"I never expected... this time it would actually go so smoothly?"
The next afternoon, Jason, riding the heavenly horse, arrived before the temple of Hephaestus, God of Craftsmanship.
The heavenly horse chirped lightly at Jason and looked at him in puzzlement, as if saying, "Isn't smooth a good thing?"
"Of course smooth is good, but how many times have you seen things go smoothly for me?"
Jason replied with slight helplessness. Under the sympathetic gaze of the heavenly horse, he stepped forward to knock on the bronze gate before him.
The gate suddenly opened, and two maids dressed in exquisite servant attire slowly walked out from within.
These maids were not living people. In fact, within the entire temple of Hephaestus, aside from Hephaestus herself, there were no others.
Like those of Hecate, they were automatons crafted by Hephaestus.
"You must be Lord Jason." One maid spoke to Jason in rõ
a cool voice. "Please come in. Lady Hephaestus has been awaiting you for some time."
"Lord Heavenly Horse, please follow me." The other maid stepped forward and gestured for the heavenly horse to follow her.
After nodding to the heavenly horse, Jason followed the maid into the temple.
The entire way was extremely quiet. Even though servants occasionally passed by, the whole temple still gave off an oppressive feeling of lifelessness.
Soon, Jason was led to a large gate.
The maid stopped before it and gestured for Jason to enter.
"Is Lady Hephaestus inside?"
To Jason's question, the maid gave no reply, only lightly shook her head and indicated he should go in.
Seeing this, Jason hesitated briefly before pushing open the gate.
The moment he stepped inside, the gate closed on its own.
Jason paid it no mind, for the moment he entered, he was instantly stunned by the sight before him.
Several mountains of treasure... literal mountains of treasure!
The entire room was illuminated by gold, silver, and jewels spread across the floor, exactly like the treasure hoards depicted in countless myths, now appearing before Jason's eyes.
While Jason stood frozen, gazing at everything before him, another maid who had been waiting for some time approached.
This maid wore extremely gorgeous clothing, like a true noble princess.
"Lord Jason, correct?" The maid performed a mechanical curtsey before gesturing toward the mountains of treasure and said, "As you see, this is the wealth of the world accumulated here.
Lady Hephaestus has ordered that Lord Jason may take as much as he desires."
"As much as I desire?" Jason tilted his head at these words and stared blankly at the maid.
"Yes." The maid replied in an icy voice. "Lady Hephaestus also said that no matter how much you take, she will absolutely not blame you."
...What is the meaning of this? A test?
Having recovered from his shock, Jason frowned slightly upon hearing the maid's words.
He looked at the exquisite maid whose eyes held not a trace of emotion, then at the countless riches before him.
Jason could not help hesitating.
While he hesitated, the maid spoke again. "Lady Hephaestus has promised, swearing upon her great name, that no matter how much you take, she will absolutely not blame you, even if you take everything."
Hearing the maid repeat this, Jason fell silent, thought for a moment, and finally stepped forward.
From the mountain of treasure that filled the entire large room, he took a single gem.
"That's it."
Jason put away the gem and indicated to the maid that he was finished.
At this, even the mechanical maid could not help blinking at Jason before saying, "Are you certain, Lord Jason?"
"Yes." Jason nodded and smiled. "One gem is enough."
Regardless of whether this was a test, taking more was clearly unwise, but the maid had emphasized twice that he could take as much as he wanted.
Thus, taking nothing might also displease the goddess.
So Jason took one gem.
The maid was silent for a while before nodding. "I understand, Lord Jason. Please follow me."
With that, she turned and led Jason away from the room filled with jewels, stopping before another door and gesturing for him to proceed.
Jason pushed open the door before him once more.
This time, what appeared was an armory... countless swords, spears, shields, and all manner of weapons personally forged by Hephaestus, God of Craftsmanship, filling the entire space!
"Greetings, honored Jason."
Soon, another maid who had been waiting approached.
