Atalanta watched as Jason disappeared into the distance. At first, she didn't think much of it.
Nature calls, after all. Instinctively, she assumed Jason had just gone to relieve himself... Though, admittedly, his movements had seemed a little odd—somewhat sneaky, even.
But would a nobleman's son really choose this moment to run away?
Never mind that this ancient forest was full of dangers—the real question was, what was he even trying to gain from this?
So, minutes passed. Then ten minutes. Then half an hour…
Hmm. Why isn't he back yet?
Atalanta, who had been resting with her eyes half-closed but never fully asleep, finally frowned. She leapt down from the tree.
Glancing at the hunter standing watch, she hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose not to sound the alarm. Most likely, Jason had just eaten something bad and was dealing with an upset stomach. Or maybe he'd encountered some kind of insect or reptile along the way.
Figuring he couldn't have gone far, she decided to search for him herself.
As an excellent huntress, Atalanta quickly picked up Jason's trail. And the moment she did, she knew something was wrong.
His tracks had been deliberately erased. Sloppily, yes, but erased nonetheless—definitely the work of an amateur.
"Wait… Did he… run?"
Following the trail for a few minutes, Atalanta finally pieced things together. She froze.
"Is he out of his mind?!"
Running into the forest alone in the dead of night—was he trying to get himself killed?!
Atalanta was stunned. Then, looking up at the moonlight—full moon tonight—she turned back toward the camp, hesitated for a moment, and then gritted her teeth.
"If he wants to die, that's his business. But he still owes me money!"
That settled it. No more hesitation. Atalanta took off, following Jason's trail.
Meanwhile, Jason's escape was not going smoothly.
Despite having traveled for nearly a month by now, he had always been "looked after" and rarely had to travel deep into the night.
On top of that, he was unfamiliar with the terrain and could only follow the directions on his guide, which slowed him down considerably.
So, within ten minutes or so, Atalanta—an exceptional huntress—easily caught up to him.
"Hmm… Is that a sound behind me…?"
Hearing the unnatural cries of animals from behind, Jason instinctively glanced over his shoulder.
And there, bathed in the full moon's glow, was Atalanta—curved blade in hand, effortlessly cutting down any creature blocking her path.
Unlike Jason, who was running in a flustered panic, Atalanta looked completely at ease. After all, for a hunter like her, night was just another time for hunting. She was more than used to navigating the forest after dark.
Jason saw her. And, naturally, Atalanta saw him too.
Dressed in stark white against the dark backdrop of the forest, Jason was about as inconspicuous as a beacon in the night.
Seeing that he was unharmed, Atalanta felt a subtle wave of relief, even though she still wasn't quite sure what was going on.
She was about to call out to him, to drag him back to camp—
And then she saw Jason's face twist in horror, as if he had just spotted some kind of plague demon. He turned and bolted, suddenly running several times faster than before.
He was trying to ditch her.
…
Excuse me, but what the hell does that mean?!
Atalanta had excellent eyesight and saw Jason's entire reaction. Instantly, her mood soured.
Then, she recalled how he had snubbed her earlier that afternoon, forcing her to follow in secret.
The more she thought about it, the more infuriated she became.
Fine! If he wants to run, then I'm going to catch him!
Initially, she had only come after him out of sheer goodwill. But now? Now, it was personal.
And so, the chase was on.
Jason, naturally, ran for his life.
Truth be told, Jason had no chance of outrunning Atalanta. His speed was nowhere near hers—in fact, among all Greek heroes, Atalanta's swiftness was among the very best.
Even if she was still young, well… so was he.
That said, Jason did have a few advantages. His white robes stood out, sure, but his body was impervious to blades and spears, allowing him to ignore most obstacles in his way.
Atalanta, on the other hand, had to deal with those obstacles, which slowed her down.
Thus, despite their difference in speed, the chase gradually reached a bizarre equilibrium.
For half an hour, they ran like that. And as he cooled down, Jason began to regret his decision. He realized that, instead of running, he should have just confronted Atalanta directly—talked things out, then subtly paid her to leave.
But when he slowed down to do just that, he noticed something unsettling.
Atalanta's eyes had grown sharper and more focused. Her hand was already reaching for her bow, itching for action.
…Yeah, okay. Stopping now seems like a terrible idea.
Jason had an ominous feeling. He was right. If he stopped now, Atalanta's mood would likely worsen.
His head started to ache.
"This woman… is nothing but trouble," he muttered under his breath.
Sighing, Jason finally gave up on running. More than anything, he was starting to accept that he wasn't going to shake her off. So, after a brief moment of thought, he deliberately slowed down, feigning exhaustion.
Bit by bit, the distance between them closed. Within minutes, Atalanta finally caught up.
Just as Jason was about to breathe a sigh of relief—
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Atalanta glared at him. "You actually thought I couldn't catch you, didn't you?!"
"...You've been chasing me for half an hour. Don't you know the answer to that question already?"
Jason furrowed his brows and gave a blunt, straightforward reply.
He didn't want trouble, but that didn't mean he feared it.
Atalanta might become a renowned hero in the future, but right now? Right now, she was just a girl. A skilled warrior, sure, but still human—not a goddess.
Jason figured he had already handled things reasonably well. Yet, here she was, still refusing to let it go.
Maybe… I should just knock her out and escape while I can?
He stared at Atalanta, who was blinking at him in disbelief, clearly caught off guard by his response. He began seriously considering the feasibility of this plan.
Hmm… The moon isn't hidden, and the wind isn't howling, but we are in an uninhabited ancient forest… This could work.
He had just made up his mind—
But before he could act, Atalanta's ears twitched. Her expression shifted.
Without warning, she grabbed Jason's wrist and yanked him into a nearby thicket.
They crouched, bodies pressed close, as Atalanta clamped a hand over Jason's mouth and peered cautiously through the leaves.
Moments later, a massive, drooling lion emerged from the shadows, its heavy footsteps echoing through the still night…