"Teacher Hephaestus, I'm back!"
The holy Pegasus directly flew into the temple of the Craftsman God Hephaestus. Because of its fast flight speed, it blew up the skirts of the maids along the way.
Actually, this was very rude behavior, but no one would blame Pegasus or the white-clothed youth sitting on it.
Who let him be Hephaestus's only student, and also the child she cared about the most?
And when Jason and Pegasus directly flew into the temple hall, not only did he see Teacher Hephaestus sitting in her wheelchair, but he also saw a goddess who had appeared here, one who was unexpected.
"Goddess Athena?"
Looking at the silver-haired, golden-eyed beautiful goddess sitting in front of Hephaestus, as if talking about something with Hephaestus, Jason could not help but freeze for a moment.
At this moment, Athena looked at Jason who had come running in directly on Pegasus, and her expression was also very strange... especially seeing the subsequent maid puppets skillfully step forward to help Jason down from Pegasus, lead away Pegasus, and quickly clean the hall. Her expression became even more speechless.
Because no matter how one looked, it was clear that Jason was not doing this for the first time.
"Are you... spoiling him a bit too much?" Thus, Athena could not help but say to Hephaestus.
Hephaestus revealed a gentle smile to the returning Jason, nodded lightly to him, then turned her head to look at Athena and replied, "Then tell me, besides spoiling him, who else can I spoil? ...And speaking of which, I actually have to thank you, Athena.
Because the one who sent him to me, wasn't it you?"
Jason would meet Hephaestus because Athena said she had commissioned Hephaestus to forge a divine artifact that could conceal Queen Hera's perception, which was the bracelet still worn on Jason's hand at this moment.
At the same time, Jason ultimately becoming Hephaestus's disciple also had to do with the divine oracle Athena had given back then.
At that time, Athena actually intended to let Jason get acquainted with Hephaestus. After all, although Hephaestus was not favored among the Olympian gods, in reality, Hephaestus and Athena's relationship was not bad.
Because as the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena was very clear about how terrifying Hephaestus's potential ability was!
"Mm, I did it on purpose back then, that's true."
Athena also admitted this frankly and said, "But I truly did not expect that you two would develop like this... Now it seems that this child is even closer to you than to me!
And you and Hecate, conspiring to hide things about him from me!"
Mentioning this, Athena felt displeased.
Because after that day, Athena had investigated herself, but no matter what method she used, she could not find a single trace... after all, the place with the most traces left was not the mortal world but the Underworld.
And that place, the Underworld, even Athena could not easily enter.
Regarding Athena's complaint, Hephaestus smiled lightly and said nothing more. After all, regarding Athena's words, saying too much would instead cause trouble.
Just then, Jason walked over and said, "Teacher, I'm back... And esteemed Goddess Athena, why did you come?"
"Why can't I come?" Athena replied irritably.
"Um, that's not it, Goddess Athena. I did not mean to be presumptuous. I meant to say about Brother-in-law Hades and the others'..."
"It's being done, it's being done." Athena waved her hand dismissively.
And urging a goddess for a draft... Jason was probably the first person!
"She came this time, and it's related to you... Child, this time, you might really be in some trouble." Hephaestus spoke up at the right moment, paused slightly for a moment, then said to Jason again, "Right, where did you go? Why did it take so long to come back?"
"I went back to the Underworld." Jason replied honestly.
"The Underworld?" The smile on Hephaestus's face stiffened slightly.
"Then that means... you went to find Hecate?"
Upon hearing this, Athena could not help but cast a surprised glance at Hephaestus, because she discovered that Hephaestus's tone right now... actually carried a bit of displeasure!
"Mm, I saw Teacher Hecate, but this time, I did not go to find Teacher Hecate. I went to find Sister Pyrrhia... Teacher, actually, I have already forged my first forged item!"
Upon hearing this, Hephaestus and Athena both froze for a moment.
Evidently, Athena also still remembered that Jason's first forged item would be offered to Hephaestus, that it was a true tribute.
"You already prepared it... so quickly?"
Athena said to Jason with slight surprise.
Because this was a tribute offered to the Craftsman God, and Jason had only followed Hephaestus in learning for about three months.
Even Athena felt... wasn't this a bit too hasty?
