"Do you have a dream?"
"Ah?"
Caught off guard by the question, Hinata froze, scratching her head as she fell silent. If anyone else had asked her something like that, she probably would have stayed silent to the end.
But for some reason, she was willing to talk about such things with this woman who called herself Hyuga Tamamo.
"A dream?" Hinata fell into thought. "I don't think I have any particular dream. If I had to name one, it would probably be earning Father's approval and being able to protect my little sister."
"A very simple wish, but that is precisely what makes it feel more real." Tamamo chuckled softly. Her smile was gentle and winding, like a spring breeze.
"But no matter how simple a dream may be, making it come true still requires enough effort. If you have that conviction, I can teach you." Hyuga Tamamo spoke calmly. It had been a long time since she had returned to the Hyuga Clan of Konoha, and meeting Hinata on this visit had merely been an accident.
Yet she found herself feeling an unusual fondness for Hinata. Though this little girl's personality was vastly different from her own, looking at her inevitably reminded Tamamo of herself as a child.
That was why she had entertained the thought of teaching her. Come to think of it, she had never taken a single disciple in all these years.
Of course, that was also because Hinata resembled her. If it had been Hyuga Hiashi instead, Tamamo probably would not even have spared him a glance. Most likely, he would never have met her at all.
"Can... can you really?" Hinata asked in delighted surprise. Though she did not know how strong Hyuga Tamamo was, her instincts alone told her that this woman