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

Outside the window, the thunderstorm was pouring and the trees in Hyde Park were swaying in the whistling gale that accompanied London's evening. Raindrops the size of pinky fingers pelted the window glass, making a pounding noise as if they were bullets.


Arthur and the others were gathered around the fireplace, the red glow of the fire reflecting off everyone's face, bringing a touch of warmth to the chilling environment.


Dickens sipped his hot tea in small tastes, then turned his head to look at the tightly shut windows in the room and asked, "Every time I come here, the windows are always shut tight. Don't you need any ventilation?"


While flipping through the books in his hands, Arthur replied, "Isn't one ventilation enough? The nights in London are so chilly; keeping the windows open all the time would give you a cold."


Chapter 237: Night Talk in the Cabin (5k2)