However, when she recalled the tributes Jason had offered to the various gods along the way, how many surprises he had given them, after the surprise, Athena's heart immediately surged with even more curiosity.
"Mm... Actually, this tribute being completed so quickly is also thanks to you, Goddess Athena. Truly, thank you very much.
Right, Teacher Hephaestus, you just said I am in trouble...?"
"It's fine. Those things are not important now!" Athena waved her hand, interrupting Hephaestus who was nodding and preparing to say something, and said to Jason, "You offer the tribute to Hephaestus first."
Hephaestus, upon hearing this, looked at Jason with eyes that also became very curious and expectant, but she still said softly, "My matter is not urgent. Athena, you should finish telling Jason about the matter first. We can think of a solution together..."
"No, now is just right... Because the tribute I am offering to you, Teacher, needs feedback from others, and Goddess Athena will also give candid evaluation."
After Jason finished speaking, Athena could not help but become even more curious.
Immediately after, one saw Jason bring Hephaestus out of the temple and into a separate room.
"What tribute is it, making it so mysterious..."
Just as Athena hesitated over whether she should go peek, she suddenly felt as if someone was watching her from beside.
"Who!" Thus, Athena's brows furrowed sharply, and she immediately released her divine power, making the surrounding space tremble.
"It's me." Sensing that Athena was about to draw her weapon, Hecate then dispelled the invisibility magic on her body and appeared before Athena.
After Athena saw that the appearing god was Hecate, her expression improved slightly. What followed naturally was confusion.
"Hecate... what are you doing sneaking around?"
Hecate did not answer Athena's doubt but looked toward the direction where Jason and Hephaestus had disappeared.
Seeing this, Athena blinked her eyes, then said, "Wait, Hecate, don't tell me you... followed Jason all the way here?"
Hecate glanced at Athena but still did not speak.
However, Athena now already knew the answer. And after carefully observing Hecate's current expression, Athena could not help but feel amused in her heart.
Because she recalled just now, when Hephaestus heard Jason mention Hecate, the emotion she showed in that instant was also not very happy...
Gods had possessiveness, and goddesses even more so.
Especially toward things they favored or liked, their possessiveness would manifest even more strongly!
She had not shown this point recently because of Jason's attitude toward Hephaestus.
He called Hephaestus Teacher and acted very respectfully.
But actually, it was precisely because of this respect that there was a sense of distance.
After all, calling Hephaestus Teacher back then was because of the 'task.'
But now, Jason had been won over by Hephaestus.
Thus, when realizing that Jason was treating Hephaestus sincerely, Hecate naturally felt uneasy and displeased...
Simply put, Hecate had sensed that her thing was being... secretly encroached upon by someone else!
Hm? You ask about the centaur sage Chiron?
Things between women and men, how could they be the same?
Besides, Chiron was very smart. He would not compete with Hecate at all.
But Hephaestus...
And just as Hecate dispelled her invisibility magic and appeared, as the temple's owner, Hephaestus naturally sensed it.
But she had no mind to care about this now, because just now, Jason had already reached out and removed the mask she was wearing...
Even during those three months of learning forging, Hephaestus had actually already removed it multiple times at Jason's request, for him to observe.
But at this moment, when her true appearance was once again exposed before Jason, Hephaestus still felt very uncomfortable, her heart beating faster than usual.
She even shyly lowered her head, not daring to meet Jason's gaze.
Regarding this, a smile could not help but appear on Jason's face, because a goddess in such a state, he could only see on Hephaestus.
After all, the goddesses Jason had seen up to now basically took pleasure in teasing him.
"Teacher, now, can you please close your eyes for a bit?"
Upon hearing this, Hephaestus looked up at Jason, hesitated for a while, and ultimately closed her eyes.
After closing her eyes, Hephaestus could clearly feel Jason walking toward her, which made her long eyelashes tremble slightly.
Especially when Jason's hand lifted the golden strands hanging on her face, inadvertently touching her cheek in that instant.
Hephaestus's entire body tensed up like she had been electrocuted!
She nearly opened her eyes, but in the end, Hephaestus still endured the discomfort and sat obediently.
And in such a situation, Jason seriously took out the mask he had forged and gently placed it on Hephaestus's face.
"Alright, Teacher."
Hearing Jason's words, Hephaestus finally breathed a sigh of relief and opened her eyes.
