Glorious Vanity (SI LitRPG)

Freyr clutched the golden wing necklace around her neck and stared at the man who gave it to her, her thoughts and her emotions in disarray.

Vain was ordinary. Not just ordinary, he was weak. Like he admitted, he was the sort of man who had to run away from combat because he would be killed in an instant.

However, that did not mean that he was helpless.

Vain had shown his abilities from the time they began moving together. From saving her from... *that* end, as well as accurately blocking and dismantling every trap they came across, it was clear that he was very skilled and knowledgeable.

And he was interesting. Kind.

Freyr felt her heart start to beat faster as she stared at his back and subconsciously clenched the artifact he gave her just a bit tighter, recalling its information.

-V-

[Heaven's Veil]

The unheard prayers left behind in the Divine Rosary have emerged to protect what would be another victim. The unfulfilled pleas and wishes of countless captured and fallen holy maidens have crystallized into a veil to deny the heavens and gods that were cold and merciless.

A unique artifact that imbues a conceptual protection surpassing mere status, incorporating the story of a transcendent 'Miracle' meant to grant wishes.

For the sake of a different path and to ensure that it is no one's story but your own... To be self-determined instead of a puppet of fate, Heaven's Veil shall protect you on your way.

Soulbound to Freyr Valhalla.

Luck is treated as the maximum value.

Absolute denial of all negative luck-based phenomenon.

Absolute denial of abnormal status effects.

Absolute denial of all negative traits, skills, and titles.

Absolute denial of fate and destiny manipulation.

Absolute denial of divine authority.

Once per battle when dealt a mortal blow, the user is transported to a safe location and the mortal blow is erased.

Once per day, it is possible to return to a previously seen location.

Minor wounds are immediately closed.

A slight regenerative effect is granted.

-V-

It was a miracle. What he granted her could not be called anything less than that.

A divine artifact- No, it went beyond being called 'divine.' It was an item that even the gods would covet.

First of all was the description. To have a story attached to it, the artifact could not be something simple. And the story itself... something that was born from the wishes of those forsaken by the gods. An artifact crystallized from those unheard pleas and meant to protect one who would have suffered the same fate...

Freyr was not delusional. She had understood the risks involved in entering Babel despite being an Aesir.

Her mother and father had warned her. Babel did not take kindly to beings that transcended normal mortal status from the beginning entering its domain. And as a result, she would be inflicted with a severe curse. The Fates themselves would seek to ruin her... and not with just death.

But she thought herself above that. Freyr had believed herself capable of overcoming whatever trials the Fates presented.

Until just earlier.

Combat, she was confident in. Magical spells and curses, she was skilled in repelling. Commanding and ordering troops, that too she was confident in.

But those traps... To have her body betray her and fall prey to those sensations. To lose her very mind and think of nothing else but-

Freyr blushed and shook her head to clear it.

Vain looked back and raised an eyebrow. "What? You getting sleepy or something?"

Freyr stared at his face for a few moments.

Average. His appearance was ordinary, and he lacked the build of a fighter. He was the sort of man that she wouldn't glance at twice before arriving at Babel.

But now, she could barely look away.

That plain face was one that she could never forget. Those slightly slanted dark eyes seemed to hold unfathomable depths while also shining with a quiet mirth, as if finding everything amusing. That slightly curled black hair that was unkempt and reached his eyes. The faint smile that he always had while looking at her, slightly exasperated but kind.

"Freyr?"

She blinked again, feeling her heart racing, and quickly shook her head. "I am fine, Vain." She let out a bright smile and said, "I was just... thinking about what was to come next."

Yes. What would occur next. The future that would soon arrive...

"Mm." Vain nodded and turned his head back to the front, continuing his advance. "Don't get too ahead of yourself. We're not out of the woods yet."

"Understood." Freyr gave a simple response and then followed after him.

Silence, with nothing but the sounds of their footsteps. As always, Vain led the way, meticulously dismantling the traps they came across and deciding on their path.

Seeing that, Freyr realized once more just how different he was from other men she knew.

Such a weak body, unskilled, and susceptible to perishing in a single moment. Yet, so as to ensure she did not fall prey to another despicable trap and suffered a cruel fate, Vain took the lead.

And this was while not knowing how or why he arrived in Babel. Despite the fact that he should be concerned about his own life the most, for her sake, for one who could be called a goddess in her own right in terms of pure ability, he confidently led the way. Not once hesitating or complaining. Instead, he did it as if it was natural.

And then there was the fact that he gave up such a valuable artifact despite clearly knowing what it did... After all, how else would he have known it would bind to her?

Kind, intelligent, mysterious... And most of all, someone who cared for her as a 'maiden' and not as a fierce warrior or goddess.

Such a person...

Freyr felt her face heat up and her heart race again.

[The Heaven-Seizer is amused at your situation and fondly recalls her past. She wishes you luck in your pursuit and bestows a gift she no longer needs. Obtained title: Faithful Companion]

[The Karmic Anomaly's Wife squeals in delight at the unfolding events. She wishes you luck in your star-crossed romance and bestows a gift. +10 bonus stat points.]

