The goddess Hecate, clad in an ancient-style long dress, was breathing rapidly. Her chest rose and fell sharply.
She sat with her legs crossed. Those long, fair legs formed a striking contrast against the black skirt.
Her crimson eyes stared fixedly at Jason before her.
After lightly biting her glossy lip for a moment and finally organizing her words, she opened her mouth, ready to scold the golden-haired, green-eyed Jason.
"Teacher, I was wrong! I have sinned! I am willing to accept punishment!"
Yet Jason, the hero in white who resembled the god of light Apollo himself, spoke first and cut her off.
He looked at Hecate with pitiful, pleading eyes.
And he seemed eager to once again hug her thigh.
Black lines immediately appeared on Hecate's forehead.
Just as Jason prepared to act, crimson arcs of simulated divine lightning flashed from Hecate's hand.
Jason instantly froze and became perfectly obedient.
"…Fine."
Hecate stared at him for a long while before finally letting out a soft sigh.
"Speak. What exactly happened this time? Why are you in such a hurry to see me?"
At this point, Hecate paused slightly. Then the corners of her mouth suddenly curved upward. As though she had thought of something amusing, she teased Jason.
"By the way… how does it feel?
To receive the love of Athena, the wisest goddess in the world?"
"It feels fantastic!"
Jason rolled his eyes at Hecate.
Then he truthfully told her everything about Thetis.
He asked Hecate to go to the Argo and set up magic that would conceal Thetis's aura so Zeus would not discover her.
This was the reason Jason had come to see Hecate.
Upon hearing about the goddess Thetis, Hecate pressed a hand to her forehead and looked speechlessly at Jason.
Her gaze was exactly the look one gives a walking disaster magnet.
Jason naturally chose to ignore it.
In the past, he might have argued that none of this was his fault and that he never wanted any of it.
But now… he was numb.
Even Jason himself had grown numb to it all.
He had accepted his fate.
"I understand. I will go later… How do you plan to resolve the matter with that ocean goddess?"
Hecate, already accustomed to such things, no longer had the energy to lecture Jason. She nodded lightly to show she understood and casually asked him.
After all, it was only saving a goddess Zeus had taken a fancy to. It was hardly a big deal.
Compared to things like the god-slaying sword Mistilteinn, this was child's play!
"I plan to find time to take Lady Thetis to see Queen Hera."
Jason hid nothing and told Hecate his thoughts.
"If possible, I would like to bring Teacher Hephaestus along this time as well…"
Hearing this, a strange glint flashed in Hecate's eyes as she looked at Jason.
She smiled. "You really are something. To think of a solution so quickly… You intend to use this chance to ease the tension between Hephaestus and Queen Hera, don't you?"
Jason hesitated for a moment, then looked at his teacher. "Teacher, do you think…
I am taking too much for granted? That I am meddling too much?
Should I really not interfere in the matter between Teacher Hephaestus and Queen Hera?"
"If you don't want to interfere, then don't. If you want to, then do it."
Hecate replied, "Whatever you do to Hephaestus, she will never truly be angry with you. At most she will pout a little and show some dissatisfaction."
"She has spoiled you to the bone!"
Hearing this, Jason could not help glancing at Hecate several times.
Though her tone was calm and her expression had not changed much, Jason somehow felt a faint sour scent in the air…
Normally, when faced with such a dangerous topic, Jason would pretend not to hear and let it pass.
Yet this time, Jason smiled and nodded. He even agreed quite earnestly. "You're right. Then I will give it a try. Teacher Hephaestus spoils me so much, she definitely won't get angry with me."
Hecate's body stiffened slightly.
Then she saw the amusement in Jason's eyes as he looked at her.
She could not help grinding her teeth in secret.
Though she would never admit it, at some unknown point Jason had indeed begun to affect her heart.
The goddess who once cared for nothing, who would not bat an eye even if the world ended, now displayed her joy and anger more and more openly because of him.
The degree to which Hecate cared for Jason was absolutely no less than anyone else's.
Of course, Hecate would never acknowledge that.
Before Hecate could flare up, Jason, having enjoyed the sight of her unwilling expression, quickly changed the subject and brought up the second reason for his visit.
"Oh right, Teacher, after this I want to go to Lord Tartarus for a bit."
"Tartarus?" Hecate blinked. "What are you going to the abyss for again?"
"I'm going to rescue Cerberus. She still hasn't come out…"
Crackle…
Lightning arcs flashed in Hecate's hand. She glared at Jason with ill intent.
"I'm going to see Lord Typhon."
Jason immediately surrendered and told the truth. "And bring Cerberus out while I'm there."
"Typhon?" Hecate raised an eyebrow. "Why are you going to see Her?"
"I think… no matter what, I should meet Her now."
Jason was silent for a moment before speaking to Hecate. "Because there is no way She does not know that the god-slaying sword Mistilteinn has already been forged."
Hecate fell silent once more.
"I will go with you."
Then, under Jason's surprised gaze, Hecate said calmly, "Otherwise I'm afraid Cerberus will bite you to death."
Hearing this, Jason could not help laughing.
That excuse was far too perfunctory.
The endless abyss Tartarus… Hecate had actually been there once, when she first brought Jason to meet Typhon, ancestor of all monsters.
She had never returned since.
After all, it was a forbidden land.
Countless gods were imprisoned there. Even a god-king could be locked away, unable to escape.
