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 was startled and muttered to Louis Bonaparte at his side, "What's all this about?"


Louis Bonaparte coughed softly and, lowering his voice, said, "It was Mr. Rothschild's idea, Mr. Disraeli wrote the article, Mr. Dumas provided the honorable mention, The Times' promotion yesterday, the front-page headline of the Daily News. Haven't you read the papers today? I placed it on the second pile on your desk, right under the police conference documents."


Only then did Arthur understand what was going on. He couldn't help shaking his head, "I've been so busy dealing with priests and Gladstone today, I haven't had a chance to look at the papers. Now they've gone and made a big deal out of it. Those three bastards are really going all out to make money!"


Louis Bonaparte simply said softly, "Actually, this is quite good. I've heard that the ticket prices for this fencing duel have been skyrocketing. If it weren't for this, how could we possibly..."


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