Emet selch had the right point, what if the premise of the question was wrong.

The fact that Hermes needs to ask that question implies a need for an external answer, yet you are never going to find the reason for you needing such an answer, that is an answer that can only be found internally.

And at the end he continues being blind and lack self awareness when he feels so guilty for subjecting Meiteion to that and instead of trying to handle the situation chooses to stand by his old word of "I will accept the answer no matter what" completely ignoring the severity of situation and possible consequences, just so he can keep his word to meiteion.

Definitely made me hate Hermes, the root cause of the final days being his own existential issues and own personal need for rigid answers.