I Became a Law School Genius

Chapter 46

『 Translator – Divinity 』

Jeong Min-sik stood speechless for a moment.

A whirlwind of emotions flickered across his face.

His cheeks flushed red, and he let out a scoff.

“How arrogant.”

Jeong Min-sik, barely managing to regain his composure, glared at me.

“Do you think the world is yours just because you got lucky and crawled your way up? Do you feel like you’re the best or something?”

A chilling voice seeped out from between his twisted lips.

“You’re still beneath me. This isn’t a place where a trashy guy like you can rise just because of a stroke of luck.”

‘Ah, this nostalgic echo.’

Jeong Min-sik’s appearance brought back faded memories.

It felt like a distant past, even though it hadn’t been that long ago.

“There was someone who said similar things before. In your team.”

I shrugged.

“In the end, what happened to that guy?”

“…!”

When Bae Hyun-jung picked a fight with me, my ranking was 139th.

Bae Hyun-jung was 37th. If we lined up in a row, it was a vast difference that wouldn’t even fit on one page.

But by the end of the pre-law program, I had proudly secured a spot in the top five.

“If 139th place could overtake 37th place, do you think 5th place can’t overtake 3rd place?”

“…It can’t be overtaken.”

Jeong Min-sik replied, trying to control his trembling lips.

“Because the competition in the top ranks is much fiercer than among the hundred below. This is a battlefield where only the ‘real ones’ can enter.”

Well, was that really true?

I had no intention of settling this with words. My way was to show it with results.

Just as I was about to turn away, having said all I wanted to say,

“Um, with all due respect…”

Lee Ha-ru approached and tapped my shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”

“They’re out.”

“What’s out?”

“The midterm exam grades.”

Lee Ha-ru showed me her smartphone screen with the grade rankings displayed.

“…Really?”

It was just today that we were criticizing them for not releasing the results, and indeed, it seemed like the Hankuk University Law School professors weren’t that different from ordinary people after all.

“Good. Now I can prove it right here. The difference between you and me.”

Jeong Min-sik’s chilly voice clung to me.

But I didn’t miss the slight tremor in his voice, as if laced with anxiety.

“Well, alright.”

So I nodded.

“Shall we reveal the results here?”

I took Lee Ha-ru’s smartphone.

Grade evaluation in law school, like in undergraduate, was based on a letter grade system ranging from A to F.

Since grades were calculated based on the total score after all the finals, there was normally no way to know the overall ranking from just the midterm exams.

But it was different at Hankuk University Law School in the world of “In the Law School.”

To encourage competition, they even revealed the ranking for each subject in the midterms and separately announced the overall midterm ranking calculated by weighting the grades.

Even this time, a large notice must have been posted in the hallway on the first floor, impossible to miss.

It was the same ranking list that was sent to each student individually via text message.

First, I quickly scanned the top 10 with my eyes.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5. My name wasn’t next to any of those numbers.

“That’s what I thought.”

Jeong Min-sik spat out.

“Fifth place was just a fluke. You’ve probably gone back to where you belong.”

“Fourth place. Jeong Min-sik.”

“What…!?”

As I read it out in a monotonous voice, Jeong Min-sik rushed over.

His face was a picture of disbelief.

It seemed like he couldn’t believe that he had been surpassed by someone other than Han Seol or Shin Seo-joon.

“What? Jeong Min-sik is in fourth place?”

“Who is it? Who overtook him?”

The students who had gathered started murmuring.

It was almost time for the Mock Trial Competition preliminaries to begin, so there were quite a few people passing by.

Everyone’s eyes were on Jeong Min-sik and me.

Jeong Min-sik snatched the smartphone from my hand and gulped.

His restless eyes scanned the top of the ranking list.

“…Joint second place. Han Seol, Shin Seo-joon.”

‘Oh.’

I hadn’t properly checked it myself, but it seemed like Han Seol had indeed caught up to Shin Seo-joon.