Unlike the previous princess-like maid, this one exuded a wild aura, the kind of female warrior that instinctively aroused the desire to conquer.
After saluting Jason, the warrior maid pointed at everything before him and said, "As you see, all of these are weapons personally crafted by Lady Hephaestus.
Any single one is a rare treasure in the mortal world.
An ordinary mortal need only obtain one to gain the power to slay ferocious beasts and become a hero admired by all.
And now... they are yours to choose from, Lord Jason!"
"Moreover, the great Lady Hephaestus has decreed, swearing upon her great name, that you may select freely, even take them all if you wish, and no matter your choice, she will absolutely not blame you!"
With that, the maid stepped forward and placed before Jason a spatial pouch identical to the silver one Athena had once given him.
Having experienced this once before, Jason did not remain stunned for long this time.
He stepped forward, selected a pitch-black longbow from among them, tested it briefly, then put it away and smiled at the maid. "I have made my selection."
The maid was silent for a long time.
"Are you certain?" the maid asked calmly. "These are weapons personally forged by Lady Hephaestus. Outside, each would be considered a rare divine artifact.
Are you sure you wish to end with only a bow?"
"Yes." Jason nodded. "I need a bow... and I only need a bow."
The maid gazed at Jason for a while.
"I understand, Lord Jason. Please follow me."
She led the way once more, bringing Jason to yet another large gate and gesturing for him to enter.
When Jason pushed open this third door, what greeted him was a scene of beautiful women dressed in gorgeous clothing, laughing and playing.
Lolis, mature ladies, elegant beauties, pure maidens, seductive enchantresses, flat-chested girls, and busty ones... Hundreds of women of every style imaginable.
All of them now looked at the entering Jason with curious eyes.
While Jason stood stunned and speechless, yet another maid approached him.
This maid wore a crown and carried herself like a queen.
"Greetings, Lord Jason." The maid curtsied, gestured toward the beautiful women, and said calmly, "As you see, these are automatons crafted by the great Lady Hephaestus after studying the aesthetics of the world.
I believe Lord Jason has heard the tale of Pandora.
Therefore, Lady Hephaestus says these creations are in no way comparable to the automatons in Hecate's temple."
With that, the maid stepped forward, took Jason Jason's hand, and placed it on her ample bosom, then said to the stunned Jason, "Though we who were made by the great Hephaestus possess no life, we are as if we do, and thus we can satisfy every desire Lord Jason may have."
She released Jason's hand, stepped back, and gestured toward the myriad beautiful automatons before him. "The conditions remain the same.
Lady Hephaestus swears upon her great name that you may choose freely, even take them all, including all of us who have been presented to you along the way."
With that, the queen-like maid gracefully lifted her skirt and curtsied to Jason.
This time, Jason answered very quickly.
"N-No thank you!"
The maid looked up at Jason shaking his head frantically, was silent for a moment, and said, "Are you certain, Lord Jason?
We are objects, and quite convenient objects at that.
There are even matching storage pouches for automatons. You need only take us out to use us; there is no need to keep us inside the pouch."
"No, really, no thank you!"
Jason shook his head and declared firmly to the maid.
Are you joking?!
Though he was very tempted...
Jason declared that with his own moral values, he truly could not handle such high-level toys!
The maid stared straight at Jason for a long while before finally nodding in resignation. "Very well, I understand. Then, Lord Jason, please follow me."
Jason watched the maid turn away.
He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that this queen-like automaton had seemed... disappointed.
This time, after leading Jason out of the room, the maid brought him before two great gates.
"This is the final door Lord Jason must open."
The queen-like maid stopped and indicated the two gates to Jason. "Behind the left door, you will meet the great Lord Hephaestus, and behind the right door, you will meet the great Goddess Hephaestus.
Hephaestus has left the choice to you... So, Lord Jason, which great Hephaestus do you wish to meet?"
...There's this kind of option?
Hearing the words of the queen-like maid and looking at the two gates before him, Jason's face was filled with strangeness.