"Heracles, I ask you, how have you been under Hephaestus...?"
After just a few words, Hera, who had been made utterly delighted by Jason, was naturally in an exceedingly good mood now.
The more she looked at the white-clothed youth before her, the more pleasing to the eye he seemed!
However, to be honest, although Hera appeared easy to handle, that was not actually the case.
The main reason was indeed because Jason, under the name Heracles, had brought much glory to Hera, causing her to have a certain favorable impression of this white-clothed Heracles that Jason was disguised as from the very start.
Moreover, it had been said early on that the Greek gods were standard appearance enthusiasts.
Jason, whose looks were already not low, with the unique temperament exuded after donning the mask forged for him by Hephaestus.
This naturally made Hera's first impression of this white-clothed Heracles quite good.
Finally, one cannot lie to the gods.
Because lies would be seen through by the gods at a glance.
Jason had indeed not lied; he truly hoped loyally that Hera would address him as Heracles. If not Heracles, then what, Jason?
At the same time, feeling that bringing glory to Hera was an honor was also not a lie on Jason's part.
After all, toward these gods who wielded authority, and especially toward Hera, a queen of the heavens, Jason still held respect for the strong.
However, the deeper meaning of those words was actually that as long as this could please Hera in such a way, making it so she could not act against him, then that would be for the best...
"Teacher Hephaestus?"
Looking at Hera, who was displaying a splendid smile, Jason quietly let out a breath of relief in his heart while naturally not daring to be neglectful, replying: "Thanks to Goddess Hera's concern, I have been doing quite well under Teacher Hephaestus.
Teacher treats me very well."
Here, actually, if he were to say something bad about Hephaestus, it would make Hera even happier.
Because Hera and Hephaestus had a very poor relationship, a fact that Jason also knew, but evidently, Jason would absolutely never do such a thing.
"Is that so." Hearing this, Hera nodded lightly, her smile fading slightly afterward. After pondering for a short while, she said again: "Speaking of which, I seem to recall Hephaestus saying that the mask on her face was a tribute from you?"
"Mm." Jason nodded.
"And besides that tribute, you also sent tributes to Moon Goddess Artemis and the god of light Apollo, as well as war god Ares and the others?"
Recalling yesterday's conversation with Hephaestus in the hall.
And the condition Hephaestus had given, that from now on, upon hearing Jason's prayers, she must unconditionally agree.
Hera naturally felt quite curious and asked Jason about it.
Seeing Jason nod afterward, Hera could not help but stroke his head again, smiling as she said: "What a good child... Then, child, will you prepare a tribute for me?"
"Being able to prepare a tribute for you, Goddess Hera, is my honor, as long as you do not disdain it..."
"Of course I would not disdain it; what could be more joyful than receiving a tribute from one's own child!"
After Hera's words fell, Rhea clearly heard Athena beside her lightly spit out a "Pah."
Another one...
However, speaking of which, by rights, Jason should indeed be Hera's child.
"Child, you intend to send tributes to all twelve principal gods... And if I am not mistaken, Athena is also helping among them, right?"
"Then, child, for whom are you preparing to offer a tribute now?"
Hearing this, Jason could not help but look at Hera before him twice, then replied honestly: "Now, I am preparing tributes for the great Lord Hades and the great Queen Persephone..."
As he spoke, Jason carefully watched for changes in Hera's expression.
And just as he thought, upon mentioning Hades and Persephone, Hera's expression gradually changed.
Athena and Rhea beside him instantly perked up, because...
"Hades, Persephone... The underworld."
Evidently recalling something, Hera's expression gradually turned gloomy.
Even at this moment, due to the fluctuations from her divine power, the entire area trembled slightly.
"Um... Great Goddess Hera, please quell your anger!"
Seeing this, Jason hurriedly stood up and bowed to Hera.
Hera was slightly stunned, then looking at the somewhat panicked Jason before her, she could not help but be taken aback. She then smiled anew, pulling Jason to sit before her and saying to him: "Sorry, sorry, I am not targeting you, child; you need not fear... The one I am targeting is another person.
A person who was once my child but ultimately betrayed me!"
"Um... May I ask, Goddess Hera, who is that person...?"
"Jason!" That name was gritted out by Hera.
Even merely mentioning these three words caused an inexplicable fury to surge in Hera's heart, making faint sounds of thunder rumble through this area!
"Heracles, I have a certain task I wish to entrust to you. Are you willing to carry it out for me?!"
At this moment, Jason, who had roughly guessed what was in her heart, could not help but show Hera a smile that was slightly awkward yet polite.
And steeling himself, he replied to Hera: "Great Goddess Hera, you say it; as long as... as long as it is something you command, I will certainly exert my utmost effort to complete it!"
"Good, what a good child!"
Hera nodded, exceedingly pleased as she said to the white-clothed Heracles before her: "Child, you are the most heroic great hero I have ever seen!
I have even heard from my child Ares that you defeated the hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon who guards the sacred garden of the golden apples.
Moreover, you defeated the hundred-eyed giant Argus!
Therefore, now, in the name of Queen Hera, I bestow upon you an important task!
Although now, Jason is probably still hiding in the underworld, in the temple of that damned goddess Hecate, and has not come out.
But there will come a day when he emerges!
And on that day, I hope you can go find him, and defeat him head-on, humiliating him thoroughly!"
"...Merely defeat him?"
At this moment, Jason was somewhat surprised, thus stunned for a while.
As for Hera wanting the current him to go cause trouble for Jason, Jason had already guessed that midway through her words.
"Mm... Because, child, you cannot kill that person."
Hera said with a gloomy expression: "That person is under the protection of Lord Hades and Queen Persephone, so if you truly killed him, it would actually benefit him instead! Therefore..."
