Awww, I’m so happy I could inspire you to play one of my favorite games, Anon. The game may not have been the best, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a fun, memorable game! I like the idea you’re getting at! While we have summon spirits with human-like appearances, such as Celsius, Luna, Sylph, etc., there are also spirits with inhuman body shapes, like Efreet, and Shadow. I’d also love to see the lore for these summon spirits, but that’ll probably make up for a whole ‘nother game, haha. From what we know in Emil’s journal synopsis, he assumes Ratatosk took on Aster’s appearance only because he was the last human he seen before reverting to core form. Of course, the appearance did ultimately become convenient for him, but that came off as more of a coincidence than anything. It would’ve been nice to see what Ratatosk originally looked like as a summon spirit in the game, but I guess that’s asking for too much. I personally like to think Emil and Ratatosk are one in the same, so Emil’s personality is also Ratatosk’s personality. Mithos’ skit in Rays explains how Ratatosk’s personality was closer to Emil’s 4,000 years ago before he betrayed him. I’d say it’s more that his views on humankind forced him to change his once-kind personality rather that it dying down (cause we all know Ratatosk is still has the same kindness as Emil, just shows it off in a tsundere-like way), thus what we call “Ratatosk’s personality”. Anyway, the fact that Ratatosk changed so drastically because of the withering of the Giant Kharlan Tree does tell that he really did care for the tree.