Chapter 75: Rights, Honor, Beauty
[T/N: 2 x chapter.]
[T/N: I know that some of you might feel like what is there to choose for Jason and shouldn't he just choose what Hephaestus really is, but it is related to a not so obvious but important spoiler from later on, so...]
When the maid asked Jason about the door he will be choosing to enter...
Jason, who was standing in front of the two doors, didn't hesitate for more than a moment and he stepped forward, then pushed open the door leading to goddess Hephaestus.
Actually, Jason doesn't think that this choice is anything more than being very simple.
After all, since learning that Hephaestus is a goddess who has created a mask to appear as a god, Jason had somewhat expected to encounter a situation like this, so Jason has already pondered which one of the god and goddess forms of Hephaestus would be more beneficial to him.
So, except for considering how most of the Deities in good relations with him are goddesses like Hecate, Hestia, Athena, Demeter, and other goddesses, who usually take good care of him, Jason found out that the most cunning God and the wisest goddess have already given him a hint.
After all, Hermes had emphasized to Jason that Hephaestus is a goddess and had even explained to Jason why people know Hephaestus as a male god.
While on the other side, Athena also made it clear to Jason in her oracle that Hephaestus is a goddess who is completely different from Artemis.
Although Jason still doesn't fully understand the reason why both the wise Athena and the cunning Hermes have informed him about this, he naturally understood what they are trying to imply.
Moreover, after entering this temple, Jason has obviously discovered that every maid doll he has encountered till now has referred to Hephaestus as a Goddess, so Jason believes that it won't be completely wrong to assume that at least subconsciously, even for Hephaestus, her identity as a goddess is more important.
Therefore, naturally, Jason decisively chose the door leading to goddess Hephaestus.
So when Jason pushed open the door on the right, he saw the goddess, who is sitting in the hall of the temple and had been clearly waiting for him for a long time.
Hephaestus, the Goddess of Smithing.
When the eyes of the two collided, Hephaestus's face was reflected in Jason's eyes.
But, it is only half of Hephaestus's face.
Jason noticed that the visible half of her face is as delicate as the face of any other goddesses he has seen till now but the other half of her face is hidden behind a dark mask.
Hephaestus, who is sitting in an exquisite wheelchair and dressed in very plain, simple white clothes, that are not even as fine as the clothes of the maids Jason has met outside, looked at Jason with her amber-colored eyes.
"You have really surprised me, child."
Hephaestus said softly in her voice which is very pleasant to hear.
"Wealth, strength, beauty... unexpectedly, none of these are what you are after."
'Was that really a test?' ... Upon hearing Hephaestus's words, Jason couldn't help but think like this.
"No, that was not a test... I'm not the same as Athena, I don't have that kind of interest." As if seeing through Jason's thoughts, Hephaestus slightly shook her head and said: "As I have said to you, I meant to give it all to you."
Although Jason's soul had been tempered by the divine power of Hades and the unquenchable flame of the underworld so no one can read his thoughts now, Jason felt like Hephaestus has seen through his thoughts,
So, Jason finally confirmed the rumors about Hephaestus being able to easily see through lies, deception, and even thoughts.
Actually, after Athena had informed Jason about Hephaestus being the most difficult goddess to deal with, Jason had already analyzed whatever legends he has heard about Hephaestus.
So, Jason reached a somewhat unexpected conclusion that Hephaestus can look through the deception of even other gods, and not because she has any special powers, but because she has experienced too many lies and deception.
Therefore, Hephaestus has learned to see through the thoughts of mortals and gods alike, without using any supernatural powers.
"...Eh." So, even though Jason expecting this, Jason still blinked in surprise upon actually confirming it.
"Do you regret it, child?"
Hephaestus obviously guessed why Jason is surprised, but she calmly asked something else.
"No, I don't." Jason shook his head and said: "Since I have made that choice, then I will not regret it, but... I don't understand, this should be the first time I have met you Goddess Hephaestus."
Since Jason has already confirmed that his conclusion about Hephaestus being able to see through his thoughts is true, Jason obviously made an immediate decision in his heart, a decision similar to the one he made upon meeting Hecate for the first time.
