Capítulo 77: A tribute to Goddess Hephaestus, who has nothing
[T/N: 2.5 x chapter.]
Hephaestus was obviously surprised by Jason's request of becoming her student and believing that she has already guessed Jason's tribute, her first reaction was naturally to refuse.
But when Hephaestus heard Jason adding that along with accepting him as her student, he hopes that she can also accept the first satisfactory item he will build as a tribute, Hephaestus understood that she had guessed wrong.
Still, instead of directly speaking about what she now believes is the tribute Jason wants to give her, Hephaestus asked: "Become my student, then offer me the first satisfactory item you will build... You are saying, this is the tribute you are going to offer to me, right?"
Facing Hephaestus, who is looking directly at him with amber eyes and asking him, Jason decisively nodded.
Because Jason knows that he must make clear what he wants to do for getting the chance of becoming a student of Hephaestus.
And it is indeed true, after all, if Hephaestus wasn't so sensitive in reading people and Jason was a little late in explaining it fully, Hephaestus would have indeed rejected Jason by now.
"As I have said just now, I have nothing in my hands that can be taken out to be offered as a tribute to you, Goddess Hephaestus."
Jason continued seriously speaking to Hephaestus: "So, I can only plan the tribute for you in the future... But how can I make a satisfactory tribute for you, the Goddess of Smithing?"
"Since you are the Goddess of Smithing, it is obvious that I should offer items built by my own hands as a tribute to you."
"But I'm just a mortal, how can I make a tribute that can satisfy you, Goddess Hephaestus? "
Hearing what Jason has just said, Hephaestus couldn't help but look at Jason with a very surprised expression.
Because Hephaestus has obviously detected that what Jason has just said is contradictory, so along with her previous guess, she has already guessed what Jason is going to say next.
"So after thinking about it for a week, I finally have the answer now...that is to become your student, and then personally build an item in the future, an item that will make you feel satisfied, and offer it to you, Goddess Hephaestus!"
Jason looked directly at Hephaestus because Jason knows that although he has spoken the truth, this is a deception in his statement and there is no way Hephaestus would not have detected it.
This deception is the other reason, except for the one Jason has spoken about just now, as well as the main reason why Jason decided to offer tribute like this.
It's just that, Jason will never actually speak a relatively disrespectful reason like this to a God: 'I want to offer care and companionship to the goddess who has nothing...'
"I have already said."
Then, Hephaestus, who had been silent for a while, said softly to Jason: "You don't need to waste your time with me... I have given you the bracelet that can block Hera's perception."
"And you are obviously not interested in wealth, weapons, or even dolls, then there is obviously nothing you can get from me, so why are you forcing yourself to stay here?"
"I really don't care about tributes..."
"Then please take this as my willfulness."
Jason smiled and said to Hephaestus, who is still looking directly at him: "Because, goddess Hephaestus, I have decided, I - Jason, will definitely offer you a tribute that will satisfy you! "
"...Satisfy me?" Hephaestus couldn't help herself from laughing upon hearing this.
And the only half-visible face of the goddess showed an extremely beautiful smile.
Then, Hephaestus said to Jason with a smile: "I am Hephaestus, almost every artifact and most of the divine tool on this land, even the glorious palaces on Mount Olympus, are all personally built by my hands."
"So Even if I promise to accept you as my student, are you really sure that you can make a tribute that will satisfy me?"
"Yes, Goddess Hephaestus, I'm sure."
Jason seriously replied to Hephaestus: "Because if I failed to do it in a few months, I will try to do it in a few years."
"If I failed to do it in a few years, I will try to do it in a few hundred years!"
"Anyway, it is not that difficult to increase lifespan, so I believe that one day, I will definitely make a tribute that can satisfy you, Goddess Hephaestus!"
[T/N: For those who might have not known, in Greek Mythology, most of the Gods and even some Nymphs can make humans immortal, and obviously it is completely different from becoming a God.]
Although, after guessing Jason's intention, Hephaestus had already expected such an answer, when she finally heard this in words, her hand subconsciously squeezed the handle of her wheelchair.
"Are you...really sure?" Then, Hephaestus asked softly and stared at Jason in front of her with amber eyes, looking for even a trace of reluctance or regret in Jason's eyes.
"Are you really sure that you want to take me as your teacher?... If I really agree, you will not get any possibility of repentance."
"Why would I repent, Goddess Hephaestus?"
Jason said with a smile while directly looking at Hephaestus's amber eyes: "Being your student and learning your forging skills is my supreme honor!"
There really isn't any deception or lie in this statement.
Because the forging skills shown by Hephaestus have obviously amazed Jason, from the moment he entered the temple.
So Jason really does believe that if he can really learn something from her, then even if it is just a little bit of what Hephaestus is capable of, it will definitely benefit him in his life, after all, even if he becomes a god in future, he believes that surely his life will become relaxed but it doesn't mean he will get to be completely free from work.
Moreover, Jason does dislike gods.
