82 This is not a complete story

[T/N: 2.5 x Chapter]

After a sleepless night, soon, the next day arrived.

Due to villagers previously informing Jason that Lamia comes out of the forest only at night, Jason concluded that Hera's curse on Lamia should be strongest at night.

So, while riding on Pegasus, for the whole night, through the sky, Jason secretly followed behind Lamia, who had turned into a snake monster.

And, during the whole night, the eagle has been also silently flying beside Jason.

Eventually, the snake monster Lamia, who had run deep into the ancient forest, stopped near a creek to rest.

Then, due to feeling thirsty, while leaning over the stream, Lamia stretched out her hands to hold up the clear water in the stream and drank it.

But after drinking just once, she noticed her hands which have now partially turned into sharp claws, then upon seeing her reflection in the stream, which is now showing a dirty face with monster-like pupils, her expression soon became complicated and she slapped the stream in front of her reflecting her face.

*****

When Jason quietly landed near Lamia, he naturally saw her covering her face with her hands and crying in a low voice.

So, Jason couldn't help but glance at the eagle that is now sitting on a nearby branch.

Then, understanding that the eagle isn't planning on saying or doing anything, Jason stepped forward, while still being on guard, and said softly: "If I'm not mistaken, you should be the previous Queen of Libya, Lamia... right?"

This sudden sound naturally surprised Lamia, who hadn't noticed Jason's arrival due to her grief.

Therefore, her snake's tail began swaying because Lamia subconsciously tried to hide so as to not hurt another innocent human, but while trying to hide, Lamia glanced at Jason and stopped.

Because when Lamia clearly saw the blond and emerald-eyed Jason in front of her, who is being illuminated by sunlight even in the dark forest due to carrying Apollo's sword and this being daytime, she obviously recognized him.

"It's you!"

So, knowing Jason in front of her is the one who had stopped her from killing more innocent humans last night, Lamia said in surprise: "You are the hero from last night, Heracles!"

"Cough." Jason coughed lightly to cover up his awkward expression, then while completely ignoring the speechless gaze of Pegasus beside him that is clearly saying: 'Really now, again?'

Jason replied plainly: "Hercules is my title, in fact, my real name is Jason."

"Also, just for the facts, I am not a hero."

While speaking this, Jason concluded that Lamia is now rational and finally dropped his guard, so he greeted Lamia in front of him with a smile.

Therefore, Lamia, who was once respected as a beautiful and kind Queen but is now hated and despised as a snake monster, at this moment, looking at blond and emerald-eyed Jason dressed in white greeting her with a smile, she couldn't help but ask.

"...Aren't you afraid of me?"

But immediately after speaking this, Lamia's snake-like eyes, that have been staring at Jason, naturally noticed the pure white Pegasus standing beside Jason.

Then, associating this with the sunlight shining on Jason along with the strength shown by him last night, Lamia understood and said: "Yes, you will naturally be not afraid of me, because you are a great hero who was guided to come here by the great gods, right?"

In response to this, Jason just smiled lightly but did not deny it.

"I didn't expect that she wasn't going to let me go even after all this."

But after speaking this, Lamia showed a sad and miserable smile while saying: "No, it should be said that Queen of Gods Hera, has finally chosen to forgive me?"

"Then, come on, do it, hero Heracles."

After saying this, Lamia propped up her body and her tail squirmed to reach in front of Jason.

Then, her snake-like eyes which have been looking at Jason, looked up at the sky as she raised her head to clearly present her neck to Jason and she said with the tone of finally being relieved from the punishment: "Come on, kill me!"

But seeing this, Jason blinked, then he immediately guessed that Lamia had misunderstood him.

'She is probably thinking that Hera had sent me here to kill her... well, with the name I have given, it would be unlikely for Lamia to not misunderstand.'

"Queen Lamia, I think you are probably misunderstanding something." Jason replied softly: "I haven't come here by following Goddess Hera's directions, so I won't kill you, on the contrary, I'm here to help…"

Indeed, since the eagle didn't say anything, Jason decided to at least try the safest option first, but he didn't get to finish this sentence.

"No, it's all right."

Lamia directly interrupted Jason, then with the same miserable and sad smile she said to Jason: "Kill me, Jason... If you are here to help me, then this is the Greatest Salvation for me!"

Then, under Jason's slightly stunned gaze, Lamia continued: "I've received enough... I am fed up with this life!"

"Because I have turned into this, I have killed my own child with my own hands, and that scene has been permanently engraved in my eyes."

"I can't even sleep or close my eyes."

"No matter what I do, that scene always appears in front of my eyes. I have been suffering from this kind of torture day and night and only by plucking out my eyeballs I can feel a little better."

"Then, every night, the curse devours my sanity and plunges me into endless sadness, hatred, and pain... and at that time, I instinctually try to relieve my pain by killing other people's children and listening to the pained cries of mothers due to losing their children."

"And, even after all this, I can't even kill myself, so...kill me, no matter who has asked you to come to me, whether it's Queen of Gods Hera or not, kill me."

