Side story: Justice Pervert (short)

While the trio was off in the dungeon fighting the last boss up on the surface knight commander Meld was dealing with the hero while rubbing his temples. Kouki was lecturing a group of bandits about being decent people for once. He explanation on how to do so is they must surrender so he could help them. The bandits however looked at the young man. Their looks conveying the thought as if he the most retarded person alive.

They honestly questioned if he had some sort of illness. Which is sad when rapist and murderers are turned off by someone like Kouki, their pity is like ashes, its filthy. Meld and his knights watched this with some annoyance as they were sent here to KILL the bandits. Not capture them alive! They were glad he is trying to help and all, but Meld wished he wouldn't be this heroic as it's becoming a problem for them.

His heroics had caused them multiple problems while on patrols, quest, or daily extermination orders. They were starting to see why Hōhei called the young man a justice pervert. He's…. He's to hard on for shoving justice related things down everyone's throats. It slightly scares them. Since they don't know if he'd suddenly start wanting to throat fuck them with justice preaching.

While Kouki continued to preach at the bandits Jose and some of the knights moved. They snuck around the group of confused and scared bandits. Getting into position they launched a sneak attack. Ending the lives of every bandit with vigor to vent their stress. All from how bad the hero was making the whole situation become worse slowly. It wouldn't have been much longer till one of them snapped out of it and killed someone.

After every last one was dead the knights cleaned their swords of the criminal blood staining them. Kouki looked at them all with wide eyes as if in disbelief. Before slowly starting to shake he faced vice-captain Jose, and the men who killed the bandits. His face slowly become one filled with rage.

Kouki: "WHY DID YOU KILL THEM ALL?! I WAS TRYING TO GET THEM TO SURRENDER WITHOUT THEM DYING! BECAUSE THEY COULD BECOME BETTER PEOPLE!!"

At his outburst vice-captain, Jose looked at Kouki as he sheathed his sword. His face held not the slightest amount of emotion. He looked straight at Kouki in the eyes, and simply stated what the mission stated, along with his opinion on the situation.

Jose: "The mission said to kill every last bandit of this group. Never once did it say to capture and reform them, sir Kouki. They were wanted for rape, murder, harassment, kidnapping, pillaging, human and monster trafficking, and many more cases. So it would be a waste to let such people live, it is for the best that they are cleansed from these lands for good."

Kouki: "THAT DOESN'T MATTER! THEY'RE STILL PEOPLE! THEY CAN BE GOOD AGAIN! KILLING THEM MEANS THEY CAN NEVER MAKE UP FOR ANYTHING!"

Meld: "Unfortunately Kouki, I and my men must agree with vice-captain Jose on this matter. As it is best such people die instead of letting them live. Your opinion isn't a bad one, but we must draw a line in these kind of situations. Those people had crossed it long ago with every crime they committed being worse than the last time."

Jose: "Thank you captain Meld for your support!"

Meld nodded his head towards his second in command while he forcibly closed the topic. Before the young hero could say anymore on the matter. Leaving him to quietly seeth, in his rather useless anger, for them doing their job as requested by the kingdom. If Hōhei were here he would drop kick the the young hero. Shaking his head Meld chuckled softly at the thought of that young man who disappeared so long ago.

Meld knows he should write him off as dead but like the young hero, he can't. His instincts as a warrior and a veteran say he is thriving and so is the youth Hajime. He doesn't get why he would feel this after they fell into the abyss. He doesn't even blame the young man for killing his classmate, he felt there was a valid reasoning. Sighing Meld and his group returned to the castle to rest after how long and draining the day has been. Along the way he heard something from the young hero that made Meld's body tense.

Kouki: "I feel as if I'm going to meet Hōhei-san again soon… but why do I feel like its going to be rage inducing?"