Not long after,
Jason, having come ashore, saw the current Queen of the Underworld, Persephone.
"I heard everything, little Jason. You offered tribute to Athena, didn't you? …Mother even specially sent a messenger to complain to me about it. She said little Jason hasn't offered her any tribute at all."
The golden-haired, golden-eyed Persephone walked up to Jason and said with a smile.
"Lady Athena went to Goddess Demeter too?"
Jason could only smile helplessly at this.
"Yes. According to Mother, Athena bragged to her quite a bit. So… where is my tribute?"
Persephone blinked her golden eyes and looked at Jason with a light laugh. "You wouldn't have forgotten to prepare mine, right?"
"About that… Big Sis Persephone, I really am preparing it. I'll definitely bring it next time!"
Hearing this, Persephone knew Jason had been swamped with these matters lately, so she smiled and let the topic of tribute drop.
Soon afterward, led by Persephone, the two arrived at the entrance to Hecate's temple.
Persephone knocked. A moment after the doll inside went to announce her arrival,
"Why are you here?"
The door opened. Hecate, wearing a long black dress, her black hair reaching her waist, looking slightly disheveled and lazy as usual, stepped out.
Her gaze swept over Persephone and naturally landed on Jason, who was standing beside her with a beaming smile.
She froze for a fraction of a second.
The next instant.
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
"Teacher, Teacher, open the door!"
"I'm not here! Your teacher isn't here!"
Persephone watched Jason knocking and Hecate shouting angrily from inside. She couldn't hold back her laughter.
After a while, Hecate, looking rather displeased, opened the door and extended her hand toward Jason.
"Give me the staff."
"No way."
Jason, startled, quickly hid behind Persephone.
Hecate clearly intended to destroy the teleportation spell on the staff, so there was no way Jason would hand it over.
"Alright, alright." Persephone stopped Hecate and laughed. "Don't make things hard for him… Besides, I want to see my little brother often."
Hearing this, Hecate knew there was no chance. She could only glare fiercely at Jason, then turn and walk back inside, clearly unhappy.
Persephone and Jason followed her in. A doll brought tea… though there was none for Jason.
Jason didn't mind. He skillfully brewed a cup for Hecate instead.
"Speak. What trouble did you cause outside this time?"
Hecate picked up the tea with resignation and glared at Jason.
"Listen to the way you're talking, Teacher. What trouble could I possibly cause?"
"You'd come back this quickly if you didn't cause trouble?"
Hecate clearly didn't believe him.
"This time he really didn't cause any trouble outside… He just got himself covered in problems."
Persephone smiled and took over the conversation, explaining the matter of the tributes.
When Hecate finished listening, she frowned and thought for a moment before looking at Jason and asking, "Did Athena tell you to leave me and go to her? …I never thought she would value you this much."
Jason froze for a second, then hurriedly replied, "Teacher, I never agreed!"
"I'd be happy if you did agree." Hecate curled her lip. "I'd be glad to dump the trouble on her."
"No way." Jason answered with unusual decisiveness. "As the saying goes, 'One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a parent.' Teacher Hecate, you've been so good to me. You're like my second parent. I would never leave you!"
Hecate scoffed at Jason's righteous declaration.
Three or four years ago she might have believed it. Now? Forget it.
You ungrateful disciple!
"Enough. Spare me the act… Tell me why you came back. As for the tribute matter, just prepare it calmly. It is indeed troublesome, but if you handle it well, it will only benefit you with no downside."
Hearing Hecate say this, Jason nodded.
"Actually, the reason I came this time is precisely because of the tribute to Moon Goddess Artemis… Big Sis Persephone, could I have some seeds from you? White lily seeds that represent purity, solemnity, and nobility."
After Persephone nodded in puzzlement, Jason continued speaking to Hecate, "And Teacher Hecate, if I remember correctly, there should still be some in the laboratory, right? The fireworks that Medea and I made together with magic last New Year…"
Soon, he obtained what he wanted.
A pouch filled with white lily seeds and magical fireworks spheres.
After thanking both of them, Jason left.
"Fireworks… Hecate, what are fireworks?" Persephone curiously asked after Jason departed.
"A toy that child suddenly thought of last New Year. He had Medea use light magic and sound magic to create them… They're useless, but they're quite beautiful when they explode."
"Quite beautiful?" Persephone grew even more curious.
Hecate recalled the scene from last New Year and nodded. "Yes, they really are beautiful… But if that's all, isn't the tribute a bit too shabby?
