The next day, at dawn.
Jason was awakened by Pegasus gently biting his hair.
"It seems starting today, I really need to get proper rest."
Upon waking and discovering that Hecate had already left, Jason seriously considered the matter and said to Pegasus, "After all, constantly troubling the great goddesses isn't a sustainable solution. Don't you agree, Brother Horse?"
Clearly, Jason did not consider sleeping on the lap of an extraordinarily beautiful goddess to be any kind of privilege. That was something only protagonists were qualified to enjoy.
At the same time, through last night's conversation with Hecate, Jason suddenly realized something during their exchange.
This realization instantly made him decide that from this day forward, he would definitely become a good child who went to bed early and rose early!
Sleeping on the laps of Athena or Teacher Hecate was one thing. Though the favor of goddesses was something only protagonists should enjoy, and Jason was worried about it,
if you asked whether it was comfortable, Jason could not lie and say it wasn't.
After all, those were the laps of goddesses, lulled to sleep by their soft humming.
But note: this referred only to goddesses!
Next, Jason still had to face Apollo, God of Light; Hephaestus, God of Smithing; Poseidon, God of the Sea; and even God-King Zeus himself.
If any of them suggested the idea of a lap pillow, then…
"I have to change. I must change. Starting today, I will definitely be a good child who sleeps early and rises early!"
Jason, shivering at the thought, declared with absolute determination!
Pegasus looked at the resolute Jason in puzzlement, neighed softly twice, then tugged at his clothes, urging him.
"Hey, hey, alright, alright, stop biting! Here, I'll give it to you right now!"
Jason freed himself and quickly took out green grass cakes to reward Pegasus.
This was indeed well-deserved. After all, Pegasus had been a huge help yesterday.
Pegasus happily ate the small pile of grass cakes placed on the ground while Jason took one for his own breakfast.
After they finished and Pegasus was satisfied, Jason brought it back to the sea of flowers from the previous night.
The moment they arrived, both Jason and Pegasus were stunned.
The sea of flowers he had worked so hard to create last night was gone!
In its place was a massive crater, as if a meteor had struck and carved out a gigantic pit!
"This… What on earth happened?"
Just as Jason stood there in shock, he looked around and suddenly noticed a girl sleeping peacefully on the only surviving patch of blooming lilies nearby.
Walking closer, he saw the sleeping girl dressed in beautiful emerald-green clothing, the hunter maiden with lovely light-golden long hair: Atalanta.
Jason looked at the beautiful girl sleeping peacefully, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, clearly having a sweet dream. He hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the brightening sky.
He picked up a lily from the ground, crouched down, and gently tickled Atalanta's face with it.
"Stop it…"
Feeling the itch, Atalanta wrinkled her nose, swatted at the flower like a lazy cat, and mumbled in a drowsy voice.
Hearing this, Jason did not stop. Instead, he became even more enthusiastic and kept tickling her.
After several rounds, Atalanta opened her eyes in annoyance, sat up ready to lose her temper, and saw Jason smiling brightly before her.
"Good morning, Miss Atalanta. It seems you had a very pleasant dream last night.
Though I'm a little sorry to wake you, if you keep sleeping here you'll catch a cold. Also… do you have any idea what happened here?"
Following the direction Jason pointed, Atalanta turned her head in confusion and saw the former sea of flowers now transformed into a massive crater. She jumped in shock.
"This… What happened?!"
"I don't know either."
Jason shook his head at the wide-eyed Atalanta and very naturally reached out to brush the white lily petal from her cheek. He stood up and said, "But… it was probably Lady Artemis's doing."
"It was Lady Artemis." At that moment, a nymph dressed in clothing woven from nature stepped out from the forest.
The fairy maiden in thin garments, shyly revealing her figure, gazed at Jason and spoke softly, "Lady Artemis greatly loved the tribute you offered her.
That is why last night she invited the great Goddess Demeter, who took away this entire piece of land."
"Mm… Goddess Demeter was here?"
Jason said with wide eyes.
"Yes." The nymph smiled gently. "She asked me to wait here for you and convey her divine oracle… 'I want one too!'"
…
Jason fell briefly silent. In that instant, he could even picture Goddess Demeter puffing out her cheeks and looking at him longingly.
"I understand."
Jason replied helplessly, "Please convey to Goddess Demeter that I will carefully prepare a tribute for her."
Did I really… overdo it last night?
Persephone, Hecate, and now Demeter. That made three goddesses already.
After thinking for a moment, Jason stopped dwelling on it.
After all, creating the atmosphere from last night was not difficult for a traverser like Jason. What he had done last night was actually quite rough.
So if their future tribute demands were merely "romantic," Jason would actually welcome it!
"Atalanta, we should head back. Tonight we still have to hunt the Calydonian Boar."
"Oh, yes…"
Atalanta stood up but showed no immediate intention of leaving.
She kept glancing hesitantly at the pure white lilies on the ground.
Seeing this, Jason blinked, thought for a brief moment, then crouched down and carefully picked one lily.
He held it, took out a vial of potion from the small silver pouch given by Athena, and dripped a few drops onto the flower.
Then he handed it to Atalanta.
"Thank you, Atalanta. If not for you, Lady Artemis would not have been satisfied with the tribute I offered last night. Therefore… please accept this lily that will never wither."
The flower language of the lily is that of a pure and elegant woman.
This flower is given only to a woman pure and beautiful enough to deserve it.
Atalanta still remembered these words.
Thus, looking at the flower Jason offered and at the youth before her, after a long silence she lowered her head slightly and accepted the lily…
"Hm, looks like this girl has finally stopped being so stubborn with me!"
Seeing this, Jason secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Atalanta's attitude had suddenly improved over the past two days. Though Jason wasn't entirely sure why, adhering to the principle that one more friend was better than one more enemy, and being very good at reading the room, Jason naturally knew what to do.
After accepting the flower and toying with it in her hand for a while, Atalanta silently followed Jason as they left the area.
Soon after they departed, the nymphs who could no longer hold back rushed out and began fighting over the lilies in this small remaining patch.
They even came to blows over it…
If Jason had personally witnessed this scene, he might finally have understood just how much force he had used last night.