Preparation

Bai Mo returned to the Argo, while Medea went back to the palace. She now wanted to tell her father about Bai Mo's plan.

Medea's father looked somewhat grim. "Daughter, who told you about this method?"

Mindful of Bai Mo's identity, Medea gave him an evasive answer. Seeing that his daughter was unwilling to say, her father did not press her. He gave her a noncommittal reply and sent her to rest.

That night, the king sat in his bedroom, looking at the bright moon. Aeëtes felt a headache coming on. How could he possibly agree to such a thing? He would rather die standing than choose to let his daughter do something so dangerous.

That night, Bai Mo stood on the roof of the king's bedchamber. He planted his unfinished blade in the roof and sensed everything around him in the night. Aeëtes was directly below him.

In his original plan, Bai Mo had intended to make the king disappear tonight. Colchis would surely fall into chaos, giving him the chance to take the Golden Fleece. Dealing with the venomous dragon would take considerable time, but as long as no one was in charge, all of Colchis would descend into disorder.

Then, once he had the Golden Fleece, he could simply leave with Jason and the others.

Of course, he had another plan. Medea was another person here who could threaten the Argo, and the best way to deal with a mage was to give her no chance to cast a spell. If he had not encountered Medea tonight, Bai Mo's original plan had been to render both her and the king unconscious. At the very least, he would make them sleep until the day after tomorrow, or knock them out and throw them onto a ship to send them out to sea.

Now that was impossible. Had Hecate noticed this factor and given Medea the thread of my fate because of it?

In any case, what was done was done. There was no point dwelling on the past. Still, judging by the king's reaction, he probably would not do as Medea had suggested.

"What a spoiled, fortunate princess."

He had seen what he came to see. It was time to go.

Late at night

Little Eros had no choice but to get to work. Fortunately, this time his targets were not troublesome and dangerous beings like Bai Ermo and Heracles. After confirming that Bai Ermo, who had stood on someone's roof instead of sleeping in the middle of the night, had left, little Eros picked up an arrow.

Aboard the Argo, the heroes' discussions continued unabated. The king was not the only one troubled. The Argo Heroes were also wondering how to deal with a country like Colchis.

"Let's attack. We have so many powerful heroes, as well as warriors like Heracles and Bai Ermo who can each take on a country alone. Does the enemy have anything worth fearing?"

"No. King Aeëtes is a descendant of the first sun god, and he married an Oceanid. This country is also protected by the war god. If we attack without just cause, the gods will curse us even if we win."

Bai Mo opened the door. All the heroes had gathered to discuss the matter, and everyone was talking at once. The room was lively.

"Bai Ermo, you're finally here. Quick, tell me, did you find anything this time?"

Bai Mo walked over to the map and pointed out four places. "This country has four springs made by the god of craftsmen. They provide a constant supply of fresh water, olive oil, wine, and milk, respectively. If we attack, we have to win in a single blow."

The group fell back into thought. Only Heracles remained unmoved.

"Then let's fight. Stop dithering. I'm already covered in curses, so a few more won't matter. If you make up your minds, we can flatten this country."

With that, Heracles returned to his room.

They reached no conclusion all night. In the end, they decided to send someone to accept the king's invitation the next day and see how things stood first.

The next day, Medea felt that something was wrong with her. Her heart was no longer at peace, and her thoughts were no longer calm. She attributed it to how shocking everything that had happened yesterday had been. Without giving it much thought, she went with her father Aeëtes to greet the Argo.

Bai Ermo had said that the captain of the Agor was a hero named Jason. She wondered what sort of man could make both Bai Ermo and Heracles willingly call him captain.

Medea walked along absentmindedly. Before long, the young woman reached the Argo, where Jason and four heroes had decided to attend this feast at which danger awaited.

Before setting out, Jason said to Bai Mo, "Sigh, I have a feeling the odds are against me this time."

Bai Mo, who knew the story well, was speechless, but he still did his best to put on an act. "What are you worried about? If the king kills you, does Colchis still want to survive? Don't worry."

"I'm not afraid of the king killing me. I'm worried I'll go there and be placed under house arrest. Bai Mo, if it really comes to that, you have to help me."

Bai Mo was speechless. For a moment, he had to admire Jason's imagination.

"If I'm put under house arrest, spread a rumor that persuasion works better on me than force. Better yet, get that old bastard Aeëtes to send a beauty to seduce me. At least that way I'll suffer a little less."

"I can't believe you came up with that. Don't worry, when the time comes, we'll make sure you're completely taken in by the beauty, then turn around and leave. You can enjoy the good life in Colchis."

