Violet Evergarden

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Battlefieldswere like b.u.t.terflies. They swayed and swayed, lives wandering about infinitelywithout a destination.

“I am going to break down their vanguard artillery.”

Battleswere like businesses. Filled with lies and truths, bargaining, deceptions. Thingsprogressed with revenues and losses.

“I’ll backyou up. But Violet, this fight isn’t only yours. Don’t forget that.”

The biggerthe proportion, the lower the chances of the ones that had started said battlesto be in them. They would throw their soldiers into the blazing flames likechess pieces on a board.

“I recognize that.However, I alone can suffice for a breakthrough. I concluded that involving otherswould be unnecessary.”

Althoughthe soldiers were bundled up together, that was, in fact, a gathering of distinctindividuals.

“War is notsomething personal of yours. Victory is reached through the cooperation of allsoldiers.”

With somany of them, there were surely those who were bound to become very close toone another in the ma.s.s of people.

“I understand.As a soldier, I shall grant you victory, Major. And protect you. That is what Iexist for.”

Even if thecolor of their skin, the words that would spew from their lips or everythingthey had on them were reproved, everyone was the same at the beginning of all.Were they dismembered, there would be no difference in the composition of theirblood, flesh or bones. However, even the bodies of snowy countries’ young menand southern nations’ boys were currently sinking within the soil of what was the motherland ofnone of them.

“I am fine.Prioritize your own body.”

Theinterchange from life to death occurred naturally, due to the existence of agreater cause.

“Major, Iam your tool; your weapon. Weapons… exist to protect their wielders. Please donot say that to me. The word you always use… is enough for an order. Pleasesay it. ‘Kill’.”

If so, what happenedin the meantime that said cause was lost?

Emerald greenorbs darkened. In a battlefield of scorching gra.s.sland and deluging dirt, theLord and his subordinate locked eyes with each other. The subordinate kept bythe Lord was a beautiful monstrosity. Said monstrosity prided in being thestrongest fighter, and was as ignorant as she was innocent. Until the time whenher eyelids would close for eternity, she would not know the feeling of havingher body burn. There was conviction but no salvation for her. Her hands neverheld onto anything, and she would most likely continue living that way.

“Violet.”

She wasdefinitely destined to do so.

“Kill.”

The Girl Soldier and Her Everything

The long-lastingconfrontation involving the allied nations of the East, West, North and South ofthe continent was named the Continental War. Resources strife between Northand South; religious strife between East and West. The diverging interests ofthe Northeast and Southwest, which had formed an alliance with and convolutely comprisedeach other, interwove with one another and eventually broke out. The Northeast lost,the Southwest won.

Originally,the inequality of the trade between South and North was much too strong, whichcompelled the North to start the war. The voices of criticism regarding thevictory were many, coming from countries that had not partic.i.p.ated in the war.What was essential to the war was compensation once it was over. Due to disapprovalfrom other countries, the southern side had only requested the removal ofmilitary factories, mainly producing and storing weapons and ammunition, afterwar reparation. The northern countries had scarce natural resources, but theirmachinery industry was superior to the South. The confiscation of suchtechnology and the calling-off of their military forces was what served as thecompensation.

As no othersanctions had been imposed, there seemed to be peace at first glimpse, but inreality, it was not an exaggeration to say that unsaid rules had beenimposed.

Thesettlement of the East-West war was of superficial mutual reconciliation. The West,victorious, did not forbid the forms of belief of the East and suggestedcoexistence. However, it was not a reciprocated compromise in the true sense, asit conditioned the East to accommodate to a certain amount of taxes for eachchurch of the West. Moreover, the East had been prohibited of pilgrimage to Intense,the most important sacred grounds of the East-West religion, which had alsobeen the site of the decisive final battle.

There werenumerous states all over the continent’s territory. The lump called Continental Warhad been but one of the conflicts caused by bigger countries putting limits toeach other. Nonetheless, peace was brought temporarily to the concerning nations.

Along with post-warreparations, the wounded soldiers would clearly be included in the subjects tocome. Soldiers provided for national defense once wars were over. The currentobjective was to devote medical treatment to the ones that had been injured inthe war.

Leidenschaftlich,one of the winning countries, had its military hospital built on a not-so-tall hill.The name of said hill was Anshene. It was a problematic location, as theroadway to it, made by cutting dense trees, was narrow and required caution anddriving skills whenever carriages and cars had to pa.s.s by one another.Originally, it was a recreational facility of the army, and had been quicklytransformed into a medical one in order to make up for the lack of hospitals. Suchwas one of the consequences brought by the war, in which so many soldiers had beeninjured that the number of sickbays became insufficient.

When goingdown the road, one had to pay attention to the pa.s.sage of small animals, suchas squirrels and rabbits. After three or so small animal attention signs, thehospital could be sighted. The property retained a luxurious, broad garden. Itwas a place for playing outdoor ball games, where one could bask in a peacefulwalk through the woods. Even the parts of it that no one used would now likelysee the light of the sun. Due to the increasing support of wounded soldiers’families, the hospital had recently become able to acquire regularly operating shared stagecoaches. Children brought in them played together albeit oftenbeing strangers to one another.

Amidst thosewho hopped off the stagecoach was a remarkable man. He wore a tone-on-tone plaidvest over a white shirt and wide pants made of a Bordeaux-colored fabric, decoratedwith Suède strings. A plaid ornamental cloth rustled from his waist belt. Hewas a charismatic man, his fairly long crimson hair tied behind his head. Perhapsbecause he had many acquaintances in the hospital, amongst not only the nursesbut also hospitalized patients and their families, he pleasantly returned all thegreetings directed at him. His gait was unfaltering.

He climbed upthe stairs and walked through the corridors. The scenery from the windows wasthe best view that Anshene hill could provide. Beyond the mountain woods wasLeiden, the port capitol. A gull flew in the distance, growing farther away. Thecurrent season was early summer. The mountain winds brought in the smell of freshlyblooming flowers through the open windows.

The roomthat the man entered after a knock was an infirmary used by multiple people. Femaleand male soldiers were apparently split. Some patients of that room wereseparated by curtains and could not be seen, but all were women.

“MisterHodgins, she has awoken… honestly, it was a ha.s.sle.”

Theso-called Hodgins was dumbfounded upon being informed in a fatigued tone by anurse accompanying a patient. “No way, seriously?” his voice echoed through theinfirmary. Breaking into falsetto, it denoted amazement, joy and a little bitof unease.

He gazed atthe interior of the room with a nervous look. The one he had asked for laythere, on a bed made of rusted white pipes, staring at her own hands. The eyesthat wondrously observed the artificial limbs as if they had been forcefullyattached to her shoulders were of a clear blue color. Her hair grew unevenly,but was as flowy and golden as a sea of rice ears. She was a girl sobeautiful that she could take one’s breath away with just a glance.

