Mount Olympus.
In the current age, the gathering place where the Olympian gods reside year-round.
Within a pavilion surrounded by flowers that bloom eternally through all four seasons, inside the temple of Hera, Queen of the Gods.
Hers, having hurried back from Deter's temple in the mortal realm, arrived here.
At this mont, Hera, the beautifully alluring woman dressed in magnificent robes, was entertaining her second elder sister, whom she had asked the God of War Ares to invite.
It was none other than Deter, Goddess of Harvest, her golden hair tied in a long braid.
Also present was their eldest sister, Hestia, with her long brown hair, seated beside them.
"Hera, that is enough. I have already been away from ho for several days. It is ti I returned."
Deter, who had clearly been distracted the entire ti, kept trying to leave.
"Do not be in such a rush, Second Sister."
Hera smiled as she detained Deter and said, "Persephone will not return for several more months anyway, as agreed.
This banquet was originally held because I, your little sister, feared you would be too lonely at ho. That is why I invited you as a guest... Why are you in such a hurry to go back, Second Sister? Is there so urgent matter at ho?"
Deter looked at Hera, who was beaming at her. Although she had already guessed that Hera knew Jason was staying with her, this matter could not be spoken of openly. She could only helplessly turn to Hestia.
Hestia had co precisely to help Deter, but this ti Hera's attitude was unusually firm.
And just then, guided by the nymphs, Hers, the golden-haired youth wearing his winged cap, arrived.
"Great Mother of the Gods Hera, and Lady Deter, Aunt Hestia, it has been a while."
Removing his winged cap, Hers smiled and greeted the three goddesses.
"You are back... Then I assu the task I entrusted to you is complete, and you have already t that child Jason."
Seeing Hers return, and noticing Deter and Hers both frown slightly at the ntion of Jason's na, the corners of Hera's mouth lifted. A triumphant expression appeared on her face.
"Yes, Mother of the Gods Hera. Following your instructions, I successfully t the child and conveyed your words to him."
"Words?" Deter could not help but imdiately ask Hers, "What did you say to that child?!"
"Relax, my Second Sister."
Hera toyed with a lock of hair beside her ear and said with unusual delight, "I have no intention of making things difficult for that child... Though there was indeed so unpleasantness between us, that is already in the past.
As Queen of the Gods, I naturally would not stoop to the level of a re child.
So I rely had Hers deliver so words on my behalf and offer him a new choice!"
As she spoke, under the frowning gazes of Deter and Hers, Hera stood up and declared, "As long as he swears to leave Hecate, that cursed daughter of the star goddess Asteria, then I shall magnanimously forgive all his past offenses!
And once he returns to my embrace, I shall swear in the na of Hera, Queen of the Gods, to protect him completely for the rest of his life!"
When Hera finished, the expressions of both Deter and Hers changed slightly.
Hera, seeing the shift in their faces, appeared extraordinarily satisfied.
This was the exact scene she had wanted to witness, which was why she had kept them here!
Thus, the corners of her mouth rose higher as she continued, "He was originally a child I favored. Though I do not know what potion that daughter of Asteria fed him to make him lose his way, it does not matter. I am willing to forgive him magnanimously!
Hers, tell my dear sisters which one that child ultimately chose!"
Although she had not yet heard the answer from Hers, Hera, utterly confident in herself, stood exceptionally proud and smug before her two elder sisters.
Because this was the simplest of choices.
Even if it were not her, both Hestia and Deter knew which option was correct!
Indeed, Hecate, the Goddess of Roads, did possess so standing.
Even Hera did not dare utter direct insults toward her and only dared speak ill of her mother Asteria.
But in this world, she, Hera, was the Mother of the Gods. She was the lawful wife of God-King Zeus, the Queen of the Gods revered by the current world.
Any normal person would never think of offending her!
Everyone would certainly choose her.
Therefore, Hera had no doubt she would win... She never once believed Jason would not choose her again and return to her side!
Unfortunately...
"Um..."
Hers hesitated for a mont, swallowed, and kindly suggested to Hera, "Mother of the Gods Hera, it might be better if I told you this in private..."
"It is fine. After all, I still need to properly thank my two sisters later." Hera, still oblivious to anything amiss, declared proudly, "My child has been well taken care of by them during this ti!"
...Hers covered his face.
