@unfortune asked: ❝ why didn’t you say something before? how long have you just been stringing me along? ❞ aether @ zhongli mayb :)
there it is. this sort of reaction is exactly what he planned for. zhongli doesn't blame him for being angry, not one bit. from aether's point of view, it does seem as though he was only one pawn in the chess game zhongli laid out. he would not be wrong, either. from the start, aether had questions, and had made it painfully clear that he needed answers. it was then that zhongli knew there would be information aether was not meant to know– or rather, information he deserved to know, yet would be unable to hear from zhongli.
in his defense, not once had he promised that there would be answers to receive in the first place. all that was guaranteed was that aether would see rex lapis' vessel again. true to his word, aether did in fact see the vessel several times afterwards. the human one, that is, but a vessel nonetheless.
" if i had told you back then that i could not give you the information you needed, the smart thing for you to do would have been to ask around elsewhere. but you must understand that i needed your full cooperation. i could not risk losing it so early. " he is well aware of just how cruel his words seem, and his own attitude pulls his lips further down into a frown in silent self-response. there is no doubt in his mind that had he been in aether's shoes, he would be just as upset. even so, liyue and her people as a whole came before all others, it always has. even as he first started planning, he knew that if he had to pick between maintaining his personal relationships or ensuring his nation’s stability, he would not hesitate to choose liyue. this was always to be expected... but expecting something did not mean it would be easy to handle.
" i won't act as though i am worthy of forgiveness after this. your anger is wholly justified. i would not blame you if you wished to hold a grudge. " his gaze dips off to the side; it is far easier to stare at nothing at all than the pained look on the traveler's face. " i don’t regret all that i have done for liyue, but i am truly sorry that i had to let you down. i can only hope that another archon can give you the answers you seek. "
