Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Kate Verus 12 |
| Alias(es) | Kate 12 |
| Affiliation | Plane Merchants; Dark Temple 12 53 |
| Occupation/Role | D-Rank Plane Merchant and developer of new trade regions for the Cosmic Bank 12 |
| Origin | Intermediate Plane 9527 12 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 12 12 |
Background & History
Kate accepted a Cosmic Bank assignment to develop new trade regions and forcibly established contact with Earth, designated Primitive Plane 89757. He was uncertain how he had found it, as its magical elements were too scarce to attract attention; his mana detector had only registered a brief spatial fluctuation. 12
He recruited Qin Yi and Qin Rong as Plane Merchants, translating the Cosmic Bank's Universal Language contract for them before having them sign it through a mirror-like trade connection. Kate expected their agreement to bring his total number of opened planes to 99,999 and qualify him for promotion. 14
Kate initially regarded Earth as a primitive and low-value plane, but was astonished to learn that its common sweet potatoes were the “Saint Fruits” of his world. He became equally enamored with the Qin family's homemade grape wine, which he considered vastly superior to his continent's finest wine. 14
The brothers used Saint Fruits and wine to trade with Kate for gems, pearls, and fifteen heavily armed biological robots that he had acquired from a Mechanical Plane thirty years earlier. 16
While Qin Yi and Qin Rong were attempting to travel elsewhere, Kate's communication request inadvertently redirected them to his plane. Kate housed them on his territory, introduced them to local customs, and concealed his identity as a Plane Merchant from his family. 21
Kate worked with Koville to promote the Qin brothers' religious proposal in Faith City. When City Lord Lovi took an interest in the doctrine, Kate sought Qin Yi and Qin Rong's help in explaining it. 23 24
After Qin Yi later disappeared from Kate's plane, Kate checked on him, continued accepting Saint Fruits for future favors, and connected Qin Yi's mental fluctuation to the Plane Network so that he could attend major trade fairs. 45
At a Plane Merchants' gathering, Kate warned Qin Yi that two True Gods from a higher plane were searching lower planes for a fugitive god. He advised Qin Yi to avoid visiting his plane for the time being and to be cautious when using time and spatial laws. 53
Appearance
Kate's recorded appearance varies between encounters.
- Initially appeared in a tailcoat while contacting Earth through a mirror. 12
- Was described with blond hair and blue eyes when Qin Yi and Qin Rong accidentally arrived on his plane. 21
- Later appeared in noble attire with black hair and red eyes during a Plane Merchants' meeting. 53
Personality
Kate is ambitious and commercially minded. He persistently encouraged the Qin brothers to become Plane Merchants because opening their plane would advance his rank, yet he was willing to spend an hour translating the merchant code when they could not read the Universal Language. 12 14
He can be excitable and naïve about goods from unfamiliar planes, treating sweet potatoes as priceless Saint Fruits and reacting passionately to the Qin family's wine. 14
Despite his mercantile motives, Kate develops a genuine friendship with Qin Yi and Qin Rong. He provides them shelter after their accidental arrival, worries when Qin Yi vanishes, and offers protection and warnings when the conflict between the Dark and Light Temples becomes dangerous. 21 45 53
Abilities & Resources
Plane Merchant Operations
Kate conducts interplanar transactions through the Cosmic Bank's space channels.
- Projects and administers Plane Merchant contracts through a mirror interface. 14
- Explains that merchant transactions incur Cosmic Bank handling fees to maintain the power of space. 14
- Uses the Plane Network to connect merchants' mental fluctuations and facilitate large-scale trade fairs. 45
- Maintains a personal Hexagram Domain filled with spatial laws, which he states prevents outside surveillance. 53
Interplanar Trade Expertise
Kate possesses experience trading across magical, technological, and Mechanical Planes.
- Identified Earth goods—especially sweet potatoes, wine, and gemstones—as profitable trade opportunities between planes. 12 14
- Supplied gems, pearls, and biological robots in exchange for Saint Fruits and grape wine. 16
- Guided Qin Yi through his first Plane Merchants' meeting and advised him to seek goods scarce on his own plane. 53
- Retains knowledge of higher-plane goods and contacts, including defensive talismans, mobile fortresses, armor, and other high-value items available through the merchant network. 53
Mana Detection
Kate used a mana detector while searching for new trade regions.
- Detected a fleeting spatial fluctuation near Earth despite its extremely low concentration of magical elements. 12
Notable Items
- Plane Merchant Contract — Cosmic Bank contract used to register Qin Yi and Qin Rong as Plane Merchants. 14
- Trade mirror — Interface used to communicate, transmit goods, and display contractual text across planes. 12 14
- Biological robots — Thirty heavily armed Mechanical Plane robots kept as collectibles; Kate traded fifteen to the Qin brothers. 16
- Robot control watches — Devices provided with the robots for entering commands and binding ownership through blood. 16
- Communication crystal — Used by Koville to notify Kate about Faith City's interest in the religious proposal. 23
Relationships
- Qin Yi — Recruited him as a Plane Merchant, became his trade partner, and later considered him a friend worthy of warning and protecting. 14 21 45 53
- Qin Rong — Recruited him alongside Qin Yi; Kate found Qin Rong unusually calm and troublesome during negotiations, but relied on his judgment in trade and religious matters. 14 16 23
- Koville — Close friend and second young master of the Covell Family. Koville promoted Kate's proposal in Faith City and delayed reporting to Lovi so Kate could prepare. 23
- Lovi — City Lord of Faith City who became interested in the doctrine promoted through Kate and sought a meeting with its organizer. 23 24
- Dark Temple — Kate supports its side during its conflict with the Light Temple and gathers Saint Fruits at the city lord's request to increase magical power. 45 53
Trivia
- Kate's family does not know that he is a Plane Merchant. 21
- He considered the Qin family's homemade grape wine exceptionally fine, despite initially dismissing Earth as primitive. 14
- He owned thirty biological robots for three decades without ever using them. 16
- Time passes differently between planes; Kate's “tomorrow” for the Plane Merchant Guild had already become “today” for Qin Yi. 52