Chapter 1: The Duke's Heresy

After recovering from a tiring day (and evening), Garfield spent the next few days mostly producing clothing. The Briarwoods requested a full wardrobe for the family, as did the Polonios. Garfield was getting quite proficient, but it still took a while to make and distribute so many garments.

The other members of White Glow got jealous and requested comfortable clothing like what their priestess Brooke had received. Then, their families requested clothing as well. One of Garfield’s fox-girl maids also had a request.

“Master, could you use that special fabric to make uniforms for us, as well?”

Garfield certainly didn’t mind the appeal of well-dressed maids, especially exotic ones like fox-girls, but he wasn’t a super-nerd when it came to maid uniforms either. Still, he found the maid’s request to be an interesting challenge compared to all the noble-style clothing he’d been producing of late. A few of the maids insisted he measure their sizes himself, but he wasn’t actually a qualified tailor so he made someone else with the proper skills do it. The butler then insisted he produce similar clothing for the other staff as well, for consistency.

Apparently, some of the staff were bragging to maids, butlers, and various employees from other estates and establishments in the northern district about their comfortable, high-quality clothing. Assistant Duke reported that he was getting flooded by requests from hopefuls all over Bretten to come work at the estate. About that time, the royal family had offered to formally commission Garfield (unlike all the charity work until now) to produce clothing for the King’s family.

While Garfield agonized over how to stop this endless cycle, an unusual visitor arrived at his mansion.

“Master, a minister from the Bretten Cathedral is here to see you.”

“Uhoh.”

When Garfield arrived in the parlor, Hannah in tow as always, he recognized the minister as the man who answered Garfield’s questions back when he visited the cathedral a few days ago.

“Minister, it’s nice to see you again. What business does the church have with me?”

“I’m not here at the behest of the church, as it turns out.”

“Oh? Then why are you here?”

“To warn you.”

Garfield was glad to receive the warning, but not so glad that a minister was in a position to need to warn him. “Of what?”

“There have been various rumors circulating Bretten regarding you.”

“Do the clergy want new clothing too!?” Garfield shouted.

“What? No. I believe the rumors vary greatly depending on who you ask, but some in the church believe you are guilty of blasphemy against the gods.”

“I’m afraid to ask, but what is the basis for that claim?”

“Just to be clear, I do not agree with the church pursuing this matter. I’m taking a risk even coming here to speak with you, but I don’t like where this whole matter is going. The basis for the church’s claim is that you may have opposed our goddess Pandora and brought our nation nearly to ruin with evil acts.”

“Oh… You said the rumors vary greatly, right? Are there rumors which contradict the church’s claim?”

“Yes. I don’t pretend to know everything that’s spoken of in the city, but from what I’ve heard these past few days from various congregants at the cathedral, some say that you protected Bretten as an agent of the gods, or that you even protected Bretten from the gods.”

“That last one probably puts the church in an awkward spot.”

“Yes…”

“So,” Garfield began to ask. “Now that you’ve warned me of what the church is trying to do, what action do you suggest I take?”

“That, I do not know. In theory, the church may, on their authority, try you for blasphemy and even excommunicate you without your knowledge. At a minimum, I want you to be aware of what is going on so you can properly defend yourself. Although the church doesn’t have any direct control over your authority as Duke, the church’s influence in the kingdom is second only to the King.”

“Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will reach out to my allies in the city and take the necessary precautions.”

“That is all I could hope for. I really do hope this is resolved without anyone doing anything foolish. Our church exists to empower people… not to tear them down.”

“If you end up in any sort of trouble because you came here to warn me, do whatever you can to let me know. I’ll be sure to help.”

“Very well.”

--

Garfield sent a request for Baron Briarwood and Count Polonio to call on him at his own manor. They both arrived later that day. Garfield brought them up to speed regarding the warning from the minister.

“From what Yttria told me, you were instrumental in defending the city the other day. I won’t stand for the church dragging your name through the mud.”

“Please wait, Count,” Baron Briarwood insisted. “Why don’t I have Brooke ask around? Surely, as a priestess, she could obtain better information from the church than any of us. I have no doubt she’ll be eager to help, as well.”

“Isn’t that risky?” Garfield asked.

