[Asch doesn't respond right away - not that he doesn't want to, but more like he can't. His true motivations for opting to live with Van, someone neither of them could trust, over Luke and Guy (whose level of trust is, at this point, still rather dubious at best), are difficult to describe.
Yes, he wants to watch Van. He wants to see what the man does, how his plans have changed, if he truly does want to alter his plans for the replication and destruction of their world. And while the relocation plan isn't the best solution either - there's no chance that everyone will agree to move to a new planet, after all, or even that Van would remember this place upon his return to Auldrant - even so...
...and chance to be with Van again, to stand at his side, to rely on him, to learn from him, is...
...Luke couldn't possibly understand. He had more than Van in his life. Asch had nothing.]
What else would it be about?
[He's more than useful. Surely... surely he's more than useful.]
[action!!]
Yes, he wants to watch Van. He wants to see what the man does, how his plans have changed, if he truly does want to alter his plans for the replication and destruction of their world. And while the relocation plan isn't the best solution either - there's no chance that everyone will agree to move to a new planet, after all, or even that Van would remember this place upon his return to Auldrant - even so...
...and chance to be with Van again, to stand at his side, to rely on him, to learn from him, is...
...Luke couldn't possibly understand. He had more than Van in his life. Asch had nothing.]
What else would it be about?
[He's more than useful. Surely... surely he's more than useful.]