Yes. I will continue.
The prosecution’s review of the CCTV footage revealed that the defendant, Kim Sung-won, had, to date, adopted approximately twenty-three pets.
Disturbingly, he then proceeded to kill every single one of these animals, burying their remains across various locations within the apartment complex.
In light of this, we now present photographic evidence depicting the jumbled bones and decomposing remains of the very pets we uncovered.
The defendant’s face, which had previously exuded a smug confidence in the face of the prosecutor’s initial arguments, now visibly soured.
“Is that all?”
“Yes, Your Honor, that concludes my statement.”
Prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon, a look of profound satisfaction gracing her features, settled back into her seat, having delivered her full argument.
“Very well. Does the defense counsel wish to refute any part of the evidence presented by the prosecution? Defense counsel?”
While others in the courtroom might remain oblivious,
I sensed that Seon-ah was speaking with immense restraint, clearly suppressing her anger.
It was a tell-tale habit of hers: whenever she was upset or struggling to contain her fury, Seon-ah would subtly clench her teeth as she spoke.
After all, the Seon-ah I knew had long cared for a dog named Ppoppi.
While I couldn’t be certain if this version of Seon-ah also owned a dog, her reaction strongly suggested it was a high probability.
“…There is nothing.”
The defense counsel spoke, carefully averting the defendant’s gaze, which was fixed upon him with an expression of utter contempt.
Had he perhaps, in his complacency, assumed there would be no evidence to present in the first place?
Typically, the lawyers depicted in courtroom dramas would find some way, any way, to counter the arguments.
Why was this particular lawyer so utterly inept?
“Yes, I understand. We will now take a brief recess before proceeding with the sentencing.”
With those words, Seon-ah clicked off her microphone and turned her gaze toward me.
“…What are your thoughts?”
“You’re asking what kind of punishment I believe would be fitting?”
“Precisely. While I may preside over the trial itself, the responsibility of determining the sentence falls to you, not me.”
‘Hmm… a suitable punishment for that animal abuser…’
In truth, Seon-ah’s desire to see justice served for that man’s crimes was likely far more intense than my own.
For Seon-ah, who regarded pets as cherished family members,
She would undoubtedly wish to bestow the harshest possible punishment upon a madman who had beaten, killed, and then buried dozens of animals merely to alleviate his own stress.
Thinking of Seon-ah’s sentiments, there was something I, as her friend, could certainly do.
“I’ve thought of something.”
“What is it?”
I leaned in and whispered the punishment I had conceived.
“What…? What kind of… If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to just sentence him to 100 years in prison?”
“But then that wicked person wouldn’t truly reflect, would they? I want him to be confronted with the gravity of his actions every single time he opens his mouth.”
“If that’s the underlying intent, it’s not entirely bad, but…”
I offered a faint smile to Seon-ah, who appeared to be deep in thought, and then asked,
“Regardless, since I’m the one delivering the sentence, this punishment is indeed possible, isn’t it?”
“Well… I suppose it is, yes?”
“Excellent. Then let’s proceed with this.”
“Yes. We will now resume the trial. From this point forward, the proceedings will be presided over by Special Judge Lee Ha-yeon, who is seated beside me.”
The moment Seon-ah concluded her statement, I pressed the red button on the microphone, activating it.
“Ah, yes… Then, prior to the sentencing, we will hear the defendant’s final statement.”
While there was no particular necessity to endure the repulsive voice of that animal abuser,
it was an integral part of my larger scheme to achieve what I desired.
Defendant Kim Sung-won hesitantly rose from his seat, glanced nervously around the courtroom, and then began to speak.
“…I acted out because I was under extreme stress. I apologize, Your Honor. It won’t happen again…”
“Truly… I feel such profound regret for those poor creatures… Why did I ever do such a thing… *sniffle*.”
I cast a disdainful glance at the repugnant man, who was now dramatically shedding a few tears as he feigned remorse.
The reason for my contempt was clear: I could hear the true thoughts of the animal abuser, who, on the surface, seemed to be repenting more earnestly than anyone else.
[This is driving me insane. f*cking hell… I destroyed all the home cameras, so how did they even find anything? That bastard lawyer just pocketed all the money and is utterly useless. Ugh, the stress is killing me!]
Even if I hadn’t been privy to that criminal’s true thoughts, I would have harbored no intention of reducing his sentence.
However, hearing those vile inner thoughts only solidified my resolve: I would not let this conclude with a mere, simple punishment.
Was it not an insultingly lenient punishment to allow a man who, far from repenting his misdeeds, remained utterly unhinged, to merely serve a few years in prison before returning to society?
Suppressing the anger that boiled within me, I subtly shifted my gaze to Prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon.
“Prosecutor, I have a question I’d like to ask, if I may.”
“Yes, you may.”
“What is the most severe punishment that can be imposed upon the defendant?”
“According to the standard sentencing guidelines, animal abuse is punishable by a maximum of three years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding thirty million won.”
‘Three years… that’s far too lenient for him.’
