The streets of Falmouth were crowded, and the central plaza was decorated with flowers and brightly colored banners. There was a festive mood in the air. Walking through the city plaza Anna drew a certain amount of attention. Part of that was due to her unusual cloak, another part was the fact she was an attractive young woman. It was fine though, there were a lot of foreign merchants and dignitaries present, whose garish clothes stood out even more than hers did. She didn't stand out that badly, and if a handful of people remembered her it didn't matter anyway.

Anna stopped by a fruit seller's cart and handed over a couple copper coins in exchange for an apple. She had a fondness for apples, though the ones here couldn't compare to those from back home. The vendor was a young man with curly black hair and an eager smile.

"Hey, you're from Re-Estize aren't you?"

Anna nodded and smiled back at him. "Yes, I am. How can you tell?"

"The coins you gave me. I suppose you're here for the coronation like everyone else?"

"That's right," she pointed to a large stone building on the eastern edge of the plaza. "I take it the ceremony is going to take place there?"

"Yes, that's the Temple of Markin. It's where all our rulers are crowned."

Anna nodded and took a bite of the apple she'd bought. There was another building directly across from temple. It was four stories tall with a steepled roof decorated with carved gargoyles. "What is that place there?"

"That's the private residence of Duke Carolyn, he's one of the richest men in the kingdom."

Anna nodded.

"Hey, is Re-Estize really as terrible a place as they say?"

"Terrible? What do you mean?"

"Well… you know they say your Queen Renner is possessed by demons, or is the tool of demons. Is it true monsters in your country have rights? That they can own property?"

Anna looked the man in the eye and gave him a very cold smile. "Shocking isn't it? Treating other races like they were people instead of just killing them on sight."

The man blinked at her. He was probably unsure as her words seemed to agree with him, but her tone didn't. "We would never do that here."

"Oh, I know. Your new king's opinions are no secret." She walked away.

XXX

Anna found an alley where she could be momentarily alone. She lifted up her hood and touched the brass buckle of her cloak. "Vanish."

Instantly she disappeared from sight. She had no magical ability, but could use magic items. She went back out into the plaza and headed towards the Duke's home. It was surrounded by an iron gate, but she climbed it with ease. Hurrying to the side of the building she took out some hooks that began scaling the wall. This involved no magic, it was skill and years of training with mom. It only took a handful of minutes to reach the rooftop.

Anna found a spot between two snarling gargoyles that gave her a perfect view of the temple entrance across the way. From hidden pockets sewn into her cloak she took out the fourteen parts of her sniper rifle and began to assemble them. The parts remained invisible so long as they were in contact with her, but she had learned to assemble and disassemble her weapon while blindfolded. Her rifle was put together in under sixty seconds. She slapped in a magazine, worked the bolt, and slid a round into the chamber. As she did so she sang quietly to herself.

"Sniper on the wall.

Servant of Nazarick.

I'm ready to fight,

ready to kill.

Ready to die,

but never will.

Blood makes the grass grow.

I make the blood flow.

Overlord Ains Ooal Gown, banzai!"

She laid out in the prone position and brought her eye to the scope. The entrance the temple zoomed in. Anna held the door in her cross hairs. She estimated the distance at about eight hundred yards with virtually no wind. For a level four sniper it wouldn't be too difficult. Now she just had to wait.

As she waited she thought about some of the many lessons she had learned from mom and others in Nazarick. Many had given their time to instruct her and so she had learned much.

XXX

"Squeeze the trigger gently," Mom explained. "Do not jerk it or your aim will be thrown off.

XXX

"Cyanide is a fast acting and very effective poison," Solution told her. "Now, if you want your victim to suffer…"

XXX

"The tea ceremony is about etiquette and proper decorum as much as it is the teas itself," Nabarel said.

XXX

"Mix mud with the roots of a sasprin plant you'll have a plaster that helps heal most burns," Lupisregina said.

XXX

"In humans, if you want to cause immediate death you should target the head, heart, or throat." Yuri pointed to a diagram as she explained the lesson. "Now the stomach, liver, and lungs will also lead to death, but it will be delayed. Additionally, severing a major limb will cause death from blood loss unless a tourniquet or other…"

XXX

"The bee is a winged insect which feeds on pollen and has a hierarchal society." Entoma said.

XXX

"Now the naughty nurse, school girl, and teacher with glasses are some of the most popular occupations in human society." Shalltear explained.

XXX

"The key to successful torture techniques is patience. Especially when using instruments such as blades, saws, drills, needles, or hammers." Demiurge said. "I will now demonstrate on this two legged sheep."

"Please, don't." The prisoner whimpered.

XXX

"Always keep this in mind," Albedo told her with a serious expression. "When your beloved man is going to have his way with you, always make sure to ask him what he wants you to do with your clothes. Whether he wants to have you take them off, remove them himself, or leave them on to get dirty. Very, very, dirty…"

XXX

Anna had a thorough education growing up and learned a great many things. But her favorite lessons were those with her mother as she learned how to be a sniper. Nothing made her happier than to be told she'd done well and then be rhythmically patted on the head.

Anna had dim memories of a small house and two kind faces. She knew she'd been born outside of the Great Tomb and rescued by Ains-sama. It was no secret that Shizu was not her birth mother, but it didn't matter. Anna loved her like a mother and was loved by her. The Great Tomb of Nazarick was her home and the people there accepted her as one of them. She was never made to feel inferior despite the fact she was human. All that mattered to them was her absolute loyalty to Ains-sama. The monsters of Nazarick were infinitely fairer and kinder than the bigoted humans of the world.

She worshipped the memory of the departed Supreme Beings and followed Ains Ooal Gown-sama with complete devotion. He was her kind and merciful leader, and it was her greatest honor to serve him in any way possible. The proudest moment of her entire life had been when she'd knelt down and sworn her fealty unto death. Her joy and happiness were to serve him and to make her mother proud.

After about a two hour wait the royal procession entered the north end of the plaza. Guards pushed the delirious throng aside as Prince Dumon, only surviving child of the departed King Relmon arrived in a carriage drawn by six white horses. All the major nobles and priests of the kingdom followed behind. As he exited the carriage to wild cheers Anna locked her sights on him. He was smiling and waving to the adoring masses.

Like his father he believed in following the traditions of his land. The prince loathed all monsters and was working to form a coalition to try and oppose Queen Renner and the kingdom of Re-Estize. Which meant opposing Ains-sama who was the one in control of the queen.

There were no other direct descendants of the king, no other obvious candidates to seize the throne. If Dumon were to die the country would almost certainly plunge into civil war. Thousands of innocents would perish and many more would suffer.

Anna smiled as she gently squeezed the trigger and felt her rifle kick. In mid wave the back of the prince's head exploded. As he toppled people screamed, guards looked about in confusion, nobles and priests rushed to his side.

"Uwaah!" Mom and Ains-sama would both be proud of her!

Still invisible, she broke down her weapon and then climbed down into the mass panic of the crowd below.

Sniper of Nazarick, Anna Stone Delta, was on her way home long before the local authorities even had order reestablished.

THE END