With that, Hera took out a golden dagger from her bosom and handed it to Jason, then continued to say to him: "Take it, child; when you find that Jason and defeat Jason, use this dagger to stab fiercely toward his heart!
Remember, you must certainly strike the opponent's heart!
This dagger will not take the opponent's life, so you can rest assured, but it will devour the opponent's time, making the opponent age at the fastest speed!"
"I want, just as he emerges from the mountains and prepares to accomplish something, to directly destroy all his fantasies, and moreover, make him transition directly from the most glorious moment of his life to decrepit old age!"
At this point, Hera, who was evidently exceedingly satisfied with her own plan, said in a voice full of delight: "You must know, this divine artifact is one I found from the treasures left behind by my father, the god of creation and destruction of space-time, Cronus.
It contains the power of the second-generation king of the gods.
I think for such a curse, even the goddess of crossroads Hecate would have no way to deal with it!"
After learning that Jason was difficult to kill, Hera had almost never considered killing Jason.
And just as Hera said, merely killing Jason would truly be too lenient on him!
Hera wanted to make that Jason, who betrayed her, transition directly into a decrepit elder at the most beautiful and glorious moment of his life.
Then, for the remainder of his life, he would have to live in endless pain and regret because of betraying her!
Thus, now, the white-clothed Heracles, hearing Hera's words before him and looking at the divine artifact Hera had handed him.
A divine artifact left behind by the god of creation and destruction of space-time, Cronus.
"...I understand, great Queen Hera."
He raised this golden dagger, saying seriously to Hera: "If I... Heracles encounters Jason in the future, then I will certainly defeat him, and use the dagger you have given me, Goddess Hera, to stab toward his heart!"
"Here, I swear to you, great Goddess Hera!"
It cannot be avoided... Jason understood that he could not avoid this matter.
And Hera, looking at Heracles swearing to her, could not help but appear greatly gratified, and became even more satisfied with him.
Now, Hera even wanted to directly take this white-clothed Heracles to see Hephaestus and demand him!
And in her heart, she secretly resolved that no matter what the cost, she must turn this child into her own possession!
"This... Is it alright, Athena?"
Meanwhile, Goddess Rhea, watching this scene before her, especially looking at the dagger in Jason's hand, had an expression that could not help but become somewhat unnatural, along with deep worry.
Because she knew Hera had not lied; this dagger bore the divine power of the god of creation and destruction of space-time, Cronus.
It was a very terrifying divine artifact; this divine artifact could not only threaten humans but was sufficient to threaten even gods!
As long as it could precisely strike a god's heart, then although the god would not age due to the flow of time, it would devour their divine power.
Inflicting upon the target an injury that was difficult to heal!
"It is fine, rest assured."
In contrast to Rhea, Athena appeared much more relaxed, saying: "The oath Jason just swore will only take effect on the day the white-clothed Heracles meets Jason.
And evidently, this is almost impossible to occur...
Even if it truly occurs, as long as I am there, I will certainly protect him!"
"Mm... Actually, what I am worried about is not this matter..."
Rhea looked toward Athena; in fact, not to mention Athena, she herself would not allow such a situation to occur.
After all, her impression of Jason was quite good.
"What I want to say is... Look at Hera's appearance now; she has not shown such fondness toward Ares and the others, has she?"
Rhea's gaze was slightly peculiar as she said to Athena beside her.
And hearing Rhea's words, the momentarily stunned Athena turned her head to look.
She saw Hera now sitting beside the white-clothed Heracles, her eyes brimming with fondness for this child.
Not only did she show great intimacy toward this child, but she even personally picked up a divine fruit placed on the table beside them and fed it to Jason to eat.
That fond appearance inexplicably reminded Athena of how the agricultural goddess Demeter had treated Jason back then...
"Mm... Goddess Rhea, what you mean is, could it be..."
"This... You have seen it all as well."
Rhea smiled wryly and pointed at Hera and Jason's current appearance, saying: "Tell me, if in the future Hera learns that this child is actually Jason, then she... Ah, my poor daughter, why is her fate so bitter."
With that, Rhea stared fixedly at Athena.
This made Athena sense something amiss; reacting, she widened her eyes and said: "Wait, wait a moment; you deliberately led me away and even specially borrowed the helm to let me see these things, could it be... you want me to matchmake Jason and Hera?!"
"You have seen it as well; she truly regards this child as a treasure now." Rhea said with a helpless expression: "If in the future she learns that this child is actually Jason, then... It would be too cruel for her, would it not?
Athena, can you help her? Just consider it helping me, how about it."
Help? ...How am I supposed to help!
Athena was stunned.
One must know that this hatred value had persisted for several years already; to untie it was almost impossible!
Because there was one absolute point: Jason would absolutely not leave Hecate... If there were any possibility, she, Athena, would have done so long ago; how could it be Hera's turn!
And without leaving Hecate, the knot between Hera and Jason could basically not be untied.
Thus, just as Athena prepared to refuse Rhea's excessive request, Athena, suddenly thinking of something, stopped again.
Looking at Rhea before her, after a brief moment of contemplation with her eyes turning, Athena raised her head and said to Rhea: "Alright, I can promise your request and mediate the relationship between the two of them from the middle, but in exchange, you must also promise me one thing... It is a matter concerning Jason."
"A matter concerning Jason, what matter?"
Hearing this, Rhea was stunned, then asked Athena curiously.
Athena was silent for a while before saying to Rhea: "If... I mean if, if on some day in the future, the great king of the gods Zeus prepares to use the divine thunder in his hand to strike down and kill Jason.
Then, second-generation Queen Rhea, I hope you can swear upon the river of oaths that, no matter the reason, you must act and protect that child once completely!"