But it is just disliking and not disgust or hate.
And Jason dislikes Gods mainly because they are very troublesome.
After all, in this era, through all legends, myths, and his personal experience, Jason can decisively conclude that the appearance of gods will almost always result in a troublesome business.
And if Jason's feelings toward Gods really would have been that of hate or disgust, he wouldn't have decided to get Goddess Hecate's help at the beginning, and later on, become so attached to her that he is willing to give up on the easier path and even offend another Goddess for not separating from her.
Moreover, Jason has also experienced that although Hecate calls him a scoundrel and even punishes his cheeks quite often, he has indeed gotten many benefits from becoming Hecate's student.
So Jason also believes: 'How can there be no benefit in becoming Hephaestus's student?!'
'She is the Goddess of Smithing, in the Myths, she is even capable of crafting weapons on the level comparable to the main weapons currently used by Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon!'
'Hephaestus definitely has a thigh... and a very thick thigh!'
"Honor... do you really think so?"
While Hephaestus said this to Jason in a very low voice, she subconsciously reached out and touched the black mask covering half of her face.
"Yes, Goddess Hephaestus."
Jason watched Hephaestus tracing the mask on her face, and said seriously: "It is my supreme honor to become your student! So... Goddess Hephaestus, can you accept me as a student?"
"...If you really just want to be my student, you would have come to find me long ago, instead of dragging it on until now."
Hephaestus put down her hand tracing the mask on her face, then smiled lightly, and finally spoke about what she has guessed about Jason's tribute: "What you are offering to me is not at all something you will be crafting in the future."
"Rather, it's the concept of 'my student'...right? "
"I genuinely want to be your student of the goddess Hephaestus." Jason deftly avoided this question, after all, he won't say something, that he believes is disrespectful, on the face of a goddess.
And quite obviously, Jason is not surprised that Hephaestus had already guessed this, after all, Jason also knows that it can be seen easily by Hephaestus, who can see through the deception of Gods and mortals alike.
"Because I believe that it will prove to be... very convenient for me!"
After Jason finished speaking, he winked at Hephaestus, because he knows that since Hephestus has finally put his real tribute in words, that Jason is unwilling to say personally, he doesn't anymore need to use deception while speaking to Hephaestus.
Although Hephaestus was dumbfounded upon hearing this, the corners of her mouth rose again with a visibly happy expression on the visible half of her face.
Because, how can someone as perceptive as Hephaestus not understand that till now, Jason has been speaking deceptively to her because he feels like speaking it directly might have hurt her.
And most likely, although Hephaestus really wouldn't have minded even if Jason had spoken directly, she is indeed very happy with Jason keeping that in mind and making this effort.
Then, Hephaestus stretched out her hand and motioned for Jason to come over, and after he walked over, she squeezed Jason's face and said: "Then, have you told your teacher, Hecate, about this?"
"Don't worry, Goddess Hephaestus, Teacher Hecate will not care."
Because Jason really does believe that with her lazy personality, Hecate won't care even if he becomes a student of one more Goddess, just like she doesn't care even if he still calls Chiron his teacher.
"...Then, when you'll be blamed in the future, I will not manage it."
"Blamed?..." Upon hearing Hephaestus's words, Jason, who was slightly stunned, looked at Hephaestus with clear surprise on his face and said: "Goddess Hephaestus, you mean..."
"Why are you still calling me Goddess Hephaestus?" While smiling happily, Hephaestus squeezed Jason's face again.
Then, after Jason called Hephaestus as a teacher for the first time, she was finally unable to bear the urge of hugging Jason into her arms...
*****
The next day, Hephaestus transmitted the news of accepting a student and that the student is precisely Jason, to Athena.
Immediately then, Hephaestus transmitted the same news again but this time to Hermes, the Messenger of Gods, obviously to make every God and Goddesses know about it because she knows what Hermes will do after getting this news.
Therefore, soon, Artemis, the Goddess of Moon, Apollo, God of Light, Hestia, Goddess of Hearth, Demeter, Goddess of Harvest, and even Hades, King of Underworld, Zeus, King of Gods, and Poseidon, King of the Sea, along with many other minor Gods, while still being far away, learned of this news.
Finally, at least among the twelve Olympians, only Ares, Hera, and Aphrodite were still unaware of it.
Moreover, unlike Jason, who has never once mentioned his real tribute, Hephaestus hasn't bothered with hiding it behind words and has transmitted everything, along with what Jason has said to her.
'That no matter how many days or months, it takes, no matter how many years it takes.'
'Even if he needs to extend his life, in the future, Jason will definitely give me, Hephaestus, the tribute that will belong to me!'
This time, although there was no flashy tribute, like the one Jason has given to Artemis, that, many gods, upon knowing about it, describe their feeling with the word - amazing.
Upon learning of this news, many gods felt what can be described with another word - envy.
Especially Hestia and Artemis, and even Athena's heart couldn't help but spark a flame of jealousy...
