"But you really aren't worried at all?"
In the temple-forge of Hephaestus, the smith god watched Athena, whose face had gone from sour jealousy to perfect calm in the space of a heartbeat. The juice stains on her dress had vanished in an instant.
"You're not afraid something unexpected will happen and Jason actually ends up marrying Thetis?"
"Impossible!" Athena declared with absolute certainty.
"Jason has already refused even me. He would never accept that troublesome Thetis!"
"Oh?" Hephaestus blinked, then gave a dazzling smile. "So he did refuse you after all."
Athena's body stiffened. She turned and stared expressionlessly at Hephaestus for a moment.
Hephaestus ignored her displeasure and continued, "Since you didn't rush to the scene, this whole thing must be nothing more than a farce.
Still, I'm curious. How can you be so confident?
And how exactly will Jason refuse a marriage bestowed by Father without offending him or any of the gods present?"
"We all understand Jason's personality. He will never accept that marriage or the trouble named Thetis.
As for how he will refuse while staying in everyone's good graces, it is actually very simple once you think about it.
Because Jason still has an unfinished mission…"
Athena paused, memories of the past flashing through her mind.
A gentle smile appeared on her flawless face.
"And I have to say, Jason really is silver-tongued.
That mouth of his can talk even me, the Goddess of Wisdom, into helplessness!"
…
"I am sorry. At present, I am still unable to marry and start a family!"
Inside the royal hall of Iolcos,
facing the gods who had appeared one after another and the delicate situation that had formed,
Jason remained unaffected and instead grew calmer because of the chaos. He made his decision.
With utmost seriousness he declared, "Because the current me is simply unworthy!"
Unworthy?
Almost everyone present was stunned by Jason's statement.
Most people watching this "farce" were thrilled and endlessly envious of Jason.
Very few actually believed he was unworthy of such favor, especially the heroes of the Argo.
A hero who rode Pegasus and wore the white holy garments, the captain of the Argo,
receiving the love of goddesses and marrying one seemed perfectly reasonable to them.
If even they thought so, then Persephone, Hera, and the other goddesses certainly did.
Even Zeus would agree and say something like, "Child, you are too modest. If you are unworthy, then no one in this world—"
"No, most honored and great God-King Zeus of Olympus. The current me truly is unworthy of marriage.
Because I still have the great mission you entrusted to me, and I have yet to fulfill it!"
Jason stepped forward and bowed deeply to Zeus with utmost respect.
The gesture left even Zeus bewildered.
Mission?
What mission?
"I keep your oracle in my heart at all times. When that day arrives, I, Jason, will surely ascend sacred Mount Olympus and offer whatever small strength I possess to you!"
That day… ascending Mount Olympus?
Zeus's mind whirled for a moment before his eyes widened in realization.
The battle against Typhon!
Yes! What Jason referred to was precisely the war against Typhon, the ancestor of all demons.
In the prophecy of Clotho, the Fate who governs the future, besides Heracles, Jason, clad in white, was the great hero who would help the Olympians defeat Typhon!
And it was perfectly accurate to call it an oracle from Zeus, because Zeus had indeed given him that command during the incident with Hera.
The battle against Typhon was the tribute Jason would offer to Zeus,
and the gift Zeus would grant in return was ascension to godhood!
But what did that have to do with marriage?
Just as Zeus thought this,
"Most noble and great God-King Zeus, the arduous task you have given me remains unfinished.
The tributes I owe to you, to the beautiful and noble Queen Hera, to Lady Hestia, to Lady Amphitrite, all of them are still undelivered.
Therefore, what right do I have to marry and start a family now?"
Jason spoke slowly and firmly to everyone present.
"Moreover, marriage concerns two people.
I, who bear the oracle you great gods have bestowed upon me, am destined to travel the world for a greater cause.
That is an incomparable honor, and I believe they would understand me.
But a real man, a husband, must be able to protect his wife, to give her security, to hold up the sky for her and their children, to stay by her side.
Until I can do those things, what right do I have to marry?"
His words struck straight into Queen Hera's heart.
She could not help nodding vigorously.
"Great God-King Zeus, the tremendous mission you have entrusted to me is the highest honor of my life. I would never dare treat it lightly.
Until I complete it, I cannot allow myself a single distracting thought.
I must fulfill it perfectly, with my entire being, so that I may be worthy of the trust you have placed in me.
Until that day comes, all thoughts of home and romance must naturally be set aside.
Therefore, I am unworthy.
I am truly unworthy of marriage at this time!"
Before anyone could react,
Jason turned and looked at Hestia, Artemis, Persephone, and the other goddesses with deep guilt and apology in his eyes.
"Thus I beg your forgiveness, Sister Persephone, Lady Hestia, Lady Aphrodite, and all the rest.
I must refuse this marriage.
The current me is unworthy and incapable of fulfilling the duties of a husband.
So please, allow me this selfishness!"
With those words, Jason bowed deeply, conveying boundless remorse.
While his head was lowered, no one saw the sheer panic and nervousness in his eyes…
On the outside he looked steady as a rock, but inside he was panicking like crazy.
He could not lie to gods.
Therefore most of what he said was technically true.
But truth, when certain parts are carefully omitted, can take on an entirely different flavor.
Retreat to advance, shift the topic, muddy the waters.
This was the life-saving method Jason had devised in this critical moment.
As for whether it would work…
Let us just say that the same mouth had once rendered even Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, completely helpless!
"My child, you have no need to apologize!"
The deeply moved Queen Hera was the first to step forward and stand beside Jason.
Her golden eyes shone with joy and affection.
"You have such resolve, such awareness. Why should you ever apologize to anyone?
You are absolutely right. Marriage is a matter between two people. If one cannot even give the other a happy marriage, then what is the point of marrying at all?
A man who cannot do that does not deserve to be called a man!"
Hera's impassioned voice echoed through the hall.
It made Zeus's expression look rather awkward.
Before Jason could speak, the beautiful matron Hera reached out and pulled him into a tight embrace, showering him with affection.
"I am so proud of your conviction, Jason, my most beloved child. You are truly the greatest gift the world has ever given me!
Oh, that reminds me. That is my tribute… Child, I finally know what I want. That is the tribute you will offer me!
I, Queen Hera, Goddess of Marriage, swear to you: one day I will grant you the most perfect marriage in the world.
I will host the grandest wedding the world has ever seen!
Every god shall attend and bless you!
The most perfect marriage.
That will be the greatest tribute you can offer me!"
One could not blame Hera for being so excited.
She truly was a goddess who had suffered much, even as Queen of Olympus.
Because her husband was Zeus.
To anyone else Jason's words might have been moving and reasonable,
but to Hera they struck the deepest chords of her heart.
That was why she lost her composure.
With her public declaration and Jason's earlier speech, the outcome was now obvious.
Jason stood there slightly dazed.
He had barely managed to poke his head out of her ample bosom to breathe when he heard Hera's earth-shattering announcement.
Um… did I overdo it again?
The corner of his mouth twitched. For a moment he was utterly speechless.
He could only console himself with the thought that even if that day ever came, it would be after he had ascended to godhood.
At the same time, judging by Hera's reaction, Jason knew he had definitely passed this trial.
Hera had sworn in front of everyone. She would protect him to the end.
As he quietly breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze accidentally met that of Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods, who had been watching the show the entire time.
Hermes gave Jason an exaggerated thumbs-up and a look that said:
Nice one, kid! You actually turned a dead game into a winning one!