“It’s possible she could ruffle feathers at the church but I don’t care. Compared to the dangers she normally faces as an adventurer, this is nothing. I’ll make sure she understands what the stakes are before she begins. Ultimately, the decision will be hers.”

Garfield and the Count nodded.

“I’m sure the King will do everything in his power to shut this outrageous effort down,” the Count predicted.

“That could backfire,” Garfield warned. “I think the King should stay out of it. Why don’t you bring whatever Brooke learns to the King and advise him that I requested the royal family not intervene? They can simply say publically that they don’t support the inquiry and leave it at that.”

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Now the Baron and the Count nodded. Garfield continued.

“I think all I need is a way to ensure I’ll be able to attend the sham hearing or whatever it is that the church does in order to assert their evidence and issue their judgment. I’ll figure out a way to deal with it then.”

--

Garfield later heard from the Baron that Brooke did indeed learn some information regarding the inquiry into Garfield. The whole effort was being led by an influential figure in the church, Cardinal Cornwallis. A hearing was already scheduled for three days hence and the clergy would pass judgment on Garfield at the conclusion. With some help from Assistant Duke and Count Polonio as advisors, Garfield applied sufficient pressure on the church, as a Duke, that they agreed he could attend and offer a defense prior to any verdict.

Garfield decided to lay low during the three day wait, so he mostly stayed home and produced more clothing. As word spread of the upcoming inquiry at the church, several other nobles visited Garfield to offer support or advice. Garfield only requested that they do not interfere or try to argue in his favor.

--

On the morning of the inquiry, Garfield dressed in his usual dark suit and then proceeded to the church. A large crowd has gathered outside the entrance, mostly protesting against punishing Garfield, although there were a few people supporting the claims of heresy and blasphemy as well.

Garfield sat in his own little box away from the clergy and other influential members of the church. Hannah sat with Yttria in an area reserved for spectators. Several other influential nobles sat in this area as well, although they were keeping quiet as Garfield requested. The minister who had warned Garfield was seated in the very back of the room, sweat forming on his brow.

“Let’s begin,” Cardinal Cornwallis announced from behind a podium. He offered some routine prayers before formally launching the inquiry.

The Cardinal began by stating his conclusion that Garfield was a heretic who was guilty of blasphemy, deserved excommunication, and should be exiled from the kingdom. The last punishment could not be handed down by the church, so it didn’t matter what he thought in that case.

Cornwallis walked through events chronologically. “First there was the arrival of the divine beast. The Duke purposefully summoned this creature using dark powers for the sole purposes of terrorizing our city! It was an affront against the gods and the well-being of our adherents.”

Well, Garfield wouldn’t try to argue against that one.

“Second, the Duke received accolades for defeating monkeys in the woods outside of the city. However, it was the Duke himself who planted those strange monkeys using dark powers, all so that he could defeat them and take the credit!”

Well, that wasn’t quite right, but Garfield wouldn’t try to argue in this case, either.

“Third, the Duke was said to defeat a Goblin King north of Bretten, but those goblins too were merely summoned using the Duke’s dark powers. This means the Duke is also responsible for the harm those goblins did to the surrounding villagers in the days leading up to their extermination.”

A hah! That one was entirely false!

“Before I continue, Duke Garfield, do you have any defense to offer regarding the aforementioned offenses?”

“No, nothing yet. Please continue.”

The Cardinal tilted his head for a moment, then proceeded. “Fourth, the Duke allowed some of his summoned goblins to escape and sent them to protect the divine beast. This further proves his culpability.”

Well, he blundered into something correct there…

“Fifth, the Duke rescued the King from an assassination attempt, however, this attempt was clearly coordinated between the Duke and the Empire’s agents.”

For the first time, the observers murmured in response to the claim. Garfield noted that he wasn’t blamed for the drake diversion, so that was a win, at least.

“Sixth, the Duke used his dark powers, once again, to summon a water dragon and assault Foamy Port, all so that he could conveniently save it.”

It looked like Garfield’s foray into the criminal underworld went unnoticed by the church, for better or for worse.

“Duke, once again I ask, do you have anything to say in your defense before I continue? There is more, of course.”

“No, please continue.”

“Very well. Seventh, as part of the Duke’s continued conspiracy with the Empire, he arranged for Ms. Yttria Polonio to get kidnapped, all so that he could save her and earn favor with the military.”

