A single smile, and the city falls.
Jason gazed at the Medusa before him and found it hard to imagine that she was the monster from the rumors, the one said to have taken countless lives.
Or perhaps the more vividly a flower bloomed, the sharper its thorns?
Just as Jason's thoughts began to wander.
"The gods are all arrogant, willful, and capricious beings."
Medusa's next words pulled Jason back, and he looked at her again.
"Especially... the Goddess of Wisdom Athena."
Medusa met Jason's eyes directly and gave him a solemn warning. "To be favored and loved by her is a blessing, but at the same time...
it is the greatest misfortune of your life!"
A hero who walks the path guided by wisdom.
And also a hero loved by wisdom itself.
It is a blessing, yet undeniably... a misfortune as well.
"You don't need to deny it. I know all too well what kind of goddess Athena is."
Before Jason, whose smile had slowly faded upon hearing this, could respond, Medusa continued, her expression growing slightly colder.
"Any involvement with her is the greatest misfortune!"
Medusa declared firmly.
Jason watched her like this and felt a quiet understanding stir within him.
Clearly, Medusa had some deep grudge against Athena, to the point that her opinion of the goddess was an absolute negative.
If not for that, she would not have offered such direct advice to him, the hero guided by wisdom.
To be honest, Jason was curious.
Curious about what exactly the relationship between Athena and Medusa was.
After all, Medusa knew Athena's secret... the absolute secret that she had fallen in love with Jason.
Yet Jason did not ask.
Because even if he did, would it change anything?
It would not.
For the Jason of the past, involvement with Athena might indeed have been a misfortune.
But regarding that point, Jason had already come to terms with it long, long ago.
No matter what Athena had done, no matter what intentions she once held.
Whether it was to watch a show or to cultivate a tool.
Now, she was genuinely one of the beings who cared for Jason the most.
And in Jason's heart, aside from Goddess Hecate, she held the greatest weight among the goddesses.
Jason owed her far, far too much.
So much that even in the face of her love, he could not refuse...
The achievements Jason had now were something no one could have foreseen, including Jason himself.
Just a few years ago, Jason had still been worrying about how to live an ordinary life.
As a transmigrator, though he had no cheat, in truth he had obtained one.
Yes, Athena was undoubtedly the "cheat" Jason had received.
Thus, when Medusa finished speaking, a brief silence immediately fell over the scene.
Jason silently watched Medusa.
At this, Horse Brother grew anxious.
It quickly stepped in front of Medusa and neighed several times at Jason.
Horse Brother knew Jason's temperament all too well.
His temper seemed mild, but in reality it was not mild at all.
He appeared timid, yet his courage was greater than anyone's.
And more than anyone, he valued the people around him!
"...Rest assured, Horse Brother. I'm not that petty."
Seeing the worried Horse Brother, Jason finally looked away and said calmly, "However, Medusa, Goddess Athena is a goddess I deeply respect."
Before Medusa, whose brows had lightly furrowed, could reply.
Jason continued, "This sudden visit has already been an intrusion on your peace. It is time for us to leave."
Jason decided to depart.
Hearing this, Horse Brother glanced at Medusa beside it.
Then it gave a soft whinny and came to Jason's side.
It nuzzled against Jason and cooed ingratiatingly a couple of times.
"After this farewell, we likely will never meet again."
Seated upon Pegasus, Jason spoke to Medusa once more. "And I believe that after I leave, no one else will come to disturb you."
With that, Jason gently tugged the reins in his hand.
Pegasus cast one final glance at Medusa, then carried Jason into the azure sky.
During the flight, Pegasus kept cautiously watching Jason.
Noticing this, Jason could not help but feel amused.
At the same time, looking at this Horse Brother who had accompanied him since childhood, Jason's heart softened.
Soaring into the blue heavens and gazing down at the barren little island far below.
Jason signaled Pegasus to stop. After a moment of brief reflection, he took out the golden wheat ears given to him by the Goddess of Agriculture Demeter and Queen of the Underworld Persephone.
At Jason's command, Pegasus began circling the barren island.
The golden wheat ears were scattered across the empty island.
After having Pegasus hold the wheat in its mouth, Jason then drew the staff given to him by Goddess Hecate.
