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

Louis sized up the gentleman speaking—a man of average height wearing a dark brown bowler hat and a flapping trench coat that had been buffeted by the wild wind and a rain-soaked beard.


Although the beard aged him, if it had been some time ago, Louis would have guessed him to be a mature gentleman around forty. However, his time in the Police Intelligence Department had taught him some useful skills in discerning people's age. After briefly observing the gentleman's smooth, youthful-looking skin around his temples and the youthful sparkle in his eyes, Louis quickly concluded that this gentleman was most likely under thirty.


With his conclusion formed, Louis grew more confident in initiating conversation and asked with a smile, "Let me guess, you know Mr. Babbage, and Mr. Babbage was once the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University. So, are you his student, a distinguished graduate from Cambridge University?"


Chapter 270: Research Frenzy (4K2)