There's a few additional levels to this that just continue to make the moment so much worse and more fraught.
Haurchefaunt's death here, in this very building, not all that long ago, was Aymeric's fault.
If Aymeric hadn't impulsively rushed in to confront Thordan in person--a thing that literally everyone present told him not to do--Haurchefaunt would still be alive.
And he absolutely believes this! When he sends you after Thordan, look at how he falters and looks downcast over WoL's reaction if you say you want vengeance on Zephrin. That's guilt.
2. He just did the exact same thing again. Rushing into the Vault while still recovering from being stabbed almost fatally, to confront people in person when told not to.
3. Edmont is spot on. Aymeric is a lot like Haurchefaunt. Remember that short story where little teenage Haurchefaunt murders a bunch of full-grown kidnappers with an arrow stuck in his arm? Haurchefaunt had a sometimes-unhinged streak when he felt that something needed to be done, and Artoirel and Emmanellain absolutely do not. But Aymeric? Aymeric does.
4. It is literally this very quality that got Haurchefaunt killed.
So while this sounds sentimental, and it is sentimental, when Edmont tells Aymeric he sees a lot of Haurchefaunt in him... this is a criticism. It's meant just as much as a "Stop doing the shit that got my son killed" as it is an "I care about your wellbeing."
And then there's Artoirel.
You are about to find out right after this that Edmont is stepping down, but Artoirel has to have known about it already at this point. Probably they've been discussing this for days.
He went into the Vault anyway.
The soon-to-be Count Fortemps ran into a pitched battle in the place his brother died, quoting him as he did so.
As if... maybe he wanted to get himself killed. That line he repeats? He says it when Edmont isn't present. It's at the gate to the basilica, and he says it to Aymeric. Who wasn't there when Haurchefaunt said it originally. The only ones present who would know he was quoting his brother are The Warrior of Light and Alphinaud.
The ones to whom he admits later how he dreads becoming Count and has come to abhor his place in upholding Ishgard's legacy of lies.
He and Edmont don't discuss his choice to go with Aymeric beforehand or after he volunteers, and I wonder how much of Edmont's silence to him afterward is anger because he knows Artoirel just tried to kill himself?
Edmont is telling them both off in this moment. And I think they both realize it.
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