After surviving Xio's "interrogation," Abner excused himself to rest and went to Alvin's Palace.
Katarina, the "commodity" he had previously "stolen" through the Eye of Wisdom and then pledged to the Palace as collateral, had been released from the "collection room" by Helena, the Goddess of Wealth. She was waiting for Abner to question her.
The black-haired, blue-eyed White Saintess was delicate and beautiful, with snow-white skin as tender as a young girl's. Yet her gaze held no life, as though she had lost her soul.
After looking her over, Abner rubbed his chin. Was the White Saintess somehow destined to be controlled?
Being controlled by the Red Angel in the original story was one thing, but now she'd been controlled by Lust and "0-37" in succession, only to end up in my hands after all those twists and turns... Was she cursed?
He shook his head, set aside the baseless thought, and signaled to the Goddess of Wealth beside him—Helena, the Palace's current "intelligent life"—to temporarily restore Katarina's ability to think and speak.
A "commodity's" condition could be adjusted.
Light gradually returned to the White Saintess's eyes. She looked around in confusion, then her expression changed and she tried to use her abilities. Unfortunately, she could not move so much as a finger, so nothing happened.
Only then did she take stock of her surroundings. When she saw Abner and an unfamiliar woman standing before her, a glint passed through Katarina's beautiful blue eyes. She put on a pitiful look and was about to invoke her connection to Tracy.
But Abner had no interest in small talk. "What did you ask '0-37' that got you sold to it for two hundred years?"
Some of the temptation faded from Katarina's face. With a guileless smile, she answered, "I asked about