As she tooknotice of Hodgins, who was searching for words as he walked to her side, sheopened her mouth first, “Major… where is… Major Gil… bert?” Her lips hadcracks from being too dry, blood welling in them.

“LittleViolet… you were quite a bit of a Sleeping Beauty.”

The girlwas an injured soldier, just as the other patients. She was the driving forceof Leidenschaftlich’s army, acting from the shadows without any registration –the weapon that only a certain man could use, Violet.

“Do you…recognize me? It’s Hodgins. I commanded the Leidenschaftlich units at Intense.See, during the night of the last battle, we greeted each other, remember? Youweren’t waking up, so I was worried.”

However,for Hodgins, the fact that she was the soldier his best friend had raised wasmore significant. As the other patients began talking with one another inhushed whispers, he closed the part.i.tion curtains and sat on a nearbychair.

Violet lookedinto the gap between the curtains. She was probably expecting someone to enterfrom there. “What about Major…?”

“He isn’there. Since he has been… busy because of the postwar victory. It’s not asituation where he’d have an opportunity to come.”

“Then…then… he is alive, right…?!”

“That’s…right.”

“What abouthis wounds? How are they?”

Taken abackby her frantic aggressiveness, Hodgins stalled for an answer. “In terms ofinjuries, he was in a better state than you. You should worry more aboutyourself.”

“Whateverhappens to me… does not matt…” for a moment, Violet peeked into Hodgins’seyes as if suspecting of something. “Is this information true?” Her gazewas icy. Precisely because she was so beautiful, her outer ghastlinessincreased with it.

Yet Hodgins stared back into her blue eyes without wavering.Contrastingly, he put on a cheerful smile. “Worry not, Little Violet. I’ve cometo visit you because he asked me to.” With agentle tone, he created an atmosphere as warm as possible.

Such was Hodginsspecialty. From extolling his superiors to making his way into ladies’bedrooms, the process was different but the technique was the same.

“Major…did?”

Firstly,he had to make the other party think of him as an ally.

“Yeah. We’vebeen best friends since back when we studied at the army’s military academy. Wealways help each other whenever anything happens. We might be more familiarwith one another than with our own parents. That’s why I’ve also been entrustedwith you. Gilbert is concerned about you. I’m the proof of that. Though youmight have forgotten about me…”

“No…Major Hodgins. I recall it. That was the second time… we had met.”

“Eh, youremembered up to the first one? You… didn’t say that on the night of the lastbattle.”

Hodgins hadsaid during their second encounter, “Well, this isn’t your first meeting withme, but you don’t remember it, do you? I’m an one-sided acquaintance of yours.Call me ‘Major Hodgins’.” And in response, Violet had merely saluted him.

“I had notthought I was being asked to speak.”

“Do youreally remember… our meeting in the training grounds?”

“I had notyet learned words back then, so whatever was said is unclear to me. But MajorHodgins was very friendly with Major… Major Gilbert.”

As he hadthought she had taken no notice of such things, his happiness was more prominent thanhis astonishment. The tension that had previously surrounded the two of them had diminishedslightly. Violet was self-conscious of Hodgins, and Hodgins was self-consciousof Violet.

“Is thatso? He is all right…?” Violet closed her eyes and sighed in relief.

What thenurse had described as a “ha.s.sle” possibly referred to that. Someone who wouldonly ask about Gilbert in spite of whatever was being said to her was unquestionably a ha.s.sle.

“Your unit’sachievement was particularly huge. To compensate, there were many casualties,but… it’s the same for all the corps. Just as planned, you caused adisruption, destroyed the North’s posture, and we were able to strike them down.”

“Thedoctors have told me… that we won the Great War. But I do not… have anymemory… of the very end.”

“You werelying on top of Gilbert and you both fell unconscious. Then, you were saved bya comrade who called for reinforcements. It was close, but well, neitherof you died. Your blood loss was especially profuse.”

——Your resistance level is beyond that ofhumans. Such wordshad traveled up his throat, yet he did not muster them out.

“What kindof mission… is Major in at the moment? When should I join him? My body… isnot moving, but… it will return to normal within a few days. Major was alsosupposed to have suffered serious damage. His eye…” Violet’s voice wiltedhalfway, “I was unable to protect him. I will at least stay by his side toreplace his eye.”

——It ain’t very good… to believe too much…in something.

From thevery start, the girl had not mourned the loss of her arms at all, only worryingabout a man that was not present. Hodgins could not sincerely think well of herblind devotion.

——Trust and faith are different things.

Violet’s att.i.tudewas close to faith. Hodgins’s way of thinking was, very much like him, orientedby a calculation of profit and loss. Be it with material possessions or with lovers,overestimation was not advantageous. Otherwise, any case of sudden betrayal ordisappearance would be unbearable. He was very pa.s.sionately enthusiastic whenit came to social disposition, but his reasoning was cold.

“That willbe impossible, Little Violet. The one who should worry about their body is you.Your arms… you must already have noticed, but there was nothing that couldhave been done. I’d wanted them… to have put prosthetics of a more subtledesign on you, but… this is a military hospital. They ended up being combat-specialized ones. I’m sorry.”

“It is goodthat they are st.u.r.dy. Why are you apologizing, Major Hodgins?”

Upon beingasked, Hodgins shrugged. He had no words to reply with. “I wonder why.” Hiseyebrows were low as if he were troubled.

With that,the conversation came to a halt and a drape of silence fell between them.Perhaps because the infirmary was quiet, said drape was painfully perceptible.

“LittleViolet, is there anything you want to eat?”

The soundof the second hand of a clock hanging on one of the infirmary’s walls.

“No, MajorHodgins.”

Thewhispering voices of nurses and patients.

“Don’tyou… want some water?”

Their ownbreathing.

“It isunnecessary.”

They all echoedmuch too conspiscuously.

An image ofevery bullet of potential topics shot at Violet being sliced by her with herbattle-axe Witchcraft played in Hodgins’s head. The talk did not progress fromthere.

——This is a problem. To think that a guy likeme would have difficulty chatting with a girl…

Hodginsgroaned inwardly at how considerably hard it was to please the Warrior Maidenof Leidenschaftlich. Their only commonality was Gilbert Bougainvillea. However,since she dedicated her body to her Lord to the point that the first thing shehad asked upon awakening were his whereabouts, wouldn’t speaking of him onlycause her to feel desolate?

——I mean… does she even think of anything aslonesome? She does seem… obsessed with him, though.

It washardly imaginable that the girl, who looked like an inorganic and refined artpiece, was a living being. Was she alive or dead? If she were alive, what didshe enjoy in her life?

