"Chiron, I'll leave this child to you."
Inside the cave of Pelion, Ares handed the infant, who had white hair despite not yet growing up, to the gentle-looking, long-haired centaur before him.
"He is Asclepius, the son of Apollo and Coronis. I hope you can raise him well."
"Leave him to me."
Chiron gently took the infant from Ares, then, with a posture far more professional than Ares's, embraced Asclepius. He lowered his head, carefully examined Asclepius's face, and then chuckled:
"What a clever child. He will surely become a great healer in the future."
"I didn't expect you to be proficient in divination as well."
Ares was a little surprised.
"It's alright. After all, I love learning, so I once studied divination from Prometheus."
Chiron gently placed Asclepius on a soft cushion, then cast a spell, weaving a cradle on the spot:
"Just as I also learned a bit of magic from Hecate, medicine and music from Apollo, and archery from Artemis. Of course, this also includes the combat techniques for various weapons you taught me not long ago, and that unarmed combat art, Pankration."
Ares watched him skillfully prepare various items for Asclepius and couldn't help but ask:
"Do you need any compensation? That kid Apollo only cares about conceiving and not raising, but he can provide living expenses."
"No, no. After all, when I learned medicine and music from Apollo, he didn't charge me any compensation. Consider this my way of repaying him." Chiron smiled and shook his head: "Besides, I quite enjoy educating people myself. Look, I even picked up a child from outside and brought him back."
With that, he carried Asclepius's cradle and led Ares into the back room of the cave. There, Ares saw another cradle, containing a golden-haired infant who was trying to stuff his foot into his mouth. However, the moment he saw Ares enter, the little infant cried out with a "waa."
Chiron quickly placed Asclepius's cradle nearby, then went over to comfort the little blond. Hearing the crying, Asclepius also woke up. Apollo's son was much calmer; he actually sat up by himself from the cradle and, using his hands to cling to the edge of the cradle, stared with deadpan eyes at the crying blond infant in Chiron's arms.
Seeing this, Ares also retreated from the cave. Chiron comforted the infant inside for a long time before emerging with a wry smile, apologizing to Ares:
"I'm sorry, Ares. He usually doesn't cry. I don't know why he cried so much today."
"Perhaps the smell of blood on me is too strong." Ares glanced into the cave, just in time to see Apollo's son, Asclepius, quietly pick up a toy from the table and throw it into the little blond's cradle. So he continued to ask:
"What's that child's name?"
"His name is Jason, the son of Aeson, King of Thessaly," Chiron said with a smile. "He will be the heir of Thessaly, and a future captain who will embark on a glorious journey with a host of great Heroes."
"Since you already know, then teach him more about moral character," Ares said. "For example, don't lie to women, don't lie to women, and don't lie to women."
"How can I teach this?" Chiron scratched his head, a little troubled. "I don't have any experience interacting with women myself."
"Then forget it," Ares sighed. "I'll figure something out in the future."
"You truly work hard." Chiron looked at Ares, then hesitated and said, "Ares, is there really nothing else you need my help with?"
"What do you mean?"
Ares asked in return.
"Although I am a god, compared to gods who are immortal and ageless, with almost no change from birth to maturity, I prefer humans who are born imperfect but constantly strive forward with that imperfection," Chiron said meaningfully. "While I cannot stand at the forefront to oppose my former brethren, if you need me to instruct a few individuals, I can certainly do it."
As he said this, Ares understood his meaning. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren't you afraid Athena and Zeus will mess with you?"
"I'm just a teacher, what does it have to do with me?" Chiron replied with a smile. "Besides, this is for the sake of the students. You could say it's a small arrogance of an educator."
"Heh." Ares couldn't help but smile upon hearing his words. He replied, "Alright then, I won't be polite."
He thought for a moment, then first said to Chiron, "So now, Chiron, I would like to ask you to teach someone, as compensation for me teaching you Pankration and various combat techniques."
"Who?" Chiron asked.
"He is Heracles, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, the adopted son of Amphitryon, King of Thebes, and Greece's greatest hero to be," Ares said. "In a few years, I will send someone to notify you. At that time, I hope you can agree to teach him archery and martial arts."
"No problem," Chiron readily agreed.
"And then, I hope you can raise the next infant I send."
Ares stroked his chin and continued to make his request.
Chiron, being an enthusiast of education, naturally did not refuse and quickly agreed.
After settling the terms with Chiron, Ares's true form went directly to Hecate's Garden in the Underworld, and asked his reclusive teacher, who was relaxing in a rocking chair:
"Teacher, would you mind telling my fortune?"
"Huh?"
Hecate heard him, removed the blindfold from her eyes, blinked, and asked in surprise, "What fortune are you asking for now? I can't calculate anything involving powerful figures; go find Apollo or Prometheus yourself."
"It's not about any powerful figures." Ares smiled, unfurled the parchment in his hand, and displayed a long list of names to Hecate: "I just want to ask you to see which of these people haven't been born yet."
...
Several years passed in a flash. Years later, on the lawn in front of the Pelion cave, a few young children were sitting properly, watching the tall centaur in front of them lead another boy of similar age.
This boy was robust and his physique could almost rival that of Heracles, the strongest among them. Chiron led him close to the group of children, and then announced to the Heroes:
"This is Perseus, my new student, your new companion. Everyone, please treat him well."