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

Greenwich Police District, Arthur's office.


Police Superintendent Jones pushed open the door, and what immediately caught the eye was his messy hair, torn and blood-stained shirt collar, and his bruised, swollen eyes.


Arthur, who had been bent over his work, looked up and couldn't help but open his mouth slightly in surprise.


He asked, "Clayden, what happened to you?"


Jones, clutching his sore shoulder, forced a smile and said, "Nothing, sir. As you know, in our line of work, we occasionally have bad luck and encounter such incidents. Just got cornered in an alley and beaten up by some lawless bastards."


Upon hearing this, Arthur slammed the table with force, turned around, picked up the police baton hanging on the wall, and cursed, "These assaults on police keep happening, it's outright lawlessness! Where are those people? I'll personally lead a team to arrest them!"


60 Chapter The Sacred Oath of the Knights of the Round Table