——Aah… Gilbert, you’ve asked a prettytroublesome favor.

It wasdifficult to divide people into two types, but there were those who could withstandsilence and who could not. Hodgins was rather the latter. His gazeinstinctively lowered to his feet as he aimlessly rocked his shoes with them. Ashis droopy, grayish blue eyes wandered to the floor, he found something. Hethen reminisced to the existence of what could get him out of his dilemma.

“That’sright, I had brought gifts for the visit! I’d been avoiding doing this becauseI was told it would get in the nurses’ way, but I’ve actually been bringing in a quitea bit of stuff until now. Here.” Hodgins took paper bags from under the bed. Heturned towards Violet, who could not sit up, and pulled a stuffed black cat fromwithin one of them.

Violet’sreaction was minimal.

He thentook out a stuffed feline with tiger strips. Lastly, he took out a stuffed dog.Lining the three of them up, he made them bow with a, “‘h.e.l.lo’!”

Herreaction was still dull.

“Is it…no good?”

“What is?”

“Did theyget reproved as a present for you?”

Violet’sbig eyes blinked. Her golden lashes swayed as well. “For me…?” She really didhold doubt. “Why for me?” Violet asked again, adding one more word.

“Since youwere injured and hospitalized, getting gifts during visits is only the obvious.I see, so you’d never been hospitalized before. These are my feelings… like,‘get well soon’. Your belongings… have gone missing in the postwar turmoil.You have nothing now. That’s why, in order for the room not to get lonely…” atthat second, Hodgins’s body gave a p.r.o.nounced flinch.

It wasbecause Violet had let out a gasp that sounded like a swallowed scream.

“A-Are youokay, Little Violet?”

“Brooch…”

“LittleViolet?”

“My brooch…my emerald brooch… it is something that Major gave me. If it has been lost, Imust look for it. It was given to me…!” Violet moved her neck in aforceful attempt to stand.

Hodginsfrantically moved to stop her. Nevertheless, there were no issues, even withouthim holding her back. Violet could not get up at all.

“Why? Why…?”

There wasno way that someone who had been in a coma for months, and on top of it, hadtheir upper limbs fall off and be replaced by artificial ones, could immediately startwalking around. Her prosthetics creaked.

He helddown her shoulders as she seemed to be about to collapse. From the sides, itlooked as if he was pinning her violently.

——Cut me some slack.

Hodgins’sinner gentleman could not forgive the manner with which he was pressing downthe girl soldier that his best friend had entrusted to him, who was also awoman weakened due to losing her arms.

“Is it fine as long as it’s emerald? I’ll buy another to replace it, okay?”

Violetshook her head slightly. “There is… no replacement.” She closed her eyes asif suppressing something.

Hodginsconcluded it was an extremely important item. “I understand. I’ll buy itback, so rest a.s.sured, Little Violet.” He declared without thinking twice.

“Can you doit…?” Violet’s resistance ceased instantaneously.

Withoutdelay, Hodgins put on a boastful grin and nodded, “Probably. I think it’s goneto the black market. I’ll try to contact a merchant that I’m acquainted with.Please, don’t think of going anywhere out of here in that state. Until then,couldn’t you endure it using these? Stuffed toys and brooches are… completelydifferent things, but… ain’t they cute? This is exactly like one I used to ownin the past. Little Violet, would you have preferred stuffed rabbits or bears?”

“I do notknow.”

“Which isthe cutest one out of them? If you had to choose no matter what, tell me whichit would be.”

She hadcertainly never been asked such a question before. Violet silently eyed theplushes from right to left.

“What ifthe condition is that the world would end if you didn’t respond? Okay, three,two, one! Answer!”

“No way…the dog… maybe?”

“Mickey,right?! Ah, Mickey is the name of the dog I used to own. Then, I’ll leave himright beside you. Isn’t that great, Mickey? You’ve been chosen.” Hodgins placedthe stuffed dog he had named Mickey near Violet’s face. He ma.s.saged his own chestwhile watching her finally calm down. Cold sweat trailed his back.

Primarily,Violet seemed to have no interest, but eventually dragged her head close to thestuffed toy and touched it with her face.

Aftercasually watching her for a moment, Hodgins said, “Little Violet. There’s a tadtoo many people here, so if a private room becomes vacant, should I transferyou? The formalities have been dealt with. It’s… been several months sincethat last battle. At first, the infirmary was also crowded, and there weren’tenough beds. But now the number of people has finally decreased… though thatwas just from the fact that most who were brought here died… that’s why… itseems there will be private rooms available. When that happens, these can beput there as well…”

Was a stuffed toy itself something rare to her? Perhaps because it felt pleasant albeit feeble, Violetclosed her eyes and rubbed her nose against its stomach. As she had justawakened, she could not yet move her untrained prosthetics. She could onlytouch it with her head. Once she had pushed it too much and it strayed, shestirred her neck and landed her cheek on it again.

“And,also…” At the sight, whatever Hodgins was about to say was erased from hismind. “Erm…”

Her actionswere incredibly natural.

“Is itfun… to touch… that plushie?”

“I do notunderstand ‘fun’. However, I believe I want to keep touching it.” Possibly dueto her anxiety and nervousness subsiding, her tone was softer than before. Shepolitely thanked him as he held still the plush that was drifting apart from her noseonce more.

——She was… this kind of child?

An emotionunlike whatever had been wafting within Hodgins until now began to sprout in acorner of his heart. It was not fear, inconvenience or desire to control. Itwas something more lukewarm.

“I see…yeah, I used to be like that in the past too. Little kids… ah, no, I don’tmean it in a bad way, but… little kids do that a lot. It’s not… likethey’ll always be looked after by their parents.”

“I do notknow my parents.”

“Aah,that’s right…”

Childrenwould touch humanoid and animal toys in search of solace. But those were not realprotection from insecurity and toxic environments. In actuality, they were butsubst.i.tutes. Childhood itself was a replacement for shelter.

——She was… the kind of child to dosomething like this?

He couldnot determine anything just from her reaction.

——No, isn’t it more like… she can’t keep upwithout doing something like this? Right now, she is genuinely… alone.

“Erm…what was it again? That’s right, if there are any other… other… things youwant me to do, just say it. Gilbert entrusted you to me. If you’re bothered byanything, I’ll try to solve the matter however I can. Somehow, the things I’msaying are messed up, huh. When you woke up, I was… a bit… shocked, andended up talking too much.”

Violetreplied curtly, “Thank you very much.”

Hodgins,who was a master at keeping a poker face, maintained a grin, but under hissmiling façade, he embraced a completely different feeling.

——I see, so that’s how it was?