Fine. You brought this on yourself. Do not bla !
Helpless, Hers quietly took two steps back, cleared his throat, and said, "The child Jason's choice... In the end, he chose... his teacher, Hecate!"
"Did you hear that, my beloved sisters?" Hera nodded toward Hers and Deter, whose expressions were gradually turning strange. "That child chose his teacher Hecate... Wait, who?!"
Finally reacting, Hera froze.
She whirled around and glared at Hers. "You said that child... he chose who?!"
"The daughter of Asteria, Goddess of Roads, Magic, and the Moonlit Night, his current teacher... Hecate!"
When Hers enunciated the answer word by word, Hera stood rooted to the spot, eyes wide, face filled with disbelief!
"Pfft..."
At that mont, Deter, having recovered, could not hold back her laughter upon seeing Hera's expression.
Because the turnaround was simply... far too spectacular!
Hearing the sound, Hera spun around and fiercely glared at Deter.
Deter hurriedly turned her head away... then turned her back completely to Hera, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Even Hestia was now struggling to contain herself.
"Impossible, this is impossible, this is absolutely impossible!"
Hera gritted her teeth, staring at Hers in disbelief. "Any normal person would choose ! Who am I? I am Hera, Mother of the Gods! How could he choose that wild girl Hecate?!
It was you... Yes, it must be you. You definitely did not relay my full ssage, did you?
I promised that if he chose , I would grant him the kingship that should have been his, let him enjoy a lifeti of glory and wealth, and even help him undergo the forging of divine fire to beco immortal!
How could he possibly refuse such conditions? Tell why he refused!"
"Great Mother of the Gods Hera, I, Hers, swear by the na of the great King of the Gods Zeus that every word I speak to you is true."
Hers quietly took another step back and answered honestly, "I relayed every condition you offered to that child without omitting a single detail. Choosing Hecate was the conclusion he reached on his own.
The child said Hecate is his faith, that he sincerely loves and respects her from the bottom of his heart, and therefore he would never betray her, not even as a test from the great you."
Well done. Not bending to power. Truly the child I favor!
Both Deter and Hestia could not help but nod inwardly upon hearing Hers say this.
And Hera at this mont... her face was as unsightly as it could possibly be!
"Cough cough. Right, Mother of the Gods Hera, I just rembered I have sothing urgent... Ah, Great Father is looking for . I must take my leave."
With that, Hers quickly fled.
If he did not flee now, would he stay and endure Hera's wrath?!
Seeing Hers escape, Hestia imdiately dragged Deter, who had originally wanted to watch the drama a little longer and even throw in so sarcasm to vent the resentnt from being confined these past days, and hurriedly left.
Once they were all gone, Hera drove away all the surrounding nymphs.
"Jason... Jason, Jason!!!"
Even though they had already run far away, Hestia and Deter could still hear that voice filled with fury clearly!
Because Hera was so enraged, her unstable divine power caused the entire Mount Olympus to tremble slightly!
What happened?
Naturally, the gods began to wonder.
And Hers, as the ssenger of the gods, spread news quickly. Soon, Athena, who was walking with the Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite, learned of the matter.
"This child... he really dares to act."
Athena blinked. Though she verbally tsked, Aphrodite noticed that Athena's mood had visibly brightened.
Daring to challenge what ordinary people would not: that is what makes a hero!
Although Athena felt the choice was irrational, it was precisely because it was irrational that she was extraordinarily satisfied with Jason's decision!
Seeing Athena actually so interested in a re mortal... and not just Athena, it seed many gods were paying attention to him, Aphrodite silently noted the na Jason in her heart.
Naturally, Apollo, God of Light, and Artemis, Goddess of the Moon, who soon learned of it, were also very satisfied.
They already had a poor relationship with Hera.
When the news reached Zeus, it is said his laughter echoed inside his palace for a very, very long ti!
In the end, even Ares and Hephaestus, who had never t Jason, rembered his na because of this.
In one fell swoop, the vast majority of the Olympian gods now rembered this boy: the one who had made Queen Hera lose face twice in a row, and who, according to the prophecy of the three Fates, would one day save Olympus!
At this mont, although the path of an ordinary life had not beco completely impossible,
Undoubtedly, Jason had taken another step closer to either the love of the gods or their destruction.
And his true journey, even now... had yet to officially begin!
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