Lap pillow, a third time!

[T/N: Another double-sized chapter.]

Although, in Atalanta's view, she has been defeated by Jason using despicable and shameless means.

However, finally, no matter how unwilling, she has to recognize the fact that she has been undoubtedly defeated.

Jason, who has already put away his Mage Staff, can naturally sense how unwilling Atalanta is at this moment, and just how angry and contemptuous her expression is while looking at him.

But Jason obviously doesn't care much about what Atalanta is thinking right now.

Because this is just the part of his plan to deal with this situation...

"Little Jason... haven't I already said, you're not allowed to bully little Atalanta?"

Artemis walked over with a slightly dissatisfied expression.

Although she wouldn't blame Jason for defeating Atalanta with tricks, still, obviously she is unhappy with Jason's methods.

"Sorry Goddess Artemis, you are right."

After Jason replied to Artemis with a smile, he looked at Atalanta and said in a neutral tone: "Then, Atalanta, let's start over."

"No, I have said it, I...lose."

Atalanta tightly bit her lip, and after being dejected and silent for a long while, she said to Artemis with a sad and unwilling expression: "I'm sorry Goddess Artemis, I... lost."

Artemis looked at Atalanta, who has become like this, then speechlessly opened her mouth, not knowing what to say for a while.

At this moment, although Artemis doesn't exactly know what she is feeling in her heart, she feels like probably it is regret.

After all, for Atalanta, Artemis is different from her other believers.

Atalanta is literally the child that Artemis has personally taken care of and watched grow up.

When Atalanta was abandoned, it was Artemis, who happened to see her and picked her up, then raised her with the milk of a female bear before sending her to a nearby village of hunters after she slightly grew up.

And it is because of this that Atalanta really believes in Artemis and worships her so much.

But on the other side, although Jason is slightly surprised by Atalanta rejecting his offer for a re-match, it only made things easier for him, so he didn't insist and...

"Cough, as far as the result is concerned, I won, so now, no matter what I say, you will follow, right?"

Just when the atmosphere seemed to have become silent, Jason interrupted the quietness with a light cough.

Atalanta nodded silently.

And under Artemis's increasingly dissatisfied gaze, Jason smiled, then continued: "You are indeed very conscientious and honorable, then Atalanta, listen attentively, these are my orders."

"First, from now on, you are not allowed to initiate a challenge to me of any nature!"

"Second, from now on, you don't have to obey any of my orders, except the first one!"

As a matter of fact, in Jason's heart, the order he most wants to give Atalanta is actually: 'From today onwards, stay away from me!'

'So that this walking ball of trouble and locator of a goddess, who is an even bigger ball of trouble, can stay away from me.'

But Jason also knows that as long as he doesn't want to make Artemis unhappy, it is unlikely for something like this to happen, so Jason can only choose this indirect method.

So, after Jason voiced his two orders, Artemis and Atalanta were naturally stunned.

Immediately, without waiting for the frowning Atalanta to recover and speak, Jason looked at Artemis and said to her: "Goddess Artemis, under your witness, any orders I give Atalanta can't be violated and are absolutely valid, right?"

Looking at Jason speaking something like this to her, and then looking at Atalanta, who is still speechless...

"Puchi-"

Artemis finally giggled.

"Well, after all, it was the duel witnessed by me."

After she finished speaking, Artemis looked at Atalanta with a smile, and said: "So little Atalanta, you must obey little Jason's orders!"

Jason hasn't cared about what Atalanta was thinking and has even purposefully used tricks to defeat her, obviously because he has never thought of doing anything good or bad to Atlanta.

After all, in Jason's view, in the list of most dangerous creatures in Greece, 'beautiful women' is definitely one of them.

Obviously, it doesn't mean that Jason is completely uninterested in her and there is still a trace of regret in his heart because he doesn't think that with those orders it would have been too difficult for him to make Atalanta willingly accept him.

However, Jason also believes that even if he has not made Artemis visibly unhappy by using tricks in the duel, it would still have been absolutely impossible for him to touch or manipulate Atalanta.

Rather, if Jason had won fair and square, he doesn't think Artemis would have allowed him to issue the second order.

Therefore, Jason obviously decided to end this in a way that is more favorable to him

On the other side, finally, although Atalanta felt a little unacceptable, after all, she had her own pride, and whether she likes it or not, Jason visibly isn't valuing her after getting her with tricks...

However, Atalanta also knows that this has happened under the witness of the Artemis, and Artemis has already spoken to approve Jason's orders.

Therefore, this made Atalanta's gaze at Jason become complex.

'This guy...had he figured it all out from the start? Was even that despicable tactic planned?'

After all, after getting along with Jason for a while, Atalanta is well aware of certain unique characteristics of Jason: 'He would not do things in a way that would make the gods feel unhappy.'

'Although, I still feel that this guy doesn't really respect the gods.'

Once Atalanta remembered this, she felt that defeating the Goddess of Moon's believer with despicable means in front of the Goddess of Moon Artemis is indeed somewhat thought-provoking.