He had nothad many opportunities to get to know Violet – only during the few dayssubsequent to the gruesome spectacle presented in the training grounds, in which hehad seen Gilbert for the first in a long time after their promotions, and the nightbefore the final battle. Once said battle was over, he had come visit her manytimes. Violet had no parents or siblings. Neither did she have friends. Hodginswas always her sole visitor.

——Even though I know how powerful she is, and howmany she can kill…

Perhaps heshould disqualify her as a weapon and put an end to such insanity.

——Aah, this is…

Just fromconversing with her normally and watching her movements, he could understand.

——This is no good. This… I mean… Gilbert,you…

“MajorHodgins?”

——Isn’t she… just a young girl?

Hodginsfelt as if a soft spot somewhere within his heart had been hollowed out with aspoon. As she was so demonic in battle, he had forgotten about it. He had playeda blind eye to it. Most likely, anyone in the Leidenschaftlich army who sightedher had done so as well.

“If this…is left in my care, will it not break?”

Violet wasbut a child that would do nothing when she was not fighting. She was notregistered as a person, and had been raised not knowing life outside of thebattlefield. She was a beauty-endowed weapon, a commodity, an a.s.set. A girlsoldier that was permitted to live in exchange for her battling capabilitieshad no need for unnecessary knowledge.

One wouldnever think that watching her in combat would instigate so much fear that peoplewould not dare speak to her. Her adult-like appearance caused men to feelexcited rather than paternal. She was not treated as a child at all.

——Still, what’s in front of my eyes now is…

“You can doas you please. It’s already yours.”

“Allright.”

What laybefore Hodgins’s eyes was the girl that Gilbert Bougainvillea had made a‘person’. The one who had taught her words and manners was Gilbert himself. Doing sowhile leading army troops in wartime must have been terribly difficult.Hodgins knew of Violet’s initial circ.u.mstances.

“MajorHodgins, is something wrong?”

“No,nothing. Isn’t there… anything else?”

While takingback the bags, Hodgins was immersed in the feeling that his entire body wasrotting. He attempted recalling how he had regarded Violet so far.

——That time, I… wagered on you.

He nolonger remembered what he had bought with the cigarettes he had earned. Gilberthad stubbornly refused to take his own share.

——I had thought you would, surely, be of use tothe military.

Just as hehad imagined, Violet had done an excellent job. During the final battle, she hadsuccessfully caused the disturbance that had been the key of his strategy. Thathad been merely one portion of a grander achievement, but he did not know ofother soldiers whom could say they would have accomplished the same in thatsituation. Had she not fought, the number of casualties amongst their allies would havebeen even bigger. Conversely, there were many who would have escaped death withouther there. She was that kind of existence.

——I thought… we could use you.

The girlwho had survived by slaughtering men one after another at those traininggrounds pledged allegiance to Gilbert alone. A part of Hodgins had believedthat, since she was a monster, she was better off as a cold-hearted a.s.sa.s.sindoll that could not conceal her brutal nature.

——There’s no way…

The girl whohad been named Violet peeked through the curtains with unyielding expectation. Herfigure was similar to that of a chick searching for its parent bird.

——…that this… was the case.

“LittleViolet, I’m sorry.”

“For whatreason?”

“The giftsI have aren’t that good. Next time, I’ll prepare lots of stuff to surprise you.You used to travel a lot, so you haven’t gone shopping downtown, right?”

“Onlyonce.”

“Is thatso? I’ll put in more effort next time. Get your hopes up. Even if you don’tlike them and they’re no good, it’d be great if you could not throw them away.”

“I do notquite understand, but I will not do that.”

“‘Kay,thanks.”

After that,even as the conversation did not continue, Hodgins stayed with Violet untilsunset. They could hardly chat as Violet had continuously fallen asleep andawoken in the process, since she was unable to stay conscious for too long.

At evening,a bell would resound to inform the end of visits in the hospital. Along withit, the nurses started prompting visitors remaining in each room to take theirleave. Hodgins was unable to move immediately.

“MajorHodgins, the visiting period is over.”

“Hm.”

“Is it allright for you not to go home?”

In thebeginning, their talk had not been progressing and he had wanted to hurry home,but now he wanted to be by her side very much. Leaving her alone in that stateached in his conscience. As he pierced his own heart with the fact that thatsuch pain was too late to occur, what he felt was even more of it.

“The nurseis glaring at me, so it’s not. Guess I’ll go home… ah, speaking of which, Iforgot to say this: I’m not a major anymore. I’ve quit the military.”

“Is thatso?”

“Yeah.”

“What dosoldiers… do when they deploy from the military?”

“We can doanything. Life doesn’t have only one path. In my case, I’m an entrepreneurtrying to open his own business. I’ll be the president of an agency. Next time,I’ll tell you about that.”

“All right,Maj… Hodgins…” She was certainly at loss as to how she should refer to him.

Hodginsgiggled. “You can call me ‘President Hodgins’. I don’t have any employees yetso I’m not referred to like this, and I can’t get anyone to call me that.”

“PresidentHodgins.”

“It doesn’thave a bad ring to it. When Little Violet said ‘president’, I got chills.”

“Are youcold?”

“Hmm…next time I come, I’ll explain to you about jokes.”

Although itwas summer, Hodgins pulled Violet’s comforter up to shoulder level so that shewould not be chilly at night, placing the dog plush next to her face once again. Shestared straight into him. Unlike the first time she had done so, Hodgins wasunable to bear it and wound up averting his gaze. He directed it to the window.The scenery that could be seen from the infirmary was dyed with the orange shadesof sunset.

The bordersof day and night intertwining was a scene that one would always end upcontemplating, regardless of where they were, what time it was or what theywere doing. The clouds in the sky, the sea, the earth, the city, the people; a madderred light poured over everything. Even as those that received such grace werenot actually equal, at that moment, all were h.o.m.ogeneously covered andgradually being embraced by the night. As Hodginscommented, “Pretty, huh?”, Violet replied with, “It is beautiful.”

“Well, then.”Hodgins said as he got up from his chair.

“Farewell.”

“This isn’ta ‘farewell’. I’ll come again.”

——Though you… may have zero interest in me.

Opposing his expectations, Violet whispered expressionlessly, “See you…”

She hadfixed the “farewell” into “see you”.

“Yeah, seeya, Little Violet.”

After abrief silence as if she were deep in thought, Violet nodded a bit.

Insects criedso as to inform the world of their short life.

The hospitalof Leidenschaftlich’s army was encircled by a forest with lush greenery. Thepath arranged for wheelchairs to pa.s.s through pushed by volunteer soldiers hadrecently started turning into a resting place for patients. Wooden tables andchairs were scattered along its course, and it was not uncommon to see thehospital staff distributing meals around them at lunchtime. In that midst were aman and a girl.

