Pegasus was swift, and with the directional compass Athena had given him, Jason naturally would not lose his way.
By all rights, he should have arrived at the kingdom of Calydon much earlier.
Unfortunately, the gods watching and coveting Jason were far more than one.
The next day, at noon.
The pure-white Pegasus that had been hurrying since morning descended from the sky, bringing Jason to a quiet clearing in the forest so the two of them could rest for a while.
Jason had only just sat down on a tree stump.
"Are you tired? …Your hair is all messy."
A doting, gentle voice suddenly sounded beside Jason's ear. At the same time, that familiar softness pressed against him from behind. Goddess Hestia clung intimately to Jason's back and reached out to smooth his hair.
"Speaking of which, little Jason, why don't you grow your hair long? I think it would suit you perfectly.
If you had long hair, you would be as dazzling as Apollo."
Very well. Thank you for the reminder, Goddess Hestia. I have decided that for the rest of my life, I will absolutely never grow my hair long!
Jason did not dare move. From the corner of his eye he glanced at Pegasus nearby. Those emerald eyes were filled with resentment.
No wonder you suddenly grew restless and insisted on resting!
Under Jason's gaze, Pegasus decisively turned around, presenting Jason with its rear and its tail.
Against other gods who relied on their backing, Pegasus could still help a little. For example, yesterday it had neighed at the playful nymphs and silently stared at Athena all night.
But Hestia… You are on your own!
You should know that the reason Pegasus stayed by Jason's side to aid him was not Poseidon's idea, but Hestia's.
Therefore, Athena's concealment naturally did not work on Hestia. As long as Pegasus was with Jason, Hestia could find him anytime.
After she finished tidying Jason's wind-tousled golden hair, the mature beauty with long brown hair sat down beside him.
Just like Athena, she stared straight at Jason with both eyes.
The more she looked, the more satisfied she became, nodding repeatedly.
"You really have grown so much… In the blink of an eye, you're already this big."
Hestia compared her height to Jason's, then revealed a gentle smile.
"And you've become so handsome and adorable… Ah, this really is troublesome now." As she spoke, Hestia began seriously worrying.
"Little Jason has become so handsome and adorable. Is there really any girl in the world worthy of you?
Which girl should I choose for your future… This is truly difficult."
As she spoke, Hestia blinked and looked at Jason, who was both laughing and crying. "By the way, little Jason, is there anyone you like? …No matter who it is, as long as you like her, I can help.
Though with how cute and handsome you are, little Jason, you could easily capture any girl's heart."
As she spoke, Hestia reached out again to pat Jason's head. Her loving expression almost made her unable to resist pulling Jason into her arms for a tight hug and lots of cheek-rubbing.
"Um, there really isn't anyone, Lady Hestia…"
"There isn't?" Hestia looked very surprised. "That won't do. Little Jason, you're not young anymore. You need to start thinking about your future soon.
Hmm… I think your little sister is pretty good. Medea is a very cute girl too.
Oh, and the child from Artemis's house is also very cute. Artemis even said she wants to set the two of you up, thinking you would both be adorable together."
Hestia clapped her hands, happily planning for Jason.
Lady Hestia, can we please not talk about this?
Jason's face was full of helplessness.
And Medea is my little sister. A brother must never bully his sister!
Also, did I just hear something outrageous? Artemis wants to pair me with Atalanta? …Fine, I admit Atalanta is cuter than Medea, and most importantly, far less troublesome than Medea.
But that doesn't mean she isn't trouble!
Trouble begone, trouble begone!
"Lady Hestia, may I ask if you came to find me because there is something you need me to do?"
Feeling the topic turning dangerous, Jason hurriedly changed the subject.
"Something to do? …Yes, there is."
Hestia thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Besides wanting to see little Jason, I also hope little Jason can help me with something."
"As long as Lady Hestia speaks, no matter what it is, if I can do it, I will!" Jason replied earnestly.
This was not flattery.
If not for Hestia, the matter with Demeter would not have gone so smoothly. Therefore, Jason was truly grateful to her in his heart.
The same was actually true for Athena. Without her, many things would not have been so simple for Jason.
Thus it was fair to say that Jason had received the guidance of wisdom.
