Persephone left with Hades.
And the moment Hermes sensed Demeter's presence, he swiftly retracted his staff and winged sandals—and made himself scarce.
Thus, Jason and Hecate found themselves standing before the Golden-Horned Deer.
After soothing the creature, Jason's eyes flickered with thought before he turned to Hecate.
"Teacher Hecate, are we heading to the Underworld now?"
"Mm." Hecate glanced at Jason, who looked like he had something on his mind. "What? Is there somewhere else you want to go first?"
Jason hesitated for a moment before cautiously looking at Hecate. "Before we go to the Underworld... I'd like to see Teacher Chiron one more time."
It's not like I don't want to go, I'm just afraid you'll get mad... Jason thought, flashing Hecate a dazzling smile.
Not long after, with Hecate's divine power—and before Demeter could return—Jason and the Golden-Horned Deer were teleported to Arcadia.
Outside the cave of the wise centaur, Chiron.
Hecate did not enter with him. Instead, she left a death's head moth on Jason's shoulder, instructing him to call her name under the moonlight when he was ready to leave.
"Oh, right."
Just as she was about to leave, Hecate suddenly paused, the corner of her lips curling into a smile that sent a shiver down Jason's spine.
"This time when you come to the Underworld, I hope you're prepared—because there's a surprise waiting for you."
With that, she vanished.
A surprise?... Other than tempering my soul with Underworld flames, what other 'surprises' could there possibly be?
Though puzzled, Jason couldn't figure it out. Shaking his head, he entered the cave alongside the Golden-Horned Deer.
The moment he stepped in, he ran into Heracles, who was just heading out.
"Jason, junior brother?… Jason, junior brother, you're back!"
Heracles had grown even taller and bulkier in the half-year since they last saw each other. Upon spotting Jason, his face lit up with delight, and he rushed forward, arms wide open for an embrace.
Jason hadn't even had time to react before—
Thud! The Golden-Horned Deer kicked Heracles away without hesitation.
"Wait, wait, Deer Sis! He's my senior brother, my best friend!"
Jason's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
Deer Sis, you're fearless! Do you even know who you just kicked?! That's Heracles—Zeus's illegitimate son!
"Ow... That hurt... This deer is...?" Heracles groaned as he climbed to his feet, looking at the creature in astonishment.
"Heracles, this Golden-Horned Deer was sent by the esteemed goddess Artemis to protect me. She didn't mean to offend you just now!"
Jason hurried over to help him up, quickly explaining the situation so Heracles would behave himself.
Jason vividly remembered that one of Heracles' Twelve Labors involved hunting the Golden-Horned Deer...
"Artemis?"
Heracles was momentarily taken aback. He naturally knew of Artemis, one of Olympus's Twelve Main Gods, worshipped across many regions of Greece.
Just as Jason was about to explain briefly, hurried footsteps echoed through the cave.
Sensing Jason's presence, Chiron, the wise centaur, arrived swiftly.
The moment Jason saw Chiron, he immediately let go of Heracles and jogged over.
Stopping before him, Jason's emotions surged. "Teacher Chiron…"
"You're alright… That's all that matters."
Chiron knelt, gently ruffling Jason's hair and patting his shoulder with concern.
Though Jason's time with Chiron—strictly speaking, since his arrival in this world—was shorter than with Hecate, when it came to trust, Jason trusted Chiron more.
Because Jason knew that Chiron had always genuinely cared for him, always had his best interests at heart.
Although Heracles had just begun his training under Chiron, the centaur could see that he was reluctant to leave Jason's side, so he allowed him to stay.
Because of Jason, Heracles—who had once been feared and called a monster in secret—had managed to build relationships with many of Chiron's other students.
But among them all, his bond with Jason was the strongest.
Whether that was a good or bad thing… was hard to say.
Because a terrifying goddess was involved in their story.
Long ago, Jason had already caught the attention—more accurately, the favor—of a certain goddess.
It was because of her that Jason's parents had been spared. Because of her, Jason had safely arrived at Chiron's side to become his student.
And that goddess happened to be deeply connected to Heracles.
For a long time, she had been the source of his nightmares.
She was none other than Hera, Queen of the Gods, the only legitimate wife among Zeus's many lovers.
In Greek mythology, every hero's journey was intertwined with the will of a god.
And for Jason, a mere mortal—not even a demigod—who would one day gather great heroes, build the Argo, and set sail for the Golden Fleece…
Much of it was because he was Hera's chosen one.
It was just that, for now, he had taken an unexpected detour under Hecate's wing.
And Hera remained unaware of this fact—because Zeus, preoccupied with his latest scandal involving a river god, had chosen to keep it from her.
Back in the cave, the three of them sat down, and Jason didn't hide anything. He recounted everything that had happened recently.
When Heracles learned about Jason's monumental feat—meeting so many gods—his jaw practically dropped. He could've fit an entire wild fruit in his mouth.
"Jason, junior brother, you—you accomplished something so incredible?! You're amazing!"
"…Anyone else saying that is fine, but Heracles, senior brother, you're the last person who should be saying it," Jason shot him a look.
"But… doesn't this mean you've completely angered Demeter?" Chiron frowned, his concern evident. "Jason, you may have gained the favor of many gods, but if Demeter is truly furious and decides to retaliate…"
They may not choose to protect you.
Jason didn't need Chiron to spell it out—he understood.
"Don't worry, teacher… I have a plan."
Jason had already thought this through.
At the very least, he was certain that three goddesses wouldn't abandon him.
Persephone, Hecate, and Athena.
With them on his side, even if Demeter pursued vengeance, he'd have some room to maneuver.
It wasn't even about strategy—Jason simply knew how the 'story' played out.
Persephone's marriage to Hades didn't mean she could never see her mother again.
Demeter's biggest reason for opposing their union had always been simple: she was overly attached to her daughter.
She was afraid she'd never get to see Persephone again.
"…If you say so," Chiron said, seeing that Jason wasn't lying. "Then what brings you here?"
Chiron was no fool—he was a wise centaur, mentor to many Greek heroes. He could tell Jason had something on his mind.
"…I can't hide anything from you, teacher." Jason smiled, then glanced at Heracles.
"You should go, Heracles."
Heracles hesitated, looking between them, but eventually left.
"You know, teacher, I've never wanted to be a hero, right?"
Chiron nodded.
"It's not that I hate heroes, but… I don't want to be one."
Jason spoke earnestly, revealing his true thoughts for the first time.
"Because heroes bear too much. I just want to live for myself, to have a peaceful life …Sorry, teacher. I must be a disappointment."
"No, you're not."
Chiron smiled, ruffling Jason's hair again. "Everyone has their path. As your teacher, my only job is to guide you—the road is yours to walk."
"Thank you, teacher… And to put it simply, my goal is this: I want to live. I just want to live, freely, without being controlled by anyone. That's all. I used to think that if I learned magic under Hecate, if I became strong enough, I could change the future I saw and carve my own path."
"But after this journey, after meeting those gods, I understand now. It's impossible. Because in this world, there are beings who stand far above us.
"So I've decided—If I want to live…"
"I must become immortal!"