'I must never lie to Hephaestus, not even an indirect lie, that usually works in front of most other Gods!'
Moreover, Jason is aware of the fact that while dealing with those who have been deceived too many times, treating them with complete honesty is the best way to reap goodwill.
That's why Jason is indeed being honest that he really doesn't regret his decision, after all, Jason has always been the type who believes in thinking before acting, so he really doesn't think that all those things would have actually proved to be useful for him.
On the hand, Jason is indeed confused about why Hephaestus is favoring and rewarding him so much even after meeting for the first time.
Therefore, when Hephaestus heard Jason's answer, she looked at him for quite a few moments with a small but clear surprise on the visible half of her face, then continued: "Because I have known about you since a long time ago and have paid attention to your actions."
"The reason for this is also very simple, something you should already know, my conflict with Hera."
"So, I have to admit, I was very happy when I learned that you have actually rejected Hera and made her humiliate herself in front of many other gods."
When Hephaestus said this, the corners of her mouth slightly rose up.
Apparently, Hephaestus recalled the description of Hera furiously rampaging in the temple due to Jason rejecting her.
However, on the other side, when Jason heard this, his expression seemed to have become extremely embarrassed, and he was almost unable to bear the urge of covering his face.
After all, Jason really didn't want to offend Hera or to be more precise, he really doesn't want to offend any of the gods.
But the problem Jason is facing is that for reconciling with Hera, at least for an immediate solution, he really isn't able to think of a second way apart from leaving Hecate and others.
However, this also does not mean that Jason has never considered how to solve Hera's problem.
On the contrary, the answer to this has always been very clear to him.
In fact, due to knowing the Myth of Hercules and Dionysus, who isn't born yet, Jason has found the solution to it long ago.
Jason knows from the myth that because both are illegitimate sons of Zeus, they were persecuted a lot in their lives by Hera, but finally, in both cases, they were reconciled, and it was Hera who had taken the initiative to remove her hostility towards them.
And Jason discovered that in both cases, the reconciliation occurred when they have become gods of Olympus, and had also obtained extremely strong strength.
So Jason concluded that, in blunt words, for reconciliation with Hera he needs strong strength and identity of being a God, exactly what he is striving for.
Therefore, although a relatively minor one, this is also a reason for Jason deciding to keep Artemis' arrow and working harder to pursue becoming a God.
And while Jason was feeling embarrassed about Hephaestus pointing out his achievement of humiliating Hera, Hephaestus continued speaking to Jason: "And obviously, the better you will be performing in your future life after rejecting Hera, the worse Hera will be feeling and the angrier she will get."
"And the angrier she is, the happier I will be."
"So, even though this is the first time we have met, I'm still willing to give you all my artifacts... but I just didn't expect that what most people on this land are pursuing is not actually what you want."
"Can you tell me, child, what exactly are you pursuing?"
While asking this, Hephaestus curiously looked at Jason.
Although Hephaestus really hadn't planned any of this to test Jason, when Jason actually rejected all the treasures and temptations in front of him and Hephaestus detected that Jason truly doesn't want any of those, she obviously became curious about Jason standing in front of her.
At the same time, in her mind, Hephaestus could not help but recall the conversation she has with Athena about Jason.
'He's special, unlike any other child... you will discover it yourself..."
Actually, Jason believes that currently, in this world, there are actually very few people, or to be more precise, no people and very few gods, who have seen through him or have seen the real him.
Jason even feels that even his self-declared godmother, Demeter, the Goddess of Harvest, who had lived with him for more than half a year, probably still doesn't know about the real him.
Jason thinks that the only people who really understand him are Chiron, Hecate, Hermes, and Athena.
So, easily sensing Jason's subconscious hesitation, Hephaestus explained.
"Endless wealth represents the rights of this land."
"Weapons represent great power and the honor of heroes."
"Differently styled puppets can satisfy your fantasies about any woman, and these dolls, I have not shown them to anyone, even gods, except for only you, because I know what will happen then."