“LittleViolet, aren’t you tired?”

Both sat onstump chairs next to each other. Some time had pa.s.sed since the early summer oftheir reunion, and they spent the best moment of sun exposure quietly. It was a windy,refreshing and easygoing summer day.

“PresidentHodgins, there are no issues. How about ten more strolls?”

Violet worea loose cotton dress. Although it was a simple and plain clothing, her emeraldbrooch gleamed on her chest. She would occasionally glance down at it toconfirm its existence. Watching her, Hodgins smiled without pointing it out.

“That won’tdo. The doctor told you to just go once and return, right? I also get anxiouswhen I see you like this… I’ll push you on the way back.”

“But…”

“No.”

“But…”

“You can’t.I’ll know right away if you’re forcing yourself.”

“Allright…”

“Now, let’swipe that sweat, or else, you’ll catch a cold.” Hodgins took out ahandkerchief.

Violetgrabbed onto it, preventing him of properly cleaning her forehead.

“Can’t I bethe one wiping it?”

“No can do.I would not be able to practice otherwise.”

“But, hey,you’ll mess up your hair.”

“No can do.The one who said I should first and foremost learn to move these arms was you,Maj… President Hodgins. Indeed… in this condition, I would be of no use toMajor. Quite the reverse, I would be a dead weight.”

At that, Hodginsdid not let any bitter smiles or afflicted expressions show.

Ever sincethe girl soldier Violet had awoken, the number of visits he paid her hadacc.u.mulated into two months. Every time they saw each other, he wasconsistently asked first-thing whether Gilbert Bougainvillea would visit. Thelatter had not come until now. Hodgins was unable to do anything about it, buthe could not handle Violet’s sorrowful face whenever he had to say, “He won’tcome today”. Therefore, he had persuaded her with, “While Gilbert doesn’t come,what you’re supposed to do isn’t to lament for his absence but to do whatever youcan. In other words, to rest and head towards recovery. Becoming able to useyour arms with pride when you meet him is your mission.”

That had aprofound effect on Violet.

“I willdefinitely master the use of these arms even better than my flesh ones. EstarkInc.’s prosthetics are combat-specialized… if my skills catch up to them, Ishould be able to become an even more useful existence.”

She was thesort of person that shone brighter when having missions or orders to follow. Itwas her main trait.

“No, that’snot true. Just by existing, girls are already as praise-worthy and wonderful asthe miraculous limpid waters that flow from mountaintop springs. Men arefilthy.”

“I fail tounderstand that example, but I think that while I am unable to receive Major’sorders, I should train autonomously.”

“Okay…”

It was asomewhat strange conversation, but the mood was not somber. On the contrary: the two of them, who were a disagreeable combination, hadunexpectedly become familiar with one another. And that, in retrospect toHodgins’s relationships, might not be so odd. He and Gilbert were best friends,but Gilbert corresponded to him essentially in a leveled manner. Meanwhile, Hodginshad the tricky characteristic of proffering his love for women but being fondof swaying amongst beautiful people regardless of them being male or female.

“It’s atricky lifestyle, huh, Little Violet.” Hodgins made a comment also supposedlydirected at himself as if only speaking impersonally.

Violetrepeatedly picked the handkerchief after letting it fall on her lap, finallymanaging to wipe the sweat. She had been able to leave her previous state ofnot being able to use her arms at all, but had not yet received permission todo everything on her own.

“Good job.”After fixing her disheveled forelocks with his fingertips, Hodgins sat Violeton her wheelchair.

“Are wealready leaving?”

“Since thewind has started to get chilly.”

“I will…not sweat anymore.”

“If youcan, I want you to teach me that technique. No matter what you say, no can do.Let’s go back to your room.”

——It’s exactly because she’s a kid who forcesherself a lot that I don’t want to let her do too much therapeutic exercise. Hodgins thought while leisurelypushing the wheelchair.

As always,Violet’s reactions were dispa.s.sionate, yet as she cast her eyes down, sheseemed somewhat depressed. It was but Hodgins’s own a.s.sumption – however, thatwas how she looked to him.

——Even so, it’s no good to take away what she’sdoing. Isn’t there a better training method?

The twothat had become used to silence returned to her room. It was not a big one, yetit was just about enough to shun outsiders. The girl soldier with artificialupper limbs, whom only the ones she was close to truly knew, was a frequenttarget of rudeness and impolite stares.

As a resultof her being transferred to a private lodging, Hodgins was able to bring hermany gifts. When entering the place, the fragrance of fresh flower arrangementswafted towards them, several stuffed animals welcoming the duo. Clothes andshoes that she had not yet worn lay in piled boxes wrapped with ribbons. It wasa very feminine room. Inside of it, Violet’s outstanding figure as she sat onher bed was akin to that of a doll.

“LittleViolet, I have something for you.”

“I havereceived enough. There is nothing I can give in return. I will have to refuse.”Violet shook her head and turned to the side, displaying predictable rejectiontowards Hodgins, who would bring something during every visit, as a doting grandfatherwould do with his granddaughter.

“No, it’s nothing too expensive. Actually,it’s a secondhand notepad of mine. A fountain pen, too. I just changed the ink,so I don’t think it’ll run out so soon.” Hodgins put the objects on the deskinstalled in the private room – a hardcover book-like notepad and a goldenfountain pen.

As she was surged,Violet sat in front of the desk, prompted to pick them up. Only a few sheets ofthe notepad had been used. Hodgins took them off and threw them away.

“Let’s makeof this… practice for your hands. Do calligraphy. If I’m correct, you wereable to write your name, right?”

“Yes…however, I cannot write… other words.”

“Isn’t thatfine? It’s exactly because the hospital life is boring that it was your fate tolearn it at a time like this. It’s better to have a goal. How much wouldyou aim to be able to do?”

“Letters.”Violet said as if coughing. “I want to become able to write letters.” Her voicecontained urgency.

Hodgins’s eyesand mouth were wide-open in bewilderment. That was a great offer for him. He was actually going to take the matter into that same direction at his ownconvenience.

“Why… didyou think of that? Little Violet, it’s rare for you to have something you wantto do. Like, aside from training…”

“Letterscan deliver words to those who are far away. There are no communication deviceshere. However, if I wrote a letter… and received a response, although I wouldnot be using my voice, it would be the same as having a talk. Majormight not have spare time for it. Still, I… the fact that I, his tool, amhere… to Major…”

Even as shedid not finish speaking, he understood.

“ToMajor…”

Violet didnot want to be forgotten. She wanted to remind Gilbert Bougainvillea of herexistence as the tool that was there for his sake.

“You wantedto convey your thoughts to him.”

“Yes… No… No, most likely… Yes.” Came the ineffective reply.

