Chapter 824 - Start of Winter Holidays Ⅳ (1/2)

Without giving her grandfather room to interrupt, Rowan resumes speaking. ”Though Giants may not be able to live in a regular-sized village due to their immense size that does not imply they cannot contribute to society. Giants are intelligent enough to follow directions to an extent. Taking into account their size and interest, they would be excellent at demolition, diggers, or various other construction-like jobs that involve flattening a road or foundation which would greatly appeal to them. There is also security to consider or for those giants that like to roam, they would be excellent freight delivery services. I believe that if giants are paid to do such jobs, they would be able to contribute to society.”

”There is also the Gringotts aspect to consider. With the implementation of squib contractors, Gringotts has grown and expanded even into the muggle realm for trade. Provided there is a secrecy clause via squib contractors, Gringotts is certain to be popular with various secretive departments of the muggle government that officially do not exist. If not, there are always the options to serve as additional personal security forces, I am certain that Gringotts would be interested in hiring the smaller-sized Giants to guard the vaults,” Rowan matter-of-factly declared with a steadfast glint in her gaze.

Reginald and his granddaughter gaze at each other solemnly without blinking until they are forced to blink. ”I will deny that there may be some truth to your words, Rowan,” he evenly said. ”However, Giants possess great strength and have a certain immunity to the magic that it makes it a most difficult task when attempting to capture or subdue them..”

”Then block the rook with multiple chess pieces,” Rowan drily countered causing Reginald to blink with a spark of astonishment, before narrowing his eyes pensively to study his granddaughter.

Reginald does not speak for a moment, before saying, ”Let us ignore the present topic and return to the subject at hand. Rowan, I do not so much blame you for your evading my question, but rather your lack of trust in me. I am the Head of the Prince household and I will see to it that every Prince family member is protected.”

”We were not,” Rowan quietly answered, ”Severus nor I were protected as children, and it is a fact of life that you cannot deny, grandfather.”

Reginald appears stunned at his granddaughter's words as if he had been painfully slapped across the face. A hint of a flush rushes down his pale cheeks, but he cannot dignify an appropriate answer, because there was none. The choices in life that can never be taken back are especially those that mark the course of another's life.

”Do not confuse my words, grandfather,” Rowan quietly said as she observed her grandfather. ”I do not blame you nor grandmother for ignoring our existence. I can even understand the reason for your anger and pain at your daughter's actions, but that does not change nor null the consequences of the decision that had been made.”

Rowan's voice breaks for a moment and gazes down at the floor. ”My father was not initially the cruel man that he became. I still remember a time when he loved us more than life itself, and even when he was at his worst, we could see glimpses of the man our father had once been. It was that which hurt us the most far more than any bruise ever could. It is that father, who we miss, the man, who seemed to return to us again towards the end of his life.”

A sad smile crosses Rowan's face. ”Father may not have become that man if the truth had been told to him by mother from the very start and if perchance even more so if father had been even grudgingly accepted into the family.”

Rowan pauses to firmly say, ”And I know that if mother had pleaded even once, you would have welcomed all of us in for you did when mother requested of it of you. So, for better or for worse, the Prince's tend to be a prideful lot, and mother nor I are no exception. It is a sad fact of life.”

Reginald's Adam's apple trembles for a moment, before speaking in a hoarse voice, ”Do you blame me, Rowan?”

”If I ever did, I certainly do not now,” Rowan truthfully replied. ”There exists no resentment between us, grandfather.”

”Then why not trust in me?” Reginald pointedly inquired intently studying his granddaughter's face for any trace of lies.

Rowan makes a semi-bitter expression at her grandfather's question. ”It is not you, grandfather, but rather I do not believe myself capable of fully trusting in anyone.” She couldn't afford to do so.

”Not even your brother?”

”Especially him.” It was the sad, and painful truth. Rowan would rather turn into the Devil than fail Severus. Maybe, once it had been because she had transmigrated with a task in mind. Yet over time, she became the Rowan of this world and Severus was her precious twin brother, and she would do everything in her power to protect him. It was a solemn promise, she had made.

Reginald lets out a sigh and most of the previous coldness leaves his face. He suddenly looks older much closer to his age. ”I cannot change my past shortcomings,” he confessed, ”but I have sworn to do better with the two of you of that much I promise.”

”I know, grandfather,” Rowan admitted, ”but I just cannot easily change my own shortcomings.”