The disappearance of the Honkai crisis had left Noldrei somewhat... constrained?
This wasn't just a mental feeling; it was something he had personally experienced in reality.
This was especially true of the people who, instead of sleeping at night, tried to sneak into his room.
Even Noldrei found it difficult to truly treat everyone equally.
For example, when he was educating Kiana, he was relatively strict. But when dealing with Sirin, because he didn't have too many requirements, it became a very relaxed and simple relationship.
In truth, Noldrei was just teaching according to their individual aptitudes.
However, jealousy wasn't something that could be explained away simply by teaching according to aptitude.
Noldrei handled everyone quite well when he dealt with them separately, but a series of accidents led these individuals to believe he favored one over the other.
Kiana believed she was Noldrei's only kin. Bronya believed she was the only little sister her big brother cared for. Sirin believed Noldrei was her reborn father. Rita, on the other hand, was more of a 'green tea' type; she liked this simple happiness of being close yet distant, without any responsibility.
Raiden Mei's relationship wasn't as close, but she had completely grown accustomed to the life of a little pony, living happy days she had never had before. As for the two little ones, Mahiru and Ana, they were closer to each other.
Dr. Tesla, however, didn't care about these things. She had already obtained what she needed. As a 'straight steel woman' with a scientific mind, Tesla was actually more concerned with the direction of this era's progress. She pursued a more compatible common ideal.
But all of this... collapsed!
When the Honkai crisis was present, everyone could tolerate and yield to each other over minor conflicts.
But after Kevin successfully usurped the authority of Finality, the internal problems had reached an intolerable level.
Take Sirin, for example. Sirin didn't clash with Kiana, but she clashed with Bronya first.
She and Kiana didn't have much overlap, but she and Bronya did. Because Bronya often occupied most of Noldrei's time at night.
Now, the unlucky one was Noldrei, who had to take care of two little ones who didn't rest well at night.
'The Honkai was eliminated too soon...'
He sighed inwardly at how clingy these two little ones were. How had he never expected this to happen? Even Tesla hadn't been this clingy in the past. In fact, after getting the marriage certificate, she had calmed down quite a bit.
'In that case, is Rita less trouble?'
Noldrei knew with just a little thought that these people retained the emotions left over from the pre-industrial civilization era. The things they yearned for were different from what the new humans yearned for.
He had never thought of forcibly eliminating such conservative emotional relationships, nor had he thought of developing such relationships into the special marital state of the future.
But being constantly pestered like this wasn't a good solution either.
Noldrei thought for a moment, then used a tentacle to lift the sleeping Bronya.
The lifted Bronya drowsily stretched out her hand and pawed the air a couple of times, then hugged the tentacle wrapped around her with a satisfied look, smacking her lips and mumbling "Big Brother" twice.
Noldrei thought for a moment and decided to place her next to Sirin.
He didn't know if it was also due to a lack of security, but Sirin subconsciously hugged whatever was next to her, grabbing Bronya's head and pressing it against her own barren chest.
"Papa..."
Noldrei retracted his tentacle after shrinking it. He felt that the current scene wasn't suitable for taking things too far.
'Can't you all just agree on one form of address?'
Noldrei wasn't quite sure about the process of Sirin's attitude change towards him. It couldn't be that she had some kind of ideological resonance with Kiana during their time in Kiana's body, could it?
Confusing family dynamics would always lead to some uncontrollable conflicts.
There were still some issues between Bronya and Sirin. Little Bronie's parents had died in the Second Honkai Eruption. And K-423 Sirin had a very close relationship with the Second Herrscher Sirin, especially since Sirin still retained the Second Herrscher's memories and appearance. This inevitably led to some friction between Bronya and Sirin.
K-423 Sirin and the Second Herrscher Sirin were indeed two different people, but their overly close relationship still made it difficult for Bronya to easily accept.
Sometimes, Noldrei had to consider how to make them... closer?
It was a good thing Rita wasn't here, otherwise she would suspect that Noldrei was doing this precisely to make these two little ones closer.
The two little ones were hugging each other, intertwined. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were the best of sisters.
If it weren't for the fact that many staff members had personally seen Noldrei tie up the two who were about to fight and take them away during the day, those people would probably believe they got along very well.
Noldrei didn't need to sleep. After the two fell asleep, he no longer had any thoughts of watching the little pony play games.
Time passed quickly, and the sun soon brightened the room again.
Perhaps it was because a Herrscher's body was better, but Sirin woke up earlier than Bronya.
When she woke up, she also woke up Bronya, who she was holding.
"Papa?—Huh? Why is it you!"
Sirin subconsciously pushed Bronya away.
Bronya, caught off guard, rolled over and fell off the bed, wrapped in the blanket.
With a thud, little Bronie's big head hit the wooden floor hard.
"Oof—!"
Bronya, clutching her head, immediately stood up and looked at Sirin unhappily. "You bad woman, are you trying to sneak attack me again?!"
Sirin was also quickly awake. She said, displeased, "Why do you keep pestering me?"
Little Bronie was about to be angered to death by this unreasonable Sirin. She retorted, "I wonder who came later! And weren't you the one pestering Big Brother? How old are you, still calling him Papa! Have you no shame?"
"I have no shame?!" Sirin found this hilarious. She just liked being with Noldrei. But she herself was so conservative that she hadn't even dared to make any overly intimate requests. At most, she just liked to hold something when she slept.
And Bronya was the one who had tried all sorts of things. Who was the more shameless one?!
'They're arguing again as soon as they wake up.'
Noldrei couldn't be bothered with them anymore.
He sighed, thinking about when he would go explore the Stargate.
Speaking of the Stargate, Noldrei remembered another person.
The day Sa arrived, she had a shaved head and was wearing a nun's habit, successfully integrating into the life of Earth's civilization.
But Noldrei thought this outfit was still too conservative, so he recommended that Sa go ask Aponia for advice on her sense of style.
He had to find a chance to pin the blame for him leaving through the Stargate on Sa.