She was unable to properly express her feelings. Hodgins knew it well.Every time he opened the door to her room, he would witness Violet’s expectantexpressions disappear.

——Aah, no good. Thiskind of stuff is really no good. Hodgins pressed his eyelids with one hand and exhaled a breath.

“President Hodgins?”

“Hm, sorry, just wait a jiffy. I’ll recover soon.” He flailed his otherhand and faced elsewhere. The insides of his canthus were hot. His chest hurt.He bit his lip, attempting to somehow cancel out the pain in his heart with thepain of his body, to no avail.

——I wonder if I’mgetting old.

As he was touched by the ‘humane’ face that the automated a.s.sa.s.sindoll had unintentionally showed him, for some reason, he felt like crying.

——I’m so sad that it’sagonizing.

The sound of his sniffles reached Violet’s ears. Her shoulders flinchedonce in alarm, just as a small animal would do when sensing danger. It wasonly Hodgins’s bodily impression, but an aura of not knowing how to deal withthe circ.u.mstances emanated from her.

“Wait just thirty more seconds…”

Violet observed the surroundings. Her blue eyes carefully searched inthe room for something supposedly necessary in such a situation. She took ahandkerchief from her nightstand and a black cat plush from her bed. As the strengthof her grip did not make it until she reached Hodgins, they fell to the floor.By the moment she squatted to pick them up, Hodgins was already back to normal.He crouched as well to help her out.

“Were you, by any chance, trying to comfort me?”

His painfully clenched heart unraveled at her clumsy gentleness. A formof affection unlike romantic love bloomed deep within his chest.

“President Hodgins, you told me before that, in your early childhood,you would nestle with a stuffed toy that resembled this black cat one todeceive your own loneliness whenever you cried from not being cared for by yourparents…”

However, said feeling blew away the next second.

“Did I… tell you even about that!?”

“You once came here drunk on the way back from a business negotiation andtalked about half of your life for nearly two hours.”

Now Hodgins wanted to cry for a different motive.

“Little Violet, if I show up drunk any next time, it’s okay if you don’ttake my words seriously. You can even hit me. Really… I’ll avoid alcohol.I’ll drink tea from now on. I’ll live off tea. Aah, how embarra.s.sing… whatdid I say after that?”

“That you are named Claudia… because your parents had believed youwould be born as a girl and prepared to receive you as such, but you wound upearning the name either way and it was difficult to live with this.”

“Alright, let’s go back to the letter writing work, Little Violet.”

Claudia Hodgins was at his limit in countless ways.

The duo’s new experiment started with becoming able to hold the fountainpen. Just from her writing a single character, the pen would roll away and shewould grab it back. Her figure as she would attempt to pick it whenever it fellonto the floor caused Hodgins’s heart to be enveloped in sorrow again.

“You can take it slow.”

For Hodgins, who had only ever attended the army’s military academy, playingthe role of teacher was quite rough. The same applied to Violet. Although shecould dismantle guns, she did not know how to write. The unskillful teacher andstudent had no choice but complement each other’s inept.i.tude. In her currentlevel, he thought of her being able to write letters as a marvelous future.

“I want to become able to write… Major Gilbert’s name.”

Along with the progress of her writing, the scenery outside the windowgradually faded.

Decayed maple leaves created a colorful carpet over the ground. Itseemed the main entrance of the Leidenschaftlich Army Hospital would not be clean of them in time. The mountain road to said hospital was tinted in thesigh-inducing beauty of nature. The world was completely dyed in autumn colors.

In front of said main entrance, a young woman awaited someone, her trunkcase and trolley bag lying on the ground. Perhaps because she had too muchluggage, her stuffed toys’ heads stuck out of the bag. She was most likely beingstood up, staring into the air in an unspecific direction. It was a girl beautifulenough to become a painting. She wore a wisteria mist nude coat and a black high-neck knitted jumper. Her raw organdy lilac skirt rustled noisily every timethe wind blew it.

The golden hair of the female soldier Violet was growing quite long. It delatedthe number of days that she had spent in the hospital. As she spotted a small carriage coming from the mountain path, she tookher luggage with her creaking prosthetic hands. With no inconveniences, shelifted them with both arms and headed to where the carriage had stopped. Similarly,a man made his way towards her.

“Sorry, sorry. A lot happened at work, so I ended up being late.” Even thoughit was an autumn where the gelid breeze could make one shiver, Hodgins was drenchedin sweat as he came running, showing a surprised smile as he saw Violet wearingordinary girl clothes, almost as if not recognizing her. “Little Violet, youlook cute. My choice was wonderful! I have so many talents that it’stroublesome… maybe I should have gotten into the fashion industry. What aboutthe brooch?”

“I have it. I thought it might get lost during the moving…”

“It won’t fall that soon. You should put it on. Lend it to me.” Hodginsplaced the emerald brooch firmly on Violet’s chest.

Violet showed no signs of cautiousness, although the distance betweenthe two of them was small.

“Done. It suits you, Little Violet.”

Even as he patted her head, she remained docile, not pushing his handaway. It seemed she had accepted Hodgins, who had taken care of her for a longwhile.

“Major Hodgins.”

“‘President’.”

“President Hodgins, where should I go now that I have been discharged? Whatwill be my next post? Major has not replied to my letters. I have sent severalof them already.” Taking Hodgins’s hand, Violet entered the carriage.

“From now on, you’ll become the foster daughter of a certain n.o.blefamily. Their son pa.s.sed away during the Great War, you see. They were lookingfor an adoption candidate. Their household is related to Gilbert’s. You’ll beeducated on lady manners there.”

After confirming that the pa.s.sengers had come inside the carriage, the cabbyset it off. It swung p.r.o.nouncedly once. Violet stood still with a serious look.She was not caught off-guard in the slightest by the oscillation.

“Are those teachings necessary for fighting?”

Just as she had thought she would finally return to the place where shecould put her abilities to use, she was informed of an outrageous fact. Herreaction had been moderate.

Hodgins bent his waist, facing Violet’s eyes directly. “The war hasended, so you won’t be needed as a soldier anymore. That’s why you will learnwhat’s necessary to lead a life that isn’t the one of a warrior.”

“I do not understand…”

Hodgins nodded at the response he had already foreseen. “Yeah. It’s apretty complicated issue, and I’m also forcing my own values onto you.”

“‘Complicated… issue’. Even for… you, President Hodgins? Is it noteasy?”

“Little Violet, why did you use to kill people?”

“I had that ability, and it was needed. Simple as that.”

“Yeah. In order to live, in order to protect yourself, you’d beenkilling… surely, you had been doing that even before meeting Gilbert, becausesomeone made you so. It was like a task of getting rid of obstacles… there’sno emotion to it.”