"Hey, don't say such scary things! If you abandon me, I won't let you off even as a ghost!"

"Jason, the people from Colchis are here."

At the scout's call, Jason stepped onto the bow.

A breeze brushed the young woman's cheeks and stirred her heart. With the rising sun at his back, Jason stood at the bow of the Agor.

Light shone into the young woman's heart. Eros's arrow left her unable to think, and the feelings of love made her heart flutter.

At that moment, Medea fell in love.

Inside the cabin, Bai Mo watched Medea and could not help remarking on how quickly Eros had acted.

"Poor thing, what you long for is the poison that will lead you to a tragic fate."

Thinking of Medea's ending, Bai Mo could not help feeling a pang of sorrow. Tragedies were always hard to accept, but I have a chance to change all this. If I find an opportunity and use that lead-colored arrow...

Why would I do that, idiot?

Bai Mo put the lead-colored arrow in a cabinet.

"With the way things originally unfolded, Medea will spare no effort to help Jason. Even if I do nothing, they'll still get the Golden Fleece. Even if war breaks out, Medea's betrayal will only make it easier for us to seize the fruits of victory. On top of that, with my relationship with Jason, it'll be easier to get the thread of my fate. Why would I do something so pointless?"

Even Bai Mo himself did not notice that his thinking had begun to change.

That evening, Jason returned to the Argo.

"Looks like you didn't get your wish to have a beauty sent to seduce you."

Jason was in no mood to joke with Bai Mo. He had felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles throughout the visit. The pressure Aeëtes exerted on him was countless times greater than that of his uncle Pelias.

"Sigh, if my uncle Pelias is a fox, then Aeëtes is a lion. Bai Mo, we need to prepare for the worst."

Bai Mo, however, seemed entirely unconcerned. He asked calmly, "Did you meet the woman named Medea today? Did she say anything to you?"

Jason clapped his hands and said to Bai Mo, "Right, right, that woman! I asked around and found out everything. She's a disciple of the great witch Circe. I kept feeling her staring at me today. That look in her eyes was like a beast watching its prey."

"Your intuition is pretty sharp."

"What do I do? I've always tried to avoid drawing attention because I was afraid someone would set their sights on me. Why did that woman pick me?"

"Maybe it's love?"

But when Jason heard Bai Mo's words, he put a hand to his forehead as if he had heard a joke. "Is that some new kind of joke? Falling in love with an enemy? A story like that would only fool children."

Bai Mo looked at the oak carving of the goddess and said calmly, "Not necessarily. Love is just that absurd."

Just then, an eagle flew over the Argo, chasing a dove. The dove seemed quite clever and landed in a sailor's hands, seeking shelter.

"It's an omen! Quick, touch the statue of the goddess and receive the revelation the gods have given me."

Soon, a somewhat older hero took up a lyre and closed his eyes. For a moment, no one dared make the slightest sound.

Bai Mo, however, heard a voice. It traveled across several miles and sounded directly in his ears.

"Bai Ermo, please come out for a talk."

As it happened, everyone's attention was drawn to the divine revelation, so Bai Mo slipped away without a sound.

In the woods, Bai Mo arrived as agreed and leaned against a tree. After a while, a woman wearing a luxurious black court gown came to the spot below him.

Medea asked, "Do you prefer standing in high places?"

"Yes, I like standing somewhere a little higher."

"From where you are, you should be able to see the Argo, right? Where is the hero Jason now?"

Bai Mo gave Medea a complicated look. "I don't know. I'm not a divine archer. If you want to see him, just go."

Medea pressed a hand to her chest and lowered her head. Then, as if she had made some momentous decision, she said to Bai Mo, "Bai Ermo, hurry and take Jason away. There's no time left."

"What happened?"

Medea raised her head and said to Bai Mo, "Father made a sacrifice to the war god. Tonight, the army of Colchis will receive the war god's blessing. Father has already sent word, and the surrounding fleets have begun preparing to blockade the sea. If you don't leave now, it'll be too late."

Bai Mo's heart tightened, and he thought to himself, I never expected Heracles alone to change the story this much. Ares, that guy really is a petty god.

"They won't leave."

Bai Mo knew full well that the Argo Heroes feared neither heaven nor earth. They also had an arrogance deep in their bones, and their pride would never allow them to return empty-handed.

Medea grew even more anxious and immediately took Bai Mo with her to the Agor.

Aboard the Argo, the others had already received the divine revelation: Princess Medea would fall in love with Jason and help them obtain the Golden Fleece. Before long, they saw Medea arrive at the Agor.