At the same time, her heart felt a pang of regret... because nothing had happened.
After opening her eyes and blinking twice, Hephaestus sensed something on her left face, but it was very light and had no weight at all.
Subconsciously reaching out, Hephaestus touched toward her face, touching a mask forged from special metal fused with unquenchable flames.
Hephaestus touched the mask and cast a puzzled gaze toward Jason.
Regarding this, Jason did not explain much. He took out the bronze mirror he had prepared long ago, and Hephaestus was also able to see her current appearance through it.
Compared to the mask Hephaestus had worn before, the biggest contrast at first glance was actually its delicacy... because Hephaestus herself possessed the beautiful visage of a goddess, and she was the daughter of Queen Hera, so Jason naturally would not make an eye-catching kind of mask.
That would instead severely affect a goddess's beauty.
Thus, the mask's greatest purpose remained to cover the birthmark on Hephaestus's face, which was also the reason Jason had asked Hephaestus to remove her mask multiple times for observation.
The mask overall presented as golden, with patterns that appeared very elegant and noble overall, after all, the one wearing this mask was a true goddess.
And because of the special materials used, the mask would gently adhere to the user's face, without needing strings to bind or restrain it.
But merely this was still not enough!
When wearing the mask, the most important beauty was undoubtedly that hidden beneath the mask.
The sense of mystery that was faintly discernible, making people unable to resist wanting to pull it aside for a peek!
Thus, just as Hephaestus was staring dazedly at herself in the mirror, Jason reached toward her left ear, gently pulling out a pale golden veil that covered her beautiful face.
That was precisely the fabric Jason had commissioned Athena to weave for this purpose, and Jason had also asked Athena to add a curse to it.
That was, when worn, it would forever cover the wearer's face.
No matter what method was used, as long as the user did not actively remove it, no one could see the true appearance hidden beneath this veil!
Thus, at this moment, Jason held up the bronze mirror, looking at Hephaestus before him.
His heart could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Although Jason had rehearsed it many times in secret, even quietly carving a model out of wood, thus having some confidence.
But now, when seeing Hephaestus wearing this gift and appearing before him, Jason inevitably still felt fortunate, fortunate that he had not messed it up... Actually, Jason truly had been quite hard to mess up.
This was just like a goddess wearing a school uniform versus others wearing a school uniform; they were two different concepts.
Hephaestus's foundation was already quite good. What Jason had done was merely add a bit of embellishment.
However, even so, this was destined to amaze others.
The evidence was that when Jason pushed Hephaestus's wheelchair out of the temple, Athena and Hecate, upon seeing Hephaestus now appearing before them, directly froze in place.
"Jason, you always manage to bring me surprises."
Then Athena came back to her senses, shifted her gaze away from Hephaestus, and praised Jason beside her.
"But if the Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite knew about this... she probably would not remain silent and would come directly to find you."
"Ah?" Jason froze for a moment. "Why?"
"Because at the next gathering of the gods, the Goddess of Beauty... will no longer be the center of attention for the male gods." Athena replied smilingly.
Because the beauty brought by this mask, for the vast majority in this world, was an unknown domain!
That face hidden beneath the pale golden mask was not completely invisible; one could know it belonged to an absolutely beautiful goddess.
But because it did indeed serve to cover, appearing faintly discernible.
Thus, it would naturally make people feel an impulse, an impulse to reach out and pull it down to behold the stunning visage beneath the mask!
Therefore, now it was easy to imagine that at the next gathering of the gods, if Hephaestus attended.
Then at that moment, whose body would the male gods' gazes fall upon...
"Hm?"
And just then, Jason naturally also noticed Hecate beside Athena and could not help but freeze. "Teacher Hecate... when did you arrive?"
Hecate did not speak but looked at Hephaestus at this moment, at the mask on her face.
Her mind recalled the scene of Jason forging this mask...
"To deliver this tribute to you, he put in quite a bit of hard work." Hecate said faintly.
"I know." Hephaestus replied with a gentle smile. "I am the Craftsman God. I can naturally feel how much heart and soul this child poured into this seemingly simple mask."
"Mm, actually, it's not as good as you two teachers say." Jason circled his head and said, "After all, it's not even a divine artifact... I even specially asked Sister Pyrrhia to help add the unquenchable fire, and called on Goddess Athena for help.
