After some time passed,
When the sacred heavenly horse flapped its wings and flew toward the sky.
The female huntress Atalanta, with pale yellow long hair reaching her waist, walking along the distant forest path as she departed, seemed to sense something.
She turned her head and looked toward Jason's direction.
Thus, the heavenly horse and the back of the man in white robes sitting upon it soon entered Atalanta's view.
Atalanta's emerald eyes reflected their shadows.
Until they soared into the clouds and disappeared into the blue sky.
Atalanta quietly watched their departure, then turned around, her graceful figure gradually vanishing into the shadows of the forest...
And just at the instant Atalanta departed, Jason, who had cast invisibility magic on the heavenly horse and himself.
Seemed to sense her gaze as well and turned his head toward her position... Only, he did not see Atalanta's figure.
The heavenly horse noticed Jason's movement and neighed softly to him.
Jason withdrew his gaze, shook his head at the heavenly horse, indicating nothing was wrong.
"Let us go... We will find Teacher Hephaestus."
Hearing Jason's soft words, the heavenly horse nodded gently to him.
Then, the heavenly horse flapped its wings, carrying this youth in white robes into the white clouds, concealing his form.
At this point, Jason once again set out on his journey... No, now it should be said that his first journey after coming of age had finally come to an end.
From the centaur sage Chiron's place, emerging from the mountains until now.
This transmigrated youth had evidently become one of the shining stars in this divine era of Greece.
And even in the divine era of Greece, where heroes were as numerous as the stars in the sky, he remained the most radiant among them.
Therefore, the hero who fell from the starry sky like a shooting star, the white-robed youth named 'Heracles.'
Stories about him, his fame, were gradually resounding across the entire land of divine Greece with the passage of time.
They even spread widely among the gods of the sacred Mount Olympus and the gods of the underworld.
Even though Jason had been very careful, how could a thin veil of concealment completely hide the light of a shining star?
Thus, after several days passed...
In the kingdom of Thebes.
"Heracles, I heard another story about you from the bards!"
A man came before the true Heracles, Jason's senior brother, and said excitedly to Heracles, "They say that in the distant kingdom of King Inachus, under the guidance of the noble goddess of the sacred flame Hestia.
You defeated the terrifying monster, the hundred-eyed giant Argus!
And you played the most moving music in the world, breaking the curse on the beautiful Princess Io.
Finally, as usual, you demanded nothing and rode away on the pure white heavenly horse... Wow, Heracles, you are too amazing!"
I am not, I did not, do not speak nonsense!
In the kingdom of Thebes, hearing the words of the man who had rushed over eagerly to share his joy.
Heracles, Jason's senior brother and also the one with the closest relationship to Jason among them, now had black lines all over his forehead!
"Iolaus, I remember I have explained it to you many times..."
Heracles said helplessly to the man named Iolaus before him, "That is not me... Look, I am neither wearing white robes nor riding a sacred heavenly horse. That is my junior brother, it is..."
Heracles originally wanted to say Jason's name, but when the words reached his lips, he gave up.
Junior brother Jason must have his reasons for doing this. I cannot reveal his name... This was Heracles's simple thought.
However, Jason using this name was actually really just to avoid trouble...
"No, Heracles, you do not need to be modest. We all know it is you!"
But the man before him said to Heracles with a face full of conviction, "Because who in the world besides you, who is so powerful, could defeat the Chimera that turned the land barren.
Defeat the mighty giant Antaeus.
Pray to the moon goddess Artemis and defeat the terrifying Calydonian Boar.
Take away the snake demoness Lamia.
Defeat the three-headed, six-armed giant Geryon.
Ah, mighty Heracles, who in the world besides you could accomplish all this!"
Stop, stop it.
Heracles covered his face.
Looking at Iolaus before him, who was boasting about his 'deeds' and gazing at him with a face full of worship, his own nephew.
Heracles's face was filled with discomfort.
"Yes, Heracles, we all know this must be your doing!"
And accompanying Iolaus's excited and passionate words, some of Heracles's acquaintances gathered around.
They too looked at this tall and burly man, whose body exceeded human stature, whose appearance was like a statue crafted by the gods, whose muscles and blood overflowed with immense power—Heracles—with gazes of worship.
This great hero Heracles, who with his own power defeated an enemy nation, received praise from the king of Thebes, and was betrothed his daughter.
"I, I, I..."
Facing these people's adoring gazes, the flustered Heracles finally had no choice but to say loudly, "Enough, from now on, do not call me Heracles anymore. Call me Alcides!"
Alcides was Heracles's childhood name.
Heracles meant the glory of Hera, obtained because Heracles had suckled the milk of Queen Hera.
"Alcides... Why do you suddenly want to change your name, Heracles?"
The crowd asked in confusion.
"Because I do not deserve it!" Heracles shouted, then without further explanation, turned and fled from there.
At this moment, Heracles felt that being praised by them here was even more unacceptable than being despised by enemies!
And just as Heracles fled in panic, among those people, an old woman with white hair witnessed his departure.
Her eyes could not help but appear very puzzled.
"Strange... It seems it really was not him who did it... I can feel that he is not lying."
The white-haired old woman murmured softly, then turned and vanished into the crowd, revealing her true form on a white cloud in the sky beside them.
That was the noble queen of the gods, Hera!
The noble and beautiful woman Hera standing on the white cloud gazed at Heracles departing below, her brows furrowing as she said, "It is not him... But if it is not him, then who exactly is it.
