3,000,000 ZAND!!!

The mages and archer stood over the carcass cautiously. No one knew if he was really dead or if this was a trap. Marianne approached closest. She closed her eyes, held a hand over him and muttered a silent...something. No one could tell what she was saying. She opened her eyes.

"He is dead."

"How do you know that," Sophie asked.

"....I can tell."

Sagus sheathed his sword. "Good enough for me. C'mon, let's haul this freak into town."

Marianne looked at him in shock. "What in the world for?!"

"For the bounty. A villain like this must be worth something." The others agreed and each lifted a limb and dragged felled creature back into town, leaving a shallow trench behind them.

The sheriff examined the body, amazed. "This is Sharcha, the Serpentine! Where did you people find this corpse?"

"At the other end of my arrow." Rebecca pointed to the burned bolt still lodged in his eye. The sheriff checked it and, after asking for proof, found that her bolts matched the one in Sharcha.

"Well, if you really did slay this chimera, then you are owed a bounty."

"How much?" Sagus inquired enthusiastically.

"Not much, I'm afraid." All faces fell. "Only three million Zand. Peanuts for a criminal like this, but that's all we can afford to pay."

"Thuh-thuh-thuh-THREE MILLION ZAND!?" everyone stammered. They looked at each other and smiled big. Marianne regained composure first.

"Sir, on behalf of my companions, I accept the 3 million." The sheriff paid it, and the adventurers left his office. They got only a few yards before screaming in celebration.

"Three million," Marianne cheered, almost to herself. "We could travel all the way to Sadie's Hill with that!!"

"And we could do it without worrying about anything, except other opponents," Rebecca added, with more joy than she'd shown since joining the group.

"I would never want for a catalyst again! I could even buy rare, exotic ingredients from other continents! I can't wait to see what I can create then," Sophie almost squealed, showing her love for her craft.

"If we manage it right, we could not only finish our journey, we could buy our own homes after we defeat Arakarin!" Even in his excitement, Sagus remained at least partly focused on his goal.

After discussing what to do with their newfound wealth, they decided that first they would eat, and eat well. But where?