At this moment, noon had just passed not long ago, but the sun was already obscured by dark clouds. Under the dim sky, a drizzling rain fell, occasionally accompanied by flashes of lightning streaking across.
For the minor setbacks on his journey, Jason had long grown accustomed.
After nearly a month, he returned to the cliff of the Caucasus Mountains and once again saw the prophet Prometheus, the foreseeing god, bound by chains and imprisoned here.
Along with Heracles, who had been waiting for him for several days after returning from the sacred garden of the golden apples, and the pegasus.
"Master, you have finally come!"
The pegasus neighed lightly, flapping its wings under the rain as it flew toward Jason and landed.
It landed on the ground, which appeared slightly muddy due to the rainwater, welcoming Jason, who descended from the Golden-Horned Deer, clad in snow-white robes.
Jason smiled lightly and approached the pegasus, stroking its head before turning to the approaching Heracles.
Seeing the smile on his face, Jason nodded slightly and said, "It seems Senior Brother that you have completed your trial. Congratulations."
As he spoke, Jason took out a grass cake from the silver pouch at his waist to reward the weary pegasus.
"This is still largely thanks to you, Junior Brother Jason. If not for you lending me the guide and the pegasus, how could I have completed the trial so smoothly...
Oh, right, Junior Brother. This is something the great Goddess of Wisdom Athena asked me to pass on to you."
As he spoke, under Jason's slightly puzzled gaze, Heracles, who had come before him, took out a golden apple and placed it in Jason's hand.
Along with the returned guide.
Taking the golden apple, Jason could not help but fall into contemplation.
He naturally pondered Athena's intent in this action and subconsciously asked Heracles, "Senior Brother, did Athena say anything else when she gave it to you?"
"She said you would eventually find a use for it. As for specifics... she did not say."
"I see..."
This 'riddle-like' behavior from Athena was not the first time.
Thus, after shaking his head lightly, Jason thought no more of it and put it away.
Then Jason turned his head toward Prometheus not far away. After nodding lightly to Heracles, the two approached him together.
"Lord Prometheus, I have come to fulfill the agreement with you."
Coming before Prometheus, Jason respectfully bowed to this god who had stolen fire for humanity before continuing, "At the same time, I wish to express my most sincere gratitude. If not for you, Teacher Chiron might now..."
"The matter between Chiron and me, your other teacher and Athena could not possibly have failed to tell you."
Gazing softly at the approaching Jason, Prometheus, who regarded all humans as his own children, said, "Child, you are very clever. You should know what should be done and what should not."
"As for the matter of the oath, I will not hold it against you..."
"Rest assured, Lord Prometheus." Seeing that even now Prometheus was still considering his feelings, Jason replied earnestly, "Since I made the oath, I will naturally fulfill it. I am not afraid to bear the responsibility I should!
Moreover... I have already found a way."
As he spoke, the lightly smiling Jason then took out a wooden box.
He opened it to reveal the giant Tityos inside, bound with Hecate's hair and shrunken.
"Huh, what is this?" Heracles, seeing this, could not help but curiously reach out to touch him.
Tityos reacted extremely violently. If not for the mud sealing his mouth, he might have said something.
And what kind of god was Prometheus? Even with only one eye now, after a brief daze upon seeing Tityos, he understood everything.
"Tityos is him... An excellent choice. In a sense, he is indeed more suitable!"
After realizing it, Prometheus's spirits lifted considerably.
Although he truly would not hold it against Jason, how could he not wish to escape his bonds?
Next, Jason had Heracles hold the wooden box and Tityos securely. He himself drew the sword at his side... that god-slaying sword.
"Huh, Junior Brother, did you not say I would do it?"
Heracles, seeing this scene, could not help but say.
Originally, Jason had indeed planned for Heracles to do it, after all, he was Zeus's son.
"No, I thought about it, and I will do it."
Jason shook his head at Heracles. Heracles, seeing this, naturally would not think more of it. After all, in his view, it did not matter who severed the iron chains.
Only Prometheus looked at Jason and revealed a smile.
He naturally understood the burden Jason would bear by severing these chains.
But Prometheus did not open his mouth to say anything, because evidently, Jason had already made up his mind.
"Child, you have now... grown into a hero who stands tall between heaven and earth." Prometheus said happily for Jason.
In response, Jason said nothing more.
He swung the god-slaying sword in his hand and decisively severed the chains binding Prometheus!
And just as he severed the chains, a bolt of lightning flashed from not far from the three, accompanied by a deafening rumble.
But... that was all.
Prometheus, falling from the cliff, was caught by Jason.
Then a faint green light emanated from Jason's body, and rich life force surged toward the parched Prometheus, healing him.
At the same time, without the restraint of the chains forged by the Goddess of Craft Hephaestus, divine power soon returned to Prometheus. The strength he had not felt for centuries flowed back into his body.
Thus, soon, Prometheus could stand steady.
"Thank you, child."
Even for Prometheus, now that he had finally descended from the cliff and his feet touched solid ground, he could not help but feel some agitation at this moment.
"No need, because this is what I should do, my promise."
Jason shook his head and replied to Prometheus.
Prometheus smiled at Jason before him, then said nothing more.
He turned, took the bound Tityos from Heracles's hand.
Chanting an incantation, he restored him to human size and imprisoned him in the very place where he had just been bound.
At the same time, he picked up an iron ring from the ground and placed it on his own hand, inlaid with a stone from the Caucasus Mountains.
And after he finished all this and raised his head to gaze at the sky.
Soon, the drizzling rain stopped, and the dark clouds gradually dispersed bit by bit. Rays of sunlight shone down from amid the clouds.
