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

After leaving the residence of Duke Wellington, Arthur opted to walk through Hyde Park to save the money he would have otherwise spent on a carriage ride home.


Although his current income level was decent in London, Arthur had almost exhausted all his savings recently to fund a forthcoming newspaper.


Still, this was merely a drop in the bucket. If it weren't for the recent London Conference keeping him busy, he might have had to go to Lionel Rothschild at the London Stock Exchange to withdraw his £1000 worth of stocks.


The sun had just started to set, and under usual work circumstances, he would have had to return to his office at Scotland Yard to sit for a while longer.


He was able to leave work early today, thanks to the transfer request that Rowan, the Minister, had approved for him.


Now, he was no longer responsible for any specific police district in London but was specifically assigned to investigate criminal cases with significant social impact.


Chapter 175: Uninvited Guest