I have a little bit of connections in the underworld... Obviously, Lamia now gradually has a profound understanding of this "little bit."
Even the King and Queen of the Underworld, you can ask for their help.
Indeed, it is a "little bit" of connections.
As Lamia was shocked by Jason's answer, her bewitching eyes could not help but once again fix on Jason, unable to shift away.
Looking at this youth dressed in white clothes, walking with her across the gray plains of the underworld, a thread of unusual color could not help but emerge in Lamia's eyes.
"Lord Jason, may I ask if you could tell me... why are you helping me like this?"
Thus, Lamia finally could not hold back; recalling the events that happened today, she quickened her pace by two steps, coming to Jason's side from behind, and softly inquired, "Clearly, I now cannot even give you a proper reward."
"Because it is the divine oracle that guided me to your side."
After Jason replied, he discovered that Lamia did not accept this answer.
"No, Lord Jason, as the former queen of the Kingdom of Libya, although I have not seen many heroes, I am not completely without having seen them."
"But even any hero I have seen or heard of, they... are completely different from you!"
"Hm? That is of course." Jason smiled faintly and said, "Because I am not a hero to begin with."
Hearing this, Lamia could not help but look at Jason with a slight sense of speechlessness.
Seeing this, Jason gently sighed; he naturally knew what Lamia wanted to ask, and Jason himself actually understood that today... he was indeed being a bit too meddlesome.
It was even quite unlike his usual way of handling things.
After all, the matter with Lamia could actually have ended early this morning.
When Lamia poured out everything and requested Jason to kill her, it could have ended.
But Jason did not do so; if asked for the reason...
"I once heard a saying... although I do not fully agree with it, I do not think it is wrong either."
After a brief silence, Jason finally stopped and gave Lamia a reply, looking at her and saying to her, "Killing one person might require some motive or reason, but saving another person... is not needed."
Lamia was stunned.
"Lamia, I cannot save you... sorry."
Jason looked at Lamia and said to her with a slightly dim expression full of apology, "But I can understand your pain, so I will kill you and let you be freed.
However... just consider it as me seeking peace of mind in handling things.
I hope that before that, I can try my best to make up for the regrets on you."
On the vast gray plains, Jason's flat voice echoed one after another in Lamia's heart.
Her bewitching eyes gazed at this handsome golden-haired, green-eyed youth before her; after a long while, she could not help but step forward, reaching out to gently stroke his cheek.
Staring fixedly at Jason, as if to engrave his appearance forever in her mind.
"Ah..."
Lamia said softly, "What beautiful eyes... Lord Jason, you need not feel ashamed; this is the greatest honor of my life.
I am very fortunate that at the end of my life, I could meet you, who is so radiant, like the sun in the sky that illuminates everything.
But now I feel such unwillingness and helplessness, because why... must you appear before me at the end of my life."
With that, Lamia withdrew the hand that was stroking Jason's cheek.
She stepped back, then arduously averted her gaze.
Because she feared that if she continued looking like this, she would not be able to hold back from pouncing on him and defiling the person before her.
But she was unworthy... Lamia knew she was unworthy.
Such a radiant existence was not something she, who had now been polluted and become like mud, could touch, and she did not wish to.
She did not wish to defile him, who was radiant like light!
And just at this moment...
"It seems my little brother made an exception and took so many risks to bring you here, and it is not entirely bringing a thankless wretch."
Dressed in a long skirt, elegant and noble, wearing a crown representing her status, Queen of the Underworld Persephone appeared before Jason and Lamia.
"Sister Persephone."
Seeing Persephone, who existed in the underworld like a holy lotus, Jason revealed a smile and went forward to greet her.
Immediately, he was embraced by Persephone.
"You..." Persephone hugged Jason and gently pinched his cheek, saying, "Do you know how much trouble you have caused?
The death gods and the three vengeance goddesses originally all wanted to come lecture you; if not for Hades stopping them, you would be locked in a little black room for a year and a half."
"And your teacher Hecate is quite delighted to see this and probably will not help you at all."
As Persephone spoke, she waved her hand, dispersing the beautiful underworld butterflies guarding beside Jason.
