Inside the temple of the Harvest Goddess, Demeter.
Jason had become her attendant, serving at her side.
For most people in Greece, especially those who devoutly worshipped Demeter, this would undoubtedly be an enormous blessing.
But for Jason himself, it was naturally something that gave him a headache.
Time passed, and on the morning three days later, Jason brought freshly cut green grass from outside and came before the winged horse, Pegasus.
"Brother Horse, do you have any idea why Goddess Demeter kept me here?"
While feeding Pegasus the high-quality grass and stroking its soft mane, Jason muttered to himself, "I don't think Goddess Demeter is actually that angry with me..."
Pegasus chewed the grass and gave Jason a side-eye.
It neighed twice, clearly meaning: "I'm just a horse, how would I know?"
"It's fine, you eat your grass. I'm just complaining a little..."
Jason was helpless too. In this place, aside from venting to a horse, what else could he do?
"Jason, so you're here."
One of the chief gods of Olympus, the eldest sister of Zeus, Poseidon, and others, Hestia arrived with a warm smile on her face.
"Lady Hestia..."
"Come on, didn't I tell you there's no need for formalities with me?"
Hestia stopped Jason as he started to bow, took his hand, led him to sit on a nearby bench, pinched his soft, childish cheeks, and said with a smile, "This is your punishment for not listening to me... Ah, the more I look at little Jason, the more I adore you.
Why don't you leave Hecate's side and become my child instead?"
This was already the second goddess who had shown clear interest in adopting Jason.
The first one who took a liking to him was Athena.
"Um, Goddess Hestia, please stop teasing me..."
"I'm not teasing. I really do like little Jason... Fine, fine, we'll leave it at that for now. But little Jason, if you ever feel like it, you can come find me anytime, okay?"
As she spoke, Hestia pulled Jason into a hug and gently stroked his head.
As the eldest sister among the gods and the goddess who governs the hearth and home, Hestia naturally adored children. Moreover, she found Jason's eyes exceptionally beautiful.
It must be said, little Jason was genuinely very endearing.
Even Queen Hera had taken a liking to him and secretly helped him in the past; that alone was proof enough.
Though, of course, Hera's feelings had since turned from affection to hatred.
"Little Jason, I have to go now... But don't worry, Demeter isn't actually a bad person. You don't need to be too anxious."
"I wouldn't dare think otherwise. Besides, Goddess Demeter is Lady Persephone's mother. I took Lady Persephone away without permission, so I was in the wrong first."
Jason's little mouth was as sweet as if it had been dipped in honey.
A man's mouth; a lying ghost.
But because he was speaking to gods, at least seventy percent of it was sincere.
"Such a good boy."
Hestia patted Jason's head again and smiled. "Now hurry along. Demeter is calling for you... See you next time, Jason."
"Yes, goodbye, Lady Hestia."
After leaving the temple and bidding farewell to Hestia, Jason returned to the stables and looked at Pegasus in puzzlement. "Brother Horse, Lady Hestia has already left. Aren't you going with her?"
Pegasus neighed twice; naturally Jason couldn't understand what it meant.
Seeing that it wasn't moving, Jason stopped bothering about it and walked into the temple.
Guided by the nymphs, Jason soon arrived before Demeter, who was seated by a large window gazing at the scenery outside the temple.
Sunlight shone upon her long golden hair. This beautiful and dignified woman, dressed in noble attire, no longer wore the icy expression she had a few days ago.
"You're here. Sit. I have some things I want to ask you."
Hearing this, Jason sat down in front of Demeter without surprise.
Demeter waved her hand, and the surrounding nymphs quietly withdrew.
After the two of them were left alone, a period of silence passed.
"Persephone... How is she doing in the Underworld?"
"I left quite early," Jason thought for a moment before answering truthfully. "So I cannot say for certain, but... when big sister smiled, she looked truly happy."
"She smiled..." Demeter sighed. "It's been a very long time since that child last smiled at me."
"Lady Demeter, please rest assured. Big sister will return in half a year at most."
"...Tell me exactly what happened that day," Demeter said, looking straight at Jason. "I know that if there hadn't been a special reason, that child... probably would not have chosen to come back."
At this point, Demeter's expression clearly showed loneliness. Of course she knew; if she didn't, she wouldn't have kept Persephone confined in the first place.
Thus Jason recounted everything that had happened that day by the immortal river in the Underworld, telling Demeter every detail without omission.
"I truly never expected..." After listening, the beautiful Demeter couldn't help but smile at Jason. "That the very child who took my daughter away would be the one to suggest she return... Child, tell me, should I hate you, or should I thank you?"
After saying that, Demeter paused for a moment before continuing, "But you may rest easy. I will not do anything to you. I only kept you here out of spite.
After half a year, you may leave on your own."
Hearing this, Jason looked at Demeter with slight surprise.
