The Sovereign System.

Master Gale promptly ignored Luke's reply, turning his attention to the class. With one hand stroking his long white beard, he moved gracefully toward the sand table, his posture exuding the noble bearing expected of one of the Marxx Empire's lead instructors.

"As aspiring Tacticians, you will be taught according to the Marxx Empire's military doctrine," he began, his voice firm yet measured. "Flexibility is the operative principle in the art of war. To be flexible is to possess the fundamental ability to adapt to any new environment and excel within it."

The words echoed through the room, resonating deeply with Luke. These vast yet profound teachings struck a familiar chord within him, though he couldn't immediately pinpoint why.

'Why does this sound so familiar?' Luke wondered, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Can anyone tell me where the Marxx Empire's doctrine was derived from?" Master Gale asked, his sharp gaze sweeping across the students.

Kayson raised his hand confidently, earning a nod of acknowledgment from the old man.

"They are the words of the legendary general, Sun Tzu, spoken nearly 500 years ago," Kayson answered smoothly, prompting murmurs of agreement from the other students.

"Correct," Master Gale said with a faint smile. "The legendary general Sun Tzu remained undefeated throughout—"

Luke barely registered the rest of Master Gale's words. His mind was spinning, caught on the name Sun Tzu. Even on Earth, Sun Tzu's The Art of War was renowned, its principles still quoted in modern times. The book encompassed military strategy and philosophy, influencing both Eastern and Western cultures profoundly.

'Could it be the same person?' Luke thought, his heart racing. 'How could Sun Tzu exist in this world too?'

Before he could delve deeper into the mystery, a nudge from his side jolted him back to reality. He turned to see Kayson gesturing subtly toward the front of the room.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Luke whispered, only to realize the entire class had gone silent. His gaze snapped forward, meeting Master Gale's livid expression, the man's face a deep shade of crimson.

"Mr. Drakon," Master Gale began, his tone biting, "can you identify the battle depicted upon the sand table? Or would you prefer some additional time to indulge in your own thoughts?"

Luke blinked, his mind still catching up, but his eyes instinctively scanned the table. It depicted a battlefield with a fortress positioned near a wide river. Around 100,000 soldiers were laying siege to the walls, while a smaller force from the fortress appeared to be marching away from the battle.

The scene perplexed him for a moment, but then his skill, Scholarly Pursuit, kicked in, piecing together the clues. A look of recognition flashed across his features as he was finally able to pinpoint the battle.

"Master Gale," Luke began, his voice calm, "this appears to be the Battle of Burthale, fought between the Marxx Kingdom and the Theocracy of Lhair."

The room fell silent, save for the faint shuffle of feet. Master Gale's expression stiffened momentarily, but the flicker of discomfort didn't escape Luke's notice. A quiet sense of satisfaction welled up within him as he watched the old man falter.

"And how," Master Gale said, his voice clipped, "did you come to this conclusion?"

Luke straightened, carefully laying out his reasoning. "The fortress is positioned close to the river, which is notably wide. This suggests it's most likely the Yellow River, as it runs through both the Marxx Kingdom and the Principality of Selis."

He gestured subtly toward the sand table. "Of the fortresses near the Yellow River, there are three: Burthale, Xiyang, and Qigong. However, Xiyang and Qigong are well within our territory, leaving Burthale as the only plausible option."

Not waiting for a response, Luke continued. "The opposing army numbers almost 100,000 soldiers, yet the much smaller defending army sent a branch to the south, far enough away from the enemy scouts to remain undetected. The size of the army and their route leads me to believe they intended to stealthily target the enemy supplies and cut off their means to siege the fortress."

"Therefore, this should most definitely be the Battle of Burthale, led by the Azure General while the Marxx Kingdom was still in its infancy."

Luke's mouth felt dry after speaking so much, but he ignored it, offering an innocent expression to Master Gale. The old man was staring blankly at him, his lips unmoving.

In fact, the entire room was silent.

Inwardly, Luke was pissing himself laughing. 'If only I had my phone to snap a picture of that stupefied expression,' he thought. 'I'd save it as my lock screen and admire it every day.'

"Ahem." Master Gale cleared his throat, finally breaking the silence. "This is indeed the Battle of Burthale, led by the Azure General. After realizing he was outnumbered and stood no chance on the open field, the General retreated to the fortress and sent a small company of soldiers to destroy the granaries in the nearby Hale City."

The instructor's tone was steady, but Luke could tell he was doing his best to regain his composure. Meanwhile, Luke maintained his innocent smile, though inwardly, he was cursing the old man.

'That'll teach you to pick on me, you old coot. Trying to trip me up with famous battles will just end in embarrassment for you,' he thought smugly.

In truth, Luke had memorized details of many famous battles during his intense library session before the officer's exam. If Master Gale had chosen something more obscure, Luke might have been stumped.

"In your time at the Military Academy, we'll cover a variety of subjects," Master Gale continued, his voice now back to its usual authoritative tone. "The study of classical and contemporary texts, case studies, and historical examples like the battle in front of us. You'll also participate in practical drills and simulations, both on and off the battleground, while receiving mentorship and personal guidance from active Generals and ministers."

By now, Master Gale had fully recovered his composure and was back to delivering his lecture. Luke made a mental note to pay attention this time, lest he be caught off guard again.

