Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Empty-Handed Consultation
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"Talk about wasting time. The explanation was way too advanced."
"It felt kinda condescending too."
Hearing that kind of talk before they even sat down was enough to make the newcomers shrink back.
But Kang Hyun felt his mind settling into calm instead, his head cooling off.
'Just stay composed and handle it.'
The general international law expert was probably affiliated with an international organization. If he approached Kang Hyun cooperatively, Kang Hyun planned to show respect and elevate him.
But if he tried to dismiss Kang Hyun, then Kang Hyun would knock him down a peg and make him cough up the info willingly.
In short, he was confident he could get what he wanted without breaking a sweat.
"Next. Number 247, Kang Hyun."
When his name was called, Kang Hyun flashed a bright smile and took his seat.
It was a completely different attitude from the others, who sat down stiffly with tense expressions.
The people sitting around the session and watching started murmuring softly.
"He looks pretty confident."
"I'll bet he can't answer properly and bails."
But then the murmurs grew louder as they noticed Kang Hyun.
"Wait, he didn't bring any materials?"
"Does he even know what kind of place this is?"
Kang Hyun had shown up to face an international law expert completely empty-handed.
"Yes, Professor Cheon Ung-jae. I've arrived at the venue."
In the noisy, bustling lobby of the Graton City Hotel's main building.
His phone voice was soft but carried so clearly that anyone nearby could hear every word.
"Yes, I received the paper consultation yesterday. Today, I'll just attend the senior-level workshop this afternoon and head straight back."
A low, resonant voice—Professor Cheon Ung-jae's signature tone—came through the receiver, and he nodded as if the professor were standing right there.
"I understand. Since the Law Center has provided so much support, I'll make sure our team leaves a strong impression. I've prepared all the materials perfectly."
Tall stature, dressed in smart semi-formal attire.
With neatly parted brown hair in a side-swept perm, a sharp jawline on his slender face, and cold-looking monolidded eyes, his name tag boldly read "Seok Ji-hoon" under the large "International Law Society" logo.
Seok Ji-hoon.
He was the pride of Korea University, a prodigy in the legal world who had already carved his name into history.
Junior researchers were rising like comets, but he still received top-tier backing and walked the elite path.
That's why, even with the intra-university competition right around the corner, unlike his teammates, he was participating in this event under the Korea University Law Center's oversight, prioritizing his personal schedule.
For their team, the preliminaries were a given, so coming here mostly for his own matters wasn't an issue for the team or himself.
The Korea University contest was no big deal—what mattered was Bismuth.
He was even planning to take only a supporting role in the "dispute organizer" position for this intra-university mock trial.
A male lion only shows up for the big hunts. It fit Seok Ji-hoon's situation perfectly.
"Yes, thank you, Professor. See you tomorrow."
After hanging up, Seok Ji-hoon shoved his phone into his pocket with a frown.
"Nagging... Just trust me already."
Professor Cheon Ung-jae's reminders irked him, and he muttered under his breath.
The academic conference was on its final day. He'd spent the past few days laser-focused on consulting for his research paper.
Today was just one day to gather info on the mock trial competition, so time was indeed tight.
But he was fully prepared.
Right on cue, as his words trailed off, a short-haired woman who looked like event staff approached him.
"Mr. Seok Ji-hoon, the senior-level VIP room is ready. Once you enter, you can't come back out, so please make sure you have all your materials before going in."
VIP workshop.
Arranged by the Korea University Law Center director, it was a chance for one-on-one with prestigious legal experts he wouldn't normally meet.
It was a high-stakes room where conversations would be on another level from the general attendees—intimidating for sure.
One slip, and he might not even manage a proper exchange.
But Seok Ji-hoon responded with an even more relaxed smile.
It was routine for him.
Nothing more, nothing less.
"Lead the way."
With a slight nod and polite tone, the staff member guided him ahead.
As he followed quietly, he suddenly paused.
"Hold on."
He gave a near-expressionless smile, then stared intently into the distance, as if drawn to something.
It was inside the venue, where the junior-level Q&A was in full swing.
"...?"
He stood frozen for a moment. The staff, finding it odd, glanced in the direction he was looking and called out cautiously.
"...Mr. Seok Ji-hoon?"
"Oh, no. Sorry about that."
"Do you know someone there?"
She wasn't oblivious; she picked up on his intent since he seemed to be staring at someone.
At her words, his face—which had shown almost no change during their talk—shifted dramatically.
He looked amused, almost invigorated.
