Amy Bartlett and the Spring Sunshine Filtering Through Foliage (エイミー・バートレットと春の木漏れ日, Eimii Baatoretto to Haru no Komorebi?) is a short story included with the Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eternity and the Auto Memories Doll home video release. It is also included in the story collection Violet Evergarden ~Last Letter~.
Summary[]
The story is written as Amy's diary entries. The diary was given to her as a birthday present from her husband, two months after her actual birthday. Amy writes about her suffocating and hopeless life after her marriage. Her husband locks her up within the mansion and brings his lover, who he had since before his marriage, home frequently. Both she and her husband had married each other for their own gain: a noble bloodline for her husband, and protection for Taylor for Amy. Amy hasn't written to Violet in a long time, because she has no idea what to write about.
A few days later, Amy's husband tried to force himself on her because he had an argument with his lover, but Amy violently rejects him. Amy desperately wants to see Taylor and even dreams about her. Some time later, Amy gets her period and thinks about the issue of bearing an heir for her family. Amy considers adopting a child and passing it off as her own but is immediately repulsed at the idea of using children as tools.
Amy's husband found the mansion's gardener and one of the maids having a tryst in his bedroom. He was furious and kicked the two out without even letting them take their belongings. Amy, taking pity on them, retrieves their belongings and returns them, as well as giving them her jewelry and even the buttons on her dress to sell for money. Amy privately admits that she's doing this because she wants to do for other people the things no one would do for her as part of her revenge against God. The young couple is planning on going back to the gardener's hometown, and Amy gives them some advice.
Amy is still receiving treatment for her weak lungs, and the doctor warns her not to take too much medicine or else she would become too dependent on it. He also advises her to go outside more and be more social or she wouldn't live long. Amy curses him out in her head. After seeing the doctor off, she sees someone with blond hair and mistakes them for Violet, but then realizes that they are a man. She grows more and more depressed as time goes on.
After some time, Amy receives a letter from Taylor, delivered by Benedict. Taylor writes about her escape from the orphanage and how she wants to see her. Some time after this, Benedict tells Amy that Taylor is now independent and is specially entrusted with the deliveries in her area. Amy waits outside and sees Taylor, now grown, deliver her mail. Amy decides to keep living for her.
Characters[]
- Amy Bartlett
- Violet Evergarden (mentioned)
- Amy's husband
- Benedict Blue
- Taylor Bartlett
Trivia[]
- This short story is also included in limited-edition English release of the movie. It is currently the only short story that has an official English translation.[1]