But the result... Sorry, Teacher. I still did not manage to forge a divine artifact."
Jason said this and could not help but appear somewhat dejected.
"No, you already did very well."
Hephaestus looked at Jason, grasped his hand, her eyes so gentle, and said, "To me, this is the best gift! As for divine artifacts... no rush. Teacher believes that one day, you will forge one."
"Mm! By that time, I will definitely forge an even better gift to give to you, Teacher."
"Mm, I will wait for you." Hephaestus looked at Jason before her gently and said, "Because only you can remove my mask... From now on, I will only wear the mask you made for me."
The words fell...
"Cough!" Hecate coughed heavily, interrupting their conversation, and said, "Jason, starting from tomorrow, come to the Underworld every day to find me!"
"...Ah?"
Jason froze for a moment and looked at Hecate uncomprehendingly.
"Do you still remember the purpose of you taking me as your teacher?"
"Mm, to follow you, Teacher Hecate, in learning magic..."
"Then what about now? ...With you like this, you still dare to call yourself my, Hecate's, student? From now on, come down every day to learn!"
"Oh... oh..."
Jason replied dazedly. He actually very much wanted to say that back then, the one who kicked him out with one foot and told him to set out wasn't precisely you, old lady...
"Learning is not something achieved overnight."
And just then, Hephaestus suddenly spoke up and said, "Jason is still young to begin with. There's no need for him to come find you every day starting now, right?"
"But he's younger than him, and his younger sister Medea has already graduated." Hecate said faintly.
"That's a matter of bloodline..."
"But he is my, Hecate's, disciple!"
Upon hearing this, Hephaestus could not help but smile and said to Hecate, "Since you feel that way... then starting today, this child is mine. You don't need to worry about him anymore. How about that?
Anyway, day after day, haven't you been calling him wicked disciple, wishing he would leave you and not bother you anymore?"
After Hephaestus's words fell, the air at the scene instantly quieted down.
The two silently gazed at each other for a period of time before Hecate spoke, saying expressionlessly, "Isn't he a wicked disciple? ...Jason, you say it yourself. Are you a wicked disciple?"
"Y-Yes!"
At this moment, finally sensing that the atmosphere was off, Jason nodded frantically and said, "Yes yes yes, Teacher, you are right. I am a wicked disciple, just an unworthy student!"
Seeing this, with a pfft, Athena, who had been hiding to the side and secretly watching the show, finally could not hold back and laughed out loud.
Then Athena welcomed Jason's resentful gaze. Seeing this, Athena, who was strongly holding back her laughter, finally stood up and ended the current farce.
"Alright alright, you two teachers, stop arguing for now... If you really want to argue, wait until the matter is over before arguing."
"Matter? ...What matter?" Hecate looked at Athena and asked with furrowed brows. "Did my wicked disciple cause trouble again?"
Hephaestus glanced at Hecate who had said this and was about to speak, but turned her head and saw Jason to the side, who was small, pitiful, helpless, and bewildered.
Her heart softened, and she did not continue to clash sharply with Hecate.
"The old problem... Jason, have you forgotten who the goddess was that you originally believed in?"
Athena held back her laughter, holding it in very hard, and said.
"The goddess I originally believed in? Have I not always believed in Teacher Hecate?" Jason looked at Hecate and said cautiously.
Upon hearing this, although Hecate did not say anything, Jason could feel that her aura had eased somewhat...
So what exactly was going on?
Why was Teacher Hecate in such a bad mood today!
And Teacher Hephaestus too, why was she so... They usually got along quite well, right?
Oh god, I'm having it too hard!
"Hey hey hey, saying it like that is too irresponsible, isn't it? ...Have you forgotten the goddess who brought you to Chiron back then? Oh right, speaking of which, Hera truly has not revealed her true appearance before you..."
Upon hearing this, the stunned Jason and Hecate both reacted at the same time.
"Hera... her?" Hecate furrowed her brows and said, "What happened? Did you let something slip?"
"No, we did not let anything slip... And this time, the one she wants to see, speaking of it, actually is not Jason."
Athena smiled mischievously at Jason and said, "But that great hero in white clothes, with golden hair and blue eyes, riding Pegasus—Heracles!"