Meeting Goddess Hestia Again

Pegasus's flying speed is very fast, and with the compass given by Athena, something like getting lost in the way didn't happen with Jason.

So, Jason originally expected to reach the Kingdom of Calydon in a very short time.

However, fortunately, or unfortunately, there are more than one gods who are paying attention to Jason's movements.

*****

The next day, noon.

Pegasus, who has been flying all morning, came down from the sky, and took Jason to a quiet place in the forest, preparing to take a short rest.

Jason had just walked to a stump and sat down.

"Are you tired?... Your hair is messed up."

A soft pampering voice suddenly sounded in Jason's ear, and at the same time, the familiar soft feeling struck Jason again on his back...

Because Hestia has intimately clung to Jason's back, while simultaneously reaching out to help Jason comb his hair.

"Speaking of which, little Jason, why don't you let your hair grow longer? It seems like it will be a good match with your looks."

"If you have longer hair, you will look as dazzling as Apollo."

'Well, okay, thanks for reminding me, Goddess Hestia; I have decided that I will never have long hair in my life!'

Jason didn't dare to move but out of the corner of his vision, he looked at Pegasus, while clear complaints in his emerald-colored eyes.

'No wonder, just now, you suddenly became restless and wanted to rest!'

Under Jason's accusing gaze, Pegasus decisively turned around and showed his horse's butt and tail to Jason.

'With other gods, relying on my status as Poseidon's Pegasus, I can still help, just like yesterday, I neighed at the playful forest Nymphs, and even silently stared at Athena for the whole night.'

'But with Hestia... I wish you luck!'

After all, Pegasus also knows that he is staying by Jason's side to help him, precisely because of Hestia, even Poseidon has given such orders because Hestia has asked him to do so.

Therefore, Pegasus naturally can't do something similar in Hestia's case, on the contrary, as long as Pegasus is following Jason, Hestia can look for Jason at any time.

After combing Jason's long hair that was disheveled by the wind, mature and gentle-looking Hestia, with long brown hair scattered behind her, sat down beside Jason.

Then, just like Athena, Hestia began observing Jason.

And after observing for a long while, she nodded with satisfaction.

"You have really grown up... You have grown so big in a blink of an eye."

Hestia compared her height with Jason, then smiled softly.

"And you look so handsome and cute... ah, but it's really a bit difficult for me now." After saying this, Hestia began feeling seriously distressed, because...

"Little Jason, you have become so handsome and cute, now it will not be easy for me to find a suitable girl for you in the future."

Because Hestia is planning on working as a mother matchmaking for her child's marriage.

"Which type of girl should I find for you in the future... It's really difficult."

After speaking till here, Hestia blinked and looked at Jason, who is still dumbfounded by the sudden turn of conversation, and seriously asked: "By the way, little Jason, do you have someone you like?... As long as it's your favorite, no matter who it is, I can help with it."

"Ah, no, little Jason, you must be capable of easily capturing the hearts of all girls on your own, because you are so cute and handsome."

After speaking this, Hestia again touched Jason's head with a loving look, and barely held back her urge to hold Jason in her arms like before and start rubbing him.

Hestia's touch finally brought out Jason from his stunned state, so he reflexively replied.

"Well, this, Goddess Hestia, I really don't have any..."

"None?" Hestia looked surprised and said: "How can you do this, little Jason, you are not a kid anymore, you should start thinking about your future as early as possible."

"Hmm...I think your sister is quite good, Medea is a very cute girl."

"Oh, and that child following Artemis is also very cute. Artemis has also said to me that she wants to bring two of you together, thinking that you two are cuter together. "

Hestia happily clapped her hands, pleased with her planning for Jason.

'Dear Goddess Hestia, can we not talk about this?'

While feeling helpless, Jason replied mentally.

'Also Medea is my sister, and brother can neither be bullied nor be married!'

'And, did I just hear something really terrible? Artemis is trying to match me and Atalanta?'

'...Well, I admit that Atalanta is cuter than Medea, and most importantly, not as troublesome as Medea.'

'But that doesn't mean she's not troublesome!'

'Moreover, Goddess Hestia, are you sure that Artemis was really talking about matching Atalant with me for marriage, and not about putting me and Atalanta in a room so that she can enjoy our interaction.'

"Goddess Hestia, may I ask, you have come to meet me this time, so is there anything I can do for you?"

Jason, who felt that the conversation is not going in a good direction, hurriedly changed the topic.

"Anything?... Well, there indeed is."

Hestia thought for a moment, then nodded and said with a smile: "In addition to seeing you, little Jason, I also hope that you will do me a favor this time."

"As long as Goddess Hestia speaks, so long as I can do it, I will do it whatever it will take!"

Jason replied seriously; and although not completely true to every word, it is also not just flattery.

After all, Jason knows that for any type of relationship to work out both sides need to give something in equal amounts, only taking just won't work out.

And Jason is also aware of the fact that if Hestia hasn't helped him, Demeter's matter would not have worked out so smoothly.

Therefore, Jason is indeed very grateful to her in his heart and obviously willing to work for her as long as it isn't something really troublesome and dangerous.

This obviously means that Jason is also grateful to Athena.

After all, it isn't an exaggeration to say that Jason was guided by Athena's wisdom, because without her help, many things would not have been so simple for Jason.

As a matter of fact, although Jason believes that Hera is quite vengeful and mean-spirited, he also believes that one of the major factors for Hera initially holding a grudge against him is that he hasn't returned something in return for the help she has given to original Jason and him, mainly because he hasn't known about it.