"I am the Goddess of Harvest, and aside from big sister Hestia, I am Father's second child. I am not that willful."
...Letting the earth wither and all things perish just to accompany your anger isn't willful... Well, that's probably just how gods are.
Jason thought this to himself, but that was all.
He wasn't some saint. His own hands were stained with the blood of enemies, and in this matter he had already done everything he possibly could.
Jason could have ignored the whole affair entirely. Sooner or later the gods above would intervene and restrain Demeter.
In the myths Jason knew, it was Zeus himself who acted half a year later.
Yet even knowing this, Jason had still steeled himself and come here.
After finishing her words, Demeter turned her gaze toward the window, clearly indicating that Jason was free to leave.
Reading the atmosphere, Jason originally intended to depart, but as he stood up and saw Demeter gazing out the window, looking so utterly lonely, for some reason he suddenly thought of his own mother.
Not the parents of Jason in this world, but the parents from his original world, the ones he could never see again...
Sorry, when I transmigrated, this transmigrator had both parents alive and well, plus a house and a car, which is exactly why Jason never considered himself the protagonist!
Thus Jason couldn't help himself and said to Demeter, "Um, Goddess Demeter, I don't think Lady Persephone hates you at all. On the contrary, I'm sure she still loves you deep in her heart."
Hearing Jason's words, Demeter turned her gaze toward him, clearly somewhat surprised. The surprise, of course, was not at what he said, but that this child actually dared to muster the courage to speak to a goddess like her in this way.
She had walked among mortals, and whenever she revealed her identity, nearly everyone would kneel before her noble presence, not even daring to look at her for more than a moment!
Then, in Jason's eyes, Demeter saw compassion... and deep, thick guilt.
Guilt?
Demeter was stunned.
Toward me?
...Ah, what a good child!
...Actually, Jason was remembering his own former parents. The thought that he had suddenly left them forever and would never see them again was what caused that surge of guilt.
"Lady Demeter, I once asked Lady Persephone, and she admitted that she loves you, but at the same time she wants to do the things she herself wishes to do!"
Since he had already spoken, Jason gritted his teeth and continued, "Goddess Demeter, this is actually a good opportunity. After all, you will be able to see each other again in half a year, right?
Lady Persephone has already grown into an extremely beautiful and outstanding goddess. She has grown up and has her own path to walk, which is why she chose to leave your side. But that absolutely does not mean she doesn't love you!
I believe that not long after leaving, Lady Persephone will surely realize this, and I think that deep down, big sister Persephone actually misses you and worries about you, which is why she silently allowed me to come here!
So... so..."
As he spoke, seeing Demeter's saddened expression triggered memories of his own circumstances. The realization that he had forever left that world, that he would never again see his mother and father, never again hear his mother's nagging, and that he would have to struggle and survive in this dangerous world for the rest of his life; his mind heated up, and the words spilled out before he could think.
Only then did Jason finally calm down.
His body involuntarily stiffened.
In his heart he screamed: It's over, it's over, I'm definitely done for!
His face turned pale as iron.
He had actually dared to shout at a goddess. Tomorrow he'd probably be thrown into the sea to feed Poseidon!
So, on the verge of tears inside, Jason cautiously raised his head to look at Demeter, yet he did not see the furious, darkened face he had imagined.
Instead, there was a gentle smile and eyes filled with maternal love...
...
...
Two more days passed.
Finally, after successfully meeting Athena, an impatient Medea was brought by the goddess herself to Demeter's temple.
Upon arriving, Athena recalled how she had been stood up and couldn't help grinding her teeth in secret.
Hmph, that child actually dared to ignore me and run off. Even if it was because of Aunt Hestia, it is unforgivable!
But this time the opportunity is perfect. Right now that child must be trembling in fear before Aunt Demeter. After I rescue him this time, he will surely be endlessly grateful to me.
With that bond, he will never be able to refuse me again in the future and can only let me do whatever I want with him!
Thinking this way, Athena's mood finally improved. Together with Medea, she followed the nymphs into the temple.
And then, what the two of them saw upon entering the hall was...
"Lady Demeter, I really can't eat any more..."
"Come on, be good. These grapes were just picked beside the sacred spring; they're very sweet. And little Jason, you promised you wouldn't use honorifics anymore, didn't you?"
What greeted Athena's golden eyes was Jason, sitting beside Aunt Demeter, being pampered and hand-fed, looking somewhat embarrassed...
"Lady Demeter, Goddess of Wisdom Athena has arrived."
A nymph quietly informed Demeter.
The moment Jason heard that Athena had come, he froze slightly, turned his head, met Athena's gaze, and immediately sent her a desperate, pleading look.
Goddess Athena, save me!
And the smile on Athena's face, under this scene, gradually vanished bit by bit until it returned to calm, becoming completely expressionless.
As for what was in her heart...
This... absolutely... impossible!