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

Bayswater district, Lancaster Gate, inside Arthur's mansion.


Great Dumas and Eld crammed together, side by side behind Arthur, their eyes glued to the letter laid out on the table, freshly retrieved from the Russian Embassy, incessantly urging Arthur, who was holding an English-German dictionary, to hurry up with the translation.


"Arthur, can you even do this, or not? If not, let me take over. How can you not realize the urgency in this matter? This is your job. Could you please take it a little more seriously?"


Great Dumas also chimed in, "I understand a bit of German myself. How about I give it a go? Maybe it will be faster."


Arthur glanced at the two overly anxious animals and said in a calm and collected manner while working, "Don't you two have your own jobs to do? When I am swamped with Scotland Yard's documents, I don't see either of you showing such concern for me."


Chapter 173: The Old Ruffian