No one said a word the moment the girl had finished her speech.

After a while, the Chief sighed heavily and finally admitted. "Well, that's not entirely wrong. Being a hero takes a lot of courage and responsibility.

That's unexpected. I didn't think he would respond that way. She thought.

"I don't expect you to take on that responsibility." He added.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"Hmm... Despite what you said, you didn't refuse the training altogether. Why?" He questioned.

Why? Does he want me to give him a straight answer? She thought to herself.

The girl looked down at her feet. She didn't have to think hard about the answer she wanted to convey.

"I want to get stronger." She answered.

"But you said you didn't want to be a hero. For what purpose do you want to get stronger?" He emphasized.

The girl paused to take a glimpse at her mother, who was patiently waiting for her to speak, then continued. "I want to get strong enough to protect the people I love and cherish."

To Be Continued...