"The role of a Tactician is not limited to the battlefield. Many will receive summons to the court in the capital to partake in the strategic affairs of the Kingdom. Upon graduating from the Academy, a significant number of you will find yourselves serving in the court."

'Eh? Really?' Luke's eyes widened, and his heart surged with excitement. He had assumed his fate would involve roaming battlefields, dodging lunatics charging at him from every direction.

The idea of living a cushy life in the capital sounded like music to his ears. However, before he could fully indulge in the fantasy, a grim thought struck him. He remembered his affliction and sighed inwardly.

'Would the Sovereign System allow me to stay safely in the Kingdom, where I couldn't make a name for myself? Unlikely…' he muttered to himself.

Master Gale's speech continued, interrupting Luke's thoughts.

"Master Boyd will be in charge of your combat training. Only through strengthening both your mind and body will you truly ascend to the level of General." After saying this, the old man began to take his robe off, causing Luke's eyes to widen in shock.

As the tanned, weathered skin revealed itself, Luke couldn't drag his eyes away. But to his surprise, beneath the wrinkles lay well-developed muscles, creating a horrifying yet somehow impressive sight.

'Holy shit, the old guy is jacked!'

"Although I am long retired, should my name be called once more, I am ready to serve my king again," he stated coolly.

Luke wasn't sure who started it, but a round of applause sounded out in the room a moment later. Not wanting to attract the attention of the jacked naked mole rat, Luke joined in, clapping politely and giving the man his praise.

"That's enough," Master Gale said. However, his expression betrayed a hint of satisfaction—clearly, he enjoyed the admiration. He replaced his robe and continued the lesson.

"Our topic of discussion today surrounds the importance of supplies. Take the Battle of Burthale in front of you as an example: without supplies and rations, an army is useless. Whether sieging a fortress or fighting in open plains, hunger leads to reduced strength and even desertion."

"As a Tactician, it is also your job to secure supplies for the army in your charge. This means sourcing, storing, planning routes based on terrain, as well as providing enough goods to feed your army."

This time, Luke listened carefully. Despite his dislike for Master Gale, it was clear the man was highly knowledgeable about warfare. If Luke wanted any chance of rising through the ranks, he'd have to heed these lessons.

"Tell me the benefits of a well-supplied army," Master Gale barked, pointing to a student from an earlier intake.

"A well-fed, equipped, and rested army is more likely to follow orders and perform well in combat. It reduces the likelihood of both desertion and mutiny," the student replied succinctly.

"Good. A meticulously planned supply route is the first step to victory and is achieved long before the army sets out to battle. Remember these words and plan accordingly. Each one of our soldiers' lives is a valuable resource, and neglecting to supply them is an act of treason."

Luke nodded along as the Master spoke. Thankfully, his Scholarly Pursuit skill allowed him to retain the information without needing to take notes.

The rest of the lesson used examples of historical battles, analyzing the forces' supply chains and theorycrafting how they could have been improved. Master Gale's teaching method was succinct and practical, allowing Luke to gain many insights.

By the end of the lesson, Luke's opinion of the old man had shifted more than he cared to admit. While it was clear Master Gale still held some distaste for him, it seemed he wasn't stingy with his knowledge.

'That's all I can ask for, I guess,' he thought.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day, brother?" Kayson asked, walking in step beside him.

Luke stretched, his muscles protesting with every movement. It had only been a few days since he'd started physical training, and his body was still adjusting to the strain.

"I want to head to the library and do some research."

Kayson raised an eyebrow but didn't object. "Most of the books here are rather old and outdated. My father has a much better library in the City Lord's Estate. You should come visit soon."

Luke nodded. "Sounds good, but I still want to polish up on my knowledge."

There was no way he'd pass up the chance to use his Scholarly Pursuit skill to absorb as much information as possible. His limit was a thousand books per day before experiencing side effects, so he figured reading half of that would keep him safe from headaches and lightheadedness.

"Suit yourself. Let's grab a meal before we go our separate ways for the rest of the day," Kayson suggested.

The growling of Luke's stomach confirmed that food was an excellent idea.

The two returned to their quarters and were served a hearty chicken soup with freshly baked bread. After hours of discussing the logistics of supplies, Luke couldn't help but think about how different this meal was compared to what soldiers likely ate in the field.

'I wonder what kind of slop I'd be served on a campaign…' he mused, the thought deepening his dread of battle.

Though not a foodie by any stretch, Luke's life on Earth—where every cuisine was just a delivery away—made adjusting to this world's limited options challenging. The Academy's meals were excellent, but they weren't a piping hot pizza fresh from his favorite Italian place.

'I wonder if I could make pizza here?' The thought perked him up immediately. Just imagining a margarita pizza with fresh mozzarella was enough to make his mouth water.

After finishing the meal, Luke bid Kayson goodbye. As he made his way out, a few students cast him curious glances but quickly turned away when he met their eyes.

Outside, Luke approached a nearby maid and asked for directions to the library.

"Young Master, I'll take you there."

The feminine voice from behind him sent a chill down his spine. He didn't need to turn to know who it was—the femme fatale who had the uncanny ability to appear from nowhere.

Luke's face paled. 'Oh no, not her again…'