Naturally, Bai Mo did not want to be with Medea. That would be too awkward. So he silently climbed aboard again from the other side of the ship. Just as he was about to climb up the stern like a spider, a hand grabbed him.

"Oh, did our great hero go off to meet his lover in secret?"

"Don't tease me, Atalanta."

Bai Mo climbed aboard the Argo with Atalanta's help. Almost everyone's attention was on Medea. Only Atalanta and Heracles stood beside Bai Mo.

"Aren't you going to take a look? Medea might have brought important information."

Atalanta snorted. "Asking you would be just as good, wouldn't it? I don't believe you don't know anything."

Did this woman wake up looking for a fight? It's been so long, and she's still like this?

Bai Mo only dared think it to himself. Then Heracles asked, "Where is that arrow of yours?"

"It's in the cabinet by my bed. Why?"

Heracles frowned, and Atalanta asked with some confusion, "I thought you'd already used it on that Medea while you were away."

Bai Mo was somewhat puzzled. "Why would you think that? Medea's actions this time have far-reaching consequences. You both know this is Hera's will, and the lead-colored arrow has already been exposed. If I use it, the worst-case scenario is that I bring Eros's curse down on us."

Atalanta found something strange, though she could not say what. Bai Mo's words were reasonable and well-founded, but she still felt something was missing.

Heracles said to Bai Mo, "Did you make a deal with the gods?"

Bai Mo shook his head. "How could I? Why would you think that?"

Heracles said gravely, "The Bai Ermo I know wouldn't watch someone else's fate being toyed with so indifferently. Even if you were powerless to stop it, you shouldn't be this calm. Bai Ermo, have you been in contact with a god?"

Contact? Hecate should be the only one during this time. But now isn't the time to think about that. To lift Medea's love curse, we at least have to wait until the Argo gets away safely.

Bai Mo gave a brief, evasive answer. After hearing about Hecate, Heracles fell into thought.

Atalanta could not quite explain the strange feeling either, so she let it go. That was not what they needed to consider now. The survival of the Argo was at stake.

By now, a heated discussion was underway aboard the Argo.

"Medea is right, Jason. If there's only death ahead, we shouldn't go forward."

"You must be joking! We went through countless hardships to get here. Are we supposed to slink away without even seeing the Golden Fleece?"

"That's right. So what if they have Ares's blessing?"

"Even dying in battle is better than living in disgrace."

"But it'll be difficult. In the end, only warriors as strong as Heracles and Bai Ermo may be able to fight their way out. That's the fleet of Colchis and the war god's blessing we're talking about!"

"So what? As long as we fight bravely, the war god will cast his gaze upon us too. When that happens, we may still have a chance of winning."

Everyone argued at once, and the entire Argo was in an uproar. Jason was the one bearing the pressure. As captain, he had the greatest authority to decide whether they stayed or left.

Sweat kept running down Jason's forehead.

What do I do? If we leave, there'll be no hope of reclaiming my throne. But... that's an entire fleet. Even if these heroes can each fight a hundred men, even with Bai Mo and Heracles here, can they keep me safe under a rain of arrows?

Bai Mo and Heracles were not gods, or at least Heracles was not one yet. He could kill every enemy by himself, but what about Jason and the others? They would be killed by the enemy, and Heracles could not lay down his life to protect them.

What should I do? What should I do...?

Invisible pressure had closed in around Jason, but in that state, his mind worked faster than ever.

"We're leaving, but we can't just leave like this."

Jason's words decided the fate of the Argo.

Some time later, everyone was eager for action and checking their equipment. This time, all their top fighters were setting out, including Heracles, Bai Mo, Atalanta, and Polydeuces.

"Will Medea really help us?"

"She will. The gods' revelation can never be wrong. Look at Medea-she's completely lovestruck over Jason."

Telamon's expression darkened, and he spoke slowly. "I didn't come here to be a woman's servant. Everyone, I refuse to believe we can't deal with that venomous dragon without Medea!"

Telamon was firmly in favor of fighting, but he was also quite a male chauvinist. Having to rely on Medea was unacceptable to him.

Bai Mo figured that Medea should have obtained Hecate's potion and dagger by now. That part of the story should have some danger but end safely. Still, Bai Mo truly had not expected Jason to be brave enough to make such a decision.

"Jason judged correctly. Colchis is busy preparing to deal with the Argo, leaving its interior undefended. This is the best chance to take the Golden Fleece. We're walking a tightrope, but the reward at the other end is rich enough."