The island of Lemnos was inhabited entirely by women.
Thus, when Queen Hypsipyle arrived on the island that day and informed them to entertain well the heroes coming from the distant land of Iolcus aboard the Argo.
Especially the captain, Jason.
And to try to keep them all on the island, to disrupt the Golden Fleece quest.
Queen Hypsipyle gladly agreed to the request of this goddess.
Because Hera had told them that the heroes aboard the Argo were all renowned heroes and valiant warriors from the Greek mainland.
Over a year of loneliness had already made them yearn for men's affection.
Not to mention that the arrivals were handsome and powerful heroes.
And over these past few days, the plan had progressed fairly smoothly.
But within the kingdom, Queen Hypsipyle still wore a face full of worry.
Although many men had indeed fallen into the gentle embrace of the island's women, the most crucial one, the captain of the Argo, Jason, had not even come down from the ship!
Hera's command to Queen Hypsipyle was to seduce Jason and disrupt the Golden Fleece quest.
To this end, Hera had even suppressed the foul odor on these women of the island, the curse from the goddess of beauty, Aphrodite.
Just thinking of the punishment they would face if they failed Queen Hera's mission, the unspoken foul odor emanating from their bodies once more, made Queen Hypsipyle shudder uncontrollably.
"No, we cannot continue like this!"
Queen Hypsipyle rose from her throne, her gaze resolute as she said, "Even if we have to bind him, we must bring the captain of the Argo, Jason, here and keep him!"
Just as she prepared to take action and issue orders to her subordinates.
"Captain of the Argo, Jason requests an audience!"
From outside came the excited voice of a female soldier.
Queen Hypsipyle was momentarily stunned, then joy lit up her face as she said, "Quick, quick, bring him in at once!"
With that, Queen Hypsipyle prepared to go out and greet him immediately.
But she soon thought of something and instructed her subordinates to escort her back to her chambers.
After dressing up carefully, she returned to the palace hall.
By the time she returned, Theseus had arrived in the palace with a few others.
Theseus appeared deeply ashamed upon seeing Jason.
Although he had rebuked some people, most had lost themselves in the gentle embrace of the island's women.
Moreover, he had been immediately recognized by Queen Hypsipyle as not the captain.
He had failed to complete a single task Jason had assigned him!
In response, Jason showed great leniency and easily forgave Theseus.
Because with his ability to listen to the voices of all things, he already knew everything on the island.
He had guessed that the goddess who came to see Queen Hypsipyle was Hera.
And Hera's goal was to make Jason lose face before the gods, turning him into a clown.
Thus, this trial was clearly the trial of women!
"This must be the true captain of the Argo from the distant land of Iolcus, Jason."
Queen Hypsipyle approached and said softly, only to see Jason turn his head to look at her.
And in the instant their gazes met, Queen Hypsipyle was stunned.
Although she had prepared herself mentally, and her scouts had told her that the captain of the Argo was an exceptionally handsome hero, like the god of light Apollo.
But in this true moment of meeting, Queen Hypsipyle felt as if she had been struck by Cupid's sharp arrow.
In this instant, there was no one in her eyes but Jason!
And Hera had not tampered with Queen Hypsipyle's infatuation.
Her falling in love with Jason was fated.
Because even in the original story, she had deeply loved Jason, begging him tearfully to stay, but Jason had ultimately abandoned her.
"Noble Queen Hypsipyle, Captain of the Argo Jason is honored to meet you."
Jason looked at the queen before him, dressed in splendid attire, appearing around twenty-six or twenty-seven, and bowed politely to her.
Although this queen was not lacking in beauty, and had the added allure of being a queenly older sister type.
For Jason, who mingled among goddesses year-round, he naturally had ample resistance.
"No, no, no need for such formalities, hero from afar."
Queen Hypsipyle hurried forward and supported Jason with both hands.
Her gaze was gentle as she looked at him, her eyes conveying her affection.
Seeing this, Jason was momentarily taken aback.
His expression did not change.
But inwardly, he clicked his tongue.
"Tch!" Beside him, Atalanta let out a soft tsk.
At this moment, Hestia, who was secretly watching this scene alongside Hera and Queen Amphitrite of the Sea, could not help but smile and nod, saying, "Little Jason's charm is truly great... Well, after all, he is so cute and handsome."