No, that kid is so cautious. He wouldn't make such an elementary mistake… What exactly is he planning?"
"Hey… Hecate, let's follow and watch."
At this, Persephone couldn't help saying, "Now that you mention it, I'm suddenly very curious about what Jason is offering Artemis… And it's been a long time since I last saw Artemis."
"You're the Queen of the Underworld now…"
"Oh, it's fine! It's just one night. Sneak me out. No one will know… And even if they do, it'll be okay!"
Under Persephone's pleading, Hecate finally relented… The main reason being that she too was curious what Jason wanted the seeds and fireworks for.
After all, neither item was particularly noble. Though both were pretty, using them as tribute would only invite ridicule.
Yet Hecate knew Jason's personality well. He was cautious and rarely acted without confidence, especially where gods were concerned.
And just as the two of them set off, Jason had already returned to the surface world.
…
…
"You're back? …You really went to the Underworld?"
When Atalanta saw Jason, she couldn't help asking again.
"Mm." Jason nodded casually, then looked at the sky.
He realized that although it had been morning when he left, it was now afternoon, and in another two or three hours the sun would set.
"Time is a bit tight… Atalanta, let's go!"
He took Atalanta onto Pegasus and circled above the ancient forest for a while before finally landing on a relatively wide grassy field.
"Mm, this place is good. It's elevated. At night you can look up and see the stars. The scenery is beautiful too…"
He had Pegasus fly low and circle the area a few times. Jason nodded in satisfaction.
After landing, Jason took out blueprints and made rough plans based on the terrain.
After spending over an hour, under Atalanta's puzzled gaze, Jason finally took out the pouch Persephone had given him. He pulled out what seemed like an endless supply of white lily seeds and began arranging them.
"Here, here… Yes, yes. Atalanta, scatter some seeds on those big trees over there too."
"Oh, and Atalanta, when Lady Artemis comes later and asks what we're doing, take her away and play somewhere else for a while. When I'm ready tonight, I'll call you both back."
Although Atalanta had no idea what Jason was trying to do, she had promised to help, so she could only follow his instructions.
Time passed again. Just as Jason expected, Artemis soon arrived riding the Golden-Horned Deer.
After all, one was her most beloved follower, and the other was Jason. There was no way she wouldn't come.
"Little Jason, little Atalanta, what are you doing here?"
Artemis looked curiously at the busy Jason and Atalanta.
"I'm preparing a tribute for you, Lady Artemis."
Jason walked over without hiding anything and directly told her his purpose.
"A tribute for me?" Artemis froze, then quickly looked around. "Where? Where is my tribute?"
"I'm sorry, Lady Artemis. The tribute can't be given yet. It needs a little time to set up… But before that, since I want to offer you a tribute, may I trouble you with one thing?"
Jason said to the puzzled, tilting-head Artemis, "Tonight, can this area have a full moon? …Because if it's a full moon, the tribute I offer you will be even better."
"A full moon? …That's no problem. But what exactly is the tribute, little Jason?" Artemis asked curiously.
"That… You'll know tonight, Lady Artemis."
Jason smiled, then signaled Atalanta with his eyes. Remembering Jason's instructions from a few hours ago, Atalanta walked over and led the reluctant Artemis away.
As Atalanta took Artemis elsewhere, dusk had arrived.
Jason glanced at the sky and quickened his preparations.
"Atalanta, what is little Jason doing?"
"That… I actually don't know either."
Atalanta hesitated, then answered just as blankly, "But he said you absolutely must wait a while, Lady Artemis. He'll call you when he's ready."
"Wait? …Alright then."
Artemis nodded.
So she patiently waited three minutes.
"Is it ready yet?"
Artemis looked at Atalanta. Atalanta shook her head.
A few more minutes passed.
"Is it ready now?"
"No." Atalanta continued shaking her head.
Ten minutes later…
"It has to be ready now!"
"It's not even dark yet, Lady Artemis…"
Atalanta answered helplessly.
"But I'm really curious now!" Artemis puffed out her cheeks. "No, I can't wait anymore. I'm going to see what little Jason is doing!"
With that, Artemis ignored Atalanta's attempts to stop her and prepared to run toward Jason.
But at that moment, Hecate and Persephone stepped out from the shadows of the trees.
Persephone looked at Artemis with amusement. "Artemis, even after all this time, you haven't changed at all. Still so impatient."
"Persephone?!"
Artemis was pleasantly surprised to see Hecate and Persephone. "And Hecate! Why are you here?!"
