"They all gave of themselves willingly, for the sake of our plan-- for the summoning which we carried out. I am well aware."

A few weighty moments of silence follow, there, his gaze turned away from Astarion-- to the scenery, to the place where that apparition once was.

"I could not possibly have asked him to do otherwise."

Nor any of them. They all lost loved ones in this way-- he doesn't believe there was anyone among the remaining half of the population who didn't see someone dear to them leave, to join the new will of the star. He could not be any different; he could never have been selfish in that way, when he held those willing to go in the highest regard. He still does.

It doesn't make Emet-Selch miss him any less.