"Jason, I will hold a wedding for you.
A wedding so grand that every god in existence will attend!"
This was the promise Queen Hera, Goddess of Marriage, gave to Jason, along with her full recognition and overflowing affection.
If Hera's favor toward Jason had previously hovered around eighty or ninety (still slightly held back by the matters surrounding the name "Heracles in White"),
then after the words Jason spoke today, that favor undoubtedly overflowed and reached its absolute peak.
The moment Hera's resolute voice and declaration echoed through the palace hall,
Hestia, Demeter, Amphitrite, and the other goddesses exchanged glances and smiled.
The sharp tension between them vanished. They clearly accepted this outcome.
Because they too were goddesses.
Jason's skillful retreat-while-advancing speech had shown nothing but respect for goddesses and women, as well as a profound awareness of his own responsibility.
The only possible responses were approval and reward.
Even God-King Zeus fell into hesitation.
In his heart he undeniably agreed with Jason's words.
Yet the matter of Typhon was vital, and the matter of the goddess Thetis was equally vital!
Still, Jason's speech had subtly reminded Zeus of something.
Jason was destined to become a god one day.
In that case, the marriage with Thetis…
In short, with Hera having publicly sworn and all the goddesses present nodding in agreement,
Zeus wavered for both emotional and rational reasons.
Jason, still held in Hera's arms, keenly sensed that wavering.
Joy surged inside him, but he fiercely glared at Hermes standing not far away.
Hermes realized that if he kept eating melon any longer, he might actually get in trouble.
Although he was a god, just look at all the goddesses present,
and the three big-shot goddesses who cared about Jason most and had not even shown up…
Yes, this was definitely about building good relations with future colleagues!
"Great Father, I believe Jason speaks the truth."
Hermes, who had been watching the show for so long, finally stepped forward.
As the God of Cunning and Deception, his wisdom was second only to Athena among the Olympians.
And in terms of silver tongue, he was really no worse than Jason, especially after being influenced by Jason's way of speaking.
He walked to Zeus's side and whispered to the hesitating king who could not make up his mind,
"Moreover, the boy has such resolve. How could we disappoint him? We will need him greatly in the coming battle against Typhon, the ancestor of all demons.
All the goddesses present have already been convinced. Why not go with the flow?
Look around. Everyone is showing admiration. Even if you take back your earlier words, they will only praise your wisdom!"
Hearing this, Zeus (who had already been wavering) swept his gaze across the gods and mortals awaiting his decision.
He finally made up his mind.
A brilliant smile appeared on his face as he nodded solemnly to Jason.
"Very well. Let it be as you say.
And when you have completed your mission, I, Zeus, King of Olympus, promise you a grand wedding!"
The moment those words fell, cheers erupted throughout the hall.
People praised God-King Zeus for his wise decision and cast fervent, worshipful gazes upon the hero in white who was being spoiled by the most noble goddess in the world, Queen Hera.
Without doubt, Jason had become their role model in that instant.
Even though, deep in his heart, Jason was crying…
A wedding?
A wedding personally promised by both Zeus and Hera?
No, I don't want it!
Why did things turned out this way?!
He had barely escaped one fiery pit only to leap into an even bigger one.
It was nothing less than a great tragedy.
Still, Jason had dodged this calamity.
As for the future… he would deal with the future when it came.
Apollo watched the scene, took out his lyre, and began to play softly.
The beautiful music from the God of Light and Music washed over the heart and soul of every person present.
Golden light bathed the palace.
Jason felt both helpless and relieved. When he sensed someone's gaze, he instinctively turned and met the eyes of Atalanta, who had remained completely silent throughout the entire affair.
He discovered that she was quietly watching him.
In her beautiful sea-green eyes flickered a trace of disappointment.
Clearly, besides Hermes and Chiron, Atalanta had also seen through Jason's grand-sounding speech.
She knew those words had been born of desperation, wrung out of him by sheer necessity.
He did not want to marry.
Or rather…
Neither she, nor Medea, nor Thetis was the first choice in Jason's heart…
Before Jason could react further,
Persephone, Demeter, and the other goddesses walked toward him, and the farce finally came to an end.
However…
"Hermes, come here for a moment. I need to speak with you."
Later, Zeus pulled Hermes aside and, under Hermes's puzzled gaze, voiced the worry in his heart.
"Jason's words reminded me of something. He will eventually become a god. That was my promise to him long ago.
But if he becomes a god, then the matter with Thetis…"
Hermes blinked.
"So, Father, you mean to marry Thetis to some other hero instead?"
Zeus was silent for a while, then shook his head.
"That will be difficult.
You saw how much all those goddesses adore the boy, and Thetis agreed so readily only because she herself is willing.
If we force it, their resistance will be troublesome.
We might even hurt Jason's feelings."
Hermes could not help giving the solemn Zeus a strange look.
He clearly remembered that not long ago Zeus himself had been pursuing Thetis.
Yet now Zeus spoke as if it were purely official business… Truly, compared to women, Zeus cared far more about his divine authority.
"Then what do you suggest, Father?"
"Didn't I call you here to think of something?"
"Ah, this…" Hermes hesitated.
After a while he lowered his head, looking embarrassed.
"Great Father, I really can't think of anything right now."
Zeus frowned.
"You really can't?"
"It's genuinely difficult… How about this? I'll tell Athena and let her help!"
Hermes's eyes spun as he suggested.
"Athena? …Never mind."
Zeus shook his head and said to Hermes,
"I do have an idea. What if we have Jason marry Thetis and produce a child before he ascends to godhood?
We already promised him a wedding together with Hera.
Very well. We'll hold the wedding right after the battle with Typhon, let him marry Thetis and have a child, and only then let him become a god!"
"And the child born after he becomes a god…?" Hermes asked instinctively, then immediately wanted to slap himself.
Zeus smiled.
"We'll just make sure Thetis can't bear any more children afterward."
…
That same night, an extraordinarily grand banquet was held inside the palace of Iolcos.
The heroes of the Argo, King Aeson who had reclaimed his throne, and all the courtiers celebrated this day with boundless joy.
Yet outside the palace, in the nearby stables,
a "thief" dressed in white was sneaking around.
"Horse Brother, Horse Brother, can you hear me?"
The thief crept up to Pegasus, who was giving him a very strange look.
"Good boy, let's go!"
The thief happily patted Pegasus's back and was just about to quietly ride away when,
"Where do you think you're going?"
An ordinary-sounding question struck the thief's heart like thunder.
He stiffly turned his head and saw Atalanta, who had been waiting in the stables for hours.
She sat high up, idly twirling the Bow of the Heavens in her hands, an arrow nocked and ready.
Her beautiful face was calm.
Her sea-green eyes reflected the thief, the great hero in white, the golden-haired, emerald-eyed Jason.
"Atalanta, you're here…"
Jason laughed awkwardly and shot Pegasus a fierce glare.
Pegasus ignored him and lowered his head to eat a fresh grass cake.
"Yes, of course I'm here."
Atalanta brushed aside a strand of hair that the cold night wind had blown across her face. She gazed at Jason and spoke softly.
"I've been waiting for more than two hours, after all."
Ah, this…
How did you know I was going to run?
Jason wisely kept that idiotic question to himself.
Atalanta lightly leaped down and landed beside him.
"I'm going home, back to Arcadia."
Before the stunned Jason could reply, she continued,
"I never told you, did I?
I am the princess of the natural paradise Arcadia…
though an abandoned princess."
A self-mocking smile appeared on her face.
She glanced at Jason, then lowered her head slightly. Her voice became so soft, as though it could be scattered by the slightest breeze.
"And after I go back this time… we probably won't meet again."