"That child specially came to the Underworld to ask me for seeds and got an interesting toy from Hecate, all to prepare a tribute for you."
Persephone smiled at Artemis, who had come over to grab her arm.
Hearing this, Atalanta couldn't help clicking her tongue inwardly.
He really did go to the Underworld.
Thinking this, Atalanta looked curiously at Hecate. She still remembered what Artemis had told her long ago.
The god Jason worshipped was Hecate, and he was her child.
"Great Persephone, Goddess Hecate, I am Atalanta, follower of Artemis."
Atalanta immediately bowed respectfully to the two.
Artemis introduced Atalanta to them and even said she and Jason were very close friends.
Although Atalanta wanted to protest that they were not close, she naturally couldn't say so now.
Hearing Artemis say this, Persephone carefully examined Atalanta, then walked over with slightly bright eyes, patted her head, and laughed. "So you're good friends with little Jason. Then you're my child too. If you ever need help, come find me."
"Because little Jason is my little brother."
…Little brother?
Atalanta blinked, looking at Persephone in slight confusion.
"This child… is the little girl from three years ago, right?"
Hecate looked thoughtfully at Atalanta and asked.
"Mm."
Artemis nodded, then said to the puzzled Atalanta, "Atalanta, do you remember the oracle Jason carried three years ago?
Actually, Jason went to receive Persephone. That's how Persephone became Queen of the Underworld."
"Yes. When that child suddenly appeared before me, I was truly shocked… And if not for him, my relationship with Mother wouldn't have improved."
Persephone said with some emotion.
"It was really scary back then. When Aunt Demeter got angry because little Jason took you away and left Mount Olympus, the entire earth withered.
So later, when I heard Jason went to Aunt Demeter again, I was terrified.
Apollo and I both thought Demeter would capture and torment Jason, so we prepared to go personally. But in the end…"
"In the end, not only was little Jason not tormented by Mother, he was spoiled rotten. I almost couldn't tell who the real child was!"
Persephone laughed, recalling the past.
And as Atalanta listened to them casually recount the fantastical stories surrounding Jason, her current mood could be summed up in two words.
Mind blown.
The belated truth… truly belated.
The reason the rumors about Jason in Arcadia never spread widely and only circulated among hunters who worshipped Artemis was mainly because no one knew what Jason's "oracle" actually was. Not even Atalanta back then knew.
Normally, such matters would later be spread by the gods.
But afterward it involved Queen Hera, so no one spoke of it.
Therefore, even Atalanta, one of the people involved, only now learned what Jason's "oracle" had been.
And that the one who had calmed the anger of Harvest Goddess Demeter was also Jason!
The incident of Demeter causing the earth to wither naturally had a huge impact. Many people died, after all.
So when the earth regained life, many remained curious about what had happened.
As Atalanta listened in stunned silence and the sky gradually darkened,
"Oh my, it's quite lively here."
Pressing down his winged cap, the handsome young man in short sleeves, Messenger of the Gods Hermes, suddenly appeared.
"I never expected to see the beautiful goddesses Hecate and Persephone here, and of course the beautiful Goddess Artemis as well."
"Hermes, why are you here?"
Artemis looked at him curiously.
"I heard little Jason is offering you tribute tonight. I was curious, so I came."
Hermes said with a smile.
"Heard… Who did you hear it from?"
Persephone thought for a moment, then realized. "Hades, right… Honestly, does he not trust me that much?!"
Hermes only smiled and did not answer.
But obviously, it was Hades.
When Persephone and Hecate left the Underworld, Hades naturally knew Persephone had gone out, so he contacted Hermes, Messenger of the Gods, and informed him.
Hermes was one of the few gods who could freely travel between the Underworld and the mortal world.
"Wait, if you know… that means a lot of gods know now?" Hecate frowned at Hermes.
Hermes merely smiled, neither confirming nor denying.
Seeing this, Hecate couldn't help sighing.
She really wanted to ask, "Are you all that bored?"
This… is getting troublesome.
Thinking this, Hecate glanced toward Jason.
You'd better really produce a tribute that satisfies them. If not, I'll have to figure out what to offer to smooth things over… Ungrateful disciple!
Hecate sighed again at the thought.
By now, even Atalanta vaguely felt the situation spiraling out of control. If Jason ultimately failed to produce a satisfactory tribute…
Thinking this, worry crept into Atalanta's heart.
Jason, of course, knew nothing of all this.
And as time passed little by little, when night fell, the full moon hung high in the sky, and it reached around ten o'clock at night, Jason finally completed his preparations.