“This case represents an act severely lacking in any regard for life. Given that the defendant committed the heinous crime of extinguishing no less than twenty-five precious lives, an exceptionally severe punishment is warranted.”
“So, the most severe penalty I can impose is merely three years of imprisonment?”
My reason for posing this question was simple.
“That is indeed true, but… as you are aware, Your Honor is not an ordinary judge. You are a Special Judge, are you not…?”
“Isn’t that right?”
A subtle smile began to play upon my lips.
“Under the special law, it would not be unusual for Your Honor to impose any form of punishment you deem fit. Should the crime be sufficiently grave, this could extend even to the gravest penalty of all: capital punishment.”
“Isn’t that going a bit too far? The death penalty for merely killing a few animals…!!”
The defense counsel, who had maintained a tight-lipped silence throughout the proceedings, suddenly erupted, shouting at the prosecutor.
That incompetent lawyer, whose pride had already been severely bruised by the irrefutable evidence, seemed particularly stung by the mention of the death penalty.
Upon receiving a sharp glare from me, the lawyer cleared his throat awkwardly and promptly resumed his seat.
“Oh, but still, the death penalty? That’s truly excessive.”
“I have duly noted your statement, Prosecutor. I will take it into consideration when delivering the sentence.”
As I had learned from the wiki, I was not an ordinary judge, but a Special Judge.
Furthermore, a special law had been enacted specifically for me.
To summarize the essence of that special law in a single sentence, as Prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon had just hinted,
it simply granted me the authority to rule however I saw fit.
Given that the esteemed members of the National Assembly had personally crafted such an outrageously broad law specifically for my benefit, there was no conceivable way I would sentence such a despicable piece of garbage to a mere three years in prison.
Instead, I would impose upon him a truly novel and utterly infuriating punishment.
As Seon-ah had diligently prepared all the complex legal terms and justifications necessary to validate my ruling, I merely referenced her notes as I began to read.
“I hereby pronounce sentence. The defendant, Kim Sung-won, for the sole purpose of alleviating personal stress, brutally assaulted innocent lives, leading to their deaths. Considering the egregiously high number of animals involved….”
“The defendant, Kim Sung-won, is hereby sentenced to one year of imprisonment.”
Murmurs rippled through the gallery, presumably from those who perceived the sentence as surprisingly lenient.
“The sentencing is not yet complete.”
“From this moment forward, every time the defendant speaks, he must conclude his sentences with the suffix ‘nyang’ (TL Note: A Korean onomatopoeia for a cat’s meow, often used cutely or mockingly), as a perpetual reminder of the animals he so cruelly took from this world.”
“For every instance of non-compliance, an additional year will be added to his prison sentence. This commences immediately.”
The defendant, who had remained impassive when I initially pronounced the one-year sentence, now wore an expression that clearly screamed, ‘What in the world is this utter nonsense?’
“Why? Is there a problem, old man?”
“No… what kind of…”
“Oh dear, it appears he’s not yet accustomed to the ‘nyang’ speech pattern. *Ahem* Ah-ah.”
Being ten years old, I could deliver such a line without a hint of self-consciousness.
“…You do it like this, nyang.”
Prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon, who had been observing me, let out a small, suppressed chuckle and turned her head away.
Undeterred, I continued speaking.
“You must use this ‘nyang’ speech pattern for the rest of your life. After all, the animals you killed deserve your pity, don’t they?”
“What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this, you little brat…!!”
“Defendant, silence yourself.”
As the animal abuser, his voice now dangerously loud, began to shout at me, Seon-ah, seated beside me, intervened to restrain him.
‘No. He shouldn’t be quiet. Every time he speaks, his prison sentence multiplies. Why would anyone stop him?’
I subtly signaled Seon-ah, and she responded with a small nod, seemingly comprehending my unspoken intent.
“…Do you perhaps have any complaints?”
“Of course I do! Do you think this makes sense?”
“Yes, it makes perfect sense. Do you, old man, believe it made sense to beat and kill innocent animals merely due to stress?”
“*Cough*… Th-then!! What if it starts after I leave the courtroom…?”
“No, it won’t.”
I made an ‘X’ with my hands.
“By the way, that’s already an additional four years in prison for you, nyang~”
“Furthermore, the correctional officers will personally verify this in prison, and add more years to your sentence, so it might be good to keep that in mind.”
Of course, I had no idea how the correctional officers would verify it.
But if I were a correctional officer, wouldn’t I check every day, just for the amusement of it?
“No, what kind of verdict is this…!!”
“Hey. Frankly speaking, what right do you, a brat who looks like an elementary schooler, have to determine my crime and play judge!!”
I, too, was curious as to why I, an elementary school student, became a Special Judge with such outrageously powerful authority.
But so what?
It wasn’t my fault that I was assigned to his trial; it was his own doing.
If he hadn’t committed the crime in the first place, there would have been no trial at all.
“How dare you issue such ridiculous, nonsensical rulings! Do you want to die?”
The bailiff stepped forward to restrain him, but I subtly waved them off.
Why bother stopping him when he’s just racking up more prison time all by himself, simply by speaking?
Another three years added.
