Streaming of a Reincarnated Genius

Episode 10

The rain had just begun falling that afternoon.

Under the darkening sky, Richard walked toward the mansion. Just as he arrived, the front door creaked open. The one standing beyond it was none other than Count Prior himself.

Richard lowered his head slightly in greeting.

“How have you been, brother?”

“Richard. It’s been a while. You never visit unless there’s a reason. I expected the same this time.”

“Isn’t this my home too? I come whenever I feel like it.”

The servants watching the exchange glanced at each other, uneasy. Richard’s words were far from respectful. Yet, the Count didn’t even frown. He simply turned to his butler.

“Prepare for a guest.”

It was clear that was the extent of his hospitality. He would provide a meal, nothing more.

Richard, however, only nodded with a smile.

“I appreciate your warm welcome, Count.”

The tension in the air didn’t ease, even as dinner was served.

“Being home feels comforting. I missed this place. I should have visited sooner.”

“If you had lived a proper life, you could have.”

“What’s past is past. From now on, I’ll come often. That should make up for it.”

“Some things can’t be undone. Like the time you wasted chasing after magic.”

“Wasted? It was valuable learning. Especially when our family treated me like an outcast.”

Their words were sharp, cutting into each other without hesitation.

Watching quietly, Mars narrowed his eyes.

“Since magic has been mentioned… it’s about to begin.”

At the same time, the chat was going wild.

[Oh no, here it comes.]

[Something big is about to happen.]

[Is it starting?!]

And just as expected—

Richard clapped his hands. A servant entered, carrying a small wooden box. He had pale skin and a strangely unsettling presence. In his hands was a silver goblet.

“As a gesture of goodwill, I’ve prepared a gift.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. A rare, high-quality wine from the South.”

A soft shing sound filled the room, almost like a blade being drawn. The lid was lifted, revealing two goblets.

Inside was a dark red liquid, rich like freshly spilled blood.

“It has a rather unique taste. That’s part of its charm. It’s not something you can find easily, so please, have a drink.”

The Count looked doubtful. But when Richard took a sip himself, the hesitation in his eyes faded. Reluctantly, he reached for his goblet.

The chat exploded.

[No, don’t drink it!!]

[Stop him!!]

[This is bad…]

People in the chat were screaming, forgetting the no-spoiler rule.

Mars smirked to himself. Those who already knew the story had every reason to react this way.

Even without spoilers, the situation was obvious. What Richard offered wasn’t wine.

That goblet was a dark magic catalyst, filled with a powerful curse.

If an ordinary human drank it, the result would be horrifying.

If nothing was done, the Count would drink it, suffer severe internal injuries, and be fatally wounded when Richard launched his surprise attack.

The events after that were already set in stone.

Even on the verge of death, the Count would use his superhuman endurance to help the protagonist escape.

He would hold Richard back with all his strength—until the moment he took his last breath.

Even knowing all of this, the Count’s fate couldn’t be changed.

The heir, just fifteen years old, would refuse to listen.

If anyone tried to interfere, they would be immediately subdued, thrown aside, and the story would force its way forward.

Attacking Richard? Instant game over.

This was the prologue. A fixed, one-way progression with no room for freedom.

That was how everyone viewed this part of the game.

Suddenly—

“Father. Pardon me, but I strongly advise against drinking that.”

That meant…

There was a way to stop it. It just hadn’t been discovered yet.

“Where did you learn to speak like that? Sit down and stop meddling.”

“But didn’t your doctor warn you last time? He said you should avoid alcohol for a while.”

[He has a point, but it’s useless.]

[No way the Count listens.]

[The prologue can’t be changed.]

“Since when do you listen to my doctor? What nonsense—”

The Count narrowed his eyes and turned his head slightly.

His gaze landed on the knight standing by the wall—a knight who had served the family loyally for generations.

Silently, the protagonist mouthed the words:

“Sir Noden, please. Help me just this once.”

Noden’s eyes flickered.

After a brief pause, he spoke.

“The young master is right, Count. This wine may be valuable, but your health must come first.”

***

The chat exploded.

[??]

[Wait, what?!]

[Noden wasn’t supposed to say that!]

[Did we just change the prologue?!]

That last guess was exactly right.

“During the prologue, no matter what, the Count can’t be persuaded. But Noden is different.”

Mars smirked.

He knew something that would soon shake the Swords & Sorcery community to its core.

The real purpose of the Direct Speech function wasn’t just to pick choices outside what the developers provided.

It was the key to a hidden route.

Mars clearly remembered how huge this discovery had been when it was first revealed.

And from the moment he started this playthrough, he had decided—he would be the one at the center of that storm.

The chat was on fire.

“LOL, he’s actually thinking hard about this.”

“Of course, a loyal knight will listen to the young master over some stranger.”

“Wait… is the Count going to survive??”

Everyone held their breath.

Then—

Clack.

The Count set his goblet down on the table.

“I nearly made a mistake. Turning down such fine wine is a shame… but it’s better than getting nagged by my doctor.”

The chat exploded.

[HE REALLY DIDN’T DRINK IT!]

[Richard: …This wasn’t in my plan.]

[What happens now??]

[Something BIG is coming.]

[Stop saying that, it makes me nervous!]

Richard, however, only sighed.

“What a shame.”

He crossed his legs, resting his chin on his hand.

Then—snap!

He clicked his fingers.

“I see, that’s too bad”

“Everyone else enjoyed it, though.”

And in the very next moment—chaos erupted.

BANG!

The grand dining hall doors burst open, and dozens of figures rushed in, their eyes glowing eerily.

Blood splattered across the floor.