While studying, we often had heated debates about applying legal principles and precedents, perhaps that helped her improve her understanding and application skills.

That would be something to be proud of.

Jeong Min-sik, who had read their names aloud, stood frozen like a statue.

As if he didn’t have the courage to check the top spot.

“First place… f-first place…”

His voice, which he reluctantly started to utter, stuttered like a broken cassette tape, repeating the same phrase.

The students who were watching and chattering also grew tired of waiting and took out their smartphones.

Naturally, they had also received the grade ranking list as students of Hankuk University Law School.

Even if they hadn’t, it was around the time when those who saw the notice on the first-floor hallway would be spreading the news.

There were plenty of ways to satisfy their curiosity without waiting for Jeong Min-sik.

Then, the murmuring suddenly grew louder.

“Oh, for goodness sake.”

Han Seol, unable to stand it any longer, snatched Lee Ha-ru’s smartphone back from him.

“First place.”

She read the name decorated at the top of the shining tower in a confident voice.

“Park Yoo-seung. Congratulations, you did it.”

***

Leaving Jeong Min-sik standing there as if his soul had left his body, we entered the mock courtroom where the preliminaries would be held.

Apparently, there was a separate waiting room inside for the participants who would soon be competing.

Finally taking a breather, our team chatted amongst ourselves.

Lee Ha-ru expressed her amazement that I had actually gotten first place, and Han Seol declared her determination not to lose next time.

Having excellent competitors was helpful for improving my skills, so it was a welcome situation.

‘First place, first place…’

Surprisingly, I felt calm. I had worked hard and received good results.

I had proven that I wasn’t wrong.

That was all.

‘I was also lucky.’

For some reason, all the exam questions were tailored to my strengths, as if someone had planned it.

Although the fortune was good, I never dreamed that things would go so smoothly.

The high score in Constitutional Law I, thanks to the good study group members I gathered and prepared with, also played a part.

In Criminal Law and Civil Law I, where I was more confident, I was neck and neck with Han Seol and Shin Seo-joon, but in Constitutional Law I, I took first place with an overwhelming score difference that couldn’t even be compared to other students.

And it wasn’t time to celebrate past achievements yet, as there were still things to do.

For now, I had to conquer this Mock Trial Competition preliminary round.

Earlier, Jeong Min-sik looked like a broken cleaning robot, and I wished he would just lose his motivation and drop out, but he wasn’t that type of person.

Rather, the more setbacks he faced, the more he would fight back with burning fighting spirit.

That was the reason I didn’t dislike Jeong Min-sik in the original story.

He wasn’t a likable person by any means, but at least he never gave up on the desire to rise to the top through his own efforts in ‘fair competition’.

‘So he’ll pull himself together soon.’

Indeed, that thought wasn’t wrong.

A few minutes later, when it was time for the match and we entered the mock courtroom, I saw Jeong Min-sik and his teammates standing across from us.

“…”

There were no words exchanged, but Jeong Min-sik’s eyes were blazing with fighting spirit.

I liked it.

That was the kind of look someone stepping onto the battlefield should have.

“I will now explain how the match will proceed.”

Jang Yong-hwan, who was playing the role of the judge, or rather the evaluator, in this preliminary round, explained.

Although he was the representative sitting in the judge’s seat, several other professors would also be present as evaluators.

“First, each team will receive the materials and have 10 minutes to briefly review them, then decide whether they want to take the prosecution or defense side. If both teams want the same side, we’ll decide with rock-paper-scissors. If not, each team will take their preferred side. Any questions so far?”

“…We get to choose our side, it’s not assigned?”

Han Seol asked.

“That’s right. Until last year, the organizers decided beforehand, but they changed the policy after receiving feedback that deciding which side to argue from is also part of the skill being evaluated.”

The reason he said “heard” was because the rules had changed not only for the preliminaries held at Hankuk University but also for the main competition and finals.

