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

The early morning in London still carried the silk-like drizzle that was ever so common.


On Doughty Street, Southwark, London, sturdy boots crushed into the puddles between the brick seams, splashing water everywhere.


Tough leather thigh-high boots, tight-fitting deerskin riding breeches, paired with a perfectly-fitted hourglass-shaped blue-black frock coat, a belt with a silver buckle, a cream-colored waistcoat matched with a deep black linen shirt with ruffled trim, and a cravat.


Soft white gloves raised delicately upwards, a black cloth umbrella slightly propped open, revealing the pair of black eyes with a red glint hidden underneath and a high-top hat.


Arthur had a pipe in his mouth, emitting puffs of white vapor from his nose now and then, making it difficult to distinguish whether the vapor was mostly steam or nicotine.


Chapter 252: The Hot-Tempered German Poet (5K4)