traits
With a cast as big as Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth's, one might think the characters run together, but thanks to their distinct personalities that's not the case. (Though there are too many sorceresses.) This is due to the traits system in the game that forms the basis of sending einherjar up to Valhalla. Positive traits have to be improved and negative traits lessened to increase an einherjar's hero value, their suitability to fight for the gods. Each einherjar has a list of traits, and Mystina's are as follows.
- Prideful
- Egotistical
- Narcissistic
- Distracted
- Voluptuous
- Snobbish
- Flashy
- Wise
Most of these characteristics are negative (and indeed have to be lessened in the game to increase her heroic value), but to deny them is to deny Mystina's character. She certainly acts prideful to a fault, is consumed with increasing her knowledge, and is too distracted by such things to care about others. She's snobby, looks down on others, and shows off as much as possible. She has wisdom, certainly, but it's shadowed by these other characteristics. And she's certainly beautiful (although I have to wonder how exactly her "voluptuous" trait would increase).
These are just the traits she shows to the world, though. In truth, Mystina knows she has very poor powers of self-analysis, and she only acts how she says she is. How she really feels is something we never find out in the game, because she'd rather keep up a strong front than betray any weakness. The Material Collection sheds more light on her than the game does.
Character summary
Mystina graduated from the Flenceburg Sorcery Collegium at the top of her class, and continues to work there as a researcher. She is a perfectionist and hates to lose. She would say that she's a moralist, a narcissist, and an egoist. However, self-analysis is not one of her strong points, and occasionally she displays a kinder countenance, or loneliness, which she herself is not aware of. She hates Headmistress Lorenta, and burns with antagonism for Lezard, her expelled classmate. Sometimes she enjoys spirit walking. Her goal is to find Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that connects Midgard and Asgard. Surprisingly, she is also a romantic.- from the Valkyrie Profile Material Collection
The woman who wanted to be chosen
Behind her stubborn attitude, Mystina has a desire to be understood. She was born with an extraordinary intellect and beauty, so one may expect that she'd not lead a normal lifestyle, but she didn't choose to walk the solitary road of academia. One can't help feeling that her egoism is just an act. Her narcissism might be something she clings to as a manner of self-defense. In truth, with the exception of herself, one wonders if there's anybody who understands her. She hasn't received all of the acclaim for reaching the height of scholarship at the Collegium, however. The Headmistress recognized another student (Lezard); so Mystina saw it.- from the Valkyrie Profile Material Collection
From this, it's clear that Mystina isn't the self-absorbed woman she makes herself out to be. Rather, it's by acting like she doesn't care about anyone else that she manages to keep herself from having to open up. Ironically, as much as Mystina want to be understood, it's her own personality that keeps people away from her and the chance to be understood. The only one who did understand her was Lenneth, and she accepted Mystina for who she was, past all her self-defense mechanisms.