Capítulo 202: The Painting of Heroes by Promise
"Ah, it's Goddess Clotho!"
Finally putting the pieces together, Jason scrambled out of bed, stumbling clumsily in his haste to stand before her.
Seeing his panic-stricken and embarrassed appearance, Clotho didn't seem the least bit bothered.
In fact, she looked pleased, swinging her bare feet slightly in satisfaction.
After all, finally, after being "humiliated" by Promise so many times, Clotho felt the respect and awe a goddess of her stature deserved.
"Um… Goddess of fate, was everything I just saw… really my…" After a while, Jason came in front of Clotho and couldn't help but ask cautiously.
"As I said, that was indeed your future."
Hearing her words, Jason's face went pale.
Now fully aware of her identity, he had no reason to doubt her words.
"My future… my future is really that miserable?" Jason seemed to have lost his soul at this moment, and there was despair on his face.
Though Clotho couldn't see his face, she could easily imagine his expression at this moment, which made her nod inwardly with satisfaction.
Yes, this was exactly right! This was a normal reaction!
As expected, it has always been that guy Promise' problem!
Thinking of this, Cloto couldn't help but gently stroke the crystal ball in her arms twice, cherishing it as though it were a precious treasure.
Then, she spoke to the now ghostly pale Jason. "But, as I also said, that was only your original future."
"Hm?" Jason, who was still looking like he was mourning his own demise, asked faintly, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, your fate has already changed," Clotho replied. "Whether it is your greatest triumphs or your eventual downfall, both were closely intertwined with the student of the great goddess Hecate, Medea.
"However, Goddess Hecate, unwilling to see her student suffer such a tragic fate, entrusted this matter to Promise. And so, your destiny has already been altered."
If Clotho's earlier words had sounded like a death knell from the underworld for Jason, then at this moment, these words were like the most beautiful melody in the world, more enchanting and pleasant than even Helen's voice.
In that instant, Jason became absolutely convinced that Clotho, the goddess of fate, was the most adorable of all goddesses, without a doubt!
"Really?!"
A newfound hope for his future rekindled within him and Jason was suddenly resurrected at the moment.
But soon, Jason felt something was wrong again and asked in confusion: "Wait, didn't Teacher Chiron once tell me that fate is something that can never be altered?"
He continued, "When we were going down his mountain, he specifically warned us not to try to glimpse our own futures in any way…"
Clotho nodded slightly, explaining, "Ordinarily, that's indeed the case. Fate is something even the gods cannot alter once it's set."
Hearing this, Jason was stunned for a moment, then grasped the key point and asked. "Ordinarily?"
In that moment, Jason, who was sharper than he might seem, had already guessed the answer in his heart.
After all, Clotho had already hinted at it in the conversation just now.
"There is one exception—my follower, Promise."
Clotho then confirmed Jason's guess.
Wait… your follower?
Jason looked at Clotho, a bit bewildered.
Hey, Isn't Promise, like himself, also a follower of Queen Hera?
He remembered that clearly—it was Clotho herself who had once declared that both he and Promise would bring glory to Hera.
Clotho didn't care about Jason's thoughts.
Even if she knew, she would definitely ignore it.
She just said something that surprised Jason once more. "At the same time, you're not the only one whose fate has been rewritten by Promise…"
---
That same night, in the kingdom of Colchis…
Promise wandered through one of the courtyards of the castle and found Medea and her mother, Idyia, sitting closely together, engaged in conversation.
When Medea learned from her servant that Promise had come to find her, the surprise and joy on her face were visible to the naked eye.
When Idyia, her mother noticed her daughter's expression, she quickly understood her feelings.
With a knowing smile, she teased Medea for a few times before excusing herself, allowing them some time alone.
After that, Medea quickly smoothed her hair and adjusted her dress, sitting quietly and waiting for Promise's arrival.
When the boy finally in front of her, she greeted him with a bright smile. "Promise, what brings you to me so late? Is there something you need?"
"Yes." The latter nodded.
After all, he knew that Medea already understood much of the situation, he did not hide anything and spoke frankly. "In fact, brfore we arrived, the goddess Athena had already gave me a prophecy.
The three trials required to claim the Golden Fleece are tests set by Ares, god of war. And during these trials, I am forbidden from using any power from the gods. So, Medea, I need your help."
"My help?" Medea blinked, looking at Promise and asked.
What the boy didn't know, was that when she said this, there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes, even a bit of panic.
Could it be… Promise knows?
As this thought flitted through her mind, Promise continued.
"That's precisely your specialty, isn't it, Medea?" he said with a smile. "You're one of the most skilled students of Goddess Hecate. I think, if anyone could do it, you'd be able to create something to shield me from the flames of the divine bulls and strengthen me up to the point where I can match warriors like Theseus and Heracles."