Mouths hung open, drooling, as the attackers charged forward like rabid beasts.

They were once loyal servants of the Count’s household. Now, they were cursed puppets under the control of a dark sorcerer.

Before the Count or Noden could even react—

WHOOSH!

Richard flicked his fingers.

Dark-red orbs shot toward the Count’s forehead, moving at an impossible speed.

But—

CLANG!

The Count’s sword was already in his hand, deflecting each orb with precision.

BOOM!

The deflected orbs exploded behind him, shaking the entire room.

Standing amidst the smoke and fire, the Count’s voice rang out loud and clear.

“Noden! Take Mars and get out of here! I’ll follow soon!”

The chat exploded.

[Wait, what? Noden doesn’t even hesitate now?]

[Why is the Count so badass??]

[This guy is way too strong!]

[Did you even see that? He blocked all of them in an instant!]

Before the viewers could catch their breath, the next scene began.

***

The camera cut to the Count’s battle.

The cursed servants swarmed him, their bodies twitching unnaturally.

But the Count didn’t waver.

His blade moved like lightning, cutting through the horde with terrifying skill.

Meanwhile, Richard stood back, watching with a slight smirk.

Even though things weren’t going as planned, he didn’t seem too upset.

And in another part of the mansion—

BANG!

Noden kicked open a door and stormed into the hallway.

His face twisted in frustration as he saw the corridors packed with cursed creatures.

He exhaled sharply before turning to Mars.

“Young Master, listen carefully. From now on, we’ll move as quickly and quietly as possible toward the back exit. I’ll try to avoid fighting, but if necessary, you must be ready to fight. Here—take my sword.”

[You have obtained ‘Noden’s Sword.’]

“Now, stay close to me. We leave immediately!”

The scene faded out there.

The moment Mars regained control of his body, a system message appeared.

[Main Quest: Escape the mansion with Noden!]

[Time before the Count can no longer hold out—2 minutes 59 seconds]

The chat blew up again.

[Wait, the timer is still the same??]

[So the Count actually can hold out!]

[Three minutes? That’s so long!]

[Shouldn’t it be impossible to survive that long?]

[Well, he is the final boss.]

The change in strategy was clear.

Originally, if the Count was poisoned, he could barely hold out for thirty seconds. The player had to escape before he died.

But now, thanks to Mars’ interference, the Count could hold out for a full three minutes.

Compared to the original prologue, this was way easier.

Viewers were already theorizing new strategies and game-breaking tactics.

But Mars hadn’t called this playthrough unimaginable for nothing.

“Young Master! There’s no time to hesitate. We must move!”

Noden’s urgent voice rang out.

But Mars—no, the Young Master—stood firm.

“Sir Noden, I am not running away.”

“What? What are you saying?”

Then, in an instant, Noden realized what his lord’s son was thinking.

His entire body tensed.

“Step aside.”

“I can’t. Didn’t you hear the Count’s orders?”

“I did. That’s not the problem. I refuse to leave my father to die alone.”

“The Count will hold them off! Your duty is to trust him and escape!”

“If my father can survive alone, then we’d have an even better chance if we fight together. We don’t have time to argue.”

“I’ll say it one last time—step aside.”

The chat exploded.

[Wow, Noden really won’t budge.]

[I mean, it makes sense. The kid is 15. He can’t even use magic.]

[Yeah, there’s no way Noden would let him go.]

[Too bad. I wanted to see a final boss fight in the prologue.]

Mars sighed.

The acting was so good that he had hoped maybe—just maybe—there was another way to get past Noden.

But no.

As expected, the only way forward was the same one he already knew.

Which, in a way… worked in his favor.

Because this method was far too easy for him now.

Without hesitation, he reached for his sword.

“Even if I draw my blade, I’m not leaving this spot,” Noden declared firmly.

CLANG!

WHOOSH!

Noden’s eyes widened in shock.

The moment he raised his sword, Mars moved in a way that made no sense.

Before Noden even realized what had happened, Mars had knocked his sword aside and placed a blade right at his throat.

Then, in a low, threatening voice, he whispered—

“If you want to run, do it alone. Stop getting in my way.”

The chat exploded.

[WAIT, WHAT?!]

[Did he just threaten Noden?!]

[Mars is insane!]

Noden instinctively stepped back in shock.

Mars took that chance.

With a swift motion, he turned and kicked open the dining hall doors.

The battlefield lay before him—

Dozens of cursed creatures surrounded the Count, clawing at him, their glowing eyes full of madness.

The Count barely had time to react.

“Mars?! Why are you back?! Noden, take him and run!”

Mars smirked.

“Sorry, but I refuse.”

The Count’s face twisted in anger.

“Silence! Get out of here! Drag him out if you must—!”

Unfortunately, the Count never got to finish his sentence.

Because in the blink of an eye, Mars dashed forward.

SLASH!

THUD!

Three cursed servants dropped to the ground, their heads severed in a single move.

The entire hall fell silent.

Then—

“I’ll fight with you, Father.”

Mars lifted his sword.

“With me and Noden by your side, we can defeat these traitors.”

The cursed creatures hesitated.

Even Noden, stunned by the sudden turn of events, silently stepped forward to stand beside Mars.

Richard, watching the scene unfold, let out an amused chuckle.

“Now this is interesting.”

His lips curled into a smirk.

“Good. This makes things simple. Show me what you can do with that fancy swordplay of yours.”

As Richard stood, the cursed creatures let out a deafening screech.

SCREEEEEECH!

GRAAAAH!

The battle resumed, and at the same time—

A system message appeared.

[Mission objective updated.]

[Main Quest – Defeat Richard.]

The chat went insane.