"Your father hasn't been acting weird, has he?" Adryan asked as he looked at Jerry, he noticed small changes in the girl.
The aura that the girl gave off had become brighter and more cheerful like a normal child.
'It seems that with her father healed, she is more relaxed now... That makes sense.' the redhead concluded.
When any of his parents got sick, he would worry a lot and become more serious till they recovered.
Today was Thursday and he had come to check on the condition of the girl's father.
They were both sitting in the same place as last time, on the old wooden steps of the top floor.
Jerry was sitting on the same step as Adryan, a few feet away, her hands clasped gently in her lap.
"He is still the same as always Mr. Holmes, Why?" Jerry raised an eyebrow, her tone showing a little confusion.
Since she had given him the liquid from the vial to drink, her father had completely improved, he was even able to return to work in the factory.
Adryan ignored the girl's questioning look, he tilted his head slightly and asked nonchalantly.
"He hasn't been saying anything about how he misses the sun or praising the sun?"
Jerry was taken by surprise for a few seconds, she didn't respond but tried to remember some instances of her father acting that way.
After a few moments, she shook her head slightly.
"There was nothing strange or any attitude like the one you described, he is still the same as he was before he fell ill"
'Although much more affectionate...' she added mentally.
"I simply wanted to know how he was recovering, a mere curiosity of a Doctor towards his patient." Adryan responded calmly, internally relieved.
'Well, if someone drinks the sun water produced by Tauk Millennium they won't be turned into crazy fans of the Eternal Blazing Sun. Of course, it may be because the quantity drank was too small but this can be confirmed later... That strange grandfather has good hands' the redhead praised the grandfather's ability as he got rid of two of the doubts about his artifact.
The question was whether diseases were considered 'evils' that the Holy Water could solve, thanks to Jerry's father he knew that was the case.
Also, now he knew that it was safe to directly consume the same water, there was no risk of becoming a crazy believer of the Eternal Blazing Sun.
'If I'm ever lost somewhere, all consumable water concerns have been solved.'
'Leaving that aside, it seems that she's more comfortable with me...' the redhead thought amused and curious as he saw that Jerry was sitting a bit far from him.
Unlike the first time, where she had always stood in front of him, never approaching him or turning her back on him. Now she sat a few steps away from him, looking at him calmly.
Her gray eyes didn't give him that feeling of being watched or analyzed.
He then nodded and said satisfied.
"That's good to hear that Jerry, I have a question I'd like you to answer."
"Ask Mr. Holmes" Jerry said with a little more emotion.
"In the building where they do the tests, are there any conditions to be chosen to enter to do the tests?"
Jerry's eyes widened slightly in surprise at this question, she quickly recovered and answered calmly.
"There are no conditions Mr. Holmes, anyone can be chosen to enter but usually the Truman Street workers are chosen."
Adryan nodded at the information, several plans formed in his head, under his mask an arrogant smile grew.
Rising from his spot, Adryan looked at Jerry.
"It has been a pleasure working with you little one, recently I found out that this weekend there will be a lot of noise so it will be better that you and your father stay at home to be safe~"
Jerry easily caught the man's warning and her mouth dropped slightly, she nodded.
"Thank you for the warning Mr. Holmes"
Adryan just nodded and walked down the stairs.
"Wait, sir!"
Just as he got to the first landing on the stairs, Jerry spoke up and stopped him.
Adryan turned to look at the girl curiously.
Jerry had gotten up from her spot, her ears slightly red and she could barely make eye contact.
"What's up Jerry?" the redhead asked interested.
Jerry took a few breaths to gather her courage, then she reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of newspaper.
She held the piece out to him with her shaking arm, she couldn't hold any more eye contact and lowered her head sheepishly, her ears bright red now.
"Please could you..." she stammered, her tone dropping lower and lower until it was barely above a whisper.
Adryan was slightly surprised by that, he went back up the stairs and took the newspaper that Jerry had handed him.
The girl then lowered her arm and lifting her head slightly, she looked with her gray eyes full of anticipation at Adryan.
'You look like my dog Miel, she was a very small brown poodle like you, she also looked at me like that when she wanted to play ball' Adryan thought full of tenderness, he lowered his gaze and looked at the piece of newspaper.
It was a section with a pretty decent drawing of him as Holmes, even though it was skinnier than he actually was.
It was obvious that it was a recent one.
"Princess Tomato, it seems your fan wants your autograph~" Flora teased with amusement, laughing softly.
A slight blush grew on Adryan's cheeks but controlling himself, he spoke calmly.
"Oh~ would you like me to sign this little one?"
Jerry, not trusting her voice, just nodded.
The blush had spread to her cheeks.
Adryan chuckled softly at how cute Jerry looked, he pulled a red fountain pen from his pocket.
"I can't disappoint my most faithful fan." he said teasingly causing the girl to lower her head embarrassed.
He signed the newspaper and handed it back to Jerry.
The girl took it with her trembling hands, she had a smile and looked excitedly at the man's signature.
_For my Number 1 Fan ♥️_
_James Holmes _
She blew out a shaky breath and hugged the newspaper with a big smile, her eyes closed.
But they opened when she felt a hand petting her head.
She looked at the man's creepy mask in surprise.
Adryan chuckled softly, removing his hand from the girl's head, he turned and walked down the stairs as he said goodbye to the girl.
"Take care Jerry"
Jerry looked dazedly at the man as he walked away, but before he was out of sight she ran down the stairs.
She stopped at the landing and watched as the man was putting a black band around his arm.
"Will I ever see you again?!" she asked desperately and Adryan calmly donned the Burnt Band.
'I hope not.' he thought with the corners of his lips shaking, he then turned to look at Jerry.
"Maybe someday" he then turned around and entering the shadows of the floor he disappeared.
Jerry ran to the place where she had seen the man but couldn't find him anywhere.
It was as if he had evaporated.
She could only tightly hug the newspaper with the man's signature.
...
From a nearby alley, Adryan gazed at the residential building for a few moments before turning and starting to walk away.
"Princess Tomato is a Softy~" Flora sang mischievously and Adryan sighed.
"What's that about Miss Dancing Worm?" Adrian countered calmly.
Flora got stuck for a few moments but recovering, she answered amused.
"Well, you went to all that trouble with that girl to help her without needing to do that at all. Your heart is a sweet marshmallow Princes Tomato~"
"You know that everything could have only taken 10 minutes" she said a little darkly.
"I'm not killing a child," Adryan replied coldly, his voice an iceberg.
"I never said anything about killing Princess, you know it's not necessary to do that but you still went through all that trouble for the girl" Flora said carelessly but then she chuckled.
"That makes you a Softy~" she said mischievously.
Adryan just sighed, internally he agreed with Flora as well as disagreed.
He was able to simply channel Jerry's spirit to get everything she knew without having to go through all that trouble.
And normally he would have done it, he knew that there was no need to kill Jerry to speak with her spirit, thanks to the book that Isengard had given him he knew how to do it but he didn't do it with her.
His bottom line was innocent children, he would not hurt or take advantage of innocent children in such a way.
If they were evil he had no problem but Jerry was innocent.
Sighing, he continued on his way.
'I really am a softy...'