Hearing this, Queen Amphitrite of the Sea nodded in agreement beside her.
Hera's brows furrowed slightly, and she huffed but did not refute, saying, "That's good... Let's see how he holds out now!"
Hestia and Amphitrite exchanged a glance upon hearing this and shook their heads together.
"But speaking of which, it's strange... Where has Athena gone?"
Hera said, looking around in confusion, "She said she would come right away... I clearly sensed her presence yesterday, but then she suddenly vanished."
In response, Hestia and Amphitrite also shook their heads, indicating they did not know.
No god knew of what had transpired during their meeting under the night sky yesterday.
Although Hestia and Amphitrite wanted to watch the drama, they had to keep Hera steady at the time.
Thus... it was quite regrettable.
Jason's arrival received the most enthusiastic welcome from Queen Hypsipyle... To be precise, Queen Hypsipyle used every trick in her arsenal to entertain him.
This was Hera's command to begin with, not to mention that she had been "struck by Cupid's arrow."
At this moment, even without the command, she probably would not let Jason go.
But what frustrated Queen Hypsipyle was that no matter what she did, she could not get within three feet of Jason.
And most importantly, Jason was clearly avoiding her, yet he did so without a trace, leaving her no handle to accuse him of impropriety.
His words and actions were all those of a gentleman.
His speech was appropriate and won favor.
Even if she wanted to be angry, she had no reason to be!
In this way, three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Far from falling into the gentle embrace, under Queen Hypsipyle's fierce offensive, Jason did not even let her land a kiss!
Seeing this, Hera was naturally dumbfounded.
"Is he... even a man?!"
Seeing Jason once again smile lightly and deftly withdraw his hand from Queen Hypsipyle's embrace without a trace.
Hera could not help but feel somewhat frantic.
Beside her, Hestia and Amphitrite were also whispering.
"By the way, has little Jason ever taken the initiative to be intimate with you?"
"It seems not... But I have seen him take the initiative with Hecate."
"Hey, what a coincidence, I've seen it too."
"..."
"..."
The two goddesses fell silent for a moment, then both secretly tsked.
Jason would probably be quite depressed if he knew about this.
No matter what he did, it would always provoke dissatisfaction, right?
That night,
Queen Hypsipyle sat in a secluded pavilion, sighing softly.
"What must I do to win him over?... Great Goddess Hera, please tell me, what should I do to obtain that hero?"
Queen Hypsipyle clasped her hands together and prayed devoutly to Hera.
Seeing this, Hera's mouth twitched.
If not for the sake of her position as queen of the gods, she would truly want to answer Queen Hypsipyle right then.
I don't know, just get on with it!
And at that moment, a subordinate came to report that Jason requested an audience.
Queen Hypsipyle was naturally delighted upon hearing this.
Just as she thought there would surely be progress tonight, perhaps even taking it all the way in one go.
"What?!"
Queen Hypsipyle shot up from the stone bench in the pavilion with a slap, her eyes wide as she looked at Jason and said, "You want to leave?... You say you will leave tomorrow?!"
"Yes, noble Queen Hypsipyle."
Jason looked calmly at Queen Hypsipyle... After three days, it was time to proceed to the next step.
"This, is this because my hospitality was lacking?" Queen Hypsipyle looked at Jason in panic. "Do you not like it here?
Have I done something to hurt you?!"
"No, noble Queen Hypsipyle, you know well that I bear the mission to save my father and mother, to journey to the distant Colchis, obtain the Golden Fleece, and fulfill my agreement with my uncle.
My father and mother are still waiting for me at home, so I am very sorry, but I cannot stay here indefinitely."
"This..." Faced with Jason's words, Queen Hypsipyle opened her mouth wordlessly, realizing she had no means to make Jason stay.
If she had already obtained him, it would be one thing.
But she had not.
"If you leave, what about me... Do you know what kind of punishment we will face if we cannot keep you here?"
Queen Hypsipyle said sadly, trying to move Jason.
Just as Queen Hypsipyle prepared to lay everything bare to Jason.
"I know."
