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

Astley Circular Theatre, in a small room on the second floor.


Lionel watched as Arthur expertly wrapped his own bandages and applied a pungent, acrid ointment before adding his usual nonchalant expression, causing Lionel to burst into laughter.


He leaned on the edge of the table and asked, "This isn't your first time doing something like this, huh? Arthur, you're a little too skilled at this."


Arthur, with an indifferent air, slipped into his Scotland Yard uniform and started fastening each button while looking in the mirror, "If you mean acting hurt, then this is certainly a first. But if you mean dressing wounds, then I've lost count of how many times I've done it."


To Lionel, working at Scotland Yard wasn't as easy as depicted in the "Hastings Case Files," nor was it always glorious. To be honest, investigating a homicide was relatively a cushy job compared to patrolling the streets.


Chapter 264: Rothschild's Gambling Table (8K4)