While Jason was smiling awkwardly, Lamia lowered her body and came before Persephone, bowing to her.
Persephone accepted Lamia's courtesy, her eyes gazing at her as she lightly hummed, "You should feel honored that you could receive my little brother's care.
But remember, my little brother is absolutely not someone you can defile; even think about it you should not, understand?"
Persephone was clearly a bit angry, because just when she came over earlier.
Persephone discovered that in Lamia's mind, the thought of pouncing on Jason right here had actually emerged!
Fortunately, she still had self-awareness; otherwise, Persephone would not have appeared so amiably.
"Sister Persephone, do not say it like that..."
Before Jason could finish speaking, Persephone reached out to interrupt him, kneading his face.
"And you too, little brother; do you know to be careful when out and about? Provoking any woman; next time if I catch you provoking someone unclean again, I will throw Medea and Atalanta right beside you, believe it or not!"
With these words, Jason instantly quieted down and conceded.
But Jason also felt quite aggrieved; what did he mean by provoking? If not for Zeus, and you gods, he would not want to provoke any women at all.
Especially beautiful women!
"Although I do not know who Lady Medea and Lady Atalanta are, Goddess Persephone is right; Lord Jason, you indeed should be more careful."
Under Jason's wide-eyed, incredulous gaze, Lamia actually followed Persephone's words and said, "Because it is indeed too dangerous... Lord Jason, when you are out and about, you must be careful on this journey."
Persephone looked at Lamia unexpectedly.
At the same time, because of these words, she no longer viewed Lamia with such hostility.
After all, thinking carefully, Persephone felt it was right; how many women in the world could remain unmoved after coming into contact with her little brother.
"Let's go."
Then, Persephone held Jason's hand, leading Jason and Lamia across the gray plains to the Elysian Fields at the end.
This place was named the Elysian Fields, blooming with asphodel flowers, connecting two paths: one leading to the blessed land of happiness, and the other to the land of torment.
The souls, before the judgment seat in the Elysian Fields, would accept the judgment of the three major judges of the underworld.
The guilty would receive punishments of varying severity in hell according to their crimes, while the innocent could live a happy life free from want in the beautiful and serene blessed land, reciting poetry and toying with the moon.
But now the three major judges were not present; they had all gone to find the King of the Underworld.
Then, Persephone brought the two to a small pavilion.
And in the pavilion, Lamia saw her own children, as well as those children brought by Persephone, the ones Lamia had personally killed.
"Sister Persephone, in the end, Lamia will go to..."
"The land of torment, hell." Persephone knew what Jason wanted to ask, so she directly gave the answer.
Hearing this, Jason was silent for a while, then gently nodded.
Seeing this, Persephone could not help but pat Jason's head again.
After a relatively long time passed, Lamia drove her snake body to come before Jason.
After performing the highest courtesy to Jason to express her gratitude, she raised her head to look at Jason, with a faint smile on her face, and said, "Come, Lord Jason; it is time to end it."
"...You can go back."
Just as Jason was silent, Persephone suddenly said calmly, "After all, from the beginning, everyone thought that way; otherwise, they would not all come to find me and Hades."
Hearing this, just as Jason was stunned.
"No, thank you, Lady Persephone, but I will not go back; I have already caused Lord Jason much trouble, and moreover..."
As she spoke, Lamia looked at Jason and said with a smile, "To finally obtain release in Lord Jason's hands is, for me, a great honor and happiness to begin with."
"Only... Lord Jason, if there is a next life, I hope to meet you and offer everything of mine to you..."
Jason looked at Lamia who said this, and Lamia also smiled as she gazed at him... although it was merely one day, a smile had also appeared on Lamia's face.
Thus, the next second, Jason took out a mortal treasure dagger from the silver bag and cleanly slashed across Lamia's neck.
"You can sleep now."
Then, Jason held Lamia's body and said softly, "From now on, you can sleep peacefully."
After the voice fell and everything settled, the scattered underworld butterflies gradually gathered, circling beside Lamia.
The next moment, Lamia's body began to burn with ghostly flames.
And under this flame, the curse Hera had placed on Lamia was broken; she returned to her human form.
And in the form of a human soul, she appeared before the three-headed dog of hell.