Teacher Hephaestus, I did not.
This is just a necessary sacrifice to achieve the goal!
...Of course, Jason would not say such words out loud.
But his current winking and making eyes at Hephaestus undoubtedly conveyed exactly that meaning.
And just as Jason's teacher's wife said those words, actually, not only was Hephaestus shocked, but the beautiful goddess Aphrodite was also stunned for a moment.
She looked at Jason with a very surprised expression, clearly not expecting that Jason would actually call her that.
After all, they had already said that the two sides had not seen each other for over three hundred years.
But when the beautiful goddess Aphrodite saw Hephaestus's overreactive response, after coming back to her senses, she could not help but laugh.
At this moment, the beautiful goddess Aphrodite saw it: Hephaestus cared a lot about Jason, cared to the extent that she even wanted to draw a clear line with her, this beautiful goddess, the legitimate wife.
For fear that Jason would misunderstand.
"A very cute child."
The smiling beautiful goddess walked toward the two of them, while slowly saying in a beautiful voice: "No wonder it makes Athena, Artemis, and the others care so much, even almost causing a dispute once."
Aphrodite's voice attracted Jason to subconsciously look toward her.
The charming beautiful goddess, even her voice carried a seductive charm that attracted people, making Jason's gaze stay on Aphrodite's body, unable to shift away for a moment.
And then she came in front of Jason, reached out and gently stroked Jason's cheek, gazing at Jason's emerald-like eyes, and said with a charming smile: "Even I... somewhat want to claim you for myself."
The voice full of temptation did not make Jason indulge in it.
Instead, it had the opposite effect, instantly waking Jason up.
Looking at Aphrodite, his whole body became slightly stiff...
This goddess is not to be trifled with; if possible, he must stay far away from her!
In an instant, such an idea occupied Jason's mind.
As for the reason... When encountering slightly prettier heroes, like Atalanta, Jason avoids them as much as possible.
Let alone the beautiful goddess in front of him, whom any man would indulge in her beauty upon looking at her!
And Jason's reaction naturally did not escape Aphrodite's gaze.
This stunned Aphrodite again.
Up to now, for the gazes thrown at her by others, whether men or women, possession, admiration, amazement, and the like, Aphrodite had seen plenty.
But... What is this fear on the face at first meeting?
She is the beautiful goddess Aphrodite!
Just as Aphrodite was slightly stunned, Hephaestus in the wheelchair could not stand it anymore, slapped away Aphrodite's dirty hand on Jason, frowned at Aphrodite, and said: "Aphrodite, what do you want to do? I warn you, don't lay hands on my student! Otherwise..."
"Otherwise... Otherwise what?"
Aphrodite lowered her head to look at Hephaestus and said with a faint smile: "Otherwise, you will enforce family law on me, my husband?"
"You..." Hephaestus's forehead was full of black lines, looking at Aphrodite in front of her, for a moment she actually did not know what to say!
She even began to suspect whether the Aphrodite in front of her was real!
Because over hundreds of years, this was the first time Aphrodite had used a term like husband to address her.
Aphrodite loathed this marriage... Loathed it immensely.
Naturally, Aphrodite also loathed Hephaestus, who was the child of Hera and Zeus because of this!
And all of this, Hephaestus naturally knew.
"...What exactly do you want to do." Taking a few deep breaths, Hephaestus said unpleasantly to Aphrodite: "Back then, I did pursue you because of your beauty, but everything ended long ago, Aphrodite!"
Oh my, Teacher, you are so brave!
Jason looked at Hephaestus in shock.
Hephaestus noticed Jason's gaze, coughed unnaturally, and said: "Obedient disciple, don't think nonsense. Even back then, I actually had no other intentions. I just felt that she and I were both squeezed out by Hera and Zeus, so... In short, it is all in the past, past matters!"
"In the past?... That remains to be seen."
Aphrodite said faintly: "Because our marriage was recognized by the gods; this is an undeniable fact."
Upon hearing this, Hephaestus could not help but frown slightly at Aphrodite and said: "Aphrodite, what exactly do you want to do?... Wasn't it you who opposed this marriage the most?!"
"Opposed... Does opposition work?" Aphrodite smiled faintly.
Then she sat down beside them, with an elegant sitting posture and a charming smile, softly saying: "Moreover, now it is not about what I want to do, but what you... What you all want to do, right? Hephaestus, don't forget, a few days ago when I came to find you, you shut me out, but today it is you who invited me..."
