"Gold trim on black for me. Gold trim on dark green for Liz. Gold trim on dark blue for Bys. Gold trim on dark red for Theo. It'd make my shield match my trim instead of my individual color but if there's some other element in common between us... maybe with a gray accent that matches Bys' armor? And we can get Theo a golden-colored Aesthetic Wizard Tome."

Ame is slightly surprised by how much of an opinion she has on this, but it seems she has indeed been nerd-sniped by this dilemma.

"Isodore, how much of what I'm paying you are you willing to spend on this?"

She blinks and looks taken aback and a bit annoyed. "That... Is an excellent question. My purse is not infinite and if I don't get the job I wish for I will be working long days to refill it. Some, perhaps, some. If you're just going for looks rather than function as well it should not be too difficult."

"Mm. My suspicion is that the correct look will require some function. And any function we gain shouldn't come out of your pocket, but also any," Ame searches for the right word, "gravitas you gain from changing our look shouldn't come out of our pockets. Spending your gold on new outfits that we get to keep afterward isn't fair, but neither is adding the price of those outfits to what I've already promised you."

"Ideas?" Ame asks, Isodore and her party both.

"Relatively little function, no major enchantments. And, one in four coins from her."

Isodore gestures to indicate that would be acceptable.

Thoughtful nodding.

"That works. How much are major enchantments, actually? Are those the sort of thing we could spring for out of our own money? I'm... considerably less worried now about dying from not wanting to abandon something expensive, than I was a month ago."

"My stuff's worth about ten gold, and I'm due for an upgrade with how much you've been working us out in the dungeons. Just a data point."

"You can get pieces of armor that cost 5 silver or 5 platinum, in a place as busy as this. Adventurer equipment... Doesn't ever really stop being worth investing in? There's always something you could buy."

(Isodore continues to frown every time an actual number of money is mentioned.)

Ame frowns too, though probably not for the same reason.

"We don't have ten gold between the lot of us, do we? Not after," Ame gestures at the giant backpack on Bys' back. "I guess that answers my question. We'll have to see, once we're shopping."

"Nope. And we're - on vacation." She says with a slightly obvious glance at Abyssia. "So no dungeon diving in the meantime."

"Four gold, eight silver, twelve copper. Unless someone has a pouch I didn't inventory or spent something I haven't noticed."

"No, that sounds about right."

Ame might have to get creative about this. Maybe she can find some rich, lonely noble or something? Or something. She'll have to keep an ear out for anything she can turn into an opportunity.

"Your healing Skill would be very valuable here. A city means more people and more rich people who need it, and it's gotten-" Abyssia glances down her front. "More flexible, I suspect. Though perhaps attention-getting."

"Yeah. There's got to be someone."

Isodore spends the rest of the wait until the gate chatting about local fashion with Ame. The gate guards merely ask them if they mean any harm to the Silversand City or its people except in self defense or similar, and let them pass without further questions when they answer no. Beyond the gate is a short street and then a wide open plaza with a geometrical compass-like design in the smooth white and grey stone, with a park in front and lined on all sides with homes and businesses - most of them shops of some kind, three or four stories with apartments and balconies on the upper levels. Wagons and people throng the plaza. In the park on the far side, there's a huge marble statue of a heroic looking Lion in shining armor, covered in wounds but snarling triumphantly and holding up an impressively large stone sword.

Ame takes in the sight, then starts looking at the shops.

On second thought, Ame ignores the shops that are literally at the entrance of the city.

"Any votes on which direction to try first?"

"Find a nice inn, have dinner and a bath, go shopping without a huge backpack and sweat encrusting me?"

"I do not know every line of this city's paths," Isodore says, "But I can at least point you to the best inns. Away from the entrance and rich areas so you are not gouged, but not so poor as to be dangerous slums. I am headed there myself."

"Sure. Lead the way."

Two streets and dodging a loud argument between two wolf-girls later, they are all on a smaller and humble street in what appears to be a middle class craftsman district. Tool stores, sewing supplies, groceries, a bookshop, a barber.

"Any of the inns here should be sufficient, I have no real preference," Isodore says

Ame takes a long look, then picks the one on the corner, which appears to have balconies outside the rooms. Liz and Theo can share a room, while Ame and Bys share another; Ame can sleep out on the balcony on her lube slime so as not to disturb Bys' sleep.

Once they've paid for the rooms and settled in, they unpack a few essentials from the supporter backpack, order roomservice, then meet back up with Isodore to go shopping.

Commerce is the beating heart of a major city. 

Isodore leads them to a particular side-street that is positively lined with fantastically dressed mannequins and store attendants wearing the goods as advertisement. Men and women both, though leaning more women, and showing a fair amount of skin- But as advertisement for the clothes, not themselves. Look at her, the displays seem to say, she's ordinary- Except with this dress and hat that draw the eyes to her best features, she's really really not. The hawkers are in top form, throwing glittering smiles and loud enticements. Her party sticks close, heads turning at some of the shouts. Isodore tags along too, smiling and watching the group's reactions.

"Special sale today! Hardy wool treated with Dilsen wax, clothes that hold up to mud and rain!"

"Custom silk patterning, any design you wish for in fifteen minutes!"

"Coltham Practical's fold-out armored robes! Trusted for over three centuries!"

"Unicorn hair embroidery protects against mind magic and poison-"

"Dashing designs sure to turn your crush's head-"

"Cleans as white as the beach sand with any soap!"

Ame isn't ordinary, and knows it, but the displays are a feast for the eyes, and she can appreciate the models, and the clothes, and the clothes' effect on the models, and the artistry involved in combining them.

As they pass one shop in particular, behind the woman in the window wearing a leather corset, something catches Ame's eye.

"Let's try in here."

Shiny black leather held together by golden metal rings. A bra with four extra straps that hug the ribs and form a 'V' in the cleavage. A pair of booty shorts, sort of; the amount of material is more short-like but the cut is extremely high, baring the legs and showing off the hips and ass. Ame takes a moment to imagine what she'd look like wearing it.

"It suits you," Abyssia comments with a smile. "Tough but sexy. Where I'm mostly just tough."

"Maybe some accessories," Isodore comments. "Boots and a belt. Perhaps gloves or bracelets?"

"Yeah," Ame agrees, staring at the outfit and pondering. "It has a belt already but a different belt would be better. That one doesn't quite give the right effect. The top's back is boring but it'll be covered by my shield and pack most of the time anyway. It's almost perfect..."

Ame peers closer. On the crotch, she thought that was a zipper, but, she's never seen zippers in this world, and now that she looks closer, it's not actually a zipper either. Functional, though? Or is it the kinky slut equivalent of fake pockets?

Ame glances around in search of someone who works here.

The nearest available saleslady is over there, trying to upsell a mouse-girl into high-heels with inbuilt stability instead of the standard ones. It can be toggled, if you want to build the Skill, but that takes a long time, who needs that effort when you can avoid it?