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

In the early morning of St Giles Parish, three police officers arrived in the hallway of 27 Church Alley.


Arthur's hand hovered in front of the door for a long time, but he never actually knocked.


His mind was a bit of a mess; he didn't know how to tell Robin's parents the cold truth.


He had lost the decisiveness and ruthlessness he had when dealing with the Grave Robber the night before.


Just as Agares had said, in this world, killing was easy, but saving someone was very difficult.


And after promising to save someone and then failing to do so, how to face such a reality was even more difficult.


The three men stood in silence for a long time until, finally, it was Tom, who was always thought to be the most timid, who broke the silence.


Arthur turned to look at him, gave a strained smile, and then gently shook his head.


He took a breath and finally made up his mind to knock on the peeling door in front of him.


Chapter 40 The World's Malice and Goodwill