I Became a Law School Genius

Chapter 31

『 Translator – Divinity 』

For Han Il-gu, the law school system was one of love and hate.

Things were different back in the law department days.

Like all other humanities and social sciences, law was also treated as a proper academic discipline.

That’s why he, a scholar, was appointed as a professor, and he could freely lecture, navigating the profound fundamental ideas of law.

Of course, even back then, there were those who thought of the law department as merely a place to prepare for the bar exam.

There was an atmosphere of evaluating the value of the law department based on the number of bar exam passers rather than the quality of legal education, and students would openly solve practice exams during class or take leaves of absence to prepare for the bar exam.

But it’s a completely different matter for that to be simply the perspective of a ‘few’ versus the ‘essence’ of the system.

After the law school era began, Han Il-gu often felt disapproving gazes directed at him.

The deans subtly suggested that he try teaching a curriculum that aligned with the bar exam, and when he stubbornly refused, he found that his lectures had the lowest enrollment among all the Constitutional Law professors.

‘This is an insult to academic law!’

Han Il-gu felt a deep sense of humiliation.

Whether it was truly an insult to law or an insult to his younger self, who had to wipe away tears and go abroad after failing the bar exam, was not something Han Il-gu could distinguish in his heart.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad.

Ironically, the students listened to his lectures more attentively than ever before.

While law department grades were useless once you passed the bar exam, law school grades had a decisive impact on your career path.

It was practically as if the professor held your life in his hands.

On top of that, his exams were notoriously impossible to prepare for.

Hoping for any hint, the students desperately focused on Han Il-gu’s voice.

The law school didn’t value his academic achievements.

But at the same time, it gave him transcendent authority as a professor.

In this paradoxical situation, Han Il-gu’s personality became increasingly twisted.

“Number 44, Park Han-yul. What is sovereignty?”

“Uh…”

“A person who’s learning Constitutional Law can’t even answer what sovereignty is?”

At Han Il-gu’s prodding, the called-upon student scanned the lecture materials and recited a general definition.

“It’s the supreme power that ultimately decides the will of the state, and in modern democracies, it comes from the people…”

“Stop, stop!”

Han Il-gu shook his head.

“That’s just a tautology. Let’s change the question. What does ‘sovereignty’ mean in Carl Schmitt’s constitutional and political theory?”

The student became speechless and closed his mouth. He desperately searched through the lecture materials, but there was no way he could find it.

This is because the explanation for Schmitt was written in the section on constitutional principles, not sovereignty.

“Ha… Next. Number 27!”

“Number 62!”

“Number 13!”

No matter how many times he called out, no sensible answer came back.

Han Il-gu knew very well that it wasn’t because they were stupid.

His students were talented individuals who could give wonderful answers if they put their minds to studying.

This was Hankuk University Law School, after all.

So there was only one reason why they were sitting there blankly like scarecrows, staring at Han Il-gu.

They didn’t study.

Why? Because it wasn’t necessary.

Because it wouldn’t be on the bar exam.

Because they couldn’t invest that much time in his subject while studying Civil Law and Criminal Law.

It was hollow authority.

What was the point of students fawning over him, bowing their heads without a word, and repeating apologies?

Deep down, they all deemed the tower of knowledge he had built throughout his life as ‘useless’.

“In this place, the best legal education institution in Korea! No one can explain Schmitt’s theory of sovereign dictatorship?!”

It was in the moment of frustration at this unacceptable reality that he shouted.

“Ugh…”

With a low groan, a male student sitting in the middle row rubbed his eyes and raised his head.

He was sleeping? In my class? Han Il-gu’s already terrible mood completely soured.

‘That guy is… number 38. Park Yoo-seung.’

Han Il-gu’s sharp brain matched the sleepy student’s face with the attendance sheet.

It was a student whose name had been circulating among the professors recently.

A dark horse who had received a terrible score on the first exam after entering but had made remarkable progress, and the rumor that he had even one-upped the vice dean was widespread.

When he heard that story, Han Il-gu was secretly pleased.

Although other professors didn’t dare treat him, an elder, disrespectfully, the vice dean always opposed him, going on about achievements and passing rates.

But now, he was just frustrated.

Even that student, with such brilliant talent, who must have put in tremendous effort after coming here…

‘Even he thinks my class isn’t worth studying for…!’

“Number 38. Park Yoo-seung.”

So Han Il-gu called his name.

“Yes?”

Park Yoo-seung answered with a bewildered expression.

