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, upon hearing Chadwick's question, simply shook his head.


"You also know that the so-called tradition of liberty has been held in the highest regard by Britain ever since the signing of the 'Great Charter' and that the strengthening of this tradition is currently the mainstream public opinion. To pass the 'Parliamentary Reform Bill,' the Prime Minister has just recently persuaded His Majesty the King to reorganize Parliament. Those newly elected members of Parliament are very clear about why they can sit on the green leather chairs of Westminster Palace. We may persuade some of them to change their stance, but we can't reverse the current political climate, for that would be acting directly against the Prime Minister, and the members, especially those from the Whig Party, aren't foolish enough to do such a thing."


Although Chadwick had known early on that this was an unsolvable problem, having it confirmed by someone else's words still dealt him a minor mental blow.


Chapter 279 The Power Lust of Scotland Yard