Chapter 1: Arthur Hastings
[Scene: A bedroom, bathed in the soft light of dawn filtering through the blinds. The bed, draped in white sheets, is empty. Its occupant, already dressed and groomed, stands before a mirror, adjusting his attire.]
[Arthur Hastings, tall and impeccably dressed in a dark blue tailcoat, stands before a full-length mirror. He meticulously buttons his coat, each button secured with a practiced hand.]
A black top hat sits perched upon his head, a crisp white shirt with a high collar complements the tailcoat, and his legs are sheathed in dark grey riding boots. His slim, white trousers are adorned with gleaming silver buttons and a leather belt. A thick, long wooden truncheon hangs from his right hip, while a distinctly Victorian-era police officer’s knife rests in its scabbard on his left.
He stares at his reflection, brushing away a speck of dust from the blue and white armband on his left arm, before nodding slightly.
“You look quite the part in this uniform. Tsk tsk, who would have thought such a noble, outstanding young man would be a villain who has made a pact with the devil?”
A sinister, cold voice whispers in Arthur’s ear.
Oddly, the mirror reflects nothing but Arthur.
However, Arthur doesn’t see it that way.
A faint reddish glow flickers in his deep black eyes.
“If it weren’t for you, I should be sitting in the London Stock Exchange or a bank right now, enjoying the beauty of the Thames River on both sides, indulging in delicious food and coffee, and making deals worth hundreds of thousands, even millions of pounds, with just a few words, driving those obsessed with money crazy. Instead, I’m stuck with a weekly allowance of twelve shillings, running around the dirtiest and most chaotic parts of London’s East End, risking my life to deal with thieves and murderers.”
A ghostly figure slowly solidifies before Arthur.
It’s a young man dressed in a colorful jester’s costume, sporting a jester’s hat, a clown nose, exaggerated red and white makeup, bulging eyes, and horns protruding from his head.
He lies across the frame of the full-length mirror, staring intently at Arthur with his bloodshot eyes.
Arthur stares for a moment before slightly furrowing his brow. “Agareus, what’s with the costume today?”
The moment the words leave his lips, a maniacal laugh erupts, piercing Arthur’s eardrums and threatening to blow off his skull and the roof of the room.
“Happy Fool’s Day, Arthur!”
Agareus laughs hysterically, reveling in Arthur’s confused and bewildered expression.
Arthur coldly watches the eccentric devil, then calmly bends down to pick up the red clown nose that has fallen to the floor.
“Here, your nose fell off.”
Agareus, with a mischievous grin, picks up the red clown nose with three fingers.
“Oh, my dear Arthur, this isn’t my nose, it’s my breakfast!”
“Your breakfast?”
Arthur takes a closer look and realizes that the red clown nose actually has a pained human face on it, a face he vaguely recognizes.
“Oh, isn’t that Professor Dumpling? It’s been over six months since I graduated. How have you been?”
The face on the red nose lets out a wail. “Arthur, please, don’t let this demon torment me anymore! I admit it was wrong of me to deliberately make things difficult for you in your studies, but haven’t I already arranged for you to graduate smoothly? Why, why do you have to do this to me?”
Arthur ignores Professor Dumpling’s desperate pleas and simply shakes his finger.
“Mr. Dumpling, you’re being unfair. Let me set the record straight.
The reason you let me graduate smoothly wasn’t because you had a change of heart, but because I caught you trying to force yourself on Elisa. And the reason I happened to be there was because I planned the whole thing.
You promised me that if I didn’t expose it, you’d do anything. So, offering your soul is only natural, isn’t it?”
“But… AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
Before Dumpling can finish his sentence, Agareus throws him into his mouth.
A series of violent chomps and crunches ensues, crimson blood dripping down his chin.
Agareus’s features contort in delight, his throat convulses, and with Dumpling’s screams of agony, the demon rubs his belly contentedly and lets out a loud burp.
“This is a bit too filling for breakfast.”
Arthur, clearly accustomed to such a bloody scene, even has time to ask, “How does it taste?”
Agareus’s half-meter-long tongue sweeps across his chin like a windshield wiper, engulfing the last traces of blood and debris.
“It’s fragrant, just a bit smelly. Now, let’s see what I should have for lunch?”
Agareus snaps his fingers, and a cookbook wrapped in a leather cover appears in his palm, conjured by flames dancing on his fingertips.
He flips through a few pages, his eyes suddenly light up, and he points to a picture on one page, shouting at Arthur, “Hey, Arthur, what do you think of this?”
Arthur is adjusting his hair at the temples, and he glances at the menu, which depicts a beautiful young woman with long blonde hair, holding a white lace umbrella.
He casually asks, “You want to eat Elisa?”
Agareus closes his eyes, lost in fantasy, his mouth already drooling uncontrollably.
“If I remember correctly, this young lady seems to have a thing for you. Girls in love are the easiest to trick.
Just use a little of your irresistible charm, and you can easily send her into my mouth. A young woman heartbroken by her lover’s betrayal, imagine how delicious that would be.
Hmm…
Maybe we can add some seasoning. Arthur, what do you think, if you cheat on her after you get her, and then break her heart by cheating on her a dozen times in front of her, would it add some flavor?”
