The next day,
When the first ray of morning sunlight tears through the veil of night in the sky, illuminating the earth.
On the isolated island,
Scylla, the beautiful nymph who has shed that heavy sea monster guise and returned to her original form, has her eyes tremble slightly as she slowly opens them.
Then she sits up, her flawless body laid bare under the light.
And just as she gazes in confusion at everything before her, picking up the black cloak that had been draped over her.
In the distance, the pure white warship Argo is slowly approaching this place...
Gradually, Scylla recalls, recalls what happened.
She recalls the final sight before falling asleep to the music of the lyre: the figure of that heroic lyre player, whom she had strained to look up at.
Without a doubt, just like the rising sun at this moment.
From today onward, for Scylla this nymph, every future day will be filled with hope.
But...
In the Underworld,
Inside the temple of Goddess Hecate.
"Is there really no way, Hecate?!" The Underworld Queen Persephone grabs Hecate's hand, her face anxious as she asks her.
And beside the two of them lies Jason, still.
On Jason's body rests a golden ear of wheat.
A continuous stream of life force surges into Jason's body, replenishing the life force that is draining from him.
The Underworld Queen Persephone, as the daughter of the agriculture goddess Demeter and representing the goddess of growth herself.
Naturally compensates for Jason's lost life force with ease.
But Persephone and Hecate's faces remain grim at this moment, because everything has not ended because of this.
Although the life force has been replenished, making up for the power consumed by the flow of time.
The wounds caused by that golden dagger have not disappeared because of it.
"This is the power of the second god-king... Even I cannot break it in a short time!"
Hecate grits her teeth and says: "At least, it would take a hundred years!"
"A hundred years?... Are you planning to let Jason be tormented by this power for a hundred years?!"
Persephone widens her eyes and raises her voice.
This is not merely a matter of life force draining; this irreparable wound will not only continuously devour Jason's life force.
At the same time, the pain of his heart being pierced will accompany him unceasingly!
A hundred years of such pain... Let alone Jason; even the centaur sage Chiron could not endure it!
One must know that Chiron ultimately chose to return his immortality precisely to escape the torment from the Hydra's poison!
"If it were only one stab, the divine blood in him now could suppress it. But who told him to stab himself so many times!"
Hearing this, Hecate also appears extremely irritated as she replies to Persephone.
Of course she knows that!
"This... That is still the fault of Hera and Athena!"
Seeing Hecate's face look extremely poor, Persephone, who pauses for a moment, immediately says with full resentment: "If they had not pushed little Jason so hard, how could he possibly do such a foolish thing!"
Just as Persephone is speaking to Hecate with full resentment.
At this moment,
In the divine hall of the sacred Mount Olympus.
God-King Zeus looks with utmost headache at the sullen-faced Hades who has arrived on the mountain, and the Night Goddess Nyx...
One is the Underworld King, the other a primordial deity.
Zeus is truly speechless right now.
He just went out for a bit of an affair, and upon returning, he encounters such a huge trouble!
At the same time, he feels very surprised in his heart.
Because these two are not here for anyone else, but for a mortal, for Jason!
"Where is Hera."
Hades stares wordlessly at Zeus and says coldly: "Have her come out; I need an explanation!"
Zeus looks at the clearly very angry Hades before him, then at the silent Nyx sitting nearby.
He casts seeking gazes toward those around, but no one responds at this time.
After all, right now, everyone's expressions do not look very good.
"What exactly happened to Jason? Is he badly injured?" Moon Goddess Artemis pays no mind to any of that and anxiously asks Hades.
"...Although it has been barely controlled, it cannot be healed."
The Night Goddess Nyx speaks faintly, saying: "Moreover, Hecate cannot lift that curse..."
"Hecate cannot lift it?" Zeus is stunned, appearing very surprised as he says: "What curse is it? Does Hera even have that ability?!"
"That is not her ability." Hades speaks up, saying slowly: "It is the power of the second god-king."
"What?!" Hearing this, Zeus's face changes instantly, saying: "How could Hera possibly have his power in her hands? This..."
Zeus's expression also turns unpleasant.
"Hurry and go!" Then Zeus says with a sullen face to the nymph attendant beside him: "What are you standing there for? Hurry and summon Hera!"
"She will not come out... She cannot come over right now either."
And at this moment, from outside the hall, three goddesses slowly walk in.
The one speaking is the goddess in purple attire, their mother, the second queen Rhea.
Beside her is the blindfolded Justice Goddess Themis, and Athena, whose expression no matter how one looks appears utterly exhausted...
"Hades, Nyx, do not blame Hera... Actually, this matter is not her fault. If you must blame someone, blame me."
Rhea walks over, sighing as she says: "This matter, to be precise, was caused by my own hand... Hera that child likes Jason that child very much.
Even disguised as the white-clothed Heracles, Hera still fell for him at first sight.
I did not want to see her suffer in pain upon learning his true identity later, so I entrusted Athena to handle this matter..."
"Saying these things now is meaningless!"
Hades interrupts Rhea's words, saying: "Why will Hera not come out? I did not come here for anything else; I came to get a way to save him from her!"
