Even though Atalanta believed she had been defeated by Jason's despicable and shameful methods, the result was undeniable. She had lost.
Jason put away his staff. Naturally, he could sense how unwilling Atalanta was at this moment and how her gaze toward him was filled with anger and contempt.
But Jason did not care.
Because…
"Little Jason, really now… Didn't I already tell you not to bully little Atalanta?"
Artemis walked over with a slightly displeased expression.
Although she would not blame Jason for using tricks to finish off Atalanta, she was obviously unhappy about it.
"I'm sorry, Lady Artemis. You are right."
Jason smiled at Artemis in reply, then looked at Atalanta and said nonchalantly, "Then, Miss Atalanta, shall we start over?"
"No. I said… I lost."
Atalanta bit her lip tightly. After a long pause, she spoke to Artemis with a dim and unwilling expression, "I'm sorry, Lady Artemis… I lost."
Artemis looked at Atalanta like this, opened her mouth wordlessly, and for a moment actually did not know what to say.
At this instant, Artemis… probably felt a little regret in her heart.
Atalanta was different. One could say Atalanta was the child Artemis had watched grow up.
When Atalanta had been abandoned, Artemis had happened to find her, picked her up, and raised her on bear's milk.
This was also the reason Atalanta revered Artemis so deeply.
Cough. "In terms of the result, I won. So that means right now, no matter what I say, you will obey, correct?"
Just as the atmosphere turned silent, Jason cleared his throat and broke the quiet.
Atalanta nodded wordlessly, and under Artemis's increasingly displeased gaze.
Jason smiled and said, "That makes things easy. Atalanta, listen well. These are my commands.
First, from now on, you are not allowed to issue any kind of challenge to me ever again!
Second, aside from the first rule, you do not have to obey any other command from me!"
The command Jason most wanted to give Atalanta was actually, "From this day forward, stay far away from me!"
But that was unlikely to happen unless Jason wanted to make Artemis unhappy, so Jason could only choose this compromise.
When Jason stated his two commands, both Artemis and Atalanta were naturally stunned.
Before the frowning Atalanta could speak, Jason turned to Artemis and said, "Lady Artemis, under your witness, any command I give is absolutely binding on Atalanta and cannot be disobeyed, correct?"
Seeing Jason speak to her like this and looking at the speechless Atalanta, Artemis finally… let out a soft laugh.
"Mm, after all, it was a duel I witnessed."
After saying that, Artemis looked at Atalanta with a beaming smile and said, "So little Atalanta, you must obey little Jason's commands!"
Jason truly did not care about Atalanta's anger because he had never intended to do anything to her in the first place!
After all, in Jason's view, among the most dangerous creatures in Greece, "beautiful women" were definitely one of them!
Although Jason was not completely uninterested, and there was indeed a tiny bit of regret in his heart.
But Artemis was visibly unhappy now, so Jason would absolutely never touch Atalanta.
In the end, although Atalanta found it somewhat hard to accept, because she had her own pride.
This duel had been witnessed by Moon Goddess Artemis.
And Moon Goddess Artemis herself had spoken.
This caused Atalanta's gaze toward Jason to become complicated.
'This guy… did he plan everything from the very beginning? Even those despicable tactics were part of his plan?'
Having spent some time with the Jason of the past, Atalanta knew very well that Jason would never do anything to make a god unhappy… even though this guy actually did not show much respect toward gods.
Then, defeating the follower of the Moon Goddess with underhanded methods right in front of the Moon Goddess herself… this matter became rather thought-provoking.
If he had defeated Atalanta fairly and made her accept her loss wholeheartedly, would Artemis have agreed to Jason's subsequent conditions?
…Clearly, Jason was not certain.
Because anyone could see at a glance that Artemis was stirring things up, which was why Jason had chosen invisibility from the very start.
This guy is pretty decisive…
Atalanta's feelings remained complicated for a while, but the complicated emotions did not last long. Soon, the flames of anger were reignited.
Because…
"Jason, come here!"