Lamia covered her face with her hands and cried while saying to Jason in a tone full of pain and despair: "Kill me... Even if you are a hero told to come here by a loving God to help me, then help me by completing my only one request to you, that is to kill me and let me obtain extrication!"

While hearing this, Jason looked at Lamia, who is crying in grief, but couldn't shed tears or even close her eyes due to her eyes really turning into that of snakes, then he couldn't help but fall silent.

Because it is only now Jason realized that almost every human he has seriously interacted with till now after arriving in this world is either a hero or a hero-in-making, due to which he had seen them bearing griefs and suffering to continue moving forwards.

But Jason had subconsciously forgotten that not everyone can do it, many people break down and give up on life, let alone someone who had suffered as much as Lamia.

Still, Jason doesn't think that Lamia is any lower or worse than others, with whom he had seriously interacted until now, because even with every communication skill he has, Jason can't think of any way that even has a significant chance of changing Lamia's mind.

So, Jason slightly clenched his fists, and this time he made a decision without even looking at the eagle.

After a long while, Jason slowly exhaled, then looked at Lamia, and said, "Even if I say, I have the ability to remove the curse from you..."

"I do not need it." Not beyond Jason's expectations, Lamia, who had completely lost interest in going of ​​​​living, replied directly to him: "Because I have long been unqualified to live in this world."

Hearing Lamia's sad words, Jason slowly closed his eyes, then after a while, he opened them and nodded lightly to Lamia, before saying: "...I see."

As soon as these words fell, the eagle also looked at Jason, but, finally, he said nothing.

But when Lamia heard Jason's words, she looked at Jason in front of her with a gentle and grateful smile on her face and said: "Thank you... benevolent hero."

"Before you die, is there anything else you want to do or wish to do?" But Jason didn't immediately kill her and continued to ask.

Lamia was silent for a while, then she said: "something I wish to do... Although I know that I absolutely cannot get their forgiveness, I want to apologize to them, but this is probably impossible..."

"Okay."

Knowing that it isn't really difficult for him to make this wish of Lamia come true, Jason nodded and interrupted Lamia's words, then he said to her: "Then let's go, I'll take you there and you can apologize to them."

When Lamia heard this, she looked at Jason with a stunned gaze.

But immediately after saying this, Jason sat on Pegasus, then he patted Pegasus and stretched out his hand to Lamia.

However, when Lamia looked in front of her at the pure-white Pegasus, who is now also being illuminated by the sunlight due to Jason sitting on him, and Jason, who she believes is an extraordinary and great hero, she again glanced at the snake tail under her, then subconsciously squirmed to move back with an expression that is saying she is ashamed of her inferiority.

"It's alright, come up." Noticing this, Jason said softly: "Brother Pegasus won't care...don't look at me, I'll give you two cakes after this!"

As soon as Pegasus heard this, he immediately squatted down obediently to make it easier for Lamia to climb on him.

"No, no... I'll just follow you on the ground, you are so noble, and I, ah!"

But Jason didn't wait for Lamia to finish speaking, because even though he doesn't know how to make Lamia not give up on her life, he does know how to deal with people who are feeling inferior.

So, after reaching out, Jason grabbed Lamia's hand, then he pulled her over and held her in his arms in the form of a princess carry, while still not looking at the eagle, who once again didn't say anything.

Of course, Jason is holding Lamia like this, mainly because he feels like Lamia, whose legs have become a snake tail, will possibly fall off Pegasus by sitting on her own.

"Let's go."

After the words fell, Pegasus flapped his wings and flew at a very fast speed towards the place where the migrating villagers were resting last night, while Lamia subconsciously looked up and stared blankly at Jason's handsome face.

*****

Because Jason asked Pegasus to fly at full speed, in less than an hour, Jason once again found the group of migrating villagers.

"Lamia is here, Lamia is here!"

"Wait, it's not just Lamia, it's...that's Heracles, the hero who had saved us last night, Heracles!"

When Pegasus landed from the sky in front of the group of villagers, Jason and Lamia sitting on him naturally attracted the attention of everyone in the group.

Even though every villager is looking at Lamia, who had just been put down by Jason, with frightened eyes, at the same time, many villagers, who were rescued by Jason last night, are looking at him with admiration.

"Hero, are you... have you subdued Lamia?"

After a commotion caused by the arrival of Jason and Lamia was calmed down, a relatively old middle-aged man with white hair walked out of the group and came to Jason.

The white-haired middle-aged man pointed to Lamia, who is currently behind Jason in the distance, and asked Jason.

"Yes." Jason said to them with a smile: "I have already subdued her, so don't worry, she will never hurt you again."

Hearing Jason's assurance, at least a few among the group of villagers finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Then, hero, I didn't know why you have brought her here, but..."

"Today, when the sun sets, she will be leaving the land of the living." Jason interrupted him and lightly said: "So I asked her what is her last wish before her life ends, and her answer was that she wants to apologize to all of you."