"Hera has no way to save him."
Rhea sighs again, saying: "Because that dagger was obtained from me by her... That dagger cannot kill; it only causes aging.
So back then, I did not think too much of it and gave it to her..."
Hearing this, upon learning that Hera obtained the divine tool from Rhea, Zeus cannot help but breathe a sigh of relief.
While the other deities who hear this, including Nyx, have their expressions turn unpleasant.
"That dagger cannot kill, but it has left Jason with an indelible wound.
Right now, that wound torments Jason every minute and every second... Athena, look at what you have done!"
Hades says without any courtesy.
Hearing this, Athena's face turns even paler.
And seeing this, not only does Zeus have no intention of stopping it, but he even holds a mindset of watching the spectacle.
"Do not blame Athena either; everything is my fault..."
Just as Rhea wants to say more, Nyx finally speaks, interrupting her, saying: "Let us not worry about whose fault it is first. Rhea, you just said Hera cannot come out... What does that mean?"
As the only primordial deity present speaks, the scene instantly falls silent.
"To be honest, this is a matter for you younger generations, and I originally should not interfere, but..."
Nyx narrows her eyes slightly, saying: "He is Hecate's student, my junior in her line, and not to mention anything else, I like him very much. I even considered passing my divine position to him..."
Nyx says this, glancing at the Justice Goddess Themis beside Rhea, then continues to Rhea: "Right now, he has suffered such great torment, yet you tell me Hera cannot come out... What do you mean?"
"This... Goddess Nyx, it is not what you think."
Rhea hesitates for a while, ultimately helpless, and can only answer: "Actually, the situation is a bit complicated. Hera she... is now shut in her chambers and refusing to come out.
She is inside... crying..."
...?
Hearing this, even Nyx blinks at Rhea.
"She is crying, crying very loudly... Her emotions are very unstable right now. We hear quite a few things being smashed inside, and her crying."
With things said this far, Rhea can only break the jar and spill it all, saying: "Moreover, her room is sealed by her divine power; none of us can enter. Hearing her cries, it is not good to force our way in..."
After Rhea finishes, even Nyx does not know what to say.
And a sense of absurdity arises in her heart.
Because...
"Ah, Hera got made to cry by Jason again and shut herself away?"
The Moon Goddess Artemis, who pays no mind to the atmosphere at all, directly voices what everyone in their hearts wants to say: "This seems to be the second time, right... How did Hera turn into such a crybaby? She is a goddess after all, and the queen at that."
"Ahem!" Zeus cannot help but cough twice, signaling Artemis to stop talking.
Then, the scene falls into an eerie silence for a period.
Hermes looks at the pale-faced Athena, then at the Justice Goddess Themis who looks wordlessly toward him.
Helpless, he can only stand up and say: "Well, then... Let me say a few fair words. Actually, I have been involved in the whole matter from the start, so I know the general situation. If we insist on assigning right and wrong, it is actually not easy to discern.
But the fact is that Jason that child has suffered great harm. As benevolent deities, we ought to provide compensation... Right, God-King Zeus?"
Hermes speaks smoothly to Zeus.
Zeus thinks for a moment upon hearing this, then nods to Hermes.
"And for the compensation... I propose letting Jason that child become one of us here. How about it?!"
Just as Hermes finishes speaking.
"I approve."
Hestia directly raises her hand in agreement.
"I approve as well." The beauty goddess Aphrodite, who has not spoken until now, also raises her hand.
"Me me me, and me too; I approve!" Artemis bounces up and raises her hand.
Then the deities present all raise their hands one after another, indicating it is acceptable.
"Let that child become one of us?... I can agree to that. Hades, Goddess Nyx, what do you think?"
Zeus thinks for a moment, sweeps his gaze over the deities present, then asks Hades and Nyx.
In response, the two deities exchange a glance, then nod.
Such an outcome is clearly already very good.
To be precise, it even makes the two of them feel a slight secret joy in their hearts.
Because to become a deity and obtain a divine position, the most difficult hurdle is undoubtedly the current god-king Zeus.
And right now, because of this incident, Zeus has clearly relented!
"Alright, then it is decided... But although I agree to let that child become one of us, it is not now."
Zeus speaks halfway, then suddenly changes tack, saying: "Hades, you know about the matter of Typhon, right?... In the prophecy of the Fates back then, that child will, like Heracles, become the key to swaying the battle between me and Typhon!
Thus, I promise you all: as long as he can help me defeat Typhon, then I will grant him recognition and let him become one of us!"
At this point, Zeus pauses slightly, then smiles and says: "Oh, right.
At the same time, consider this as the tribute that child offers to me!"
With this, the matter finally reaches a conclusion.
Although no method to resolve the crisis was obtained from Hera, a promise was gotten from Zeus's mouth.
This promise is quite important; with this promise, Jason becoming a deity is a nailed fact!
After all, with so many deities present, and especially the Justice Goddess Themis, Zeus naturally will not go back on his word.
Afterward, Zeus goes to Hera's temple, originally intending to comfort her well as her husband.
Yet he ends up hitting a wall, unable to enter at all.
