Athena: Jason, twice!

[T/N: From after this chapter, the original Author has decided to nearly double the size of his chapters, so I will try to upload a second chapter but it depends on how much free time I have at the hand; because I don't think many will prefer splitting the chapter in two...or you can tell me your choice.]

The winged white Pegasus is running in the sky.

And sitting on the Pegasus is the Goddess Hestia, who is wearing a graceful and beautiful dress, and Jason, who at this moment is maintaining a straight face while being held in her arms.

That's right, at this moment, Jason is being held in Hestia's arms with a stiff expression full of seriousness. As for what he is thinking... Only he knows.

Although Hecate has stopped not using her divine power to protect and bless Jason, it was only because it is not necessary anymore.

Because Hades, the King of Underworld, has added his divine power when Jason tempered his soul with unquenchable flame, making it impossible for even the main gods to easily read Jason's thoughts.

So, under the galloping of Pegasus, in just one day's effort, Hestia took Jason to a temple that has turned the land around it previously filled with greenery into a wasteland.

This is the same temple from where Jason has taken away Persephone the previous time.

As soon as Pegasus landed in front of the gate of the temple, Jason immediately broke away from Hestia's embrace and jumped off Pegasus, then heaved a sigh of relief.

Although a whole day and night's comfort has made Jason feel a little numb,... 'God's grace is something only the protagonists can enjoy because one must have a life first to enjoy these favors!'

'Except for my teachers, the favor of other gods cannot be accepted at all!'

Jason thought to himself while steadying his heart.

Pegasus crouched down, and Hestia lightly jumped off from it, then looked at Jason, who has moved quietly to the side, clearly to not get too close to her.

The corners of her mouth rose slightly.

'It is really interesting.'

Well, there is no way Hestia wouldn't feel like this; after all, just like the Gods here are, for the lack of less crude words, lecherous, the mortals following them are also the same.

Even if a few people weren't like this at first, slowly growing up and living in this crooked world they eventually become the same.

Therefore, a pure response like Jason's, which is Hestia didn't notice is a steady response fueled by something else, is very novel for most goddesses, especially for beautiful goddesses such as Hestia.

Although it is not that no one else has shown purity in front of Hestia, being a goddess she can easily read the minds of mortals and she is already familiar with the nature of all Gods, it is also isn't like Gods prefer taking a gentle approach in the first place, after all, when having other party's consent mattered to the Greek Gods.

Furthermore, there are very few, who can resist the charm of the beautiful Goddess Hestia.

Even for Jason, it is impossible not to be affected by all these, after all, it isn't him who has pledged on eternal ch*stity and neither is he planning on doing so; however, in brief, he still feels that life is a higher priority!

By this moment, the two beasts guarding the gate are already bowing down to Hestia in submission, obviously, due to feeling the powerful divinity on her.

"Come on, Jason..." Hestia reached out to Jason and looked at him with a smile.

"This, Goddess Hestia, I'm fine..."

"Come on, little Jason." But obviously, Hestia isn't planning on letting him go.

While feeling helpless, Jason could only reach out and let Hestia grab him.

So like taking a child out to a neighbor's house, Hestia grabbed Jason and walked into the temple.

After entering the temple, the first person to greet them was a Nymph, who is also the Goddess of Clothing.

These Nymphs and minor Gods are obviously not looking the same as Jason remembers them from the last time, as there is an unconcealed fear in their eyes... 'Apparently, after Persephone was taken away, they have suffered a lot from Demeter's anger.'

Hestia is one of the twelve main gods of Olympus, the eldest sister of Zeus and his siblings, and the first-born child of Cronus and Rhea.

So when Hestia walked in, these Nymphs naturally recognized her identity at a glance, so the two were quickly taken outside Demeter's room without anyone blocking them.

Hestia knocked on the door.

"Didn't I say, don't bother me?!"

From the other side of the door, came the voice of Demeter, who is finding it hard to hide her anger.

"Demeter, I am Hestia."

As soon as the words fell, the scene became silent for a while.

"Wait a while for me..."

Then, following the orders of Demeter, Hestia and Jason were taken to the temple hall by the Nymph waiting near the door.

It was not long after this, that Goddess Demeter also walked into the hall of the temple.

Demeter has tied her beautiful blonde hair behind her back and her eyes are of amethyst color, but at this moment, her beautiful eyes are looking a little bit hazy.

"Sister, why are you here..." Speaking till here, Demeter naturally noticed Jason sitting beside Hestia.

So she frowned slightly, sensing a little familiarity, and asked: "And this human child is...?"

"Jason." Hestia replied softly, "You should know him."

After hearing this, Demeter was stunned for a few moments, then she clenched her teeth while looking angrily at Jason and immediately released a strong wave of divine power to directly crush him.

'I know, how could I not know, this is the name of the bastard who has kidnapped my daughter!'

And if Jason tried to resist this wave of divine power, even with his invulnerable body he would inevitably suffer serious wounds, so Hestia naturally resisted all of it for him.

"Sister, what do you mean by this!" Demeter asked while looking angrily at Hestia.

Just when Hestia was feeling helpless and opened her mouth to appease Demeter.

