MTLNOVEL Chapter 9: A Vow!
"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! This appearance is truly marvelous!"
Standing before a large round mirror, Yuuya admired his reflection, unable to suppress his satisfaction.
His face was flawless, with a sharply defined jawline, as if sculpted by the very hands of the god of handsomeness.
His short, snow-white hair contrasted beautifully with his sapphire-blue eyes, which gleamed with an almost hypnotic allure—capable of captivating any woman with just a glance.
Despite being only thirteen, he stood remarkably tall at 170 cm.
Without a doubt, the biggest factor behind his impressive height was the nutrition from Maya's carefully prepared meals. Had it not been for her, there was no way he would have grown this well.
After all, Elizabeth had strictly forbidden the maids and cooks in the mansion from tending to him. It was a cruel decree, but no one dared defy her orders.
With Jacob Vanitas absent from the mansion, all decisions rested in her hands—and her word was absolute.
Yuuya examined the golden-white robe draping over his frame and nodded in satisfaction.
Unlike food or service, robes and fine clothing were symbols of status.
No matter how low his status was within the Vanitas family, he was still Jacob Vanitas' son and the family's third young master.
If he appeared poorly dressed and unkempt in front of other noble families, it would bring shame to the Vanitas name and weaken its authority.
For that reason, Elizabeth could not forbid him from wearing fine clothing.
"Speaking of engagements, I'm really curious about how the Third Princess, Nora, will propose to break it off. After all, the novel never explains it—it's only mentioned in the character descriptions," Yuuya muttered with intrigue.
Arthur Vanitas wasn't the main character, the final boss, or even a significant figure in the story—he was just a side character, barely more than an extra.
There were no chapters detailing him, except for his death in the Academy arc, which would take place in two years.
In that event, his sister, Shion Vanitas—the story's minor villain—provoked the protagonist and committed a crime to dispose of him.
To cover up her actions, Shion falsely accused Arthur of being the mastermind, redirecting the protagonist's hatred toward him. This accusation ultimately led to his death.
The reason Yuuya was drawn to Arthur actually stemmed from his past, as explained in the character description, as well as—lastly—his striking good looks.
Of course, his attraction to Arthur's appearance wasn't because he was gay, but rather because something about it felt... off, in a strange way.
The author portrayed Arthur as the handsomest man but gave him no significant role.
Had Arthur been cast as a mid-level villain with a chance to clash against the protagonist, the story would have been far more intriguing and exciting.
Shaking off these thoughts, Yuuya casually called out, "System, are you there?"
"[Of course, Host! What do you need?]" the system responded eagerly.
Yuuya gave a slight nod and asked, "System, do you have a function to check the status panel?"
"[Of course I do, Host,]" the system replied. "[Just say 'status,' and your status will appear before you.]"
Hearing this, Yuuya's curiosity was piqued, and he immediately said, "Status!"
[Status Panel]
[—Name—: Arthur Vanitas/Kirigaya Yuuya (Former)]
[—Race—: Human]
[—Age—: 13 Years Old]
[—Talent—: -]
[—Specialty—: -]
[—Realm—: -]
[—Element Affinity—: -]
[—Spells Mastery—: -]
[—Item—: -]
[—Description—: A worthless individual who cannot use magic. Destined to be a stepping stone for others, ultimately meeting a tragic end.]
In an instant, a status panel, much like those in MMORPG games, appeared before him. Yuuya carefully scanned his status, and his expression immediately stiffened.
'Damn! What is this garbage?!' Yuuya cursed inwardly.
Though he knew Arthur Vanitas in the novel lacked any talent for magic, seeing it firsthand still frustrated him.
Sensing his anger, the system quickly intervened to calm him down. "[You don't need to be upset, Host. Once you enter the Library of Heaven and complete a world of books with perfect results, you'll earn an extraordinary reward that could change your destiny!]"
"Oh? A reward that can change my destiny?" Yuuya's anger faded instantly, replaced by excitement. "Can you tell me what kind of reward I'll get, System?"
"[Ahem! (•ᴗ•,, ) I can't reveal that yet, Host,]" the system responded, embarrassed. "[You'll need to enter the Library of Heaven first. After selecting the book you want to enter, there will be a detailed explanation of the rewards for each level of completion.]"
Yuuya didn't get angry. As long as there was a chance to change his destiny, he would pursue it without hesitation.
"Alright, thanks for the explanation, System!" Yuuya said, genuinely grateful.
"[You're welcome, Host!]" the system replied eagerly.
*Knock!*
"Young Master Arthur, the Third Princess has arrived and is waiting for you in the parlor. Please come and greet her immediately."
The sound of a knock, followed by the indifferent, cold tone of a maid, came from behind the door.
Yuuya chuckled softly, shaking his head. "The fate of Arthur Vanitas is truly pitiful. Even a maid speaks to him like that."
But suddenly, his expression turned calm and cold as he vowed, "But now, Arthur Vanitas' body is mine, and I won't let the tragic fate in the novel control me. I will change the opinions of those who once saw me as trash and make them admire me!"
As soon as the words left his lips, he felt his body grow lighter, as though invisible chains binding him had been shattered.
A faint smile crossed Yuuya's face as he stretched his body and walked toward the door.
"Now, let's begin the journey to change this damn fate!"