Hera wants to see Heracles... What does that have to do with me, Jason!
"If I could have Heracles go in your place, I would have done so long ago... Actually, in secret, I have already given Heracles a divine oracle, telling him not to expose your matters."
Athena seemed to see through what Jason was thinking at this moment and said to him, "But very helplessly, although Heracles did not expose you, Queen Hera went to find Heracles personally and has already confirmed he is not you...
Now, after a round of investigation, she already knows that we all know that white-clothed Heracles. Therefore, this time, she is naming you specifically to see you!"
Upon hearing this, although Jason's expression appeared somewhat depressed and helpless,
It was not very surprising.
Because he had long anticipated this day... Ever since learning that the God of War Ares was sent by Hera to investigate the white-clothed Heracles.
Jason had already made the worst plans!
After all, Jason was not without self-awareness of the things he had done along the way... If he had none, he would not have dumped all the blame on Heracles.
Having done so many things, especially regarding Lamia and Io, it was impossible not to attract Hera's attention.
One could say that if not for the fact that Jason had always been entangled with matters and had almost no free time,
The him who never sat idly by when facing issues would have long since thought of handling this matter!
"It seems... I can only go meet Queen Hera."
Compared to three years ago, the current Jason was undoubtedly much calmer... Although deep down, he still felt that gods were all trouble and that one should avoid dealing with them unless absolutely necessary.
But after this period, Jason had gradually become somewhat accustomed.
Moreover, compared to three years ago, in the eyes of these Olympian gods now, Jason was probably still a mortal ant.
But undoubtedly, he had already become an ant that could bite when provoked!
Besides, now Jason even knew about the god-slaying sword. Compared to it, going to meet Hera naturally seemed much less terrifying.
"What I just said to Hephaestus is this matter... Originally, I planned to have Hephaestus bring you to see Hera and confess your identity... But now, I suddenly feel there is no need for that."
As Athena spoke, she appraised Hephaestus's current appearance, especially the new mask she was wearing, and the corners of her mouth curved up slightly.
Letting Hecate and Jason go see Hera would naturally be lighting a fuse to a powder keg, the kind that would go boom and explode.
But letting Hephaestus and Jason go see Hera would leave much room for maneuvering, and because of past matters, Hera actually still somewhat feared Hephaestus, her own child...
However, now, there was temporarily no need for that.
"No need for that?"
Jason looked doubtfully at Athena who had said this, then followed her gaze to Hephaestus, looked at the mask she was wearing, fell silent for a moment, and then his expression gradually revealed a bit of realization.
"Goddess Athena, do you mean for me... to wear the mask and go see Queen Hera?"
"Smart!" Athena reached out, pinched Jason's cheek, and laughed, "And not only wear the mask. You must go see Queen Hera as Hephaestus's student, in the name of Heracles, not as Jason!"
Upon hearing this, Hephaestus and Hecate both froze for a moment.
"This... this isn't lying? Won't Hera know?" Hephaestus was somewhat puzzled.
"This is of course not lying." Hecate then reacted to Athena's meaning and said, "Because he truly is that white-clothed, Pegasus-riding Heracles... the one who did many things and left the name of Hephaestus!"
As for how Queen Hera could possibly not see through Jason's appearance beneath the mask, that was even simpler.
The mask could be made by Hephaestus, ensuring that even Hera could not see Jason's true face.
At the same time, the Hera who knew Jason knew the child version of him, and now Jason had grown up. During this time, they had not seen each other once!
After Hephaestus and Hecate understood Athena's idea, they could not help but nod inwardly.
Although there was some risk, this was indeed better than directly confessing his identity to Hera... After all, Jason could not leave Hecate to throw himself into Hera's arms.
And Hera had lost a great deal of face because of this matter, mocked in secret by the gods. To regain her face, she would have to severely punish Jason or take Jason back... In that case, the trouble would be too great!
Thus, after agreeing to this suggestion, when Hephaestus and Hecate looked up again, they saw Athena pinching Jason's face, teasing the helpless-faced Jason...
Seeing such an intimate scene between them, Hephaestus and Hecate almost simultaneously made a move.
They both reached out, one grabbing each shoulder, and pulled back.
Thus, Athena froze upon seeing this, and Jason also froze.
Hephaestus and Hecate also froze at the same time.
The two turned their heads and looked at each other.
The expressions of the two goddesses both appeared very calm, and the clash of their gazes did not spark terrifying fireworks, but neither let go...
Athena, looking at this scene, could not help but blink her eyes.
Then she nearly could not hold back and laughed out loud again...
"Hee hee hee, I say, little Jason... How about I become your teacher too?"
"Goddess Athena, please don't make such jokes..." Jason looked at Athena with a tearful expression.
At this moment, Jason even somewhat missed Medea.
If she were here, then... she might directly snatch Jason away, instead staring nervously at these two, ah no, three goddesses.
In short, just like that, another two days passed, and the deadline given by Queen Hera arrived at its final moment...
Thus, on Olympus, in the hall of the gods' temple.
