To enemies, he is like winter's chill.
To friends, he is like spring's warmth.
Playing the lyre from Queen of the Sea Amphitrite, thereby allowing him to walk upon the water under the moonlight, Jason returned before the two goddesses and the pegasus.
"Goddess Amphitrite, Goddess Callirhoe, thank you for your trouble."
Under Callirhoe 's peculiar gaze, Jason, smiling as if he had done something trivial, expressed his gratitude to the two goddesses.
The thanks were naturally for their intervention in protecting the herd.
"...No matter." Amphitrite replied softly.
She did not furrow her brows in displeasure over Jason having slain Geryon, after all, slain was slain.
In fact, because of it, the way Amphitrite looked at Jason became even more appreciative and affectionate.
"Slaying the monster Chimera that laid waste to the land, repelling the child of the Earth Mother Goddess Gaia, Antaeus, and now you have slain the centaur Eurytion, as well as the guardian of the herd, the three-bodied, three-headed, six-armed giant Geryon...
As you are now, you are undoubtedly a great hero, child."
Looking at Amphitrite who smiled in praise of him, Jason merely smiled and did not take up the words, because...
These were things Heracles did, what did they have to do with me, Jason!
And in truth, aside from these three matters, upon careful count, Jason had actually accomplished quite a few things.
Even setting aside the events experienced in offering tributes to the gods, back then under the watchful eye of the Harvest Goddess Demeter, he had spirited away Goddess Persephone, and afterward proactively sought forgiveness from Demeter, allowing the withering land to regain its vitality.
As well as the later Calydonian Boar, and the serpent monster Lamia, among other matters.
Along the way, how splendid and eye-catching his journey had been!
But even so, Jason's travels were far from over.
What awaited him was destined to be a path accompanied by the gods, incomparably winding.
It was precisely because of this that the prescient Prometheus had left him those words... hoping he could forever remain without regret for his choices!
Afterward, Jason bid farewell to Queen of the Sea Amphitrite and the two ocean goddesses, Callirhoe.
Jason did not take the herd with him, because Goddess Callirhoe had volunteered to drive these cattle before the God of Light Apollo.
Jason naturally would not be foolish enough to refuse a goddess's good intentions, but what surprised Jason was that Amphitrite actually expressed some interest as well.
In truth, Amphitrite mainly thought of going along to witness the scene of Jason offering tribute to Apollo.
Thus, the pegasus briefly left the group as well. It carried the two goddesses, driving the herd to meet the God of Light Apollo.
In fact, Jason had originally prepared to go together, but Amphitrite refused and told Jason.
Before going to meet the God of Light Apollo, he needed to meet a noble divinity and obtain from her the long-delayed oracle from Athena.
So in the end, Jason, playing his lyre, could only walk alone upon the sea, heading toward the mainland.
However, Jason's such sea voyage did not last too long.
Soon, a group of joyfully swimming dolphins came before Jason.
They were drawn by the sound of Jason's lyre and, upon learning Jason's destination, emitted pleasant chirps, issuing an invitation to him.
Thus, using the beautiful lyre music as recompense, Jason sat upon the cute dolphins, quickly heading toward the shore of the Greek mainland.
When the veil of night quietly dissipated and the moonlight faded from Jason's body, the dawn's sunlight immediately shone favorably upon Jason.
Playing the deep blue lyre in his hands, accompanied by the cute dolphins' trilling~ woo~ trilling~ woo~ and the beautiful lyre music.
Shortly after sunrise, Jason saw the mainland ahead.
"Thank you, cute little ones."
Arriving at the shallows and dismounting from the dolphins, Jason stroked each of them one by one, and bid them farewell amid their reluctant calls.
Immediately after, just as Jason, who had set foot on land again, prepared to resume his journey, amid a rustling sound.
A familiar figure emerged from the dappled sunlight under the trees, appearing before Jason.
It was a beautiful golden-horned deer... yes, that's right, it was the golden-horned deer under Moon Goddess Artemis!
"Sister Deer?" Jason was slightly stunned.
The golden-horned deer called softly, then came before Jason.
It gently nuzzled Jason's cheek and even intimately licked Jason, as a greeting for not having seen each other in a long time.
"Long time no see, Sister Deer... I see, so for the next part of the journey, it will be you accompanying me, right?"
Jason smiled, stroking the golden-horned deer, clearly having understood its intent.
The golden-horned deer nodded and crouched down before Jason.
Jason climbed on, and the rising golden-horned deer carried Jason into the shadows of the nearby forest.
Jason took out the guide given to him by Athena and compared it, discovering that the direction the golden-horned deer was heading was not toward the God of Light Apollo, a trace of unusual color flickering in his eyes.
But soon, Jason paid it no mind.
"Sister Deer, would you like to hear me play the lyre?" Sitting on the golden-horned deer, holding the deep-sea-colored lyre, Jason asked.
And the golden-horned deer naturally would not refuse Jason's request, so Jason played once more.
Accompanying Jason's playing, the golden-horned deer could not help slowing its steps, trying to let him feel no jolting.
As the ethereal lyre music spread, the small animals in the forest could not help perking up their ears, turning their heads toward Jason's direction.
Chattering little birds also gathered beside Jason and, after several cautious attempts, landed on Jason's body.
The nymphs of the forest also revealed their forms because of this, curiously watching this youth playing beautiful lyre music under the sunlight.
There was only a youth in white robes like snow, with golden hair and golden eyes, a handsome prince... ah, if by chance a passerby happened along and saw this scene before them.
Then he would surely regard Jason as the most handsome, most beautiful man in Greece, the God of Light Apollo.
This day's journey was exceedingly leisurely.
And along the way, all living creatures yielded the path to the golden-horned deer and Jason.
Probably, whether the gods quietly watching from the heavens or these creatures in the forest, none wished to disturb this painting before their eyes.
But the road, after all, would come to an end.
When sunset dusk arrived, Jason, who had been traveling all along, reached his next stop... among the gods of Mount Olympus, one of the most senior divinities.
The former second generation Queen of the Gods, Goddess Rhea, had already awaited him for quite some time.