By the campfire, Artemis tucked a strand of silver hair behind her ear, sat down, and beckoned Jason to lie on her lap.
Yes, the third time in full bloom!
"Um, Lady Artemis, this…" Jason said helplessly, feeling Atalanta's furious glare. "This really isn't appropriate."
"What's not appropriate? Besides, I already heard everything from Athena and Hestia." Artemis puffed out her cheeks. "You slept on their laps, so if you don't sleep on mine, doesn't that mean I'm worse than them?!"
…Wait, this logic… didn't I hear it somewhere a long time ago?
"Goddess Athena… and Lady Hestia too?"
Atalanta's eyes widened as she looked at Jason in shock.
If I said I was forced, would you believe me?
Jason covered his face.
"Little Jason, hurry and come here."
Seeing this, Jason was still hesitating.
"No… anyway, this absolutely cannot happen, Lady Artemis!"
Atalanta could not hold back any longer. She anxiously said to Artemis, "Lady Artemis, you are a noble and pure maiden goddess! How… how can you let a stinking man sleep on your lap!"
"Eh, but little Jason is different." Artemis replied. "And Athena and Hestia both did it."
…Well, now that I think about it, Athena and Hestia are indeed maiden goddesses too.
"E-Even so, no, it's not allowed, Lady Artemis!" Atalanta said anxiously.
"Not allowed?" Artemis blinked and looked at Atalanta.
Atalanta hurriedly nodded.
"But Athena and Hestia both did it…"
Artemis tilted her head in distress, then seemed to think of something. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Atalanta, clapped her hands happily, and said, "Then since I can't do it, Atalanta can represent me instead!"
"…Huh?" Atalanta froze.
"Because Athena and Hestia both did it, so I have to do it too, right? …Since Atalanta says I can't, then little Atalanta will just have to take my place."
After speaking, Artemis looked at the completely stiff Atalanta with a beaming smile and said, "Atalanta, are you unwilling? …If little Atalanta is unwilling, then I'll just have to…"
"I'm willing… I'm willing!"
And so, in the end…
What kind of situation is this?
Jason lay on Atalanta's lap with an expression that said he no longer knew what to say.
However, this time was a little different from the previous two.
The previous two times, Jason had been completely stiff and unable to enjoy it at all.
After all, the other party had been a goddess.
But this time… Jason was truly comfortable.
On the contrary, Atalanta did not dare move at all. Feeling Jason's warm breath gently brushing against her thighs, she was inwardly going mad.
"Atalanta, no slacking off."
But Artemis clearly had no intention of letting Atalanta off the hook. She even said to her, "You still have to sing a lullaby to put Jason to sleep."
"I…"
Atalanta stared wide-eyed at Artemis, who was deliberately making things difficult for her.
The goddess she revered!
In the end, she helplessly began to sing a lullaby.
And under Atalanta's clumsy singing, Jason gradually fell asleep…
"He's asleep, this child."
Artemis came over and sat beside Jason, gently stroking his hair.
"Lady Artemis, may I put him down now?"
"No, little Atalanta."
Looking at the beaming Artemis, for the first time Atalanta felt a trace of doubt toward the unwavering faith she had always held.
"Atalanta, do you know why Athena and Hestia coaxed this child to sleep? …Because this child hasn't slept for three whole years."
"…Three years?" Atalanta was stunned.
"Mm." Artemis nodded. "Atalanta, you think you've worked very hard, right? …But do you know that your effort is not even one-tenth of little Jason's."
…This guy works hard?
Atalanta looked doubtfully at Artemis, then at Jason lying on her lap and frowned.
Isn't he just a guy who got lucky and only knows how to rely on being favored by the gods?
"I know you've always misunderstood him, but… we have been watching this child the whole time."
As she spoke, Artemis gently patted Atalanta's head again.
Although Artemis was lively and cute and often seemed very airheaded, that did not mean she didn't know how to care for others.
"So if you want to know the truth, if you want to know what kind of person he really is and why we care about him so much… Atalanta, try to understand him yourself."