In the hall where the twelve main gods were all present.
Even with all the gods present, including the beautiful Hearth Goddess Hestia, the Moon Goddess Artemis, and the others.
But when the dignified, elegantly dressed, and nobly beautiful matron, the Queen of the Gods, Goddess Hera, appeared, she still appeared so eye-catching.
Of course, if only speaking of beauty, among those present, it was naturally the Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite who was the best.
And at this moment, Queen Hera's expression was not very good.
Because as her gaze swept over, the various main gods all avoided their lines of sight, not meeting hers, not even her child, the God of War Ares.
"...One week's time is up."
Queen Hera's eyes at this moment appeared very angry, and she said through gritted teeth, "But that white-clothed Heracles, I still have not seen even now... Fine, you are all really great. Am I, as Queen, so without face?!
And I just want to see him once, and I would not do anything to him. I even said I do not mind him rescuing Lamia and Io.
What exactly do you all mean by this!"
The Moon Goddess Artemis and Hestia looked at each other, their eyes both very helpless.
For an ordinary child, we naturally would not block you from seeing.
But that is Jason... The Jason over whom you competed with Hecate and ultimately failed to win.
If we let you know he is Jason, would that child have any good fruit to eat?
Therefore, facing the gaze cast by Queen Hera, Artemis and Hestia, one looked at the temple ceiling, the other at the floor.
The gods present all dodged in various ways.
Only the Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite had a blank face, somewhat puzzled as she looked at the situation before her...
"Cough cough."
Finally, Zeus, sitting on the throne of the God King, could not bear to watch and coughed lightly twice, revealing a smile as he said, "Hera, actually, we are not not letting you see that child. The main reason is because..."
"You shut up!"
Before Zeus could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Hera.
And looking at Hera's angry appearance, Zeus felt helpless in his heart, gave Artemis and the others an expression of being unable to help, and closed his mouth.
The main thing was that he was in the wrong on this matter... The matters of Lamia and Io were right there. If he said two more sentences,
Hera would probably go find the second-generation Queen, their mother Rhea, and the goddess representing rules, Themis.
Although Zeus actually did not fear them, if there was no need, who would go against gods of his mother's generation?
Speaking of the matter with Io, Zeus actually still felt a bit depressed.
Because he had not gotten any benefits at all and had stirred up a mess...
Back then, he had not even had time to make a move on Io before being caught by Hera. After Jason rescued Io, Io was even directly betrothed to Jason.
Although Jason ultimately ran away in fear because of this matter... Nonsense, this was a woman favored by the God King. Jason had no interest or courage to touch!
But regardless of whether Jason wanted to or not, on Io's side, she directly stated she would marry no one but Jason and even spread the matter.
Thus, now, as long as one knew about the white-clothed hero Heracles, they all knew that in a distant land, there was a princess waiting for him.
What a beautiful tale this was... Just did not know what Jason would think upon learning it.
Oh, by the way, this matter Medea and Atalanta and the others already knew, after all, it had spread.
Io had even run to Hestia's temple multiple times to cry and complain, hoping the goddess would bring back the white-clothed hero Heracles.
And then, as Hera's expression grew increasingly ugly and the atmosphere at the scene grew colder, Zeus kept signaling Hermes with his eyes.
Hermes was helpless and ultimately could only stand up and say, "Great Queen Hera, please wait a moment longer... The Goddess of Wisdom Athena, she should arrive soon.
That white-clothed hero Heracles is actually also a child favored by Athena. The white clothes on his body were personally woven by Athena. I think she will definitely give you a satisfactory answer!"
Whether there was a matter or not, anyway, finding the Goddess of Wisdom Athena was the way.
Who let her be the smartest, often able to think of solutions.
And after Hermes's words, everyone immediately woke up, all voicing agreement. Even Artemis and Hestia unanimously dumped the blame on Athena...
Upon hearing this, Hera's expression finally improved a bit.
And just at that moment, the Goddess of Wisdom Athena walked in.
"Hm, what are you all talking about? Why do I seem to hear my name?" The entering Athena asked with slight doubt.
And upon seeing Athena enter, all the gods immediately closed their mouths.
Those looking at the sky continued looking at the sky, those looking at the ground continued looking at the ground...
"Hermes said that you are very familiar with that Heracles, and the divine clothes he wears were woven by you... Athena, I think you should have brought him."
Hearing Hera's words, Athena, who had frozen for a moment and looked at the situation before her, how could she still not understand what had happened.
With an expressionless face, she glanced at Hermes, gave the awkward Hermes a cold laugh, then nodded in admission to Hera and said, "Yes, that's right, great Queen Hera. I know that child.
The reason I have been hiding this from you all along is actually because... come in, Hephaestus."
After Athena finished speaking, she stepped aside a bit.
Then, under the curious and puzzled gazes of the gods, the goddess Hephaestus, dressed in an exquisite dress and wearing a specially made mask, arrived in the temple...
This was also the first time after the Craftsman God Hephaestus entered the Olympian pantheon that she personally came here!