Jason met Queen Hypsipyle's surprised gaze and replied to her, "I possess the power granted by the great goddess Demeter, the ability to listen to the voices of all things, so I actually know that you have been punished by Artemis, and I know this is a trial given to me by the great goddess."
As Jason spoke, not only was Queen Hypsipyle surprised; Hera was also stunned.
"You... you knew all along?!"
Queen Hypsipyle stared wide-eyed at Jason, trembling as she said, "Then did you know, know that the men on the island are actually...!"
"I am very sorry, Queen Hypsipyle, that I cannot stay here with my companions, but... if you are willing, I hope to resolve your troubles for you."
Jason interrupted Queen Hypsipyle's words and said earnestly to her, "I believe this is also the will of that great goddess, so noble Queen Hypsipyle, please allow me to intervene in the island's affairs. Give me one week.
I will surely complete the trial given to me by the goddess!"
Trial?... The trial is not just to keep you on the island?!
Queen Hypsipyle looked at Jason in some confusion.
Just as she prepared to say this.
"Give him one week."
Hera's voice echoed in Queen Hypsipyle's ear, saying, "I want to see what he can do in one week!"
...
At this moment,
On the invisible island.
"When are you leaving!"
The stunning woman with purple hair reaching past her knees, Medusa, irritably looked at the goddess who had been lounging on the island for three days, sitting on a boulder and gazing at the stars in the sky.
The goddess turned her head to look at her upon hearing this, then withdrew her gaze and said nothing.
"Leave?... Where to go."
Athena said softly, "Back to the Olympian divine court, or... continue to his side... With what emotions should I face him."
"...He is that guy named Jason?"
Medusa looked doubtfully at such an Athena and said, "The hero you revived us to fight against?"
"Yes."
"...A human, and he has made you this despondent?!" Medusa looked at Athena with an absurd gaze and said, "Just because of that human?... Athena, are you throwing away your title as goddess of wisdom?!"
"Goddess of wisdom..."
Athena smiled lightly and said, "Goddess of wisdom... Mother, what should I do? It seems I have encountered the one existence I should never have met!"
"What exactly are you saying, Athena!"
Medusa felt very irritated.
She got annoyed just seeing Athena and wished she could pull out chains right now to bind her and throw her out.
But she could not beat her...
Medusa even thought that rather than being awakened by her only to see her every day, eternal sleep would have been better!
"Medusa..."
"Speak quickly!"
Medusa replied unpleasantly, "Say it and then leave quickly!"
"I have fallen in love."
"Uh, uh, I know, I know...???"
Medusa jerked her head up and looked at Athena in bewilderment.
"Wait, wait, what did you just say?!"
"...I have fallen in love with that child."
Three days had been more than enough for Athena to calm down and fully recognize her feelings.
And upon truly realizing this, Athena... surprisingly found that she accepted it almost without struggle.
Everything... seemed as if it had been destined all along.
"...You have fallen in love, and with a human no less?!"
Medusa was shocked... dumbfounded!
"What are you saying, Athena!" Medusa raised her voice. "You are the goddess of wisdom; you are a virgin goddess! You, you... you have fallen in love.
And the other party is not a god, but a human?!!
Have you gone mad!"
"...I know I should not love... I am the goddess of wisdom."
Athena did not respond to Medusa; she merely gradually curled herself into a ball and buried her head.
"As the goddess of wisdom, my love is doomed to have no end; it is the forbidden fruit I absolutely should not touch. But mother... you could not resist it either."
Yes, Athena's mother, the first goddess of wisdom, Metis, had likewise been unable to escape it.
In fact, she should have known her fate from the start, yet she still chose to emerge for the sake of her love.
Because in nearly every myth, there is the depiction of Metis calmly accepting her end, being swallowed by Zeus.
Thus, Metis should have known her future from the very beginning, from the moment she first loved Zeus.
Therefore...
This was the only weakness of they who were goddesses of wisdom.
It was the mistake that Athena, as the goddess of wisdom, absolutely should not commit.
But...
"I have already committed it."
Athena said softly.
Yes, she had already committed it.
And Athena knew that she... would end up like her mother.
Athena slowly closed her eyes, and in her mind appeared Jason's face.
For this, she revealed a smile.
That smile was bitter, yet sweet.