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

The group reached the second floor when Adam suddenly stopped in his tracks. He squatted down in front of a raised floorboard and reached into the hollow space created by the damaged floor.


After fumbling around for a while, he quickly pulled out a hand-sized wooden box and an old book that was so bent it was almost impossible to straighten out.


Adam forced the book to straighten and wiped the dust off with his sleeve. Arthur just glanced at the cover and recognized that it was an issue of the "Havoc" magazine.


It wasn't that Arthur was particularly learned; it was because he often visited old bookstores during his off-time from work. "Havoc," as a magazine primarily featuring satirical cartoons, was popular among the vast population of London.


And in those bookstores, the issues of "Havoc" from the years 1811 to 1814 were especially sought after.


The reason was simple: the lead cartoonist for "Havoc" during those three years was the renowned George Cruikshank.


Chapter 22 Mr. Hastings, Do You Know God?