It was a place all gods feared.
Even Hecate harbored a trace of dread toward it.
Only a freak like Jason would visit whenever he felt like it and somehow always come out unscathed.
Yet now, for Jason's sake, Hecate was willing to enter that prison of gods once more…
"Teacher, you're the best!"
Jason was naturally deeply moved.
Taking the opportunity, he stepped forward and hugged Hecate's beautiful leg to get some affection.
The crucial point was that, with no outsiders watching, Hecate's resistance to this was surprisingly mild!
It made sense. If Hecate truly hated it, Jason would never dare do it again and again.
My teacher is a little tsundere…
Hecate was actually very good to all her students, whether Jason, Medea, or Circe.
She had never forgotten any of them.
And although she complained, deep down Hecate loved the feeling of being relied upon and trusted by her students.
Yes… even if that student was the troublesome Jason!
Soon, after Jason had enjoyed himself sufficiently and noticed Hecate's expression growing increasingly dangerous, he wisely let go and prepared to head to the endless abyss.
"…Wait."
Hecate suddenly stopped him. Under Jason's puzzled gaze, she said, "What about Athena?"
Hearing this, Jason paused, then realized. "Teacher, you didn't open the door earlier because you thought I came because of Athena, right?"
Hecate said nothing.
But it was obviously the case.
Hecate had actually been waiting for Jason to come. She believed that regarding Athena, he would surely seek her advice.
She had even thought of several ways to handle Athena during this time.
She was just waiting for Jason to speak.
But…
"About Lady Athena and me…"
Jason hesitated for a while, then shook his head at Hecate. "Actually, it's already resolved."
This matter was difficult to speak of.
Even to Hecate, the teacher he trusted, believed in, and relied on the most, Jason did not wish to say it.
After all, this was something between him and Athena.
If he had to describe the situation…
When you start dating your girlfriend, do you report it to your guardian and ask them for dating strategies?
"It's resolved?"
Hearing Jason's answer, Hecate naturally froze. She stared blankly at him and even said in shock, "You're saying… you already settled it?"
"Yes." Jason nodded.
"When?!" Hecate's eyes widened. She even stood up and demanded, "How did you settle it?!"
"Lady Athena and I made a promise."
Jason said softly to Hecate, "Teacher, please don't ask about this…"
"You… you're telling me not to ask?!"
Hecate looked at Jason in disbelief. "You're actually… actually keeping something from me, and because of Athena?!"
"Teacher, this really isn't something I can talk about…"
"Every single thing you've ever done you've told me about. Now you want to hide something from me, and it's because of Athena?!"
Hecate's reaction was intense.
Even she did not know the exact reason.
She just felt upset… upset that Jason was keeping something from her, and it was about "love" with Athena.
An inexplicable irritation surged up, and she lost control of herself for a moment.
It felt exactly the same as when Jason had taken Hephaestus as his teacher and shown her unusual devotion.
Thus, although Jason was surprised by Hecate's reaction, having once witnessed the standoff between Teacher Hephaestus and Teacher Hecate, he quickly understood.
After all, goddesses naturally have strong possessive instincts.
"Teacher, you know how things are between Lady Athena and me, so… I really cannot speak of this."
Jason shook his head at Hecate. "Because that would be the greatest disrespect to a lady."
Not to a goddess, but to a lady.
Hearing this, Hecate fell silent.
Only after a long while did she say, "It's really resolved?"
"Yes, it's really resolved."
"She is Athena!" Hecate could not hold back in the end. "Disrespect be damned, why can't you tell me?!"
"Precisely because she is Athena."
Jason replied, "Teacher Hecate, you know how much Lady Athena has helped me and how good she has been to me…"
"Who is more important, me or Athena?!"
Her mind suddenly heated, Hecate cut Jason off and stared straight at him. "In your heart, between Athena and me, who matters more?!"
…Huh?
Teacher, what are you asking?
Jason was stunned as he looked at Hecate.
Then he noticed that Hecate herself seemed a little stunned too, but under his gaze she stared back with a "whatever, I've already said it" attitude.
She did not take the words back.
"Of course it's you, Teacher."
Though puzzled, Jason answered instantly.
There was basically no hesitation.
And most importantly, it was the truth.
In any case, this answer held no suspense.
Almost everyone already knew it.
The god who occupied the greatest place in Jason's heart was indeed Hecate.
Even though Hecate already knew the answer, when Jason said it without any hesitation, she could not help smiling.
She was uncontainably happy.
Then she realized Jason was staring at her.
"What!" Hecate quickly hid her smile.
"Nothing. It's just… Teacher, you look really beautiful when you smile."
"You're really that happy?"
"Of course I'm happy to be ahead of Athena." Hecate calmed down and said indifferently, "After all, I can't beat her… tch!"
"Huh?!" Jason blinked and looked at the displeased Hecate. "Teacher, have you fought Lady Athena?"
"…Are you sure you want to keep asking?"
Hecate shot him a sideways glance.
"No need."
Jason answered decisively.
Some time passed. After the temple had been strangely quiet for a while, Jason suddenly whispered to Hecate, "Teacher Hecate… do you like me?"
Hecate said nothing. She simply gazed at Jason for a long moment.
Then…
BOOM!
Deafening thunder roared. In the end, Jason could not escape being struck by lightning today.
In the end, Hecate gave no answer.
And Jason did not ask again.