After all, Jason believes, if he had known about Hera helping him beforehand, then he could have definitely found a way to peacefully break off the God-believer relationship with her.

Jason is also aware of the fact that this equivalent exchange has nothing to do with being a good or bad person, he believes that this is just how most relationships work, so that, it can go on for a long time, and even if that relationship ends at some point, neither side will be too likely to hold a grudge against other.

But for Hestia...

"Little Jason, you are really pleasing!" Sensing the truth in the words spoken by Jason in a serious tone, Hestia began feeling so excited and happy that she finally couldn't hold back and lovingly hugged Jason in her arms, then while sticking hard to him began rubbing his face and head.

Then Hestia said in an envious tone: "Ah, really, how lucky Hecate is... Little Jason, anyway Hecate isn't caring about you now, so how about you come to me and become my child, my believer?"

'Just how did our conversation turn to this sentence again?'

Jason can only try his best to stop a bitter smile from appearing on his face.

"That, Goddess Hestia, I am very grateful for your love, but Goddess Hecate is my teacher and the Goddess I respect and love the most..."

"Respect and love more than me?" Hestia poked Jason's face with her soft fingers and slightly puffed out her cheeks.

"Well, she is my teacher after all..."

Jason gave reason with a straight face while cleverly dodging giving a straightforward answer to the question.

*****

At this moment, in the Underworld, in her temple, Hecate suddenly felt her skin crawl, like someone is unhappy and jealous of her.

After being slightly stunned for a moment, she immediately sensed, and clearly understood what is going on.

'That kid, Jason is again using me as a shield in front of another goddess... .. this little bastard isn't letting me go even after going out!'

After thinking like this, Hecate shook her head again and immediately shielded all her perceptions to the outside.

Because she is afraid, she is afraid that she will not be able to stop herself from again doing something like what she has done when Hermes brought that message to Jason, and will finally add one more trouble for herself.

*****

"Goddess Hestia, let's not talk about this, what do you want me to do...?"

"Hmph..." Hestia didn't reply immediately but unhappily squeezed Jason's face and after playing with him for a while, she let him go.

Then immediately, she got up, pointed somewhere to the southwest, and said: "In this direction is the Kingdom of Lycia, and around that kingdom, lives a monster."

"Its name is Chimera."

"It has the head and body of a lion, as well as the head of a goat and a tail that ends up in the head of a snake. Wherever it has gone, it has become desolate. It has devoured both animals and humans. The fire it has spewed out has burned down villages. And no one has been able to stop it from continuing to do so."

After she finished speaking, Hestia turned to look at Jason and said with a smile: "Go, child, when you arrive at the Kingdom of Lycia, I will issue an oracle to let the King of Lycia give you the greatest respect."

"And when you slay Chimera, your reputation will be widely celebrated by bards across the whole land."

"Your name will be passed down through the ages, and the world will remember you forever!"

Hearing this, Jason was silent for a while, then he looked at Hestia and cautiously offered advice to her: "Goddess Hestia, it's not a problem for me to go over there and do my best to kill Chimera, but I don't want to meet the King of Lycia, and about things like my name passed down through the ages... it is not needed."

"Not needed?" Hestia was stunned for a moment, then looked at Jason in confusion and asked: "Why?... You have come out of the mountain after completing your studies, isn't it just because you want to gain a reputation, become a hero of this era, and have your name passed down through the ages?"

"Goddess Hestia, you have misunderstood me." Jason couldn't help but explain: "Actually, there is nothing like this and I have no interest in heroes or anything similar!"

After all, not everyone is like Athena, who can get a basic understanding of Jason's character only after meeting a few times, and can even make plans for him that he will be willing to follow.

"Not interested?"

Hestia is really surprised: "I have heard that you haven't slept even once in three years."

"If not for becoming a hero, then why are you working so hard?"

"In order to survive." Jason said a previously given answer to Hestia without any hesitation and without being ashamed, hoping that this time he can clarify the misunderstanding.

Jason believes that it is because of a similar misunderstanding, Hestia has begun paying attention to him.

And, as a matter of fact, it is because of this misunderstanding that Jason decided to get Athena's help, over getting Hestia's help, for becoming a God.

After all, Jason just can't be sure when this misunderstanding might get cleared, and at that time, just how low Hestia's feelings will drop for him, let alone getting her help for becoming a God.

"Sorry, Goddess Hestia, I should have disappointed you, I just want to survive."

Hestia's expression became even weirder upon hearing this.

Obviously, she still remembered such an answer previously spoken by Jason.

This was Jason's answer when Hestia appeared before him three years ago and asked him a similar question about Demeter.

But at that time, Hestia subconsciously denied Jason's statement and directly pointed out the kindness in his heart.

And today, Hestia has heard this answer again, and obviously, this time she didn't misunderstand or deny it.

"Just to survive... Forget it, let it be like this."

After thinking for a while, suddenly, Hestia asked thoughtfully: "If I didn't show up and you somehow heard about Chimera's matters on the way, what would you have done?"

"I will rush to Calydon." Jason replied without hesitation: "Then tell Heracles and the others about Chimera."

"Then, following the guidance of Goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom, I will go to the God of Smithing Hephaestus and ask him to build an artifact."

"Well." Hestia nodded and continued with a smile: "It's a good choice, but if you inquire about Chimera on the way back after getting that artifact and learn that it has not yet been killed, will you make efforts in killing it?"

At first, Jason was stunned upon hearing this.

Because his first reaction was: 'How could it not have been killed by Hercules and other heroes.'

But, after assuming that the situation spoken by Hestia is true, Jason thought for a while, then nodded.

"Yes, I will."