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

"Haha, Mr. Hasting, before meeting you, I assumed you were a difficult, traditional gentleman. But after having a chat with you today, I realized you are truly witty and humorous,"


"Whether they are young or old, anyone can converse with you. Even an old fellow like me, who can't keep up with the times, can find common topics with you. Anyone who says you are difficult to get along with is clearly slandering your reputation."


In the smoking room, old Gladstone and Hearst were having a spirited conversation with Arthur. Their discussion ranged from the Far East to the Near East, and from the Near East to America.


Thanks to their expert knowledge of international trade, Arthur also greatly broadened his understanding.


"If you are doing business in the Levant, a promise from the Egyptian Pasha Muhammad Ali Pasha is more reliable than one from Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II."


Chapter 295: Corrupted