仕立て屋と自動手記人形 (The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll) is a short story in the anthology KA Esuma Compilation (KAエスマ短編集) that was given to readers who collected the five light novel titles published by Kyoto Animation in 2020. I finally got my hands on a copy of it, so I decided to provide my own unofficial translation.
Note:
The rights to the original work belong to the author Akatsuki Kana and
Kyoto Animation. While this unofficial translation is being shared under
fair use, I will remove it if it comes to my knowledge that this
translation is being misused or if there is any infringement of the
copyright owners' rights.
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The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll
by Akatsuki Kana 仕立て屋と自動手記人形
暁 佳奈--------------------------------------------
She was a girl with a wild beauty hidden underneath. Blonde hair that looked as if stars had been crushed and used to dye it. Blue eyes that looked like the most precious jewels used to decorate crowns. She was great material. But she wore no makeup. It looked as if she had woken up, washed her face, dressed, and came here.
Her clothes were probably given to her by someone much older. The cloth was good, but the design no longer in fashion. It was a simple dress, much like what an elderly couple would give their granddaughter. It looked good on her, but something bolder would suit her better.
My customer, Claudia Hodgins, had brought many women to look for me before. In his social circle, I have seen all kinds of women. But this one was the first that made me ponder over how to dress her. She was a lost child that had wandered into my castle, Canaria Tailor. A beautiful amateur who didn’t know what it means to dress up. But the gleaming emerald brooch on her chest and her stunning looks draws attention naturally.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Violet Evergarden.”
This was the customer that showed up at my shop one afternoon.
My castle, Canaria Tailor, is a high-end tailor shop that I operate in Leiden, the capital of Leidenschaftlich. A shop run by a middle-aged man with no wife nor children, I have somehow managed to earn a reputation and keep it afloat. However, during the war, things hit rock bottom due to a lack of customers.
Recently, my past customers have started to return, and I can earn enough to eat well. I can even put out my own designs, and customers are happy with my work. One of them is Claudia, born into a leading merchant family in Leidenschaftlich. I have known him since he was a toddler. When he was learning to walk, I had just finished my apprenticeship as a tailor. When he joined the military, I had become a full-grown tailor and taken over the family business. When he left the army after the war to start his own business, I had become established as the owner of this shop.
As we both run services in the same town, our paths keep crossing even though we were different in age. He even let me make the dresses for the Dolls of his company. To be frank, I was somewhat touched. As a person without my own family, I have watched over him like a child for many years. Looking at the way Claudia dealt with this girl, it was immediately obvious that she was not his lover. He said that she was an Automemories Doll working for the postal company he had established.
“You were in the military, right?”
At my question, the girl, who had been standing straight like a doll while waiting in my shop, widened her eyes.
“Is it obvious?” Her soft-spoken words were conveyed in a sharp, beautiful voice that reminded me of snow crystals.
“Yes, the way you walk, the way you stand. Leidenschaftlich is a military country, and I have many customers who are in the military. These things become a habit and cannot be changed.”
Still, a girl soldier. Until recently, this girl had been carrying a rifle and running across battlefields. It was a bit hard to imagine, but things quickly became more real when I realized she had prosthetic arms while taking her measurements.
Prosthetic arms themselves were not really rare. The great war was just over. Such people are the ones who need tailor-made clothes, giving me the opportunity to meet them. On the streets, you can also see many people who walk with a stagger. But still, such a young girl…
“She was an excellent soldier. But now, she is my employee. Right, Violet?”
Hodgins’ words brought an end to this topic.
At first, we were seated around a table talking about designs, but she hardly spoke a word. I didn’t know if she lacked an interest in clothes, or if she didn’t even know what it means to be interested in clothes in the first place.
“I will leave everything up to President Hodgins.”
She seemed absent. She would look around the shop, then at her emerald brooch, and just kept repeating this loop.
She just wasn’t interested.
She was not interested in clothes. She was not interested in dressing up. Her interest was elsewhere. Such behavior felt rude in front of a tailor.
“Does she usually wear such clothes?” I asked, pointing at the dress she was wearing.
“It is from the lady of the Evergarden family. She has bought her many clothes, and so have I. But Violet only wears the plain-looking ones.”
“Bright colors make easy targets.”
At first, I didn’t understand what she was talking about. Then, I realized she was talking about being shot on the battlefield. Hodgins told her that she was not going to get shot at, but she didn’t look very convinced.
Ah, I thought, from here, this girl is going to learn about dressing up. That makes sense. All the dots have been connected. Suddenly, the way I saw her changed totally.