"But you have refused all these." Hephaestus looked directly at Jason and asked curiously: "Wealth, power, honor, and even women are not things you are pursuing, then child... What are you pursuing?"
"The current Queen of the Underworld, Persephone, is the result of the hardships you have endured to take her away from the cage."
"When Demeter was crying and had made the land start withering, it was you who had taken the initiative of standing up, even before the other gods, and brought the earth back to life."
"I also know, during the last three years, you have learned martial arts from Chiron, and you have also learned magic from Hecate, without getting a moment's rest."
"At this moment, I think almost all gods, maybe except for a few gods, believe that you will inevitably embark on the great journey that the bards will praise for eternity and you will become the most dazzling star among all the stars that will be shining through the ages...Even I used to think the same."
"But, quite obviously, today, I suddenly realized that I was wrong all along." Hephaestus looked at Jason and asked again: "Your eyes tell me that you really have no interest in all those... tell me, child, what exactly are you pursuing?"
'What I am... pursuing?'
Jason fell into a brief silence upon hearing Hephaestus's words.
Obviously, Jason, who was prepared to be completely honest, did not expect that Hephaestus will suddenly ask him such an irrelevant question.
'Really a familiar question... but, I need to be completely honest, so I really can't give her a half-finished answer like always...'
So after just brief hesitation, Jason gave Hephaestus an honest answer: "Goddess Hephaestus, if you are asking me what I'm pursuing... I best I can think of is that I'm actually pursuing a wish from the past."
"From the past?" Hephaestus felt even more puzzled.
"Well...that's from the past I can never go back to."
Jason smiled lightly and said softly: "I am actually aware of how this is going to sound... but, before I stepped into this foreign land alone as a stranger, in the past I was nothing more than an average in everything with uncountable people ahead of me."
"In that past, although I have been told many times to do better, by the end, I was always told to keep myself safe, and I know that even if they would have become happy with me rising above others, what they really wished for is to make me live a happy, safe, and peaceful life."
"I really do miss that past..."
"But at the same time, I also understand that it is a past I will never go back to, so I can only work hard, make myself work harder, and at the same time... live"
"Survive to make that wish come true."
Under Hephaestus's slightly stunned gaze, Jason continued calmly: "Because I know that they, who will exist forever only in the past, even upon knowing about my current journey, their biggest expectation for me would have been..."
"Well, I think, maybe it would have been nothing more than to let me live a safe and happy life no matter where I am. "
Actually, although Jason had never exactly said these words to anyone, it is also not like Jason had ever tried to hide it.
Therefore, all the Gods who understand Jason, even after not knowing the reason behind it, have also roughly seen Jason's insistence on this goal.
And it is because of knowing this that Hecate had told Jason to take a rest upon feeling tired and even Athena, who had faced defeat more than once in front of Jason, made him rest for the first time in three years and even intentionally incited other goddesses to do the same.
Hephaestus was silent for a long while, with her amber eyes staring at Jason, who is looking at her with a smile.
"Come here, child."
Jason obediently walked in front of Hephaestus, and Hephaestus subconsciously reached out, wanting to touch Jason's head, but when her hand was just halfway out, she silently shrank back.
Then, from her br*ast pocket, Hephaestus took out a delicate silver bracelet and personally put it on Jason's wrist.
This is the divine artifact that Athena had entrusted Hephaestus to forge for blocking Hera's perception.
After handing this divine artifact to Jason, Hephaestus, who was originally going to let Jason leave at first, now asked: "Child, where is my tribute?"
With a smile, Hephaestus stared at Jason, who after freezing for a moment showed an embarrassed expression on his face, then said softly in a pleasant voice: "You should have prepared a tribute for me, right?"
"Actually, it doesn't matter if you still haven't, before then, you can stay here."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
GlaiveIris
GlaiveIris Do you know, in the earlier version of Greek Mythology, Dionysus was actually the son of Zeus and Persephone, and in somewhat literally translated original words: Zeus took the shape of a serpent and ravished the ma*denhood of unwedded Persephone, the future consort of the black-robed king of the underworld, when her mother was hiding her in a cave to protect her from her many suitors...
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