[A Goddess of Magic smiles warmly. She says that she hopes to finally receive a proper son-in-law soon after all these years.]

[A God of Wisdom smiles wryly. He reminds you that such a path will likely face great hardships but wishes you well.]

[A Trickster God is amused and says he looks forward to watching the love life of his beloved sister.]

Freyr blinked at the sudden flurry of messages and then turned a deep red. Thankfully, she had the self-awareness to remain quiet so as to not alarm Vain. But still...

Those transcendent beings... and then her mother, father, and older brother. Did they have nothing better to do?! Prying in her affairs like that...!

Freyr shook her head and sighed.

Well, she was grateful for their support, even if it was embarrassing-

"Bored?"

Freyr flinched and quickly glanced over at Vain.

He was staring at her- No, his gaze was slightly shifted, as if reading something.

Freyr's eyes widened and she quickly dismissed the messages. "N-No. Of course not! I would never be bored with you!"

"Oh?" Vain smirked and then stopped walking, turning around to stare at Freyr. "Then should we just stand here and wait forever, staring into each other's eyes? After all, there isn't a time limit on the mission."

[The Karmic Anomaly's Wife squeals in happiness and shows her support. +10 bonus stat points.]

[The Karmic Anomaly groans and reprimands his wife. He also warns you that the man you are involved with is absolutely no good.]

[The Timeless Savant of Accumulation agrees and says that it is better to stay as far away from him as possible. Misfortune and annoyances emerge whenever he gets involved.]

[The Hero of Mastery disagrees and says that he is a great person. Better than the Karmic Anomaly at least who made him work a dead-end and stressful job for years on end.]

[The Sword of Akasha agrees that the man you are involved with is a great person. But he advises you to firm your heart. The path ahead will be quite trying... and you will face a great backlash for pursuing him.]

[The Karmic Anomaly says that they are all idiots for wasting money on useless messages and that they should go back to what they were doing. He also apologizes for his colleagues and bestows a gift. +10 bonus stat points.]

Freyr froze, caught off-guard by both the sudden flurry of messages and Vain's actions.

Before she could respond, Vain laughed and shook his head. "Just kidding. We've both got things to do and places to be. Better to not dawdle, right? Now come on. I'm pretty sure there aren't anymore treasures after what we found... Seems like the Admins thought that thing was enough. Should just be a boss fight now."

Saying that, Vain turned back to the front and continued walking.

"Y-Yes." In her mental disarray, that word was all that Freyr could manage as she quickly walked behind Vain.

As she did, she read the most recent status messages and frowned.

Those five modifiers... No, including 'The Heaven-Seizer' from before, it was six. Those were modifiers that she had never heard before. But the fact that they possessed 'The' instead of 'A' like most of the gods and transcendents watching showed that they were in a league of their own. Beings that were singular existences with their own unique paths.

Freyr shifted her gaze back to Vain and frowned.

Just who was he to have the attention of such grand beings?

'Should I check?'

Freyr hesitated.

Before, she had only casually used [Analyze] on Vain. It failed, but she was fairly certain she could succeed if she focused. That if she pressed hard enough, she would be able to break past the veil obscuring his status and examine it.

Despite her curiosity, she had refrained from doing so out of respect. And also because of what he told her about people being able to detect it.

But...

Freyr bit her lips, thinking hard about whether to make the attempt anyway.

Surely he would not mind...?

Vain walked up ahead, holding a torch that he took from the walls to light the way. A forked path emerged at the end of the darkened halls, and he turned to the right, rounding the corner.

Freyr followed after him and then decided.

If he was upset, she would apologize with everything she had.

Taking a deep breath and squashing the guilt and reluctance in her heart, Freyr focused on Vain's form, gathered her mana, and then quietly mouthed 'Analyze.'

When she did-

[I'm sorry, but that's a bad idea so I'm going to have to make you stop.]

-'Something' stopped her. The skill itself was erased, as if it never happened, and her mana returned as if it was never roused.

Freyr's eyes widened.

Before she could even think about what happened, a message popped up in front of her. But not only that, everything was frozen. Time itself had come to a halt.

[Analyze was cancelled by [**************]]

Vain stood in mid-stride, unmoving, and the flame of his torch was still, like it was sculpted of orange glass.

Just as fear began to take hold of Freyr's heart, another message popped up in front of her.

[Don't take it personally. Because of your nature, it's going to be fatal if you try that on him. And he'd be mad if that happened... Hell, I know I'd be. So just let it go, alright? If you're curious, wait until after you get out of here to ask him- Ah, but he's probably going to do something stupid. Hm... Well, do your best, alright? I'm sure 'he'll' appreciate it and come around if you work hard. He's just overly analytical and worried about raising too many tropes and flags.]

'Who... No, what are you?'

