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

Eld clutched his cracked palm and hissed in pain, "Damn it! That really hurts!"


Arthur glanced at the sailors sprawled around him, resting against the railings and masts, and pointed to several battleships on the horizon, some seven or eight times larger than the Beagle, before asking,


Eld, squeezing his eyes and pursing his lips at Arthur, saw that he understood and fished out a pipe from his pocket to light it for him.


After taking a puff, Eld answered contentedly.


"You've certainly come to the right person. Edward Codrington, General, former commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, now commander of the Channel Fleet, and also my uncle's former superior.


Back in the day, he also participated in the Battle of Trafalgar, serving under Admiral Nelson as the commander of the reserve squadron, leading his forces to heavily damage the Spanish Navy's flagship, 'Prince of Asturias'.


Chapter 74: Respect of the Strait Fleet