And obviously, if Atalanta was defeated by normal means and she was convinced of her defeat, would Artemis really agree to Jason's later conditions...

Let alone Jason, who has met Artemis only a few times, even Atalanta isn't quite sure about it.

Because it is obvious to both of them at a glance that Artemis was planning something.

'So that is why he chose to go into stealth from the very beginning.'

'This guy is quite decisive...'

Atalanta's mood was rather complicated for a while, but this complicated mood didn't last long, and soon the flames of anger were ignited again.

Because...

"Jason, come here!"

Beside the bonfire, that has unknowingly appeared, Artemis rolled up the silver hair beside her ears, then sat down and gestured at Jason to lie down on her lap.

'Well, a third time!'

"That, Goddess Artemis, this..." Jason, while already feeling the glare from Atalanta, said awkwardly and helplessly: "I don't think it is a good idea."

"What's there to be not good, and I have already heard from Athena and Hestia." Artemis pouted while saying: "You have already slept with them, if you don't sleep with me, then am I not worse than them?!"

'...What the __ is this theory, and haven't I already heard it once a long time ago?'

"Goddess Athena...and Goddess Hestia?"

Atalanta opened her eyes wide and looked at Jason in shock.

'If I say, I was forced, will you believe it?'

Jason covered his face in helplessness.

"Little Jason, hurry up and come here."

Just when Jason was hesitating upon seeing this.

"This, this... in brief, this is impossible, Goddess Artemis!"

Atalanta couldn't bear remaining silent any longer, and said anxiously to Artemis: "Goddess Artemis, you are a pure and noble v*rgin goddess, how, how can you let a foul man sleep on your lap!"

"Eh, but little Jason is different." Artemis replied: "And Athena and Hestia have done this too."

'...Yes, Goddess Athena and Goddess Hestia have taken the pledge for eternal ch*stity, similar to Goddess Artemis, but still, I won't compromise on this.'

"But, even if this is the case, no, you can't, Goddess Artemis!" Atalanta replied anxiously.

"I really can't?" Artemis blinked while looking at Atalanta.

Atalanta nodded hurriedly.

"But Athena and Hestia have done it..."

Artemis tilted her head in distress, then seemingly having thought of something, her eyes lit up while looking at Atalanta, and she happily clapped her hands while saying: "Since I can't do it, Atalanta, you represent me and do it!"

"...Eh?" Atalanta was stunned.

"Because both Athena and Hestia have done it, shouldn't I also do it?... But since you have said that I can't do it, then I have to let you, Little Atalanta replace me. "

As soon as the words fell, Artemis looked at Atalanta, whose body has become stiff, and said with a smile: "Little Atalanta, are you unwilling? ... If you are unwilling, then I have no choice but to personally..."

"I will... I am willing!"

So finally...

Jason, with an expression showing that he doesn't know what he should say, lay down on Atalanta's lap.

But this time, it is s a little different from the previous two times.

Because the first two times, Jason was so stiff that he just couldn't spare any thoughts for enjoying it.

After all, those two times, the ones giving him the lap pillow were goddesses.

But this time, Jason is relaxed and is feeling very comfortable while lying down.

On the contrary, Atalanta didn't dare to move at all and sensing the heat from Jason's head on her legs, she is feeling extremely panicked in her heart.

"Little Atalanta, you can't remain idle."

But Artemis is still not willing to let Atalanta go, and said to her: "You also need to sing a song and coax Jason to fall asleep."

"I..."

Atalanta looked at Artemis with wide eyes while feeling she is still giving embarrassing instructions.

'I am the one who believes in you, Goddess Artemis, not this fellow!'

But, in the end, she still had to helplessly sing a song.

And under Atalanta's clumsy singing, Jason gradually fell asleep...

"This child finally fell asleep."

Artemis sat down beside Jason and began stroking his hair.

"Goddess Artemis, can I put him down now?"

"No, little Atalanta."

Looking at the smiling Artemis, for the first time, Atalanta felt like her unshakable faith has slightly wavered.

"Atalanta, do you know why Athena and Hestia have coaxed this child to sleep?... Because this child has not slept in three years."

"...Three years?" Atalanta was stunned.

"Yeah." Artemis nodded: "Atalanta, you think you've worked hard, don't you?... But do you know, your efforts are actually far less than one-tenth of little Jason's."

'...This fellow, actually works hard?'

Atalanta looked at Artemis in doubt, then frowned while looking at Jason lying on her lap.

'Isn't this fellow just a lucky guy who only relies on him being favored by the gods?'

"I know, you have always had a wrong understanding of him, but... this child, we have been watching him."

After saying this, Artemis touched Jason's head again.

Although Artemis is lively, playful, and often seems to be naturally dull, it does not mean that she cannot recognize the hard work done by Jason.

"So if you want to know the truth, if you want to know what kind of person he is, and if you want to know why we care so much about him... little Atalanta, try to understand him and find out by yourself."