Chasing Time

“Next, we have the most noble recipient of the Order of the Garter, the Grand Cross of Saint Michael and Saint George, the Grand Cross of the Bath, the Victoria Cross and the lower grades of Knighthood, the leader of the anti-colonial movement, the bell-ringer of the East India Company, the hero of the Crimean War, a Fellow of the Royal Society, a lifelong dear friend of literary giants such as Dickens and Great Dumas, a steadfast supporter of scientific luminaries like Faraday and Darwin, having served as assistant under-secretary, deputy under-secretary, and permanent under-secretary in departments of the Home Office and the Navy Department of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the inaugural Cabinet Secretary and head of the civil service, the first graduate and most distinguished alumnus of our school. Please welcome Sir Arthur Hastings to deliver a speech on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the University of London.”
Arthur's gaze swept across the crowd before him, looking at the young faces and murmured, “Agares, what do you think I should say?”
The Red Devil's wraith hovered behind him, saliva almost dribbling from the corner of his mouth, “Look at these ignorant souls; they still worship you as a hero. Why not say something they'd like to hear?”
Arthur took a deep breath and let out a deafening roar, “Oxford is a bunch of whores' bastards!”
“Oh!!!!”
The audience erupted into thunderous applause.
“Cambridge is the same!” he added immediately.
The applause grew even more fervent...
(The protagonist, possessed by a devil, travels through 19th-century Britain in a world without magic)

The Shadow of Great Britain

Number 4 Whitehall, Arthur, in neatly dressed police uniform, walked out from the headquarters of the Greater London Police Department.


Accompanying him were several Police Superintendents in charge of various other police districts in London, exchanging the tasks arranged at the police meeting that morning, and occasionally joking with each other.


Most of the superintendents were around thirty years old, and among them, the young Arthur stuck out noticeably.


The older superintendents took good care of this rapidly rising young man, but their words often revealed a polite distance.


Everyone knew that this young man was deeply favored by the Home Secretary, Robert Peel, but the estrangement that came with being specially treated made Arthur feel uncomfortable all over.


Agares looked maliciously at the smiling faces of the old superintendents and reminded Arthur.


Chapter 9: The Royal Society Lecture