Medea, A adorable young mage, was burning the midnight oil as she worked tirelessly on her potions and spells.
"My father has been so irritable lately," she yawned, pushing away the books scattered across her desk and resting her chin on her hands. "I wish I could help him, but I'm just a frail girl with only basic magic skills and a few potion-brewing tricks."
She gazed out the window at the moonlit sky, her thoughts weighed down by troubling rumors she had overheard. A hero named Jason was coming with a ship full of companions to seize the Golden Fleece, and their arrival was imminent.
If she could, she would have liked to ease her father's burdens, but her abilities felt woefully inadequate.
Suddenly, a hand slapped against the edge of the window with a loud smack.
"Ah!" Medea gasped, falling off her chair and sending books and scrolls tumbling to the floor.
"My my princess, your reaction was like you saw a monster," Cyd said with a chuckle as he climbed into the room. He glanced around at the cluttered desk and the various bottles and books scattered about. "Looks like you're quite skilled with magic."
"W-What do you want?" Medea stammered, her hands trembling as she picked up a potion that could turn people into pigeons, holding it defensively.
"Don't worry, I've dealt with all the guards," Cyd said with a reassuring smile, though his words only deepened Medea's apprehension. "We can talk properly now."
"You managed to get past all the guards so easily?" Medea said, her disbelief evident.
"Of course," Cyd said, glancing at Medusa, who was sitting on the stone steps outside and swaying her head idly. "I have a very capable companion."
"Then why did you have to climb in through the window?" Medea asked, her annoyance showing.
"Ah, I see now. You must be one of those heroes after the Golden Fleece," Medea said, her eyes narrowing as she prepared to throw the potion. "Well, it's no use; I won't let you threaten my father."
"Wait, wait, wait! I'm not part of Jason's crew!" Cyd quickly swatted the potion out of Medea's hand. "Is being a loyal daughter the only thing that matters to you?"
"What do you mean by that?" Medea glared at him. "Is there something wrong with loving my father?"
The irony was not lost on Cyd. Medea was once so eager to help Jason seize the Fleece that she had betrayed her own family, dismembered her brother, and cooked her father for Jason's cousin.
But Medea had not yet fallen to darkness, and Cyd fell into thoughtful silence.
Medea was meant to become a treacherous witch because of Jason's actions, but before being abandoned, she had been a sweet and innocent girl. It was her very innocence that led her to betray her country and family. It wasn't that Medea was inherently evil—it was Jason's betrayal that had driven her to darkness.
But Jason remains a scoundrel.
Medea, annoyed by Cyd's lingering gaze, pouted. She might not know what he wanted, but at least she could be sure he wasn't here to harm her.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, hugging the scattered books to her chest.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that just yet," Cyd said, bending down to offer her a hand. "But I promise I won't hurt you."
"Well, I have no way to resist you," Medea said, taking his hand as she stood up, her lips curling into a frown. "So what do you want?"
Cyd clicked his tongue and set the books back on the desk.
"Don't be upset. I'm actually here to help you," he said, stepping back to give her some space.
"Help me? Then why don't you just climb back out the way you came in?" Medea pointed at the window.
"The Golden Fleece," Cyd said with a smirk.
Medea stiffened at the mention of the Fleece, and Cyd's expression turned playful.
"That thing isn't as precious as it seems. Its only real purpose is to attract heroes who want to claim it for themselves," Cyd said, glancing at the cluttered desk. "Jason is one of those heroes."
"He won't be able to take the Golden Fleece," Medea said firmly, clenching her fists. "My father would never give it up."
"That's true," Cyd said with a shrug. "It's not about whether he will give it up. It's about the fact that someone will come to try and take it."
He knew that if Jason and his crew could have taken the Fleece by force, they would have done so already. But this time, they were up against an entire kingdom. They would attempt to convince the king to give it up by making the Fleece seem unattainable, a common tactic to achieve their goals.
"Jason might have had the courage to try if Heracles were here, but without him, he won't dare to take it," Cyd said, snapping his fingers. "Yet you still refuse to cooperate with me?"
"What do you want from me?" Medea asked again, her frustration clear.
"Throw away the hot potato," Cyd said, tossing one of the potions from Medea's desk at her. "For example, you could give it to Jason, who's coming soon."
"Be careful!" Medea caught the potion in a panic, glaring at Cyd. "And you're still trying to help Jason!"
"Sorry, I have no intention of giving the Fleece to Jason—I just want to get him into trouble," Cyd said, a hint of mischief in his eyes.
"Throwing the hot potato to the biggest target is the best strategy," Cyd said with a shrug. "The Golden Fleece itself isn't all that useful. Even if you kept it forever, it wouldn't serve much purpose."
"My father would never give up the Golden Fleece, and Jason could never complete the trials he set," Medea said slowly, considering his words.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure Jason overcomes the trials and gets the Golden Fleece. But I need you to help with one small thing," Cyd said with a sly smile.
Medea thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, what do you need me to do?"