Ch. 341What the Heck is Building a Superhuman Family?
Summary: Chapter — The Calamity Wizard Meets the Freedom Saintess
Key Plot Points
- Eve Hendricks, the "Freedom" Saintess of the Church of Storm, visits Wain at night bearing a letter from Church head Lady Morien Evans.
- The letter proposes three things: (1) Eve become commander of a guard corps on Alexei Island, equal in status to the "Courage" Saintess; (2) the Church of Storm build a cathedral on the island; (3) a political marriage between Wain and Eve, with ten islands and two Eastern Continent city-states offered as wedding gifts.
- Wain declines the marriage proposal but agrees to the first two matters, stipulating the cathedral be built outside the city walls near the harbor (which he plans to relocate anyway).
- Eve reveals a prophecy circulating through the River of Fate: "Gunfire rings out, the Death Knell has arrived. Death descends: enter the Abyss of Despair, or achieve the Eternal Life of Dawn." It now points to Wain himself, following the death of Chief Alais.
- Eve confides a secret: an island in the northern seas that allegedly wards off Red Moon contamination actually exists. People report miraculous healing, rejuvenation, and even instant power advancement there—something Wain had previously doubted.
Character Developments
- Wain shows political shrewdness and restraint. He is suspicious of the church's sudden goodwill, politely rejects the arranged marriage, makes calculated concessions (church location, guard corps oversight through Old Jack), and demonstrates curiosity about fate divination and the mysterious island.
- Eve transforms from an embarrassed, hesitant envoy into a confident and trusting ally. She visibly reassesses Wain, privately concluding that the "Calamity Wizard" title is unfair, seeing him instead as a gentleman with sound judgment.
- Wain learns of the prophecy's significance and begins considering studying the Spirit Mystery School's fate divination system to connect with the River of Fate himself.
Significant Themes
- Prophecy and Destiny — The foretelling of Wain moves from vague background elements to a central, confirming role; his choices (kill or spare, despair or dawn) appear to fulfill it.
- Political Marriage and Alliances — The Church of Storm uses personal union as a diplomatic tool, which Wain handles carefully, separating the professional offers from the personal one.
- Trust and Secrets — Eve's willingness to share church secrets marks a new level of trust between the two powers.
- The Unknown World — The Red Moon-resistant island introduces a new mystery beyond Wain's current understanding of the world.
Character Interactions
- Wain and Eve's negotiation is polite but guarded; both are initially awkward after the marriage proposal, but the tension eases once Wain declines it.
- Wain demonstrates his negotiating skill, making balanced concessions (guard corps through Old Jack, cathedral outside the walls) rather than outright approving or rejecting.
- Eve displays her diplomatic tact, accepting his conditions and eventually trusting him enough to reveal the island's existence—in effect, treating him as a prospective long-term ally.
- Their relationship concludes on cooperative terms, with Eve granting Wain respect and Wain recognizing her as a useful and trustworthy contact.