In fact, in the original myth, it was indeed Medea who assisted Jason in this way.
She concocted a magical potion that not only made Jason immune to the flames of the divine bulls, she even granted him strength comparable to Heracles, along with a body as tough as iron.
In this way, Jason was able to overcome the first two trials.
As for the third trial, Medea personally led Jason to confront the sleepless dragon, which guarded the Golden Fleece.
This is why Clotho had said that Jason's greatest glory was inseparably linked to Medea… and his downfall as well.
At this point, Promise still showed a pitiful expression, and said to Medea, who had already understood and now looked a bit dazed: "Medea, you would never refuse to help me, right? You're definitely more reliable than your… unpredictable teacher, right?"
Medea couldn't help but burst into laughter at his pitiful expression as she replied, "Of course! I'm definitely not like my teacher. But… I'll need a little time, so Promise, could you wait for me a bit?"
Having said this, Medea stood up and left.
Her quick, somewhat flustered manner made it seem as though she was dashing off to prepare a potion for Promise, yet at the same time...
"Hmm, why do I feel like she seems a little guilty, like she's hiding something?" Promise wondered, feeling a hint of suspicion.
But after thinking it over, he immediately dismissed the thought.
After all, he knew that while Medea might have her dark side, she'd never harm him.
Once out of sight, Medea heaved a sigh of relief and glanced back to ensure Promise hadn't followed.
Then she retrieved two vials of potion from her pocket—the very ones Promise needed.
In fact, she'd actually prepared them in advance, with her teacher Hecate's help.
"If my teacher heard what he said, she'd probably storm over and throw these potions away, refusing to give them to Promise at all," Medea whispered with a mischievous smile, carefully tucking the potions away again.
"No, I can't delay any longer. I thought we could wait a couple of days, but he's too perceptive… As I thought, I need to tell everyone my plan tonight!"
Resolving herself, Medea headed toward the quarters where the heroes of the Argo were staying.
However, she hadn't anticipated that tonight would be so lively.
Along the way, she unexpectedly ran into several familiar faces.
Heracles, Atalanta, Jason, and Orpheus all bumped into each other on the road and looked at each other in bewilderment.
Orpheus was the first to break the silence, smiling as he strummed a tune on his lyre, which he had seemingly produced out of nowhere. "If I'm not mistaken, it seems we've all gathered here for the same reason, haven't we?"
Atalanta folded her hands over her chest, looked at everyone thoughtfully and said, "Or maybe… we're not the only ones who were approached by a god. Or perhaps… everyone on the Argo besides Promise has been given some kind of message by a god?"
"Then why don't we just speak openly?" Medea tilted her head, puzzled.
Until today, she'd thought she was the only one.
"It's almost like we're competing for something," Jason muttered as he recalled Clotho's words, especially the part about Promise being her follower.
As soon as he finished speaking, Heracles quickly coughed, giving Jason a look that said he'd better keep certain thoughts to himself—
Lest they invite the wrath of some embarrassed gods seeking retribution later.
The group fell into silence again.
"So, here's the question: who's going to keep an eye on Promise?" Jason suddenly asked.
As everyone's eyes turned to him, his expression changed, and he quickly backed away, shaking his head frantically. "Don't look at me! That guy's resilience is terrifying. Even I wouldn't dare try to restrain him! If he got injured somehow… it'd be over!"
Of course, by "over," he meant it would be over for him, not Promise.
"Hmm… maybe we could go back to the ship and ask that maid for help. She probably has chains." Medea recalled the maid automaton that Hephaestus, the god of smiths, had sent to look after Promise. "Then we could lock Promise up!"
After Medea suggested this, even Atalanta gave her a strange look.
Are you serious?
"Don't look at me like that! Promise was already locked up once by Hephaestus; I would never have actually thought of imprisoning him… really!" Realizing how bold and dangerous her suggestion had sounded, Medea hurriedly tried to explain.
But her words only made Jason recoil, looking at her like she was some kind of plague, and take refuge behind Heracles, trembling in fear.
After learning the truth from Clotho, Jason finally understood why he always felt a surge of dread whenever he encountered Medea.
It was a fear embedded deep in his bones!
With a sigh of resignation, Atalanta finally offered, "If there's no other choice, I'll take responsibility for watching over Promise…"
"I'll look after him."
Before she could finish, a calm, gentle voice interrupted.
As everyone, including Heracles, Jason, and Orpheus, turned in utter surprise to see a figure they hadn't expected, yet who seemed perfectly suited to the task, standing before them.
It was none other than…
....
"Master Chiron?!"
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