Because they have long wanted Jason to become theirs and all three of them had clearly expressed in their own ways that they want him.
But, finally, none of them expected that Hephaestus, who has only recently met Jason, would manage to get Jason first.
*****
'...no matter how long it takes, even years, hundreds of years, or even more than a lifetime...'
Athena, who has been thinking about Jason's words that Hephaestus has transmitted to her, finally commented in her heart...
'..very clever.'
'clank-'
But her deep breaths along with the sound of metal cracking, due to Athena silently exerting force on the silver harp in her hand, gave away her real feelings.
'Months, years, even a hundred years, and more than a lifetime of companionship, this is exactly what Hephaestus wants most... It seems that he has obviously fully understood the oracle I have given him.'
'And he also received the most precious gift from Hephaestus, the forging skills of the Goddess of Smithing...'
Athena, who is thinking like this, showed satisfaction on her face, but the emergence of an even deeper crack on the silver harp once again gave away her real feeling...
Because all of this can indeed be claimed as the result of Athena's single-handedly planning everything.
After all, Athena wants to make Jason grow step by step and become increasingly dazzling, to fulfill her goal.
So rationally, Athena should be happy, but now, she is feeling really unhappy, due to thinking:
'Obviously, except for Hecate, I was the first one!'
And what about Hera? Obviously, Athena has stopped counting her long ago.
*****
"Hecate, Hecate, your student is gone, you have lost your student!"
After learning from Hades that Jason has become Hephaestus's student, naturally, Persephone immediately arrived at Hecate's temple.
In the laboratory, Hecate, dressed in black, looked helplessly at the experimental materials that are now burning in fire due to her getting distracted.
Then, although feeling very dissatisfied, Hecate still walked out of the temple to meet Persephone.
"What are you yelling about?"
Hecate frowned, then looked at Persephone and said, "How could I have lost any student...I can sense, isn't Jason's fire of life still burning?"
Although Medea and Circe are also Hecate's students, obviously Hecate doesn't think that they will come across life-threatening situations.
Because Hecate thoroughly believes that as long as trouble has walked to her gate, she can blindly blame it on Jason.
"No, little Jason is not in danger, but Hecate, you have lost him, he has left you, he doesn't want you as his teacher!"
"What?!" Hecate was shocked at first, and then said with a surprised expression: "Can such a good thing really happen to me?!"
"...Huh?"
Persephone, who was originally planning on deceiving and teasing Hecate for a while before finally telling her truth, was immediately stunned upon hearing Hecate's response.
Then, Persephone couldn't help but sigh before saying: "Hecate, your opinion on little Jason... It's really as negative as ever."
"Nonsense, he is a scoundrel. If he is really gone, I guess, I will learn from him and set off a few fireworks to celebrate!"
Hecate curled her lips and waved her hand while saying: "Okay, stop joking and tell me what that scoundrel has done again... As for him not doing anything, it's impossible!"
"Because he is my scoundrel, as long as he is still alive, he will never let me go!"
Seeing Hecate speak so decisively as well as having such a strong 'trust' in Jason, Persephone couldn't help but feel amused.
"I remember that he should have gone to Hephaestus?... So, what did he screw up?"
"Won't he have really encountered Hera and directly gotten imprisoned?"
"In this case, it is indeed a bit troublesome, but Hera won't kill him in a short time and Zeus won't let her kill him, let Hera lock him up for a while so that I will finally get some peace for a short time..."
"Can you not say things like this, that only makes little Jason looks like he will only cause trouble." Persephone said in exasperation then immediately, without concealing anything, she told Hecate the news of Jason becoming Hephaestus's student.
And after Hecate learned about it...
"Good news!" Hecate widened her eyes and said: "This is obviously good news!"
"I haven't lied, it is true that Jason has become Hephaestus's student, but you not caring at all..."
"No, I mean, if he encounters trouble in the future, now I don't have to immediately go over!" Hecate interrupted Persephone and explained: "Now he has teacher Hephaestus and he won't trouble me for everything."
After Hecate finished speaking, under Persephone's speechless gaze, she returned to her temple with a happy expression on her face.
But, immediately after returning to the temple, the smile on Hecate's face suddenly disappeared, and she gritted her teeth while thinking: 'This brat, before accepting a new teacher, he didn't even discuss it with me... What do you mean? Do I usually treat you badly?"
'And I still haven't settled accounts with you for always using me as a shield upon encountering other goddesses... This scoundrel, even if I really don't care, I really can't let go of this matter so easily, this time, I will definitely teach him a lesson!'
Thinking of this, Hecate quietly left the underworld, then found Athena waiting outside...
[T/N: For those who might have not known, I don't upload on weekends.]
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
GlaiveIris
GlaiveIris Do you know, in Greek Mythology, it is said that because Prometheus gave fire to men, to offset it, gods decided to curse the men by giving them the first woman, Pandora, who brought an end to the Golden Age of Men.
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