“Student, please answer. You must have been so confident, with nothing more to learn, that you took a nap during class.”

Chuckles erupted here and there.

It seemed that this Park Yoo-seung guy wasn’t very popular.

Well, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

It was natural to be met with jealousy when someone unexpected achieved remarkable growth.

‘…I’ve lost my composure.’

Only then did Han Il-gu realize that he was being excessively grumpy.

What was the students’ fault?

The problem lay in the flawed system that forced them to conquer exam-oriented law within a tight timeframe of three years.

An environment where they couldn’t study in depth even if they wanted to.

‘Since they won’t be able to answer anyway, I should wrap this up and move on.’

Just as Han Il-gu was thinking that and clearing his throat,

“You’re talking about the concept of sovereignty in Schmitt’s constitutional theory, right?”

Park Yoo-seung spoke up.

“It’s the personal power to carry out political decisions in a state of emergency, and its basis lies in the very power to establish the constitution, which cannot be excluded by any constitutional norm.”

“Yes, yes, you might not know… What?”

That answer was exactly the same as the expression used in the paper Han Il-gu himself had published last year.

Han Il-gu’s dim eyes widened in an instant.

***

‘…Did I say too much?’

Seeing ConLaw’s dramatic reaction, I felt a bit of regret.

I had been caught dozing off, and I didn’t want to be targeted and bothered, so I chose a suitable expression and answered.

But then ConLaw, with a face as bright as if his dead son had come back to life, started bombarding me with questions.

I ended up having to fight a defensive battle against the bombarding questions, sweating profusely.

‘I’m not an expert like you!’

My understanding was limited to skimming through the document summarized by ‘Effortless’ a few times.

It was just enough to write a decent exam answer, I had never actually read Schmitt’s writings.

If he asked any in-depth questions, my shallow knowledge would be exposed immediately.

Fortunately, just as I was running out of things to say, ConLaw seemed satisfied and nodded.

“Excellent!”

ConLaw exclaimed with emotion.

“In this era where even the best educational institution in this country has become a wasteland for legal theory, I see a ray of hope in this student.”

‘No, it’s not that great.’

“Everyone, please give a round of applause to student Park Yoo-seung. He is cultivating true learning even in this barren environment…!”

‘No, I’m not…’

ConLaw wasn’t the type to give compliments to students.

It was fortunate if he didn’t ridicule or criticize them for being inadequate.

For him to suddenly change his attitude and shower me with praise like this, everyone was naturally dumbfounded.

Especially me, the person in question, I couldn’t stand the burning sensation in my face.

True learning? What true learning?

I never imagined I would be praised this much for the knowledge I had crammed in preparation for the exam.

Only my fellow study group members, who knew the truth, were secretly lowering their heads and chuckling.

‘I’d rather be scolded…’

But that was my problem.

It seemed to be perceived differently by the onlookers.

“What was that about the decision?”

“How did he even study that…?”

“I’m a philosophy graduate, and we briefly covered Schmitt in my fourth-year major class. But I gave up because it was too difficult.”

“But Park Yoo-seung is from the business school.”

“What is he, really…”

Whispers mixed with applause could be heard from everywhere.

This was a real overestimation. I tried to put out the fire before it spread further.

“No, Professor. I just happened to come across a few papers, so I just repeated the expressions I remembered. I wouldn’t say I truly understand the meaning of the concept…”

“That humility is the ideal quality a researcher should have.”

‘This is crazy.’

“Not readily assuming understanding. Constantly questioning your own knowledge and exploring beyond the text. I can say with certainty,”

ConLaw’s eyes gleamed.

“Student Park Yoo-seung has the talent to be a legal scholar.”

And so, the class went by in a daze.

Perhaps because he was in a good mood, ConLaw, for once, didn’t get angry anymore and diligently lectured, ending the class on time.

I quietly left the classroom, blending in with the other students.

Or rather, I tried to.

“Student Park Yoo-seung, please see me for a moment.”

Unfortunately, just as I put my hand on the doorknob, ConLaw stopped me.

‘Oh no. I have to go study for the exam.’

Less than a week remained until the midterms.

I didn’t want to waste time here.

I had a mountain of studying planned for today.

Therefore, I turned my head, intending to politely decline ConLaw’s invitation.

But,

“It will only take a moment. There’s something I want to show… someone with potential like you, student Park Yoo-seung.”

As soon as I heard those words, I was struck by a strange intuition.

‘There’s something going on here.’