But his eyes gleamed with a hint of madness.
"Someone I know, but not well enough to say hi. A famous guy is sitting there."
"Pardon?"
"Let's go."
The staff instinctively went up on her tiptoes to spot the "famous" person Seok Ji-hoon—himself a celebrity at the conference—had mentioned, but she tilted her head, unable to pick him out, and turned away.
There were too many people, and from that distance, faces blurred together.
But where Seok Ji-hoon had fixed his gaze for so long... there sat Kang Hyun.
"Hello. I'm Kang Hyun, from Korea University's Law Department."
The murmurs around Kang Hyun grew louder at his introduction.
"Kang Hyun?"
"Kang Hyun... wait, isn't he...?"
"The guy who got perfect score on last year's College Scholastic Ability Test?"
"He's at Korea University, so yeah!"
As people who'd heard of him vaguely—from his perfect test score or SNS buzz—reacted with surprise, a few reporters covering the event gathered too, filling his session with onlookers.
"But why's he even here?"
Kang Hyun was a first-year who'd just entered university this year. For those who knew him, his presence at the International Law Society's junior-level workshop was puzzling.
Put simply, he had no business being here.
Mock trial competitions usually drew second-years at earliest, or more commonly graduating undergrads and law grad students.
Maybe that's why.
People who'd only heard his name tossed around as the "perfect scorer" or "genius" started eyeing him with interest.
But those familiar with his reputation and image swallowed hard instead.
Genius or not, could he hang with the seasoned experts here? Big question mark.
Participating in this workshop might even damage his image in the end, or publicly. That thought dominated.
Of course, some rooted for him.
His SNS fame came from sharp, law-based rhetoric like a lawyer or prosecutor.
He was building buzz on campus lately with that skill too. If he stumbled awkwardly in this high-level Q&A, it'd be embarrassing—and the fallout wouldn't be small.
But if he exceeded expectations?
Either way, his appearance drew eyes.
After his greeting, the neatly dressed man in his late 30s or early 40s sitting across shifted his demeanor and spoke.
"I'm Nam Shin-hwa, Treaty Division Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kang Hyun, huh? Sounds familiar. Are you somebody famous?"
"No, sir. Just a student who dipped his toes into the Law Department this year."
"A first-year undergrad?"
"Yes."
Nam Shin-hwa stopped racking his brain for who he was and examined him closely, a bit thrown by the freshman reveal.
But seasoned by years in society, he kept his polite expression.
'A look that says "annoying."'
Kang Hyun didn't miss the subtle shift in his face.
Even at these academic events, underprepared undergrads sometimes crashed hoping for scraps.
Nam Shin-hwa clearly pegged Kang Hyun as one.
"Yes. Well, time's short. Shall we start? Hand over any materials you brought."
"I don't have any."
"I see. Then I'll provide some."
No materials?
Nam Shin-hwa handled Kang Hyun's boldness calmly, without flinching.
Pulling out documents with a faint smirk, he launched into explanation, eager to wrap it up fast.
The title: "Q1 Newly Ratified Treaties List."
"Even this alone makes coming worthwhile. It's the list of new treaties ratified in the first quarter this year. Just skimming the general info and contents per treaty will give you the latest trends."
"Thank you."
"Then you can head out now..."
Way too quick to cut it off.
But Kang Hyun stayed calm.
"No, not yet. By the way, Officer is fine, right?"
"Pardon? Uh, yes."
A flicker of surprise crossed his face at Kang Hyun's words.
Most would've said "thanks" and left by now, but Kang Hyun declared "not yet."
Even surrounded by all these people, Kang Hyun brimmed with confidence, signaling he wouldn't back off until satisfied.
"I'll skip the general theory stuff."
Nam Shin-hwa's eyes sharpened at that.
If he was that sure of himself, no need to coddle the kid.
He'd chosen this path.
"Fine. So what does Kang Hyun want, showing up without materials?"
"I want your take on the current trends—the topics the International Law Society is emphasizing."
His response came sharp.
"People consulting session experts usually bring topic-specific materials, and we explain based on those."
"True, but..."
Kang Hyun trailed off slightly.
His tone, speech, voice pitch and volume—all steady and appropriate. Even bold, it mixed with politeness, coming off charming.
"I want Officer Nam's thoughts on the current trends from the 'Korea International Law Society' perspective."
"And why is that?"
"Honestly? Because of Bismuth."
The room erupted in murmurs, like a sudden rush of rapids.