Saying this, Aphrodite's gaze fell on Jason and she said with a light smile: "And the reason, if I am not mistaken, is because of him, right?"
Seeing this, Jason very intuitively stood out... Although at this moment, Jason's heart still felt quite regretful, after all, such a gossip opportunity was super rare.
"Yes, Goddess Aphrodite, this time it is indeed I who presumptuously requested Teacher Hephaestus to invite you over..."
Saying this, Jason explained his purpose in detail.
After all, there was no need to hide it specially.
"The matter is like this. I wonder, Goddess Aphrodite, you..."
Before Jason could finish his words, he was directly interrupted by Aphrodite, who said: "Alright, I can agree to you and accompany you to the Underworld once."
Jason was slightly stunned and looked at Aphrodite with some surprise, clearly not expecting her to agree directly.
"What do you want to do?" Hephaestus continued to remain vigilant, looking at Aphrodite.
Aphrodite smiled slightly and beckoned to Jason.
Seeing this, Jason could not help but glance at Hephaestus, then stepped forward and was grabbed by Aphrodite, pulled to her side.
"Does helping one's own student need a reason?" Aphrodite made Jason lean down, pinched his cheek, and said with a beaming smile.
"He is not your student; he is mine!" Hephaestus widened her eyes.
"Your student, isn't that my student too?... Child, from today on, you have to call me teacher's wife, got it?"
Aphrodite said this and threw Jason a flirtatious glance.
When Jason saw this and truly did not know what to say, he turned his head to look at Hephaestus, slightly stunned and could not help but let the corner of his mouth curve up a tiny bit.
Because Hephaestus was very angry now, and that gnashing teeth appearance, to be honest, was the first time Jason had seen it on Hephaestus.
Usually, Hephaestus gave Jason the feeling of an extremely gentle goddess big sister, making Jason always want to act spoiled toward her, but now...
Aphrodite was clearly teasing Teacher Hephaestus, but... Wasn't it said that their relationship was very bad?
While Jason felt it was amusing, he also doubtfully sneaked a glance at Aphrodite, feeling somewhat puzzled in his heart.
But actually, no matter what, the chance of Aphrodite rejecting Jason was extremely small, because Aphrodite herself had heard many things about Jason.
Unlike the queen of heaven Hera who could not see, up to now, all that Jason had done and the tributes he offered to the gods, Aphrodite knew.
Therefore, from the beginning, she was full of curiosity about Jason.
Just like the mother of the queen of heaven Hera and god-king Zeus, the second-generation queen Rhea, who left Olympus because of curiosity to meet Jason.
Strong curiosity would naturally also drive this beautiful goddess to follow Jason and satisfy her curiosity.
"However, as far as I know, the Underworld is not a place that can be entered and exited casually..."
And then before the beautiful goddess Aphrodite could finish her words, she heard Jason say: "This is no problem, Goddess Aphrodite... Cough, teacher's wife."
Saying this, Jason took out the white chess piece given to him by the primordial deity, the god of darkness Erebus, and said: "I have already gone to the great god of darkness Erebus beforehand and obtained his approval.
At the same time, I have also spoken to Hades, the king of the Underworld, and Thanatos, the god of death, and obtained permission.
Therefore, Teacher's wife Aphrodite, you only need to hold it, and you can freely enter and exit the Underworld... However, it seems like only once."
"Is that so... What is this?"
Hearing Jason so naturally say the name of the god of darkness, Aphrodite could not help but subconsciously look at Jason twice, but then considering Jason's relationship with the goddess of crossroads Hecate, she did not say anything.
She took the white chess piece and casually asked.
"This is a chess piece; it is the tribute I am giving to the god of the abyss Tartarus."
So Jason also casually replied.
This time, even Hephaestus looked at Jason with a face full of surprise.
Although she knew Jason's relationship with Typhon, the ancestor of all monsters, was different, she really did not know that Jason's relationship with the god of the abyss Tartarus was also different.
Actually, not to mention Hephaestus; two days ago, when Hecate saw Jason so naturally maneuvering among the primordial deities, her expression was also extremely strange...
"A tribute... Speaking of which, little Jason."
Aphrodite gently rubbed the white chess piece in her hand and smiled: "Have you prepared the tribute for me, your teacher's wife?"