…
…
It is time.
Beneath the full moon, thinking this, Jason, dressed all in white, patted Pegasus beside him.
"Go bring Goddess Artemis and Atalanta here… You remember everything I told you, right?"
Pegasus nodded at Jason, then flapped its wings and flew toward Artemis.
After it left, Jason took out his staff, planted it in the ground, and began chanting.
Soon, within the drawn magic circle, dancing underworld butterflies appeared in the world, ready to take Jason to the Underworld.
They were the familiars of Goddess of Crossroads Hecate.
They were also Hecate's nymph attendants, named Lampades.
"Wait, wait, wait! I'm not going to the Underworld this time!"
Jason quickly stopped them and said, "I called you out because I need your help. Can you summon more of your companions?"
As a type of nymph, Jason knew they could communicate.
At his words, the underworld butterflies circled Jason a few times before nodding and summoning many more of their kind.
After all, they had lived together for years. Possessing some consciousness, they naturally knew this was their mistress's treasured student.
"Great! Later, when Artemis arrives, sprinkle the contents of this over the entire area, understand?"
Jason said as he took out a jar sealed with magic.
Inside was golden wheat dust… Yes, dust that had fallen from the divine artifact given to Jason by Demeter and Persephone!
The artifact was not unlimited; the daily amount was fixed.
To avoid waste in daily life, Jason had asked Hecate to make these storage jars. Inside were the dust that had fallen from the wheat ears used by Jason and Medea over the past three years.
Dust that could make seeds bloom in just one minute!
Just as Jason finished explaining and prepared everything, Pegasus returned right on cue, carrying Artemis and Atalanta.
They arrived at the center of the grassy field.
"Little Jason, where is my tribute? Where, where?"
Artemis, having waited several hours, eagerly asked Jason.
"Almost ready, Lady Artemis. Just a little longer."
Jason gently soothed her, then walked to Atalanta and whispered in her ear, asking if she remembered what he had told her that afternoon.
Atalanta looked at Jason. She actually wanted to tell him that many gods were watching, but Hermes had specifically instructed her not to when he left, so she couldn't.
After nodding, she left him with one sentence: "You absolutely must make Lady Artemis satisfied with your tribute, understand?"
Then she turned and vanished into the night.
Jason didn't think much of it. After all, Atalanta was Artemis's most faithful follower.
"Is it ready yet, Jason? …Where did little Atalanta go?"
Artemis leaned in and asked, constantly looking around curiously.
But under the light of the full moon, she still hadn't seen her tribute.
"Almost, Lady Artemis… But before that, could I trouble you to close your eyes for a while?"
"Close my eyes?" Artemis blinked at Jason.
"Yes." Jason smiled. "When you open your eyes again, I will present your tribute."
"I see… Alright then."
"But you absolutely must not open your eyes until I say you can, Lady Artemis… And no peeking, okay?"
"Ah… Fine, I won't peek."
With that, Artemis closed her eyes.
Once Artemis closed her eyes, Jason looked at Pegasus and gave it a light nod.
At the same time, he picked up the sealed jar and whispered, "Your turn. Go."
He placed the jar on Pegasus's back.
Pegasus spread its wings and flew high. Soon after, with its soft cry, underworld butterflies flew out of the jar one by one, sprinkling the golden wheat dust high in the sky.
"Huh, isn't that…"
At that moment, Persephone, hiding in the shadows nearby and watching, blinked. As the goddess who had given him the artifact, she naturally sensed her own divine power.
And at that instant, Jason, having gently tapped his staff on the ground and nodded, moved his lips and chanted a spell.
A gentle breeze began blowing the falling golden dust, spreading it outward with Jason and Artemis at the center.
Soon, as the dust falling from the sky spread farther, Hecate watched everything and said thoughtfully, "Seeds and this dust… Is that child planning to…?"
Just as Hecate vaguely guessed Jason's intention, Jason smiled and said to Artemis, who kept asking if it was ready yet, "Almost… Lady Artemis, you may open your eyes now."
At his words, Artemis opened her eyes full of joyful anticipation.
She looked around, but her brows quickly furrowed.
Because there was no tribute anywhere around her.
"Little Jason, where is my tribute?" Artemis asked Jason unhappily.
"Mm, very soon… By the way, Lady Artemis, do you know the flower language of white lilies?"
"Flower language?" Artemis looked at Jason in puzzlement.
Jason nodded and said, "Every flower has its own language, and I think the language of white lilies suits you perfectly, Lady Artemis."
