The Demigod and the Auto Memories Doll (半神と自動手記人形, Hanshin to Ōto Memorīzu Dōru?) is the fourth chapter of Violet Evergarden Volume 2.
Summary[]
On a rainy night, after finishing a job, Violet seeks shelter in a fortress called "Utopia," which is located on the island of Chevalier. The fortress is housed by nuns who are devoted to the "preservation" of "demigods." The administrator of Utopia, Lisbon, explains their beliefs and mythology to her. She tells her that they are currently housing one such demigod, Lux Sibyl, who they claim is the daughter of Roses, the goddess of knowledge. Utopia believes that demigods aren't meant to stay in the world of humans because of their power, so they hide the demigods they find and send them back to heaven when the time comes. Lisbon shows Violet a portrait of the goddess of combat, Garnet Spear, who resembles her greatly. Lisbon attempts to give her a cameo brooch of the goddess, but Violet turns her down, stating that she only needs her emerald brooch.
The next day, Violet is taken to meet Lux, an orphan found seven years ago and the spitting image of Roses. The two girls talk about their lives, and Lux finds herself fascinated by Violet's job, which takes her all around the world. Violet questions her inability to leave Utopia, even though she clearly wants to, and points out that Utopia is still located in the world of humans. She asks her who is preventing her from leaving. A nun stops the conversation before Lux could tell her the truth: she is actually imprisoned there.
Lux convinces one of the nuns to let her show Violet around Utopia. Once they are left alone, Lux tells Violet the truth about Utopia. Utopia's main goal was to protect demigods, but also to send them back to the heavens by killing them. Lux will be killed in three days, on her fourteenth birthday. Demigods who are older than fourteen are killed within ten days of arriving in Utopia. Lux tells Violet that they will do the same thing to her, as she perfectly fits the criteria of being a demigod: resembling a god and being an orphan. Lux begs her to escape before they get to her. Violet thanks her for the information and offers to assist with her escape as well. Even though Lux had dreamed of escaping for a long time, she finds herself hesitant because of her fear of the outside world. She finally admits that she doesn't want to die.
Just then, a nun appears, having overheard their conversation. Lux pushes the nun back and yells at Violet to escape. Violet holds out her hand to her, but Lux shakes it away, still too afraid of living in the outside world. Violet smashes open a window and tells Lux to call her name if she ever wanted her help, then jumped out.
The next day, Lux is forced to get into a boat under gunpoint by Lisbon. In Utopia, demigods are killed by going over a waterfall in a boat. Lux asks Lisbon why they are doing this, and Lisbon responds that it's because demigods are too different from humans, and that they want to get rid of anything "abnormal" in order to protect the world. Lisbon then goes on to say that the sister who took care of Lux begged for mercy, so Lux will be killed by gun instead of drowning. Before her impending death, the sisters sing a hymn for her. Lux starts to weep as she realizes that she will be killed at the end of the song. She calls out for Roses, then for Violet.
As soon as she cried out for Violet to help her, Lisbon is struck down by Violet, who is disguised as a nun. Violet takes her gun and warns the other nuns to not interfere or else they would get hurt. Lisbon yells at the nuns to fight, but Violet easily defeats them all and escapes with Lux. They head for the island's port. Violet explains that she hadn't left the island that day because it was still raining heavily, so she stayed in a cave and thought about Lux's words. She can relate to Lux's fear of the unknown and living a new life, but because she wanted to understand the words she had been told by Gilbert, she decided to live in order to learn more. She thinks that Lux might have a change of mind like her and advises her to learn more about the outside world until her death comes. This time, Lux doesn't hesitate to take Violet's hand.
Afterwards, Lux is taken to the C.H. Postal Company and began to work there. Within a year, she is promoted to the position of Hodgins' personal secretary. Though Violet is busy with her work, the two still make time to have tea together and chat about their lives. Though Lux's desire for death still remained within her, but she continues to live in spite of it by recalling her near-death and Violet reaching out her hand to her.
Characters[]
- Lux Sibyl
- Lisbon
- Violet Evergarden
- Gilbert Bougainvillea (mentioned)
- Claudia Hodgins (mentioned)
- Oscar (mentioned)
- Oscar's daughter (mentioned)
- Ann's mother (mentioned)
- Aidan Field (mentioned)
- Leon Stephanotis (mentioned)