Besides him, who else would use this name? I do not remember permitting it!
And white robes, heavenly horse... Why, despite having so many people in the world inquire for news on my behalf, have I not received even one piece of information about him.
The matter with Io as well; big sister Hestia said it was her doing... Although Zeus also swore he would not act against her again.
But why does this matter involve this 'Heracles' again... The Heracles in white robes.
Who exactly are you!"
At this moment, Queen Hera's curiosity about the white-robed Heracles finally reached its peak.
And she vaguely sensed as well that Hestia and the others had an issue... They were hiding something from her!
Thus, from this day on, Hera began to pay extremely close attention to everything in the mortal world, constantly searching for the figure of the white-robed Heracles.
It was just unfortunate that fate... was such a mysterious thing.
That white-robed Heracles had just finished his travels for this period and was settling down before his next journey...
...
...
In the region of Arcadia,
Within the cave of the centaur sage Chiron.
"White robes, riding a heavenly horse... This is nowhere near Heracles; this is clearly Jason's!"
The golden-haired, green-eyed, handsome centaur sage Chiron held a letter in his hand.
Looking at the contents on the envelope, his face was full of helpless laughter.
This letter was brought by one of his students who had emerged from the mountains.
And not only did Chiron immediately realize that the Heracles was Jason; many of Jason's senior brothers had also guessed it.
Thus, they sent letters inquiring what exactly was going on with Chiron.
Because white robes and heavenly horse had such high recognizability!
Jason's senior brothers all knew that Jason wore the sacred garment woven by Athena, which would never be stained with dust, and had a sacred heavenly horse bestowed by Hestia.
"This guy... Using the name Heracles, he must be avoiding trouble and knows Heracles absolutely would not trouble him, so he acts so recklessly."
And soon, the sage Chiron guessed the reason behind it.
His expression appeared utterly helpless.
But after carefully browsing Jason's deeds, Chiron's face revealed an irrepressible smile.
"The white-robed Heracles... Child, even if you do not wish to become a hero, the light on you still illuminates the entire world!"
...
...
Aeaea Island.
The daughter of the sun god Helios and one of the ocean nymphs, the nymph Perseis; the sister of the king of Colchis Aeetes and Pasiphae, and also Medea's aunt.
On the island of the witch of temptation and corruption, Circe.
"Medea, what are you looking at?"
The pink-haired, rainbow-eyed witch Circe came before the little witch Medea, who had specially come to visit this place several months ago and was now looking at a letter.
"...I am looking at what my brother has been doing recently."
Glancing at Circe, who was curiously watching her, Medea thought for a moment, put away the letter, and replied flatly to Circe.
And this letter was one that Hecate, annoyed by Medea's incessant prayers and having no choice, had a doll write in her stead.
In it, it detailed everything Jason had done since Medea's departure until now...
"Your brother... Oh, right, you mean our junior brother, that guy named Jason, yes?"
Hearing this, Circe immediately became interested.
After all, occasionally when she prayed to Hecate, she had heard the goddess Hecate complain that the most erroneous decision she had made in her life was taking Jason as a disciple!
Just thinking of how her teacher Hecate was so irritated with Jason that her teeth itched, yet clearly valued him greatly.
Circe, this witch's curiosity, was naturally piqued.
Moreover, even without these matters, Jason was the last disciple Hecate had taken besides Medea and Circe... With the precedent of disciple Jason, Hecate probably would not take any more disciples in her lifetime.
"Yes." Medea replied flatly, putting away the envelope.
"Hey, Medea, why are you putting it away? Let me see, let me see!" Circe reached out to grab it, but Medea dodged.
"No! ...And you cannot go learn about Jason either, otherwise."
Medea looked warily at Circe and said, "I will call you aunt!"
"Hey, you this child... How are you so unadorable!" The moment she heard the word aunt, Circe instantly felt her head swell.
"And why can I not go learn about Jason? He is my junior brother too!" Circe said to Medea unconvinced.
"Because brother is really too outstanding; you will definitely fall for him." Medea said seriously to Circe, "So... You absolutely cannot!"
"...But the more you say that, the more curious I become. What to do?"
Circe blinked at Medea.
"Aunt."
"Ah, stop, you stop that, you!"
...
...
"Ah... Ah-choo!"
At night, in the dim ancient forest.
Jason, sitting by the campfire, suddenly let out a small sneeze.
At this moment, after several days of travel, Jason was already very close to the residence of the goddess of craftsmanship Hephaestus.
Estimating, by tomorrow night at the latest, he would arrive.
Therefore, tonight Jason planned to rest well and go see the goddess Hephaestus tomorrow full of energy.
"What is it, caught a cold?"
And just as Jason's sneeze fell, a gentle voice rang in Jason's ear.
"Hmm, no, I think maybe someone is talking about me..."
Rubbing his nose, Jason answered subconsciously, then his body paused slightly.
And then, it stiffened.
He slowly turned his head, under the heavenly horse's gaze of covering its face and unable to look straight.
A graceful figure appeared before Jason's eyes.
Under the illumination of the campfire flames, there appeared a woman in a white long dress, with silver long hair reaching her waist and peerlessly beautiful features.
A pair of golden eyes representing absolute wisdom; the goddess, now with a faint smile, came before Jason.
She was precisely the goddess representing wisdom, Athena!