Thus, in a fit of anger, Zeus simply stops caring and runs off to the mortal world to fool around again.
Then Hades finds Rhea and Athena, seeking help.
Themis finds Nyx and chats with her about some matters.
She explains why she suddenly chose Jason and gave him the position of divine successor.
At the same time, she tells Nyx.
That even to Nyx's ears, it feels like an extraordinarily mad idea...
The eyes of the Justice Goddess are covered by white cloth, so she cannot see many things.
But because of that, she also sees many things!
Then, Hades and Nyx return to the Underworld.
The current Underworld appears very lively.
Because of Jason's injury, even the ferryman Charon is quite angry.
The fire spirit of the eternal fire even uncontrollably annihilates everything around it.
This leaves Hades, upon returning, unable to do anything else and forces him to hurry and appease his subordinates.
Nyx returns to Hecate and Persephone, telling them everything...
"Divine position? What use is that? Has not this solved nothing at all?!"
Persephone widens her eyes and says with extreme anger: "And what did Athena say? She said she wants to come help?
Tell her to get lost from me, the farther the better!
With me here, she should not even think of touching a single hair on my little brother's head!"
"Persephone sister, do not say that; Goddess Athena did nothing wrong."
At this moment, a weak voice suddenly rings out.
One sees that Jason has woken up at some point and sat up.
His hand presses fiercely on his chest.
That pain indescribable in words makes Jason's brows furrow tightly; even though he wants to appear strong and composed, it is no use.
"Little brother..."
Seeing this, Persephone's words are not even finished.
"You wicked disciple, you finally deign to wake up!"
Hecate's voice covers hers; one sees her speaking to Jason with utmost anger: "You wicked disciple, did you take all of teacher's words as wind past your ears?
You truly do not value your life!
I already said everything is under my control, and yet you still... Moreover, are you an idiot? Are you truly stupid? Only a fool would self-harm like this!"
Looking at Hecate in full rage, no longer her usual indifferent self.
Everyone present is stunned again and again.
"...Suddenly it feels like this knife was not stabbed in vain." Jason cannot help but mutter softly: "Wow, so teacher loves me this much!"
Although the voice is small, the few present naturally hear it clearly.
Thus, aside from Hecate whose expression instantly darkens, the other two look at Hecate with amused light smiles.
This is only because Jason's injury is too severe right now; if it were any other time, Hecate would not hesitate to give him a good thrashing.
"Yes, I love you very much... I love you quite a lot!"
Then the exasperated Hecate comes to Jason's side, pinches his ear hard, and yanks it, laughing angrily: "My dear disciple, why not come and properly feel teacher's love for you?"
"Um... Let us skip it for now, teacher. It really hurts right now; next time, definitely next time!" Jason says with a brilliant smile.
Hearing this, Hecate naturally glares fiercely at Jason.
At the same time, looking at the smile he forces out, she feels heartache once more in her heart.
And with Jason waking up and deliberately causing this commotion, the originally heavy atmosphere eases as well.
At this moment for Jason, although his heart hurts, hurting so much that tears are nearly falling from his eyes.
But looking at Hecate before him, his Underworld Queen sister, and Cerberus watching worriedly from nearby, as well as the Night Goddess Nyx.
Jason feels very happy.
The rift originally caused by Athena.
Is mended once more because of this.
Then Persephone pulls Jason into her embrace, carefully holding him before she cannot help but say to Nyx: "Goddess Nyx, little brother Jason... This injury, is there really no way?"
"It is fine, Persephone sister; a mere hundred years. As long as he becomes a deity, then no matter how many hundreds of years, it is nothing..."
Jason's words are not even finished.
"Of course there is a way... If there truly were not, Athena would not say she wants to come help."
Hecate speaks up on her own, and upon mentioning Athena, she purses her lips.
"What way?" Hearing this, Persephone's eyes light up as she says excitedly: "Hecate, since you have a way, why did you not say so earlier!"
"...Because that way has extremely slim hopes."
Hecate is silent for a bit, then sighs: "It requires finding a certain deity."
"Who?" Persephone hurriedly asks, saying: "I will go bring him over right away!"
"You cannot bring him, because that is Cronus... The former second god-king, father to Zeus, Hera, and the others.
Only he can lift the power left in Jason's heart!"
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PS: Ah, let me say one thing first: it will not shift to FGO; everyone can read with peace of mind.
At least until the story here in the Age of Gods is completely finished, I will not switch over. Just treat it as original fiction.
For the Greek mythology side, I as the author have a complete outline; it is a complete story. All the pits dug and plots will be fully written out before it ends.
By the way, right now we have only written half of the portions for Athena and Hera.
As I said from the beginning, if divided into volumes, this volume belongs to Athena and Hera. Why say that? Everyone should understand in your hearts by now; the portions are substantial.
Teacher Hecate's portions are not in this volume; right now it is just laying groundwork.
Still that sentence: if you like this story, everyone just read patiently and slowly.
And with over eighty chapters now, nearly ninety thousand words, the quality of the whole book has basically stayed online throughout.
Thus, you can completely trust me; the later story will absolutely not disappoint you.