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

During my time in London, my addiction to friendship and republicanism had almost run its course. So, please allow me to first indulge in some love."


If Arthur didn't know what kind of person this fat man was privately, he might really think he was quite a gentleman.


Facing such a friend, Arthur could only silently light a cigar, exhaling a puff of smoke: "You'd better disappear from my sight immediately, otherwise, I'm going to inform the guards that there's a republican here, and he's brought quite a few friends to this party."


Great Dumas stared at him upon hearing this: "Damn it! Arthur, you can't do that! If you really say that, those guards will definitely think I've got explosives hidden on me and am planning to conspire with the republicans to blow everyone sky-high."


Arthur indifferently took a drag from his cigarette: "Afraid of what? It's not like you haven't done something like this before."


Chapter 42: Fear of wolves ahead and tigers behind_2