“Aren’t you afraid it’ll be bitter and astringent?”
Agareus folds his hands, a wide smile plastered on his face. “Oh, my dear Arthur, you’re misunderstanding me. I didn’t mean you should cheat on women, that’s too conventional. Remember, I’m a devil.”
Arthur doesn’t get angry at this, he simply picks up the teacup on the table and takes a sip.
“Do all devils like to cheat on men?”
Agareus’s head suddenly swells, his features contorting with anger, almost touching Arthur’s head.
“Arthur! It’s not that all devils like to cheat on men, it’s you, you! Don’t twist my words!”
But Arthur clearly doesn’t buy it, he’s seen this scare tactic too many times.
“So only you like it, huh? Agareus, you’re so antisocial.”
“I’m telling you to cheat on men!”
Agareus roars, his voice blowing Arthur’s hair about.
Arthur calmly replies, “I refuse.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s too much of a burden.”
“On Elisa?”
“On me.”
Agareus deflates like a punctured balloon, collapsing into a puddle of skin on the carpet.
“Fine, fine. Whatever. Just get Elisa first, we can talk about cheating later.”
“I refuse.”
“Why this time?”
“It’s mainly for two reasons. First, Elisa and I have no financial ties, and she even helped me with the Professor Dumpling incident. Since I’m a person with a conscience, I don’t plan to repay kindness with betrayal.”
“Oh! I hear that. Conscience! Arthur, you wouldn’t believe, this poor boy actually has such a luxury!”
Agareus’s skin instantly inflates, his ghostly body thrusts its head into Arthur’s chest, twisting its neck freely without any obstruction.
“It’s dark and empty here, I can’t see anything. Conscience? Where’s that golden heart?”
Seeing Arthur not responding, Agareus continues to shout, “Arthur, can you hear me? Hear me? Me? Me?”
Arthur simply replies calmly, “I may not have a conscience. But at the same time, I’m also incredibly certain that my chest isn’t wide enough to produce an echo.”
As soon as the words leave his mouth, Arthur finishes his teacup.
Soon, Agareus returns, clutching his wet head.
He conjures a handkerchief out of thin air and wipes his head, grumbling, “Then tell me about the second point.”
“Second, you have no credibility with me. You said you would help me, but you didn’t.”
“How did I not?”
Agareus’s hair stands on end, flames burning on top of his head, boiling oil bubbling through his hair.
“You said you wanted to go to university, so I went through all the trouble to arrange for a senile old gentleman to be your cheap uncle, and by the way, I used his connections to get you into the newly established London University.
In exchange, you would provide me with a steady supply of souls. That’s what we agreed on!
Now you’ve achieved your dream of becoming an outstanding university graduate, I’ve kept my promise, now it’s your turn to keep yours!”
Arthur ignores Agareus’s anger, coldly stating, “I’m honored to be called an outstanding university graduate, if only those bankers and politicians thought the same.”
“Oh…”
Agareus can’t help but grin, but the smile in his eyes betrays him.
“Arthur, don’t be so pessimistic. I believe London University will definitely be awarded a royal charter and a parliamentary charter one day. When that happens, your degree will be recognized by society. But until then, you need to be patient.”
“A devil telling me to be patient?”
Arthur loosens his collar, trying to make his neck more comfortable.
“Agareus, I think you should go be a Calvinist Christian, being a devil doesn’t suit you. Or maybe you knew all along that London University wouldn’t get a charter, so you deliberately sent me to this university that wasn’t qualified to award degrees, to cultivate my antisocial personality, so I could better serve you?”
Agareus’s mouth nearly splits to his ears, his fingers intertwine, and he whispers softly, “Arthur, you’re like a little worm in my belly, you can see through my little tricks. But how did you know my thoughts?”
Arthur glances at him, picks up his briefcase, and opens the door. “Naturally, because this isn’t the first time I’ve experienced it. Gaining knowledge but finding no corresponding job, that kind of thing is bound to turn people into rebels.”
A gaping maw suddenly appears in front of Arthur, filled with the blood and bones of various creatures, its large tonsils hanging in the air like a swaying pendulum.
“But what does it matter if you see through it? It’s already stupid enough to beg a devil for happiness. Be a good boy and serve me, maybe you’ll have a chance to change your fate.”
Arthur frowns slightly, covering his nose in disgust. “Agareus, you should see a doctor. This level of bad breath can’t be explained by a simple cold.”
“It’s written clearly in our contract, Arthur Hastings, your soul belongs to me. If you can’t fill my belly, then I’ll have to use you as a side dish.”
“What did you call me?”
“Arthur Hastings.” Agareus laughs arrogantly, “You wouldn’t have lost your nerve and forgotten your own name, would you?”
Arthur rolls his eyes, then gives Agareus the middle finger.
“I’ve told you many times, my name is Yang Fan. As for the Arthur Hastings you mentioned, I’d love to know where he went.
If you can find his soul, then before you eat him, please summon him so I can ask him.
Also, if you’re not capable of making me rich, then please get out of my way immediately, the little worm in your belly needs to go to work.”
(End of Chapter)