The Girl and the Auto Memories Doll (少女と自動手記人形, Shōjo to Ōto Memorīzu Dōru?) is the second chapter of Violet Evergarden Volume 1.
Summary[]
Ann Magnolia is a seven year old girl who lives with her ailing mother in a large mansion. One day, Ann sees Violet Evergarden walking up to the mansion and tells her mother about it. Her mother, delighted at the news, decides to dress up for her guest. Ann is bothered by her mother's enthusiasm as she knows that her mother doesn't have long to live and wants to keep her all to herself until the end.
Violet is here for one week to write letters for Ann's mother, who refuses to tell Ann who they are addressed to. Ann assumes that the letters are for her absent father, who walked out on them after losing money in business and only occasionally came back to get things from the mansion to sell. Ann isn't allowed to be with her mother and Violet as they write the letters in the garden and can only watch them from the parlor.
Ann decides to carry food to Violet, who always insists on eating alone. Ann catches a glimpse of a gun in Violet's bag. Violet explains that she carries one with her because her next destination is a battlefield. Ann leaves Violet's room to go to bed, but turns around before leaving and sees Violet pressing the gun's sight against her forehead and asking for someone to give her orders. Ann found herself feeling drawn to Violet and curious about her. Ann starts asking Violet to play with her, which Violet obliges every time.
A few days into Violet's stay at the house, Ann's mother suddenly collapses during a letter writing session. Ann tearfully begs her mother to stop writing the letters, but she refuses. Ann yells at her mother for caring more about the letters than her, and for lying about getting better. Upon realizing that she made her mother cry, Ann is taken out of the room by Violet. Ann cries as Violet comforts her, telling her that she is a good and kind girl for always taking care of her mother without ever complaining, and that her mother's illness is no one's fault. Ann asks Violet about the receiver of the letters, but Violet won't tell her. When Ann says that the letters don't have to be sent, Violet tells her that there is no letter that didn't need to be sent.
After a few more days, Violet leaves for her next job. A few months later, Ann's mother passes away. On her eighth birthday, Ann receives a letter from her mother. She learns from the mailman that her mother signed a long-term contract to have letters delivered to her on her birthday every year. The letters continue to come as Ann grows up, works as a lawyer, falls in love with a young entrepreneur and has her own daughter. Ann wants to do the same thing for her own daughter, and to see Violet once more in order to thank her.
Characters[]
- Ann Magnolia
- Ms. Magnolia
- Violet Evergarden
- Ann's father (mentioned)
- Ann's husband (mentioned)
- Ann's daughter
Trivia[]
- This chapter is adapted as Episode 10 of the anime.
- Violet is shown to have kept the blue parasol Oscar bought for her in the previous chapter.
- Violet mentions that she will be going to a battlefield for her next job, referring to Aidan Field's request.