At this moment, Oliver and Daniel, the other hunter who had caught a slime, were pushed to the center of the crowd.

Oliver glanced at Daniel.

The man was a seasoned hunter in the village, his skills honed through years of experience.

Now, seeing this newcomer, Oliver, who had been a hunter for barely over a month, manage to catch a slime just like him, Daniel couldn’t help but feel a slight twinge of displeasure.

He’d spent years honing his craft, yet it was only today that he stood in the midst of such a crowd’s admiration. And here was this young man, Oliver, who had barely started hunting and was already sharing the spotlight with him.

However, just as the two hunters exchanged glances, a stir suddenly rippled through the crowd.

"The knight has arrived! The knight has arrived!"

*A knight!*

Knights, much like mages, were the esteemed figures in this world. To be called a knight, one had to possess immense physical strength, exceptional combat skills, and pass the rigorous knight’s trials.

It was said that high-ranking knights could even awaken their mana cores, though their mana cores were quite different from those of mages.

Oliver thought to himself, The Wild Boar form magic core grants me a significant boost in strength, but compared to a true knight, I still fall far short.

With his Wild Boar form magic core, Oliver’s strength had increased by 120kg, and with his base strength, he was capable of punching with 200kg of force. But the lowest-ranking knights were said to possess a strength of at least 800kg. And knights also had something called "warrior skills."

Clearly, he still had a long way to go.

As Oliver pondered this, a broad-shouldered middle-aged man pushed his way through the crowd. His imposing figure seemed to radiate power, standing like a small mountain among the crowd.

Oliver recognized him immediately. This was William, a well-known figure in the village. However, he wasn’t a true knight yet—only a "semi-knight." In the town of Eccleston, true knights were extremely rare. Even the small nobles and lords had to show respect to them.

True knights were far more powerful than semi-knights, and regular villagers were rarely allowed to even meet them. Naturally, a semi-knight like William was vastly stronger than ordinary villagers or hunters.

"Sir Knight! This slime, it's large, full of mana—please, have a look!"

Daniel hastily exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

William extended his hand to feel the slime, testing the mana within. After a moment, he spoke in a calm voice.

"A Water-type slime. The mana retention is decent. 105 silver coins. Do you want to sell it?"

"Of course, it’s yours!" Daniel replied eagerly.

105 silver coins!

Daniel’s heart soared. With this amount, he wouldn't need to hunt for months. He could spend the next few months living it up in the tavern.

William, ever the generous one, pulled out a hefty money pouch from his belt, spilling the silver coins in a cascade. The sight of one hundred shining coins caused the crowd to gasp in amazement.

Daniel counted the money, his smile growing ever broader.

Then William walked up to Oliver, who had been quietly observing. He lifted the red slime with a discerning eye, inspecting it closely. After a long moment, he spoke again, his voice firm:

"Three hundred silver coins. Will you sell it?"

"Three hundred silver coins?" Daniel, who had already turned to leave, turned back in shock.

The crowd went silent, their curiosity piqued. Why was Oliver’s slime valued so much higher than Daniel’s?

Three hundred silver coins—a sum so large that some unscrupulous people might be tempted to commit a crime over it.

"Three hundred silver coins?" James gasped, his eyes wide in disbelief. He could hardly contain his excitement.

"You’d better sell it, Oliver! That’s enough to cover tuition at Oakridge Academy and still have plenty left!"

Oliver was equally shocked. The price for his slime far exceeded his expectations. Not only did he have enough to pay for his magic school tuition, but he would have plenty left over!

With the 40 silver coins he had saved up before, he now had a total of 340 silver coins.

This money came just in time. Once he entered the magic academy, expenses would certainly pile up, so this was a windfall.

It seemed that this semi-knight, William, was an honest man. Even though he could have offered the same price as for the water slime without anyone knowing, he didn’t deceive Oliver.

"Why the high price?" the crowd wondered aloud.

William, seeing their curiosity, did not hold back.

"The fire magic of this red slime is especially effective for enhancing the body and boosting strength. It’s very valuable for someone like me who’s trying to break through to become a true knight."

Ah, so that was the reason.

The crowd nodded in understanding. The world of mages and knights was indeed a strange and wondrous thing.

And William was about to become a true knight? That was a prospect everyone envied.

In fact, after William left, the crowd didn’t disperse right away. They flocked to Oliver, eager to speak with him. A farmer’s son, rising so quickly in such a short time—how could people not admire and praise him?

Meanwhile, Daniel, who had been the center of attention moments ago, found himself quickly forgotten. The spotlight had shifted entirely to Oliver.

Daniel, slightly annoyed but unable to do anything about it, quietly slipped away.

As the crowd began to thin out, James approached Oliver, slapping him on the shoulder.

"With all this sudden wealth, what are you going to do? Come to the academy with me?"

James had already known that Oliver was interested in magic, and when Oliver had once asked him about the academy, James had thought nothing of it.

He assumed Oliver didn’t have the means to afford the tuition. But now, with this unexpected turn of events, James was astounded.

"Ha! Looks like you guessed right. I do want to learn magic."

James shook his head. "You're lucky. It took my family years to save up enough money for my tuition. You, on the other hand, catch a slime, and boom—you're set for life."

Oliver chuckled, feeling a bit excited.

"Once we get to the academy, we’ll have to look out for each other. I heard most of the students there are from noble families, and there are barely any commoners like us."

James continued, a hint of worry in his voice.

He was afraid that once at the academy, the nobles might bully them. After all, the nobles were high and mighty and always looked down on commoners like him.

Having Oliver there would make things easier, at least they could look out for each other.

Oliver could understand James’ concerns.

Becoming a mage wasn’t just about learning magic; it was the first step toward breaking free from their humble origins.

For commoners, it was incredibly hard to become a mage, but what else could they do?

Being a farmer meant struggling to even put food on the table, and as a hunter, death could strike at any moment in the forest.

Becoming a mage was the dream of every young man.