"Mm… Mm." Artemis tilted her head.
"But what does that have to do with my tribute?"
Jason did not answer. Instead, he silently counted in his heart: "Ten, nine, eight, seven… three, two, one."
"It begins, Lady Artemis."
As he spoke, just as Artemis grew puzzled, she suddenly noticed movement on the ground around her.
When she instinctively looked down, she saw the seeds on the ground, catalyzed by the golden wheat dust, begin to sprout and bloom.
Under the moonlight of the full moon, with Artemis and Jason at the center, pure white lilies bloomed first.
Soon, the blooming lilies spread outward under Artemis's gaze.
In just tens of seconds, the white lilies that had burst into bloom not only covered the grass of the entire area but even grew on the surrounding trees.
In just half a minute, everything within Artemis's field of vision had turned pure white!
And while Artemis stared in stunned silence,
Jason quietly chanted another spell, letting a gentle breeze sweep the ground. The sea of white flowers swayed slightly under Artemis's gaze.
"Lady Artemis, do you know the flower language of white lilies?"
At that moment, Jason spoke softly beside her again. "It is said that blooming white lilies represent purity and solemnity. Only the purest beings in the world can receive their blessing.
And it is said that those blessed by them will retain innocence forever untouched by corruption and will be loved by all things… It resembles you, doesn't it, Lady Artemis?"
Listening to Jason's words, Artemis couldn't help turning to look at him, then back at the sea of white flowers blooming before her.
At this moment, let alone Artemis's feelings.
Even Hermes, who had only heard Jason's words, was stunned. "This kid… in the future, he'll definitely be better at picking up girls than anyone!"
"…So beautiful." Persephone murmured in a daze. "So my and Mother's divine power can be used like this?"
"Beautiful is beautiful, but…" Hecate frowned. "If this is all, the tribute is still insufficient."
The moment she finished speaking, Hecate saw Jason chant another spell while Artemis was still shocked by the sea of white flowers.
Jason tried his best to control his magic, wanting the petals on the ground to fly.
But he was not an excellent mage, so even such basic magic required time.
Seeing this, Hecate hesitated for a moment before raising her hand and lightly lifting.
The next second, the petals on the ground rose into the air.
"Huh…"
Jason let out a soft sound of surprise and looked around.
Teacher came…
Feeling inexplicably relieved, Jason looked at Pegasus, which had landed nearby at some point, and nodded.
Pegasus set down the magically sealed jar, spread its pure white wings again, and flew upward.
As it flew, Jason controlled the gathered petals to follow beside Pegasus.
The holy Pegasus with wings spread, accompanied by white lily petals, first circled Artemis several times before, according to the prearranged plan, galloping toward the full moon.
Seeing this, Hecate quickly understood Jason's intention. A strange light flashed in her eyes, and she secretly increased her power.
Under Hecate's magic, Pegasus finally appeared to be treading on a rain of flowers as it soared into the sky.
This scene undoubtedly etched itself deeply into Artemis's eyes once more.
And right at that moment, from the shade of distant trees, arrows shot toward Pegasus. Tied to the arrows were the fireworks Jason had given Atalanta that afternoon.
Thus…
Boom—!
Gorgeous pseudo-fireworks made of light and sound magic exploded beside Pegasus.
Now, let alone Artemis,
Even Persephone and Hermes hiding in the dark, and even the forest nymphs who had gathered without anyone noticing, were all stunned.
Even Hecate, who had vaguely guessed Jason's plan, froze the instant the fireworks bloomed.
Atalanta was stunned for a good while too, but she remembered Jason's instructions. After all, he had reminded her many times.
So very quickly, Atalanta shot arrow after arrow at the running Pegasus. One after another, fireworks that illuminated the night exploded around Pegasus as it ran across petals.
And because of this, as Pegasus flew higher and higher, the petals rose higher and higher. After the final firework exploded, Jason released his magical control, and a rain of flowers began to fall from the sky.
As large petals fell, Jason, struck by sudden inspiration, clapped his hands and said, "Stop. All of you, stop. Stay still."
Hearing this, Hecate snapped out of her daze and couldn't help finding it funny, but she still granted Jason's wish, using magic to freeze the falling petals in midair.
At this moment, Jason turned to Artemis, who hadn't spoken a single word throughout, and beneath the seemingly frozen flower rain, smiled and softly said to her,
"Lady Artemis, this is the tribute I offer you.
To you who are forever noble, pure, elegant, and beautiful, I offer my humble blessing.
I hope you will like this tribute."