"Goddess Demeter, the great Goddess of Harvest, please calm your anger. Sister Persephone has asked me to come here this time."

This is why Jason has taken initiative to take this task from Hades and Persephone because otherwise, Demeter wouldn't even give him a chance to speak anything more.

And indeed, as soon as Jason spoke of his intentions, at least Demeter didn't immediately attack him again.

Even Hestia looked at Jason with slight surprise in her eyes upon hearing him call Persephone by such a name.

'Sister?'

On the other side, Demeter was also stunned but it was immediately followed by even greater rage, but still, she didn't attack him again to first hear out why her daughter has sent him here.

"What right do you have to call her sister?!"

"Great goddess Demeter, it is precisely sister Persephone who has asked me to call her like this."

A mortal can't tell lies in front of the Gods, because the gods can see through it with just a glance; unless that mortal has the protection of Hermes, the Messenger of Gods, who is also the God of Lies.

So with her eyes wide open, Demeter began observing Jason and didn't know what to say.

'This guy who has kidnapped my daughter actually has a good relationship with my daughter!'

Jason obviously noticed that Demeter's anger hasn't decreased much, if only it hasn't increased even more.

"Goddess Demeter, it is Sister Persephone who has asked me to come here." Jason continued speaking to Demeter: "She has said that she doesn't hate you, her Mother, and expressed her willingness to come back!"

Well... Although Jason has cleverly used words to slightly modify it, the real meaning has not changed so once again Demeter sensed that Jason is telling the truth.

So when Demeter heard this, she was stunned for a moment, then her anger immediately turned into joy, and asked Jason in surprise: "Wait, what you said, you are saying... my daughter will come back!"

"Yes, but...it will take some time."

So, Jason spoke out about the results reached in Underworld and swore to the gods that what he is saying is true; although he didn't need to do the last part, nobody has directly told him about this so he decided to pretend to be stupid enough to not recognize that Gods can sense lies.

'After six months, Persephone will return, but after six months on the ground, she will again return to Underworld.'

Thinking like this, although Demeter frowned slightly as she was is still dissatisfied with this, finally, she silently accepted it.

After all, for Demeter, it's a lot better than completely not being able to meet, as it was supposed to be in the beginning.

'So far, this task is going on smoothly...'

While thinking like this, Jason thought back to his original plan of seeking Athena's help.

After all, Jason is also aware that if angry Demeter decided to not let him speak even a single word then he won't even get a chance to mention that he is carrying Persephone's message.

So, a God on a level similar to Demeter was also necessary to protect Jason before he can even speak.

But for this, if Demeter was really angry and decided to fight Athena, it wouldn't have worked out this easily for Jason.

Because, with Hestia, the most sacred and kindest Goddess, even if Demeter was really angry upon seeing Jason, she couldn't carelessly attack Hestia, who is sheltering Jason.

Then, seeing that Demeter's expression has gradually stabilized, Hestia glanced at Jason approvingly, and then said to Demeter with a serious face: "Demeter, do you know what you have been doing in this period of time, and how much trouble it has brought to all beings?!"

These words were soon followed by a reprimanding from the gentlest Goddess.

And in the face of Hestia's reprimand, Demeter could only bow her head and listen obediently.

After a while, Demeter, who had become one of very few Gods who have gotten reprimanded by the kind Hestia, knowing that Persephone would return, naturally began to exert her powers.

And the depleted and withered land began getting filled with reborn greenery.

*****

So, obviously, with Demeter using her divine powers in such a wide range and due to the changes happening because of it, other gods also quickly noticed this and understood what is happening.

In the Temple of Olympus, Zeus, who is sitting on the throne, smiled and spoke: "It seems, that child has successfully solved the matter of Demeter."

Obviously, Zeus was aware of Jason's journey because Hades has already negotiated with him to get his permission for Persephone so that she can travel between land and Underworld once every six months.

So, Zeus also wanted to test if Jason can complete this task even after being just twelve-years-old

"Well, not bad... as expected of the hero who will save Olympus in the future, well done!"

When the words fell, Artemis, who happened to be strolling in the temple today, was about to nod her head in agreement with Zeus's words, then add that Jason is a very well-behaved and strong child.

"Humph!" Hera's cold sound of disagreement reached the ears of everyone in this hall.

At this moment Hera's expression is very ugly because she didn't even know that something like this is happening!

"Who is it?" Hera gritted her teeth and asked Zeus: "Who is helping him secretly!"

If it was someone else, including Athena, then Zeus might have chosen to not tell Hera about this, but...

"It is sister Hestia." Zeus continued with a smile: "She probably couldn't bear to see the withering of all being, so she stepped out to help."

"Sister...Hestia!" Hera's eyes widened.

After learning that it is Hestia, even though Hera's anger only increased, she can only choose to give up temporarily.

*****

And since Zeus and other Gods have discovered it, then, Athena, who at this moment is still waiting for Jason in the forest, naturally also discovered it.

Therefore...

"Huh...eh?!" With her beautiful golden eyes wide open, Athena looked in the direction of Demeter, where is the source of this spreading divine power.

So, after realizing that she had spent all this time in vain, she couldn't help stamping her feet in anger and shouted, "JASON!"

'This is the second time!'