Yttria jumped to her feet in response to this, drawing attention from all those around. Count Polonio, sitting a bit away from her, looked her in the eyes and released an aura of killing intent only possibly from an elite warrior. Yttria quickly sat back down. After a few moments of silence, everyone recovered from the terrifying moment and the hearing resumed.

“E-Eighth, the Duke summoned the divine beast back to the city, only to send it away again. To think he thought he could earn more accolades simply by repeating the same farce over and over…”

The Cardinal’s score seemed to be plummeting at this point.

“Ninth, after receiving a generous mansion and title, the Duke, overcome by lust, staffed it entirely with woman of his preferred type. One can only imagine what he does with them in the dark of the night. Further, he keeps a young girl at his side, revealing how despicable his tastes are. Even if I had no further evidence, this alone would warrant ending the inquiry here!”

Hannah looked at Garfield, who signaled with his eyes to just stay where she was. In some ways, she was more mature than Yttria.

“I won’t even bother to ask the Duke to defend himself at this point. Tenth, up to his old tricks, the Duke conspired with the Tyrin Kingdom and guided them to assault our very lands. He then used dark powers to betray them and once again, paint himself as some type of a sham hero.”

Again, this was partly true, and partly false…

“Eleventh, the Duke manipulated innocent farmers into acting as bandits. Then, while escorting Baron Fisher, he used his dark powers, once again, to defeat the farmers.”

Baron Fisher didn’t seem to be present, so Garfield had no idea what to make of that report.

“Twelfth, the Duke used his dark powers to summon various hideous creatures outside of the city walls, once again, to terrorize the citizens. Some of the monsters even came over the wall, forcing the city’s defenses to spring to action.”

Well, that was more Hannah than anyone else, but Garfield didn’t feel it necessary to point that out right now.

“Over that eighteen day period, the Duke demonstrated countless times that he is a heretic who opposes our very gods, uses ungodly dark powers, and seeks to destroy everything that we hold dear. He is a walking storm of vices and destruction.”

Garfield’s mind was racing as he pieced together various counterarguments and ways to discredit many of the claims the Cardinal had made. He figured he didn’t need to discredit everything… he simply needed to poke enough holes in the story that the Cardinal’s credibility couldn’t be maintained. Once the tipping point was reached, the assembled nobility could vocally call for all charges to be dismissed.

“Most incredibly, one soldier actually witnessed the descent of our very own goddess, Pandora, during the twelfth affront against the church. She was clearly so disgusted by how depraved a leader of our community could become, that she departed, forcing us to fend for ourselves. That is why we must excommunicate the Duke and pressure the kingdom to take even further action.”

Garfield looked around the room. Based on what he could discern from facial expressions, opinions were mixed. Most of the uninvolved spectators likely were on his side. Of the representatives of the church with actual authority in this hearing, Garfield estimated they leaned more towards excommunication than dismissal. He could work with this.

“I’m ready to provide my defense, now.”

The Cardinal responded with the most disrespectful inflections he knew how to. “Against my better judgment, I will allow you to offer a pitiful defense, but make it quick. You’ve waste enough of this kingdom’s time.”

As Garfield opened his mouth to being his defense, the door to the chamber burst open, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Garfield, there you are! I heard from the servants that you were involved in something interesting.”

Several people gasped as the new arrival marched over to Garfield.

“Who is that?” one spectator asked of the person next to them. The other person slowly pointed up towards the stained glass on the ceiling, an awkward expression on his face.

The new arrival sat down on the large armrest of Garfield’s chair and then wrapped an arm around his neck. “Has it started already?”

“I… think it just ended,” Garfield replied to Pandora. The Cardinal fell backwards into the chair behind him, shock evident on his face. “Cardinal, should I call Pandora to testify, or can we just end this here?”

The Cardinal appeared to be in some type of trance. The other clergyman stepped down from their seats to offer prayers and the like. Garfield took that as permission to leave. “Yttria, would you like to join us for lunch?” Her response was sluggish, but considering how much time she’d spent with Garfield at this point, she managed a nod.

Garfield, Yttria, Hannah, and Pandora all stood and started to make for the door. Garfield paused to think for a moment and then detoured over to the Cardinal. The Cardinal seemed to regain his senses as Garfield leaned over to whisper something privately in his ear.

“I banged your goddess.”