Ultimately, if both teams wanted the same side, they would play rock-paper-scissors, but the important point was that they were given the opportunity to decide and negotiate for themselves.

“Once the prosecution and defense are decided, both teams will have 150 minutes to thoroughly examine the provided materials and write and submit a brief containing the framework of their arguments. During this process, internet searches and discussions are freely allowed, but you cannot disclose the contents of the materials or seek opinions from outside third parties.”

A supervisor would be dispatched to each team’s location while they prepared their arguments and briefs.

Therefore, it was impossible to engage in any prohibited actions.

“The brief is not just a script, but it is also subject to evaluation. Please write and submit it carefully.”

The following procedure was the same as in a real trial. There would be opening statements where the prosecution and defense explained their arguments.

And if there was any evidence or witness to be examined in relation to that, they would go through the process of examining them.

Finally, after both sides gave their closing arguments, the judges would determine the winner.

“Then, I will now give you 10 minutes. Begin.”

The teaching assistants distributed the materials to both teams as instructed.

The materials provided during the second evaluation of the pre-law program were all in computer files, but this time, except for a few evidence files, everything was given in paper form.

“It’s thick,”

Han Seol commented.

The stack of documents was so thick that it was impossible to read them all. To get an overview, I first opened the page that said “first trial court record.”

[Case Name]

a. Robbery and Homicide
b. Violation of the Road Traffic Act (Drunk Driving)

The charges were simple. It seemed that the defendant in today’s case was accused of driving under the influence of alcohol and killing someone during a robbery.

‘This is strange.’

Whether it was robbery and homicide or driving without a license, they were relatively simple charges with uncomplicated facts.

Not being complicated meant that there weren’t many issues to argue about.

‘Is this a question where we have to argue about the establishment of facts itself?’

I continued to skim through the pages.

As I did so, puzzled reactions started to come from both our team and the opposing team.

“…What is this?”

“Huh?”

“Why are they giving us all this?”

The reason for their confusion was clear.

Even with a cursory glance, it was evident that this material was full of sufficient evidence to prove the guilt of the defendant, ‘Kim Gab-dong’, in this case.

The confession of the defendant, Kim Gab-dong, himself.

The black box footage from another car that captured Kim Gab-dong’s vehicle.

The murder weapon covered in Kim Gab-dong’s fingerprints and the victim’s blood.

Anyone could see that Kim Gab-dong was guilty of all the charges against him.

“…Shouldn’t we obviously take the prosecution side then?”

Han Seol was right.

Victory or defeat in the criminal division of the Mock Trial Competition was strictly determined by whether the defendant was guilty or not.

If guilty, the prosecution wins, and if not guilty, the defense wins.

No one would be foolish enough to choose the defense side in a situation filled with such unfavorable conditions.

“Isn’t there a mistake in the question? If it’s like this, the other team will also choose the prosecution, and it’ll be no different from deciding the winner with rock-paper-scissors.”

I didn’t answer and fell into thought.

‘This case, could it be…’

“Time’s up. Each team, please state your desired position.”

Meanwhile, the 10-minute time limit was up, and as instructed by Jang Yong-hwan, we gathered in the center of the mock courtroom.

“We’ll take the prosecution side,”

Jeong Min-sik declared as the representative of their team. His tone was full of confidence, as if there was no other option.

“What about your team? Are you also the prosecution?”

Jang Yong-hwan asked, looking at us.

“Of course they are. Who would be crazy enough to choose the defense in this situation?”

Jeong Min-sik sneered from a distance.

I glanced at him and then whispered to my teammates,

“Hey guys.”

“Yeah?”

“What is it?”

I asked to confirm,

“Can I make the decision on my own for this?”

“…What are you planning to do?”

Han Seol asked suspiciously, but soon nodded. We had agreed beforehand that I would make this kind of decision.

After confirming with my team, I declared to Jang Yong-hwan,

“We…”