——And that caused you tomalfunction as a person.

“Aah, truly complicated. Hm, for example, let’s say I was attacked by athug. You killed the thug to save me. It would have been better if you hadacted without doing so, but you killed him. There’s a moral cause in that. You almostcertainly wouldn’t be convicted for the crime. Actually, you’d be a hero.”

“What is a ‘moral cause’?”

“Something important that people believe they should abide to whileliving. If you don’t abide to it, in the world of humans, you’ll be caught bythe military police. Can you understand if it’s from that angle?”

“Yes.”

“Then, another example. I had actually wanted to be killed by the thug.I gave him money and asked him to murder me. I wanted to die. We’d discussedour losses and gains and made a deal. You misunderstood that, meddled and endedup executing a person who was merely playing the role of thug and going to killme because I asked. Do you think this is a murder with a moral cause?”

Silence.

“See, it’s pretty complicated, right? There’s probably no correctanswer. In the legislation made by humans, both would likely be tried, but acorrect answer probably doesn’t exist. Forget the example of just now for abit.”

Violet thoughtfully leaned her rigid and inorganic hands on her cheeks. Atthe moment, Hodgins was confronting her with what she considered to be ruthlesswords. Yet that was a problem she would have stumbled upon sooner or later.

There existed a girl soldier. She had slaughtered many. Although themurders had been for a greater cause, she had still killed people.

Was that girl soldier allowed to find happiness?

“Only, what I can say for sure is…” despite fearfully not wanting tobe ostracized by the confused Violet, Hodgins spoke, “I don’t want to see youkilling anyone, so I don’t want to let you go someplace where you’d have to dothat. This is a completely emotion-driven theory, but… I think it’s theclosest it gets to a solution.”

He almost despised Gilbert Bougainvillea for burdening him with such arole.

“Murders increase the number of sad people. That’s why I don’t want youto do it. I want to avoid… things that could be sad. I don’t feel thistowards the whole world. I only seek it… for those whom I cherish. Gilbertwas the same… that’s why we say ‘no’. We push our ideals onto you. A moralcause with an extremely egoistical thinking of killing or not killing. Theworld is becoming like that. Everyone… is really selfish. Little Violet, whatwas the last order you received from Gilbert?”

Upon being asked, Violet reminisced to the peak of the Great War.Gilbert was covered in blood. She had cried. Those had probably been the firsttears she had shed.

“I love you.” Asshe pondered over those powerful words, herheart would race. Just by recalling them, her heartbeats would intensify.

“To escape from the military and live freely.”

“That’s how it is.”

The conclusion had come to light. For Violet, Gilbert’s orders had to befollowed. She would not reject them so long as there were no exorbitant perils.Even so, it seemed that she had difficulties in accepting a future where shewould not return to the battlefield.

“Is that something beneficial to the military? Even if it results in ourallies’ deaths if I do not kill?”

“The enemies are also people. Besides… it’s because you don’t knowthat killing people is slowly setting fire to your body and scorching it thatI’m telling you this… Little Violet.”

The girl soldier – rather, the former girl soldier – dropped her gaze toher own body. Nothing was on fire. She could only see the materials of herbeautiful clothes.

“I am not burning.”

“You are.”

“I am not. This is strange.”

“Nope, you are. I saw you burning and left you alone. I regret that.”

Everything Hodgins said was abstract.

“You will learn a lot from now on. And then, surely, the things you havedone… the things I said I left you alone to do… there will come a time whenyou’ll understand what they were.”

Thesubordinate kept by the Lord was a beautiful monstrosity.

“And then,for the first time, you’ll notice the many burns that you have.”

Saidmonstrosity prided in being the strongest fighter, and was as ignorant as shewas innocent.

“You’llrealize that there’s still fire at your feet. You’ll realize that there arepeople pouring oil onto it. It might be easier to live without knowing this.There will certainly be times when you’ll cry.”

Until thetime when her eyelids would close for eternity, she would not know the feelingof having her body burn. There was conviction but no salvation for her.

“Still, Iwant you to know. That’s why you won’t go back to the military.”

Her handsnever held onto anything, and she would most likely continue living that way.

“Little Violet, let’s change your fate.”

She wasdefinitely destined to do so.

However, a certain man had appeared to grasp the hand of the burning girl andthrow her into a lake. Although he was not present, he undoubtedly existed.

“The people you’ll meet now are officials from the upper militarydepartments and who belong to a prestigious family that others don’t havecontact with right away. From the get-go, your name wasn’t registered in themilitary. So, start a new life from this point.”

“But then, I won’t be by Major’s side…”

“This is an order from Gilbert, whom you want to become the strength of.He wished for this. What are you to Gilbert, Little Violet?”

“I am… Major’s…”

“Aah, we’re here. We have to give our greetings.”

The carriage had stopped. Without being able to do anything else, Violethopped off, led by Hodgins’s hand.

Although old-fashioned, a mansion with an architecture magnificent enough tobe mistaken for a castle rose at the end of the long road. An elderly couplewalked out of said mansion. While they had not yet arrived, Hodgins whispered into Violet’s ear, “Try to not be rude.”

Violet hurried to hold onto her emerald brooch. The carriage was alreadystarting to depart from the same path it had come from. Beyond said path, shedid not spot the figure of the person she had wished to be there. No matter howmuch Violet sought him, he would not come see her.

“These are the head of the Evergarden family and his wife. They will beyour subst.i.tute parents. Now, your greetings.”

The elegant but gentle elderly couple took Violet’s artificial handswithout hesitation. They smiled at her as if unbearably contented.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Violet.”

And thus, Violet Evergarden was born.

Snow melted into the nightly sea. The water surface was even darkerthan the starry sky that people slept under. The flakes being absorbed by it oneafter another were a rare sight in the south of Leidenschaftlich.

Children ran towards the gift from the sky after opening theirwindows. Doormen of wealthy estates trembled with the coldness. Sailors were relievedto have finished their voyages safely and returned home before the snowstorm. In suchscenes that were rarely winessed, the arrival of winter could be keenly felt.

In the south of Leidenschaftlich, snow fell only a few times a year and neverpiled up. No one would have been able to tell it would downpour incessantlyby a capricious command from the heavens on that year. Normally, there would be nothing but nimble snowfall, yet it had piled up to reach the knees of adultmales.

A government meteorologist announced the occurrence to be a once-in-a-century abnormalityin the weather, and the southern part of the country was caught in a temporary disorder.People would slip when coming outside and the roads for carriages and cars hadvanished. Those who did not have stocks at home had flooded food shops andrestaurants, from which came screams of rapture and apprehension. Once logistics hadceased, no one was walking around the city. It was wrapped in silence, as if thesnow had absorbed all sounds.

