"I've seen so many people lately from the city that look down on everything in this small little town just because they think it's a lowly place compared to where they're from, like the trio earlier, that I've gotten tired of it, and it feels like a fresh breath of air to meet someone like you who values other people's heritage...It honestly even gives me little hope that the world isn't full of shitty people who know no decency, who I have to deal with every once in a while, and that there are some nice people out there like you as well." Nina said with a rather indignant look on her face, like she was tired of meeting such assholes.
This anger probably came from the encounters she must have had in the past with the unruly city folk that visited her hot spring and didn't know how to respect the place they were visiting, like the three guys earlier who were probably deciding on killing themselves right now after the experience they went through.
Me and Nina were having a good time, and I didn't want to ruin that by bringing up unnecessary topics, so to calm her down a bit, I quickly added, saying,
"Oh no, Nina...You don't have to praise me so much, as wanting to learn about the place I'm going to live in is only the secondary reason I was willing to hear you talk about the Sasfra tree."
"...You'd be disappointed if you were to learn the actual reason I wanted you to continue." I said with an embarrassed look on my face, which made Nina raise her eyebrow and forget about what she was thinking before since she was curious about what exactly I was thinking about.
"What is that reason, Kafka?...Why would you want to hear me talk about something so boring if you're not even truly interested in it?" Nina asked with her arms folded, waiting for me to answer.
"Ah, it's actually quite embarrassing to admit, Nina..." I said, which made Nina's long ears perk up, thinking that she was going to hear a shameful secret from me, which she was eager to hear because of how much she loved gossip.
But to her surprise, it wasn't something that would make my cheeks go red if mentioned, but rather hers, as I continued saying, "...But in actuality, the reason I wanted you to continue talking was because you looked especially cute explaining something that you clearly loved, and I really wanted to see that enthusiastic look you had on your face while you did so even more."
"...And do you know who exactly found out about this root, Kafka? Like the group of people who did so and showed true selflessness by spreading word about the matter to everyone?" Nina took a step forward and asked me in an eager manner, like she was really excited and proud to share the answer with me.
"It was my people, Kafka!..My people!" Nina answered in a pumped-up manner before I could even guess.
She then continued saying, with pride brimming out of her eyes that looked like they were shining at the moment, "...Or more exactly, a clan of variant humans that resided in this place from the very ancient ages who apparently I'm related to and were my ancestors...They were actually the first people to find this root and its amazing uses, and they decided to let everyone experience its effects out of the goodness of their hearts."
"...Isn't that so cool to think of, Kafka?! Isn't it?!"
Nina was basically jumping up and down in exhilaration at the thought of how her ancestors found out about something that immensely benefitted the residents of this place for so many years, and she seemed really proud to be part of such a bloodline.
"Yeah, it really is, Nina...It's pretty amazing to think that you are related to such monumental and noble people." I said to acknowledge her exhilaration, which made the prideful smile on her face grow even more.
"I know, right! I just knew you would get what I'm talking about, Kafka!"
Nina patted my shoulders in a rather heavy handed manner, seeing as there was someone else who appreciated her ancestors discovery.
She also thought that, as disastrous as today was, with her peace being disturbed by those assholes and her almost going to jail for assault, it was still a blessed day since she got to meet someone like me who she got along with and understood her so well.
She even thanked the trio earlier for creating such a circumstance that led to both our lives intersecting to form a better life than the one she was living before, after realising that she had smiled more in this one single day than these past few years she had been living this same monotonous life and wished that she had met me much sooner...