It isn't right to profit from the dead.

They approached Sharcha's body cautiously. Marianne took the lead and stood over him, a hand raised and her eyes closed.

"He is dead."

"How do you know that?"

"...I can tell."

Sagus sheathed his sword. "Good enough for me. C'mon, help me drag him into town." Marianne turned and looked at him, stunned.

"What in the world for?!"

"There must be a bounty on a guy like this." Most of them agreed and picked up a limb. Marianne however did not.

"We...we shouldn't. It isn't right to profit from the dead. We should give him a burial and continue our journey."

Everyone dropped their limb and gasped.

"You can't be serious! We fought hard to beat him, and we deserve a reward for dispatching such an evil chimera!"

"Your reward is that he can no longer threaten innocent lives. Isn't that enough?"

Her voice showed surprising sternness, but it left her before she could finish. Sagus looked at her face, her pleading eyes. He sighed.

"Sophie, would you soften the soil please?"

She looked at him for a moment, then dug through her chemicals.

"Now wait a second! We just did a good thing for the world. What about that is undeserving of a reward? Besides, we need that money! Since when do you care so much for the dead, Marianne? He won't take offense now if we turn in his body."

"You're wrong, Rebecca. He can still be offended...."

"What are you talking about?! He's dead! And even if he could be offended, so what? He was a villain, Marianne! If he can be offended, he deserves it."

"No, he's at peace now. We can still let his spirits (those of the snake and the man he was made from) find joy if we bury him."

"You didn't answer me, Marianne! Why do you care about this chimera, anyway?"

"I..."

"Because she can probably still feel his spirits, which I imagine are pleading with her for forgiveness. Right, Marianne?"

"Sagus? What...how did..?"

"You too, Sagus?! Look, I know you're trying to score a few points with Marianne, since you have such a huge crush on her, but you know we need that money!"

"We need Marianne's sanity and determination more. If we allow Sharcha's spirits to roam, they will destroy her soul."

"And why is that!?"

"Because Marianne can feel a spirit's emotions. She...is a necromancer."

All jaws dropped. Rebecca's and Sophie at the revelation, and Marianne's at Sagus' knowledge of her skill. She'd done so much to hide it, but he still knew? How? Sophie turned to Marianne.

"You're....you're a necromancer? A Puppet-Mistress?"

Marianne's head dropped. ".....yes." Her voice was little more than a whisper. "Sagus....how did you know about me?"