Outside, Jess watched the morning foot traffic come and go. Everyone in the Mage Quarter seemed to share the same taste—or perhaps they all followed a particular fashion: blue or purple coats and tunics, pale trousers, and similar combinations. Even those who dressed differently never strayed too far from the trend.

Jess's worn linen shirt looked conspicuous among the people entering and leaving the Wizard's Sanctum.

If he intended to make his way in the Mage Quarter, perhaps he should buy new clothes first. The last thing he needed was someone mistaking him for a thief.

A tailor shop stood near the district entrance, against the base of the city wall. An old oak by its door had almost grown into the stonework. Its shade covered the second-floor windows and partly obscured the shop sign.

Even so, Jess could still read the words: "Duncan's Textiles—Custom and Ready-Made Garments."

Jess had visited this place while looking for work. Sure enough, the red-haired owner frowned the moment he entered.

"You again? Didn't I tell you last time that I had no work for you?"

"I would like to look at some clothes, sir."

"Oh. Very well. Do you have any requirements?"

"What do mage assistants normally wear? Could you recommend something?"

The owner adjusted his spectacles and glanced at the ring on Jess's hand. "Your question is too broad, sir. An assistant is neither a mage nor a mage apprentice. You may dress however you prefer."

All right, all right, he understood. An assistant was neither an apprentice nor a mage. Did everyone he met in the Mage Quarter have to remind him?

Grumbling inwardly, Jess looked at the cloth spread across the counter, then at several garments the tailor's apprentices were arranging nearby. He hesitated.

Most of the clothes here were made from fine materials with excellent workmanship. They were probably not cheap. But if he went to the shops outside, why not simply keep wearing what he already had? On construction sites and ordinary streets, everyone dressed much the same as he did.

He casually touched a pale blue coat. It felt decent enough, though it still appeared to be made from linen.

"How much is this?"

"Three silver, sir. For four silver, we can tailor a complete set to your measurements. Excellent value. You may collect it the day after tomorrow."

The price stunned Jess, but all he said was, "Forgive me, I need it urgently."

"Then you may take it immediately for three silver. Quite economical."

That much for a shabby linen garment? Jess glanced at the owner, then at the other clothes on display. This was probably the cheapest item in the shop. The Mage Quarter was well beyond his current means.

"To be frank, my employer entrusted me with buying the garment. Whether I would buy it for myself is irrelevant," he said stiffly. "There are therefore some specific requirements."

"I am listening."

"I require an enchanted coat with a degree of shadow resistance and preferably fire resistance as well. Linen catches fire too easily and is unsuitable for combat."

Jess paused and leaned closer to the owner, who had been stunned by that last statement.

"You have heard that gnolls have entered Elwynn Forest again, yes? The magic of gnoll warlocks is no joke. I must ensure my master's safety, so my standards are high. If that is too difficult, no matter. I can look elsewhere."

The owner nodded slowly. "An enchanted coat with both shadow and fire resistance. Demanding indeed. Silk would be best. As an animal product, silk harmonizes with arcane magic more readily and channels an enchantment's power better than linen. I understand. Let me bring you something to examine..."

You actually have one?! Now it was Jess's turn to freeze. He had only wanted to make an absurd request, have the owner refuse, and leave the shop with dignity. He had forgotten that the establishment catered specifically to mages.

What should he have requested to ensure the shop had nothing suitable? A full suit of plate armor engraved with golden lions, perhaps, with shoulder plates shaped like metal dragons opening their bloody jaws?

The owner hurried into the basement as though a major customer had arrived. His reaction drew every apprentice's attention. Jess, already preparing to slip away, found himself pinned in place by all those eyes.

Before long, the owner returned carrying an exquisitely decorated wooden box. The box alone probably cost more than Jess would fetch if someone chopped him up and sold him by the pound.

Trembling with excitement, the owner used a small copper key to open the lock. He pinched the edge of the lid and raised it little by little. A faint current of air escaped from the box and stirred his hair.

Wasn't that amount of magic a little excessive?

Inside lay a thin coat, black with a faint purple cast. It was indeed silk, and the stitching was exquisite. This was the first garment Jess had seen in this life with workmanship comparable to the synthetic-fiber clothing of his previous world.

"The Dead Man's Tunic," the owner whispered. "Its original maker was a mage of great renown in Stormwind. In secret, however, he practiced necromancy. To prevent necromantic energy from harming him, he used magic to sew a garment with an innate resistance to shadow."

Then he raised his voice slightly. "Its previous owner was Alfred Veblen, a distinguished pupil of Master Nielas Aran, the renowned Court Conjurer to the Crown. To resist the fire magic of orc warlocks, he personally enchanted the garment with fire resistance, making it a perfect match for your needs."

By this point, the owner was narrating like a bard. "Unfortunately, Master Veblen fell in the decisive battle in the Hillsbrad Foothills. His grandson sold the garment to us. According to the family, the lower portion of the robe was destroyed by red dragonfire, so we altered it into a tunic."

Jess was speechless.

After a long while, he somehow managed to ask, "Didn't you say it had fire resistance? How did a red dragon burn it? Isn't that false advertising?"

"Even the strongest armor cannot stop a mountain giant's fist, sir," the owner replied with a bitter smile.

That was reasonable enough. Jess continued, "But the name is terribly unlucky. If I became its owner, wouldn't that make me the dead man?"

The owner sighed. "To be honest, that is why the garment has been difficult to sell. But I can see your employer may have given you a limited budget, so in your case, that is an advantage. Because the name is unpleasant, we can offer you a discount."

"How much?"

"Seven gold, and it is yours."

Jess was truly stupefied.

"That is... that is quite cheap."

"Isn't it?"

"But I have no authority to decide on an item this valuable. I will ask my employer's opinion and consider the price."

"No problem. We are always patient with important customers." Smiling, the owner packed away the garment and saw Jess to the door.

Outside the tailor shop, the sunlight seemed painfully bright.

The sight of a garment worth seven gold was difficult for Jess to process, but it also cleared his head.

Since money was so tight, he should forget about changing clothes. Better to keep his feet on the ground and deal with the potions first.