Deep in Snezhnaya, the Traveler finally stands before the Cryo Archon at Zapolyarny Palace. Instead of kneeling as a court servant, Aether strikes a different bargain: he agrees to help Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya as a friend, and she formally names him “Consultant to the Tsaritsa.”
Quick answer: At Zapolyarny Palace, Aether declines a formal court position but offers his help as a friend. Anastasya responds by making him Consultant to the Tsaritsa and giving him a silver ice emblem identifying him as a special envoy.
Reaching Zapolyarny Palace
Paimon and Aether turn up at the palace after a letter directs them there, expecting some kind of prize. A guard halts them at the entrance and asks what business brings them in. Once he verifies the commander’s orders, he permits the pair to pass.
Beyond the doors lies a cavernous ice hall that stretches toward a distant, ornate throne. The grand blue interior sets the tone for the meeting that follows.
The adviser role Anastasya wanted
Vesna reveals that the Tsaritsa herself called for the Traveler. She lays out what the new adviser must be: someone exceptionally skilled and, crucially, unattached to any political faction inside Snezhnaya.
Danica objects, focusing on Aether’s ability to move freely and his absence of allegiance. She questions whether an outsider deserves trust at the center of the court.
Anastasya explains her reasoning directly. Her ministers and court are constrained by politics and by relations between sovereigns, so she wants an unaligned perspective to understand her own nation more clearly.
How Aether becomes Consultant to the Tsaritsa
Aether presses for the real motive behind the decree before committing to anything. Several dialogue prompts steer the exchange as he probes the Tsaritsa’s intentions.
- “So, why was I called here?”
- “Why not go out and see for yourself?”
- “Then, why not put your Harbingers up to the task?”
- “I’m not sure how to answer that…”
- “Then we have an agreement.”
Aether ultimately declines to become a court subject. Instead, he offers his help as a friend, describing his travels and personal connections across Teyvat as the reason he can speak plainly where her officials cannot.
Anastasya accepts his condition. She bestows the title Consultant to the Tsaritsa and assigns Chayka, her Confidential Secretary, to handle Aether’s logistics, audience requests, and official paperwork. To seal the arrangement, she hands him a silver ice insignia marking him as a special envoy.
The palace audience and Ronova’s threat
The wider palace scene frames why the Traveler has such standing. Anastasya sits crowned on the ice throne before the assembled Fatui Harbingers and courtiers, announcing the defeat of the blizzard-summoning beast and turning her attention to internal governance.
She calls on Pulcinella, the Rooster, to report on developments during her absence. He details ration management and open discussions that kept civilian disruption low across Snezhnograd, then presents an audit list of corruption cases as an aide bows before the throne.
Anastasya praises Tartaglia’s service to the Veche, and Childe salutes in acknowledgment. She then instructs Pulcinella to verify another corruption roster with help from the Druzhina’s 3rd Company. Privately, Childe reflects on the Tsaritsa’s unspoken dissatisfaction with how the Rooster handled the matter.
Talk shifts to Ronova, the Ruler of Death. Anastasya consults Pierro and Mitya and agrees that research conducted under Ronova’s death curse is draining resources. Mitya explains current weapons cannot harm Ronova, while Regrator notes that each step of progress triggers mass casualties. Marionette proposes relocating the work to Kuuvakhki, but Mitya replies that the personal curse cannot be escaped by moving.
Anastasya calms the room, framing trials against the Heavenly Principles as expected, then calls on the Traveler and praises their past deeds. She halts every active investigation into the Traveler and grants unrestricted palace clearance. After dismissing the assembly, she invites the Traveler to follow her for a private conversation, and control returns to the player with the objective “Light and Shadow, Intertwined: Speak with the Tsaritsa.”
Ronova is not confined to the story. She also arrives as a new Weekly Boss in Version 7.1, so the encounter can be revisited after the main quest.
The upshot is a rare position for the Traveler within Snezhnaya’s power structure. As Consultant to the Tsaritsa, Aether keeps his independence while gaining a direct line to Anastasya through Chayka and the authority his special-envoy emblem represents.
