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

Oliver cast a brief glance at Daniel.

Daniel was a seasoned hunter in the village, his skills sharpened over the years. Now, seeing this newcomer, Oliver, who had been hunting for barely over a month, manage to catch a slime just like him, Daniel couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance.

He had spent years honing his craft, and yet, it was only today that he found himself standing in the middle of such admiration. And here was this young man, Oliver, who had just begun hunting, already sharing the spotlight with him.

As the two hunters exchanged looks, a sudden stir rippled through the crowd.

"The knight is here! The knight is here!"

A knight!

Knights, like mages, were among the most esteemed figures in the world. To become a knight, one had to possess immense physical strength, unmatched combat skill, and pass the rigorous knight’s trials.

It was said that high-ranking knights could even awaken their mana cores, though their cores were quite different from those of mages. Perhaps it should be called a war core.

Oliver’s thoughts raced. The Wild Boar form magic core boosts my strength, but compared to a true knight, I’m still far behind.

With the Wild Boar form magic core, Oliver’s strength had surged by 120kg, and with his base strength, he could punch with 200kg of force. Yet, even the lowest-ranking knights were said to possess a strength of at least 800kg. And knights also had "warrior skills."

Clearly, there was still a long road ahead.

As Oliver mulled over 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 onlookers.

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

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

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

Daniel hurriedly exclaimed, his face lighting up with a broad grin.

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

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

"Of course! It’s yours!" Daniel replied eagerly.

105 silver coins!

Daniel’s heart leapt. With this amount, he wouldn’t have to hunt for months. He could spend the next few months living it up at the tavern.

William, ever generous, pulled a large money pouch from his belt, spilling the silver coins in a cascade. The sight of one hundred gleaming coins caused the crowd to gasp in awe.

Daniel quickly counted the coins, his smile growing wider with each passing second.

Then William turned to Oliver, who had been quietly observing the exchange. 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, spun around in shock.

The crowd fell silent, their curiosity piqued. Why was Oliver’s slime worth so much more than Daniel’s?

Three hundred silver coins—such a large sum that some less scrupulous individuals 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 pay for tuition at Oakridge Academy and still have plenty left!"

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

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

This money came at the perfect time. Once he entered the magic academy, expenses would pile up, and this windfall would make all the difference.

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

"Why the high price?" someone from the crowd asked, their curiosity clear.

William, noticing the growing interest, answered without hesitation.

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

Ah, that made sense.

The crowd nodded in understanding. The world of mages and knights was indeed filled with mysteries and wonders.

And William was about to become a true knight? That was a future everyone in the crowd envied.

After William left, the crowd didn’t disperse immediately. Instead, they flocked to Oliver, eager to speak with him. A farmer’s son, rising so rapidly in such a short time—how could anyone not admire and praise him?

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

Daniel, feeling the sting of the sudden change in focus, slipped away quietly, unable to do anything about it.

As the crowd began to thin, 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 known for some time that Oliver was interested in magic, but when Oliver had asked him about the academy before, James hadn’t thought much of it.

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

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

James shook his head in disbelief. "You’re lucky. My family saved for years just to pay my tuition. You, though—you catch a slime, and boom—you’re set for life."

Oliver chuckled, feeling a thrill of excitement.

"Once we get to the academy, we’ll have to stick together. I hear most of the students there are from noble families, and there aren’t many commoners like us."

James’ voice carried a hint of worry.

He was concerned that once they reached the academy, the nobles would look down on them. After all, the nobles were proud and always held commoners in contempt.

Having Oliver there would make things easier—at least they could watch each other’s backs.

Oliver understood James’ concerns.

Becoming a mage wasn’t just about mastering magic; it was the first step toward escaping their humble roots.

For commoners, it was incredibly difficult to become a mage, but what other options did they have?

Farming meant barely scraping by, and being a hunter meant that death could strike at any moment.

Becoming a mage was the dream of every young man.