"It is done."
Withdrawing his gaze, Prometheus turned to Jason and said, "Child, rest assured. He has accepted it and will not pursue the matter further."
Since it was Prometheus who said it, Jason naturally believed him.
In response, Jason secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mm... And this is the end?"
Heracles was somewhat puzzled, his expression slightly dazed as he witnessed everything before him.
After all, that day, Jason had spoken to him with utmost seriousness.
Heracles had originally thought they would face a fierce battle.
"Because it is a hero clad in sacred white robes."
Prometheus smiled and said, "Even he... seems to have been somewhat influenced, illuminated by that light."
Heracles did not understand the meaning of Prometheus's words, but he understood it was praise for Jason, so he nodded deeply in agreement.
Then, under the sunlight, seeing Jason's slightly uneasy expression at the praise, Prometheus chuckled lightly and said, "Child, if I am not mistaken, you actually have something else to ask me, right? ... In truth, I am somewhat curious. What matter made you come to me instead of seeking Athena?"
As he had said from the beginning, Jason's visit to see Prometheus, besides inquiring about the change in the matter of Goddess Thetis, had another purpose.
It was just that at the time, before that purpose could be stated, he learned of Teacher Chiron's situation.
"Indeed, Lord Prometheus."
After hesitating for a while, Jason still spoke up and said to Prometheus, "In truth, I came to you to inquire about the matter of the tribute...
The matter of the tribute offered to the Hearth Goddess Hestia!"
The Goddess of Hearth and Home, who was also the Sacred Fire Goddess Hestia, was the first child of the second-generation God King Cronus and Rhea, the eldest sister of gods such as Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus.
She was the foremost of the three virgin goddesses and had led the oath that birthed the virgin goddesses.
She was a goddess of absolute chastity and purity.
At the same time, Hestia had always taken good care of Jason.
Back then, in the matter of Persephone and Goddess Demeter, if not for her intervention, things would not have gone so smoothly.
Incidentally, the pegasus now accompanying Jason was a gift from Hestia.
Jason's impression of Hestia had naturally always been good.
However... regarding the tribute, he was truly at a loss.
Because he had thought for a long time but truly did not know what to offer Hestia!
Come to think of it, Jason had been offering tributes for several years now and still had not finished them all.
But this could not be blamed... No, it seemed it truly could be blamed on him.
Who let his first tribute, 'Romance Offered to Artemis,' directly shock all the gods.
But precisely because of that, the gods were willing to wait patiently.
And now, truly counting, there were only three tributes left.
The Hearth Goddess Hestia, Sea Emperor Poseidon, and the Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite.
Because whether it was Queen Hera or God King Zeus, their tributes were already predetermined, needing only to await the right moment.
Queen Hera's was the grandest wedding in the world, the most wonderful marriage.
Zeus's was victory in the war against Typhon.
As for Sea Emperor Poseidon and Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite, outlines could actually be somewhat discerned, but for Hestia...
Jason truly did not know what to offer her.
Regarding the tributes, Jason naturally kept them always in mind and never forgot.
As for why he did not go to Athena but sought help from Prometheus... Was that not obvious?!
"A tribute? If it is for Goddess Hestia, offering a sumptuous banquet would suffice, no?"
After Jason finished speaking, before Prometheus could reply, Heracles spoke up in confusion first.
Hestia held the divine role of family goddess, and being approachable, she would be very happy to accept a banquet offered by children.
Heracles's wife had once offered one together with him.
Thus, Heracles naturally could not understand Jason's distress.
"It is not the same." Jason said helplessly to Heracles, "Our tributes are different... Sigh."
After speaking, under Heracles's uncomprehending gaze, Jason let out a heavy sigh.
At present, he truly had an impulse to go back in time and slap himself!
You and your messing around,
You and your doing it yourself!
Prometheus naturally understood Jason's helplessness and thus could not help but laugh.
"So it is this matter... But if the object is Hestia, I think you need not worry too much.
Because she does not pursue any particular things.
As long as you offer something, I think she will be very happy."
In response to Prometheus's words, Jason could only give a wry smile.
Of course he knew that. Precisely because he knew, he was at a loss.
Because 'anything' was the most difficult choice!
And Hestia was indeed very 'amenable' to anything. This was reflected in Greek mythological stories.
Among the principal gods of Olympus, Hestia truly stood out with her 'lack of presence.'
Even in the future, regarding the arrival of the God of Wine Dionysus, Hestia voluntarily yielded her seat among the principal gods, showing no concern at all.
Her personality was such that it could not even inspire the creativity of ancient Greek artists, resulting in almost no legendary tales about her.
This formed a stark contrast with any other Olympian principal god besides her.
"Lord Prometheus, to be honest, I truly do not know what to offer Goddess Hestia... Can you tell me?"
"...I think for such a question, you can only ask the person involved." After pondering briefly, Prometheus finally gave his answer.
Hearing this, Jason was stunned, then widened his eyes at Prometheus and said, "Lord Prometheus, even you... do not know?"
"For Hestia's tribute, I think even if you asked Athena, she would tell you to go to Hestia."
Prometheus replied helplessly, "Because truly only she can accept any tribute you offer.
And as long as it is something you prepare wholeheartedly, she will not mind in the slightest!"
"So if you want to know what she desires... you can only ask her personally. Only she herself can give you the answer!"
Hearing this, Jason knew it was over.
Because long ago, he had told Hestia that he would prepare a tribute for her with utmost care, and thus Hestia had been waiting with full anticipation.
In such a situation, to go ask Hestia what she wanted... this...
Was this not just messing around?!