"Yes, I understand."
Medea nodded softly, gazing at Hecate.
Although she could sense that something was different about her teacher today, she knew better than to ask too many questions.
After all, Hecate was a true goddess, Medea's teacher, and the very deity Medea worshiped.
A week later, after concluding her current experiment, Hecate stepped out of her temple.
As she prepared to leave the Underworld and arrived at its gate—where the three-headed hellhound Cerberus stood guard—the fierce beast immediately lowered itself before her upon seeing her.
Its tail wagged incessantly, and it let out low, submissive whimpers toward Hecate.
"Not this time," Hecate said, patting its head. "I'm just handling a small matter. I'll be back soon."
With that, she walked out through the gates of the Underworld.
Pausing briefly outside, she raised a hand, and a single underworld butterfly materialized out of thin air. Soon, more and more of these glowing, ghostly-blue butterflies appeared around her.
When the swarm of butterflies dispersed and fluttered away, Hecate had vanished from the Underworld's gate.
In an instant, she arrived in the Arcadia region—specifically, the mountains where Jason and his peers lived and studied under Chiron.
"This should do."
Being a deity with ties to the Underworld, Hecate wasn't fond of sunlight, so she seated herself in the shade of a dense, towering tree.
Her lips moved slightly, and with a murmur of divine speech, the beautiful goddess transformed into an elderly woman with a head full of white hair, leaning on a cane.
It wasn't long before two figures appeared—Jason and Meleagros, who had just returned from a hunt for the Calydonian Boar, both clad in the special apprentice garb crafted by Chiron.
Jason carried a basket on his back, while the slightly older Meleagros held a hunting bow, a quiver slung over his shoulder.
"The herb-gathering task is done for today! Thanks a lot, Senior Meleagros! And we even got lucky, catching a few wild hares. When we get back, I'll personally roast them for you!"
On the way home, the blond, blue-eyed Jason—barely twelve years old—grinned as he spoke to Meleagros.
Meleagros, who had initially brushed it off, couldn't help but brighten at the mention of Jason roasting the hares. His eyes lit up, and he even licked his lips, smiling in anticipation.
After all, Jason was a foodie from the 21st century who had transmigrated into this world. Even if he hadn't cooked much in his previous life, his culinary skills now would undoubtedly surpass this world's chefs by miles!
The two got along well—one could even say Jason had successfully achieved his initial goal.
Over the past month, he had managed to build good relationships with most of Chiron's students.
Since he had only been apprenticed for a week, Jason was the youngest among them—the little junior brother of the group.
He had a naturally good appearance, a silver tongue thanks to his past life, and his fellow students had yet to be hardened by society.
Chiron, too, was pleased to see his students getting along, which made it even easier for Jason to integrate.
"Eh...?"
Just as Meleagros quickened his pace in excitement over Jason's roasted meat, he suddenly spotted something ahead—Hecate, in her elderly disguise.
"Jason, look over there... isn't that an old woman?"
Jason, hearing this, looked up and quickly saw the white-haired elder.
"It is an old woman… but why is she here?!"
Meleagros, surprised, was about to approach her.
"Wait, wait!"
Jason immediately grabbed him in a panic. Under Meleagros' confused gaze, he leaned in and whispered urgently, "Senior Meleagros, we need to go! Right now!"
"Go?" Meleagros looked at him, baffled. "Why? Teacher Chiron told us to respect our elders and help them whenever we can!
This place is dangerous—shouldn't we be helping her get home?"
Oh, so you know it's dangerous? Then tell me—if this place is so dangerous, how could she have ended up here if she were just an ordinary old woman?!
Jason realized it instantly—this was a god!
Unlike Meleagros, Jason had lived in an age of internet knowledge and read plenty of mythology.
He knew these setups far too well.
But he couldn't just outright tell Meleagros. Leaving aside the fact that people here revered the gods, who knew if revealing the disguise would anger the deity?
So Jason's mind turned quickly, and he put on a righteous expression.
"Senior Meleagros, you're right! We should follow Teacher Chiron's teachings and help our elders!"
He took two determined steps forward.
Then, suddenly, his face twisted in pain.
"Ah! Ow, ow! My stomach! It hurts so bad!" Jason clutched his abdomen. "Senior Meleagros, you go ahead! I think I ate something bad last night—I need to find Teacher Chiron for medicine!"
Before Meleagros could react, Jason turned and bolted.
Meleagros stood there, dumbfounded, watching Jason disappear into the distance.
He wanted to ask—if you're so sick, why are you running so fast…?
Scratching his head in confusion, Meleagros hesitated for a moment before ultimately approaching Hecate.
"Old lady, are you alright? Do you need any help?"
Hecate, still disguised, gazed silently at Meleagros—then past him, at the rapidly fleeing Jason.
For a moment, even she was confused.
She hadn't expected such a reaction.
But since her target was Jason, not Meleagros, she had no interest in unnecessary conversation.
Too bad—she had even memorized her prepared lines.
"Sleep," she said simply.
Meleagros collapsed instantly.
Hecate rose, thought for a moment, then once again dissolved into a flurry of underworld butterflies.
The next time she reappeared, she was ahead of Jason.
This time, she took the form of a young woman with a basket on her back, seated by a clear stream, pretending to have a twisted ankle.
Before long, Jason, who had run quite a distance, finally slowed, patting his chest in relief.
"Good, good… I ran fast enough. Otherwise…"
Just as he spoke, his gaze landed on Hecate's new form, sitting ahead with her back to him.
Jason froze.
Paused.
Then, silently turned around—
—and crept away, terror written all over his face.
He was running again.
Hecate, watching him carefully this time, furrowed her brows.
Ten minutes later, Jason turned another corner—only to find a crying little girl under a tree.
Jason fell silent.
"Uh-oh. Why is there a little girl here?"
Then, with a righteous expression, he declared, "This is too dangerous! Fortunately, we're not far from Teacher Chiron's place. I need to call the senior brothers for help!
Little girl, don't be afraid! Stay right here—I'll be back soon with help!"
With that, Jason turned and ran—this time even faster, as if he wished for extra legs to sprout just to escape.
The disguised Hecate, now in the form of a crying child, twitched slightly.
This brat…!
Not bad, using Chiron's name to justify running away… As if I don't know exactly how far his cave is!
Meanwhile, Jason was internally wailing.
Old woman, young woman, little girl… What's next?!
A baby?!
Please, mighty goddess, leave me alone! I see nothing, I know nothing—I don't know anything!