The Shadow of Great

“Next,wehavethemostnoblerecipientoftheOrderoftheGarter,theGrandCrossofSaintMichaelandSaintGeorge,theGrandCrossoftheBath,theVictoriaCrossandthelowergradesofKnighthood,theleaderoftheanti-colonialmovement,thebell-ringeroftheEastIndiaCompany,theherooftheCrimeanWar,aFellowoftheRoyalSociety,alifelongdearfriendofliterarygiantssuchasDickensandGreatDumas,asteadfastsupporterofscientificluminarieslikeFaradayandDarwin,havingservedasassistantunder-secretary,deputyunder-secretary,andpermanentunder-secretaryindepartmentsoftheHomeOfficeandtheNavyDepartmentoftheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIreland,theinauguralCabinetSecretaryandheadofthecivilservice,thefirstgraduateandmostdistinguishedalumnusofourschool.PleasewelcomeSirArthurHastingstodeliveraspeechontheoccasionofthefiftiethanniversaryofthefoundingoftheUniversityofLondon.”

Arthur’sgazesweptacrossthecrowdbeforehim,lookingattheyoungfacesandmurmured,“Agares,whatdoyouthinkIshouldsay?”

TheRedDevil’swraithhoveredbehindhim,salivaalmostdribblingfromthecornerofhismouth,“Lookattheseignorantsouls;theystillworshipyouasahero.Whynotsaysomethingthey’dliketohear?”

Arthurtookadeepbreathandletoutadeafeningroar,“Oxfordisabunchofwhores’bastards!”

“Oh!!!!”

Theaudienceeruptedintothunderousapplause.

“Cambridgeisthesame!”headdedimmediately.

Theapplausegrewevenmorefervent…

(Theprotagonist,possessedbyadevil,travelsthrough19th-centuryBritaininaworldwithoutmagic)

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