind of wisdom that Genshin Impact often highlights in its characters from Sumeru.