Although Jason never considered himself a good person and even aspired to be a petty one (for only petty people could plague the world for a thousand years), he still retained the virtue of repaying kindness.
As for Hera, though she had once shown him favor, to the current Jason she had none. If anything, the situation was complicated.
"Little Jason is such a good boy!" Seeing Jason so serious, Hestia's heart nearly melted. In the end she could not hold back and joyfully pulled Jason into a loving embrace, rubbing her cheek against him affectionately.
Then she spoke in an envious tone, "Ah, Hecate is so lucky… Little Jason, since Hecate barely cares about you anyway, why not come with me and become my child instead?"
Why is it this line again?
Jason smiled bitterly.
"Lady Hestia, I am truly grateful for your affection, but Hecate is my teacher, and she is the goddess I respect and adore the most…"
"More than you respect and adore me?" Hestia poked Jason's cheek with her fair finger and pouted.
"Well, she is my teacher after all…"
Jason's face did not flush, and his heart did not race.
At that very moment in the temple of the Underworld, Hecate's eyelid suddenly twitched. She paused, thought for a moment, then understood. "That little brat Jason is definitely using me as a shield in front of some goddess again… That little rascal, even after leaving he won't let me off!"
With that, Hecate shook her head and blocked all her perceptions.
She was afraid. Afraid that one day, like the last time with Hermes, she would fail to hold back and go cause herself another headache!
"Lady Hestia, let's not talk about this. What is the matter you wanted to see me about…?"
"Hmph…" Hestia did not answer immediately. Instead she unhappily pinched Jason's cheek and played with it for a while before finally letting him go.
Then she stood up and pointed toward the southwest. "In that direction lies the kingdom of Lycia. Around its borders roams a monster.
Its name is Chimera.
It has the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and a tail formed from a serpent. Wherever it goes, the land becomes barren. It devours both animals and humans. The fire it breathes burns villages to the ground, and no one has yet been able to stop it."
After speaking, Hestia turned back to Jason and smiled. "Go, child. When you reach the kingdom of Lycia, I will issue an oracle so the king of Lycia receives you with the highest honors.
Once you slay Chimera, bards will sing your name across the continent.
Your name shall be remembered for eternity. The world will never forget you!"
Hearing this, Jason fell silent for a moment. Then he looked cautiously at Hestia and offered his opinion. "Lady Hestia, I have no problem going to kill Chimera, but meeting the king of Lycia and becoming eternally famous… is that really necessary?"
"Not necessary?" Hestia blinked in confusion. "Why? …You trained for years and finally left the mountain. Isn't it to win everlasting fame, to become a hero of this age and be remembered forever?"
"Lady Hestia, you have misunderstood me." Jason could not help but say, "There is no such thing. I have absolutely no interest in being a hero!"
Not everyone was Athena, able to see through Jason completely after just a few meetings and prescribe the perfect medicine.
"No interest?"
Hestia was genuinely shocked now. "I heard you never rested a single day in three years.
If it was not for the sake of becoming a hero, then why did you work so hard?"
"To survive." Jason answered without the slightest hesitation or shame. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Lady Hestia, but I am only trying to stay alive."
Hestia's expression grew even stranger upon hearing this.
Of course she remembered this answer.
Three years ago, when she had appeared before Jason and asked him a question regarding Demeter, this had been his reply.
Everything he did was merely to survive.
Back then Hestia had denied that claim and directly pointed out the kindness deep in his heart.
And today, she heard it once more.
"Just to survive… Fine, let us say that is the case."
After thinking for a while, Hestia suddenly asked thoughtfully, "Then if I had not appeared, and on your journey you happened to hear about Chimera, what would you have chosen to do?"
"I would hurry to Calydon," Jason answered without hesitation. "Then I would tell Senior Brother Heracles and the others about Chimera.
After that, following the guidance of Lady Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, I would go to Hephaestus the God of Fire and commission him to forge a divine artifact."
"Mhm." Hestia nodded with a smile. "That is a good choice. But suppose after the artifact is finished and on your way back you inquired about Chimera and learned it had not been killed, would you come to slay it?"
Jason froze for a moment at the question.
His first reaction was that there was no way Heracles and the others could fail to kill it, but following Hestia's assumption, after brief thought, Jason silently nodded.
Yes, he would.