"Apologize?" The old man was obviously stunned and subconsciously asked again to confirm.

"Apologize?... She wants to apologize to us? No...what qualifications does she have to get forgiveness, I don't accept it, I definitely won't forgive her!"

Soon, a woman, who Jason guessed was a mother and had lost her child, which is indeed the case, showed an angry and sad expression while shouting at Lamia.

Seeing this, Lamia's expression obviously turned sad, but, she was already mentally prepared for such a situation or even worse.

"Don't do this!" The middle-aged man stopped the woman, although, it is partly because of Jason, who in his eyes is a strong hero, standing beside Lamia.

Then, the middle-aged man looked at Lamia, and said, "No matter what, after all, she was once our... kind and proud Queen."

Finally, Lamia apologized to every villager, by showing the greatest courtesy she could show.

After apologizing to these villagers, Lamia expressed her wish of taking one last look at the Kingdom of Libya, her former home.

So, Jason once again carried Lamia and took her to the Kingdom of Libya.

Therefore, while being accompanied by Jason, Lamia managed to meet her sisters and parents.

Then, after greeting them and saying goodbye, before sunset, under the eyes of many people in the Kingdom of Libya, Jason once again carried Lamia and while riding on Pegasus, he flew towards the sun going down from the sky.

*****

And finally, they once again returned to the ancient forest.

Then, under the light of dusk, Jason asked Lamia: "Now, is there anything else you want to do?"

"There is nothing more." With a gentle smile on her face, which is showing much less sadness compared to before, Lamia stared at the blond Jason in front of her and softly said to him: "Thank you, I'm now... I am finally able to go to my child and meet all those children..."

'Going to meet your children...'

While thinking this, Jason pondered the feasibility of implementing this for a long while, then he didn't take out a sword, but took out his Magic Staff and chanted a spell.

"It seems that this should be your last wish."

After Jason finishing speaking, he walked to Lamia's side and lightly tapped his Magic Staff on the ground, and immediately a dark magic circle appeared on the ground.

From the magic circle, ghost butterflies began flying out and surrounded Jason and Lamia.

Finally, they disappeared from the land and got teleported to the underworld.

The eagle, who had followed Jason for the whole day, watched this scene, but he could only watch the two leave because even Zeus couldn't go to Underworld.

*****

"Here is..."

Since she has come to the underworld for the first time, Lamia was naturally quite shocked.

"This is the underworld."

Jason softly spoke to Lamia, and at the same time he stepped forward while continuing: "Your last wish is to see your dead child and the children killed by you, and I just happen to have a little connection in Underworld, so maybe, I will be able to help you with this wish."

So under Lamia's dull gaze, as if she is witnessing a legendary fairy tale, Jason led her to Cerberus, the three-headed hell-dog who guards the gate of Underworld.

"Why are you here again?"

Cerberus dejectedly looked at Jason, then looked at Lamia and smelled her, so Cerberus asked in puzzlement: "And you have also brought a Living... Don't you know the rules of the underworld, Jason?"

"Of course I know, Cerberus." Jason said with a smile: "But let's be a little accommodating. I have brought her to find someone, and after meeting once, she will become a member of Underworld."

Hearing this, Cerberus was stunned.

And after Looking at Jason, Cerberus looked at Lamia, who timidly looked back.

So immediately, Cerberus simply lay down and closed all eyes on all three heads, and said: "Do whatever you want, and deal with it yourself."

"Thank you, Cerberus!" Jason said, then stepped forward to rub Cerberus's head, but Lamia noticed that not only Cerberus did not resist Jason's action, rather Cerberus began happily wagging the tail.

"Let's continue, Lamia."

So Lamia, who has opened her eyes and mouth wide, looked at Cerberus, who has closed all eyes, then looked at Jason, who had entered the gate of Underworld and is urging her to follow.

Lamia, while feeling sluggish in her brain, obediently followed behind Jason.

And soon, Lamia and Jason arrived in front of the Ferry-God Charon.

"Why did you bring a living person here?"

Charon doubtfully looked at Lamia, and soon, he suddenly whispered in disbelief: "Wait, the aura of this divine power... the curse of Queen of Gods Hera?"

After whispering, Charon looked at Jason.

Jason raised his hand to show his innocence and said to Charon: "God Charon, this is really not my business... And don't worry, I have brought her to let her meet her child, and after that, she will become a member of Underworld, so it will not break the rules!"

'No, no, if you bring her in like this, you will break both the correct order and rules in every possible way.'

Although Charon thought like this, ultimately, he still didn't say anything.

Charon just reached out and after rubbing Jason's head, he used the boat to bring Lamia and Jason over to the shore.

After landing on the shore, Jason took Lamia to walk straight ahead.

"Jason, where are we going?"

After traveling a short distance, looking at the scenery of Underworld along the way, Lamia finally couldn't hold back and asked Jason.

"We are going to the palace of the King of Underworld, then I will ask God Hades or Sister Persephone for help." Jason casually replied to Lamia.