"Teacher, please help me."
With those words, Jason began to channel the divine blood within him, the power of Demeter's divine blood.
Thus, the divine power from Goddess Demeter began to spread across the island, and a rich aura of life started to nourish the barren land.
At the same time, far away in the Underworld, Hecate naturally heard Jason's voice.
At this, she could only helplessly set aside the magical experiment she was working on.
She cast a spell, sending a steady stream of divine power to Jason.
"Hm?"
Soon enough.
The other two on the island besides Medusa.
The two loli goddesses who noticed the change emerged from the desolate temple.
They then witnessed the scene unfolding on the island.
Golden particles scattered over every corner of the island, and under that rich vitality, in mere moments, green appeared on the once-barren land.
Flowers that Medusa had not seen in countless years bloomed across the island.
Trees stretched their branches, sprouting lush leaves and fresh wild fruits.
All of it happened in just ten short minutes.
The barren little island transformed into a paradise untouched by the world.
Not only that, but after seeing the formerly barren island now fully adorned with green leaves and flowers below, Jason laid the staff flat, suspending it before him.
He silently chanted an incantation, invoking the ability to hear the voices of all things.
Soon, a seabird answered Jason's call and arrived on the island, bringing the first birdsong to the barren land.
Then more and more exotic birds came, and sea creatures came ashore.
Medusa took two steps back. She watched a great tree rapidly grow, its leaves becoming dense, and fruit forming on its branches.
Then she hardly dared to move.
Because soon, vibrant flowers bloomed near her feet, along with tender green grass.
As she stood somewhat at a loss before these things, a fruit from the tree gently fell and bonked her on the head.
She instinctively clutched her head, then looked up at the swaying fruit above.
She plucked it, took a bite... an indescribable sweetness.
Then she looked up again, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, trying to see the white-clothed youth seated on Pegasus in the sky.
But she did not see him.
She only saw a small bird fly over afterward, landing on the tree and singing a pleasant song.
Soon, more and more little birds gathered here.
Even marine creatures from the distant waters came ashore.
Medusa watched all of this in a daze.
Until finally, a clear neigh rang out.
Medusa instinctively turned her head and at last caught sight of Jason.
But it was only a departing back.
Pegasus spread its wings, carrying the hero in white clothes farther and farther away...
What was she feeling in this moment?
Even Medusa... was not entirely sure herself.
She simply stood there, gazing blankly.
Until...
"Medusa!"
Two adorable loli goddesses carefully walked along the path now cushioned with green leaves and arrived.
"What on earth happened?! Did you do all of this?!"
The delicate voice of one of them snapped Medusa out of her reverie.
She looked at her worried sisters who had come looking for her.
Turning her head, she gazed into the distance where Pegasus and that white-clothed figure had vanished.
After a long while, Medusa answered in a daze, "He was here..."
"He?"
"Who?"
The two loli goddesses blinked in slight confusion and asked.
"...That hero."
After a brief silence, Medusa continued, "The true owner of the revival potion, and the reason Athena revived us."
Hearing this, the two paused for a moment before realizing. One of them instinctively said, "You mean the one who seduced Athena and completely ruined her?"
"Yes..."
Medusa replied absentmindedly, her gaze still chasing the back of the departing Jason.
The two loli goddesses exchanged a glance, followed Medusa's line of sight, saw nothing, then looked around at everything on the island.
"All of this... he did it?"
"Yes." Medusa nodded again.
"What was his purpose? Where is he now?"
The two loli goddesses pressed.
"...He's already gone." Medusa finally turned her gaze back and said to her two sisters, "And most likely, he will never return."
"Never return?"
The two were stunned again.
"Wasn't he supposed to come kill us...?"
"No one will come to kill you anymore."
Before the two loli goddesses could finish, Athena—who had arrived at some unknown time and was now seated atop a large tree—spoke.
After the three looked toward her, Athena turned her head to gaze in the direction Jason had left.
At this moment, she was in an exceptionally good mood.
A smile bloomed on her face.
"Since this is his wish, his decision, I naturally will not object. So rest assured—from this day forward, no one will disturb you again.
You may remain on this little island forever."