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 shrugged, "Perhaps the Deputy Secretary of the Navy is now floating somewhere near South America."


The Great Dumas added, "If you measure the Deputy Secretary by that standard, Mr. Carter indeed has met the requirements. After all, monkeys that can swim and speak English are quite rare these days."


Arthur glanced at the Great Dumas, "True, on this little island, monkeys who speak French have already been hanged as spies on the beaches."


The Great Dumas's brow twitched, "I must say, Arthur, you have a good memory. Do you still remember that case file?"


Arthur just shook his head, "I can't help it, the matters regarding France that I come across are mostly so bizarre and enigmatic that the impressions they leave are too deep to forget."


Napier, not understanding the exchange between the two, decided to steer the conversation back.


Chapter 308 Things in Iberia Are Always So Bad_2