“Here, let me get you all kinds of stuff to try out.”
I felt a sense of mission. My words made her blink her blue eyes in bewilderment. Hodgins agreed, and that was all I needed. I took her prosthetic hands without hesitation and led her into my workshop.
“All kinds of stuff… what will I be trying out?”
“All kinds of stuff is… all kinds of stuff. Violet, when Mr. Canaria gets excited like this, he doesn’t listen to anyone. You just have to be a dress-up doll until he is satisfied. He made me try on all kinds of stuff too in the past.”
What a rude way to put it. This is the duty of a person with knowledge. It is an encouragement from a senior in life to a youngster. Born into this world, it is better for one to know the effects of dressing up. I am spending my life pursuing this knowledge. The world of fashion is an amazing one. If you know nothing about it, let me teach you. I want you to know. That is all.
As I opened up one closet after another, I said, “Show me what you want. It is also good for you to know what suits you.”
“Why?”
Her voice was loud and clear. Not to be beaten, I also spoke in a loud voice, “You said that bright colors make easy targets. That’s because you know from experience how you should dress on the battlefield, right?”
After a short pause, she nodded her head. “Yes...”
There was no need to tell me about the nostalgic sounds of the battlefield. What she needed was the sound of ribbons, silk, and frills rubbing against each other.
“All the more, you should learn how to dress up.”
I thrusted the pile of clothes I was carrying at her. She looked up from behind the huge pile and said, somewhat awkwardly, “Is it not enough to just wear clothes?”
I am not a kind person, so I shot down her question immediately. “No. That is a stupid question. The work you will be doing has been around for ages. It is also the dream job for many women. Your customers all hope you will help them to write elegant, polite, and sincere letters. You should dress in a fitting manner. Yes, that is right.”
“…”
“You want to know why?”
She looked straight at me and replied, “Yes.” This was followed by “Please teach me.” She had looked like a stubborn person, but it seemed she was an obedient child after all. With a slight smile, I said calmly, “Because you will be going off to fight on a new battlefield.”
As one grows old, it becomes harder to remember names. Her… Violet Evergarden’s eyes gradually grew larger as she heard my words.
“You are going to be an Automemories Doll, right? In this battlefield, women are beautiful, and maintaining appearances that fit this image… will be a weapon in this business, and also armor that protects you. That is why you need to try different weapons and find those that fit you. As a pioneer in this area, let me help you in making your choices. Do you think you can do it?”
In response to my question, Violet gave a salute and said, “Yes sir!”
Whatever a person’s standing, in front of me, they are lost children begging to be taught. “Let’s see… first, a longer skirt with a bit more volume.” To some people, dressing up can feel frightening. “You look surprisingly good in gorgeous clothes that are somewhat heavier at the top. How about this?” To these people, my job is to give them a push and some courage. “Give it a try. After a while, you won’t think that your clothes are too showy.” Fat or thin, tall or short.
“A bustle skirt should look good with that headdress. I am making some costumes for a play right now. Maybe those will look good on you too. Do you want to try them? It will give me some ideas. Hmm… I think it is better if you give the impression that you are not from here, that you are actually living somewhere else.”
A person sparkles by dressing up. A sparkling image will become a weapon, an advantage. “Sit over there and place your hand on the railing by the window. Yes, then turn your upper body slightly toward me.”
Violet Evergarden. Let me give you a weapon that will draw attention wherever you go. You will probably face problems different from the past at the places you will be fighting in the future. But things will be fine. Dress beautifully and face your problems with fortitude. I will give you the armor that lets you do so.
Like a fairy, like a wanderer. Spread your wings firmly in the world, Violet.
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This is a list of Violet Evergarden short stories
that have been written by author Akatsuki Kana, with links to fan
translations (when available). I hope you enjoyed these two short
stories as much as I did.
My overall thoughts on Violet Evergarden The Movie.
Events:
Translations of short stories:
The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll (unofficial translation of 仕立て屋と自動手記人形) Gilbert Bougainvillea and the Fleeting Dream (unofficial translation of "ギルベルト・ブーゲンビリアと儚い夢")
Violet Evergarden short stories: "Logbook entry" and "Diary entry" (unofficial translation)
The Starry Night and the Lonely Two (unofficial translation of 星降りの夜とさみしいふたり)
Diethard Bougainvillea's If (unofficial translation of ディートフリート・ブーゲンビリアIf) Insights on the movie:
Audio commentary notes:
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