Among it was the figure of Hodgins, who advanced along the snowy path, used as he was to walking over it despite being from a southern country. Forsomeone like him, one of the former majors of Leidenschaftlich’s army, which hadclashed with the northern countries, the snowy scenery overlapped with thebattlefields.

He continued trailing the lone roadway silently while pushing over the snowwith his dragging winter shoes. In front of him, although faintly, he could seethe Evergarden manor, which was far apart from Leiden, the capitol city ofLeidenschaftlich. He let out a thankful sigh in relief. The puff of his breathsoon dissipated like smoke in the darkness.

As he arrived at last, firstly, he was welcomed by a butler of theEvergarden residence. The mansion could not be considered warm in every corner dueto its large structure, yet Hodgins, who had endured the pa.s.sing of a darksnowy night, was grateful enough to even be inside a room. During hisreception, he spent a few minutes drinking hot tea next to the fireplace.

“You have finally arrived, Mister Hodgins. I was thinking you would notcome today.” An elderly woman with a silk nightgown appeared before him.

“Miss Tiffany, it has been a while. I’m sorry for visiting in the middle of the night.”Hodgins bowed respectfully.

“That is my line. You were in another continent, am I right? It was mymistake to summon you immediately after your return.”

“There’s no way I would refuse the request of a lady. Where’s MisterPatrick?”

“My husband has left me here and confined himself in a far-off town. Hestill protects this land, but he will certainly not see this scenery againbefore he pa.s.ses… Since this is about that person, even though he is alreadyso old, I think he might even be playing with snow outside. He better catch acold.”

The image of a youth merrily making snowmen formed in Hodgins’s mind.“It’s wonderful that he is a candid person that does not forget his childishinnocence.”

“No, he is but a child. Even so, he is the head of the Evergardenfamily… still, rather than Patrick, we should discuss about Violet. My head isfull of her at the moment.”

Tiffany Evergarden started talking with a melancholic face. It seemedshe had attempted to give Violet various sorts of knowledge ever since takingher in. From schooling to etiquette, horsemanship, singing, cooking and dancing. Yet shewould not enjoy any of them or show a remotely delighted expression, andwhenever she had nothing to do, she would shut herself in her room and writeletters all day long. However, none of the letters she had sent ever earned areply.

“She has become pretty familiar with everyone in the house, and evenma.s.saged Patrick’s shoulders a while ago. He cried from joy… no, it mighthave actually hurt. But even though she is awkward, I believe she is a goodchild. Our hearts, which felt as if they had been stabbed when our son died,are gradually healing… I like her sincere innocence.”

“So do I.”

“But if only we are healed, there would be no meaning in adopting her.”Seemingly cold, Tiffany braced herself over her gown. “We took her in afterhearing everything about her circ.u.mstances. We are the ones that actuallyshould bestow her with something… is it no use, after all? If there is noblood relation…”

“That is not true.”

In spite of Hodgins’s a.s.sertion, Tiffany shook her head. “We cannot…replace Gilbert.”

“Just as Violet cannot really replace your son. No one can replaceanother person. We can only be of comfort. Ever since that girl left wherevershe came from, she has not had a home to return to until now. Neither did shehave people waiting for her with a warm meal. But she does now. This time,whatever path she decides to take will be very important. Just this much isenough. It’s something very precious. Please do not send her off.”

“‘Send her off’…! I have no such intention. If I had to let go ofViolet, I would rather sell my husband.”

Her gaze held no lies.

“Miss Tiffany… this exchange is becoming very fascinating, but pleasecherish your husband.”

“Honestly, a daughter is much cuter than a husband…”

“Please do not destroy the dreams of an unmarried man.”

“If you have any interest, I can introduce you to as many candidates as you want.”

As Tiffany’s eyes shone, Hodgins quickly halted the conversation, makinghis way to Violet’s room as if running away. The servants of the Evergarden householdnervously observed him from a distance. The resolve to enter the room was notbuilding up in him. He then attempted to motivate himself.

——No one can becomeanybody’s replacement. Isn’t that right, me?

Hodgins had tasted that feeling many times after becoming Violet’sguardian. He had also felt lonely. But simultaneously, he had felt happy.

——If it’s me, I cangive her the things that Gilbert couldn’t and do that he didn’t manage to.

“Even without becoming his subst.i.tute…”

He hit the chest area of his shirt as if confirming something. He thencleared his throat and tried once more to knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Since it was her, she probably knew who was coming inside just from hisfootsteps. Although he had visited her room often, even Hodgins would beanxious when sneaking into a young woman’s bedroom late into the night.But the tension melted into a different emotion the next second.

“President… Hodgins. It has been a while.”

Violet Evergarden, named after a flower G.o.ddess, had become even morebeautiful yet again in the few months they had not seen each other. Her figureas she wore a negligee was pure and refined. Her golden hair had becomelengthier. The sight was mysterious even. She had grown into someone fitting ofthe name Gilbert had given her.

“Little Violet, what are you doing?” Still, what caught Hodgins’s eyes was not that. His voice quavered. Hehad not wanted to show much of a reaction, yet could not hide it.

Violet staredat Hodgins as he entered the room while sitting on the floor amidst a heap ofdisarranged letters. It was not one or two, but dozens of paper sheets piled upquietly like corpses. Dead thoughts merely existing, like continuously pouringsnowfall.

She did not answer him right away. It might have been that she did nothave the will to open her mouth. “I was… sorting out letters.”

“From who? I always send postcards, right?”

“n.o.body… these are the ones I wrote and did not send. I no longer send letters. I understand… that there will be no reply. I simply find myselfwriting letters whenever I have nothing else to do, is all. There is no meaningto it. These are mere miscellanies in which I wrote about my days. I waspondering on whether I should dispose of them.”

The letters without destination were indeed corpses. And Violet, who hadgiven birth to them, lacked the glow of life in her eyes. It could be that shewas livelier during the times she spent in the battlefield.

“Little Violet…”

Hodgins sat down in-between the mountain of letters and the empty s.p.a.ce.He positioned himself to confront her directly. When looking into Violet’sblank eyes, he felt like evading them. However, Hodgins disciplined himselfwith the reminder that that had been the result of continuously evading her.

“Major will… no longer come back to me, will he?”

“Yeah… he won’t.”

“Has my value as a soldier been lost… because my arms were gone?”

“That’s not it.”

“I can still fight. I can become stronger.”

“Our fight is already over, Little Violet.”

“Can I be of use aside from as weapon?”

“You’re not… anyone’s tool anymore.”

“Then, if my existence itself is a bother to Major, could you pleasetell him to order me to disappear? I will go anywhere. If I… if I remain as Iam, I will be of no use…”

Hodgins desperately stopp