Jade says “Vil is strict, both towards himself and others,” while Jamil says he admires how Vil never compromises on anything “but he certainly works people to the bone.”
We get many examples of the importance that Vil places on effort: he refuses to participate in the Wish Upon a Star event, saying, “I have zero respect for anyone who believes in that hoax and wastes their time on it. Hoping for a miracle without putting in the work to make it happen is the epitome of indolence. I make my own miracles. I have no wishes to send to the stars. That’s all there is to it.”
When pressured by Trey to wish for something (Vil: “You make it sound like I’m the bad guy here”), Vil compromises by wishing for Grim, Trey and the prefect to stop nagging him.
Vil explains, “Sometimes, the more capable you become, the harder it gets to endorse yourself,” and tell Deuce, “Spare me the infantile notion that hard work guarantees a reward,” repeating that “The idea that hard work is always rewarded is utter drivel only true in fairy tales.”
Vil says that he loathes instructing those who have no drive to improve and does not believe in doing things halfheartedly: “If you do something, you must do it to perfection.” This comes up again with his tsum, where he reluctantly accepts tsumsitting duty but declares his intention to “see it through to perfection” as he doesn’t want anyone thinking he does things by half-measures.
He says that plenty of people have called him stoic, “But I’m simply putting in the work necessary to achieve my goals. Isn’t that natural?”
Ace asks if there are any spells that can skip self-care routines and Vil explains that magic solutions are temporary: “What I seek is genuine, authentic aesthetic perfection.” Vil emphasizes to both Epel and Ortho that there are no shortcuts to perfection or success.
Vil says that his pursue of perfection is similar to the Fairest Queen who earned the Magic Mirror’s recognition, as she also “gave her utmost effort to achieve her ideals, which is precisely why she was called the fairest one of all…”
He also says, “True beauty is built upon Intelligence. If you try to coast on looks alone, you’ll be exposed as a sham before you know it.”
Jade says that the eternal pursuit of self-improvement is in Vil’s nature (“He is an ambitious man”) and Vil says he has no respect for people who do not strive to win.
Rook says, “Vil never slacks off, whether he’s learning or training. That’s one of the reasons he commands such respect.”
Twisted Wonderland Reference Note 