[Me? Don't worry about it. I won't pop up again after this point. Really, interfering this much is breaking the fourth wall a bit too hard and really derailing the 'story' here. But it'd be bad if his 'trait' acted up and completely devoured you before he gets control of it, you know?]

Trait? Devoured?

[...Ah. I said too much. Dammit. This always happen when I get to talk directly instead of through characters. Though I suppose this is a first to have characters react directly to my voice instead of through a 'medium' or 'avatar'... Anyway, forget we had this conversation and just focus on your story, alright? There'll be a few Disney Deaths, but it'll all work out. Promise.]

Freyr was confused. In such a situation, who wouldn't be?

[Right. That's true. Then, let's just get back to it.]

The messages vanished, wiped away as if they never existed.

At the same time, Freyr could barely recall them.

Something about... not trying to analyze Vain? And that it would be dangerous? As well as something about... Disney Deaths?

Time resumed, Vain's footsteps echoing once more, along with the crackling of the fire from his torch.

And then he came to a stop.

Freyr blinked, wondering why he did. And then she saw it.

The end of the hallway opened up to a grand chamber with a height at least a hundred men tall. And then, directly in front of them, there was a pair of ornate double doors, etched from what seemed to be mithril and bearing myriad runic markings.

Vain tossed his torch to the side and hefted his shield. That done, he glanced back and said, "Looks like we're here. You ready, Freyr?"

A clear and determined gaze. Lips slightly raised in an amused and nonchalant smile.

An expression that showed he had nothing to fear.

Was it because he was that confident? Or did he trust in her that much?

Freyr tightened her grip around the sword sheathed at her side and then nodded. "Yes!"

Vain's smile widened just a bit and then he turned back to the front. "Then... Let's do this. And don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll ensure you get out of here safely."

Freyr froze.

Those words... She had heard them before. Not the exact same, but words of the same type.

An implicit declaration of sacrifice.

Freyr's eyes widened and she stepped forward, intending to grab Vain and pull him back. "Hold one moment, Vain! Allow me-"

"Here we go!"

Before she could do anything, Vain pushed the doors open, walking inside.

Freyr swallowed her words and drew her sword, quickly following after him.

-V-

[Status Screen]

-Biography-

Name: Freyr Valhalla

Age: 2000 (equivalent of 20 mortal years)

Race: Aesir

Current Condition: Protected by Heaven's Veil

-Racial Traits-

Aesir - Divine beings bound by fate to face Ragnarok and their destruction. While gods, they remain 'mortal' in that they have a destined end, no matter how much they seek to defy it. However, until that point, they possess great power. All stats except luck +1000. Fatal weakness to Fate/Destiny/Karma based attacks.

-Traits-

Cold-Hearted (Emotions are suppressed in battle and can make cool and rational decisions.)

Heroic (Acts in the best interest of others, potentially to one's own detriment.)

Babel's Fury (Cursed to suffer a cruel, miserable, and humiliating end. Chances of XXX events ensured.)

-Titles-

Babel's Curse of Vainglory - You will suffer a cruel, miserable, and humiliating end as a result of possessing the excessive pride and arrogance to enter Babel while possessing a status far beyond its accepted limits. You will never get the chance to fulfill your ambition, watching as it slips away from your grasp at the last moment.

Azure Lightning Blade - The pioneer of a swordsmanship replicating Thor's divine thunder, imbued with Freyja's magic and borrowing the tracking of Odin's divine armament Gungnir.

Norse Pantheon Heiress Apparent - Intuitive knowledge of magic, combat, and tactics.

Faithful Companion - The title once owned and now bestowed by the Heaven-Seizer. Through trials and tribulations, the sentiments of trust and belonging will not fade. As long as you do not betray your heart and believe in 'him', you will remain in his thoughts.

-Parameters-

Level: 10

Strength: 300 (+1000)

Agility: 300 (+1000)

Vitality: 300(+1000)

Intelligence: 300 (+1000)

Mana: 300 (+1000)

Luck: -110 (MAX)

Bonus Stat Points: 120

-Skills-

One with the Sword - A level of mastery with the sword that makes it an extension of the body. Allows perfect usage of anything that can be called a 'sword.' Cannot be used on weapons with an ego that rejects the user.

Sacrifice of the Divine Maiden - A one-time use that creates a 'miracle.' By giving up what is most precious to a 'maiden', can fully heal and remove all status effects of a member of the opposite sex. Can be used to save someone even a few breaths after death as long as their body is intact.

Rudimentary Runic Magic - Allows the usage of basic runes and the construction of basic runic phenomenon.

Covenant of the Plume - Increases all parameters in combat for allied units. Increases morale of all allied units. Allows all allied units to show 'Heroic Resolve', which allows one final action after receiving a mortal blow. Grants allies the ability 'Heroic Sacrifice', amplifying all parameters by one magnitude at the cost of death after combat.

-Inventory-

Heaven's Veil (Conceptual Artifact) - Soulbound

Unnamed Ego Sword - Soulbound