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

Arthur couldn't help but raise his eyebrows three times upon hearing this, "What do you mean? Before Bertrand and I start fighting, you want us to deal with a couple of crocodiles or lions?"


Disraeli burst into hearty laughter and replied, "We don't need to be that realistic. After all, if everything were to be realistic, not only would we have to release a few lions, but we'd also have to portray the scene of you two being favored by noblewomen. I doubt the fee that the audience pays would warrant Paris Sword Saint and Scotland Yard's Wellington to go that far. Just having you two shout 'We are free' should be thrilling enough for the audience." 


Arthur, frowning, leaned back in his chair and asked, "Benjamin, are Bertrand and I fighting a swordsmanship competition or WWE?"


"WWE?" Disraeli asked, puzzled. "What's that?"


Arthur replied, "It's like putting two young and strong guys into an octagonal cage to put on a show."


Chapter 248: Hastings-type (5K6)_3