And so the day went by. The Heroes of Virtue all slept soundly in their own personal rooms within the Castle of Grambosia while Tanimoto stayed within an inn with the woman he met yesterday.
The morning sun filtered through the windows of Ophelia's room, casting long shadows across the floor. Ophelia stirred awake facing the morning light streaming through her window, illuminating the sleeping forms of Wrath and Envy on her bed.
Outside her window, she could hear the distant sounds of drums and laughter. Something was going on, but her ignorance of this world made her question everything. With a deep yawn, Ophelia stretched luxuriously - her royal sleeping clothes - a silk nightgown adorned with delicate embroidery, rustled softly as she got out of bed, stretching her arms above her head.
Ophelia wasted no time padding over to the window, her bare feet silent on the cool stone floor. Peering out, she saw colorful banners fluttering in the breeze and people rushing about with excited expressions in the city.
The morning air carried snippets of conversation: "The Spirit Festival is today! They say the Heroic Spirits will be there!"
Wrath and Envy remained blissfully asleep, but Ophelia's curiosity was piqued. She quickly dressed in her royal attire—a nearly identical dress she wore yesterday, however, it was a darker black and red. Tidying up her hair and putting on her heels, Ophelia was still an amateur in the arts of fashion, but she was prepared to learn over time if she was to become the Queen of Grambosia.
Outside, the streets of the Kingdom were already bustling with activity. Merchants were setting up stalls, musicians were tuning their instruments, and children ran excitedly through the crowds. The festive atmosphere filled the air, with colorful banners and streamers hanging between buildings. The scent of roasting meats and sweet pastries wafted from various food stalls, she could smell it all through her window.
"I'm a bit ignorant of this world, but this seems important, and it would be foolish for me to miss." Walking toward the door, Ophelia's mother suddenly entered the room with a warm smile. Her elegant dress swished softly as she stepped inside and her eyes sparkled with maternal pride.
"Good morning, my dear. I see you're already up and dressed! My baby grew up so fast, I still can't believe it!" Approaching her daughter, she smoothed Ophelia's hair affectionately. "Are you ready for the Spirit Festival? It's such a special occasion."
The princess nodded hesitantly, confused about this festival and its importance.
"Oh good!" Sophie smiled as her expression turned thoughtful once she glanced at Wrath and Envy's sleeping forms. "Perhaps we should let your companions rest. The festivities will be more lively than usual."
Ophelia turned to the sins, her curiosity evident in her expression. "Mother, what exactly is this festival about? The people seem quite excited, but I've never heard of a Spirit Festival before. After all, I was just born yesterday."
Sophie's smile grew as she led Ophelia to a window overlooking the bustling streets below. "Ah, my dear. The Spirit Festival is a time of celebration for the Spirits of the At'ama. It marks the return of the Heroic Spirits, which are ten powerful heroes who were brought here 300 years ago in the past and saved our world from the Evil God, Nyarlathotep. They're known to make their return once every year, though this year is different."
Ophelia watched as workers hung colorful lanterns and decorations across the city gates. "But why is this year different?"
Sophie's eyes twinkled mysteriously. "Because this year, the Heroic Spirits will pass their Holy Vessels unto the new heroes; the ten virtues. With their weapons passed on, the ten heroes of virtue will have the power to slay the Eater of Worlds and save all of Yggdrasil from Armageddon! But I'm afraid you're still too naive to understand my dear…"
"I see…" Ophelia's eyes narrowed as her mother spoke of the Heroic Spirits choosing new bearers. A familiar spark of jealousy flared within her chest, knowing she wasn't chosen for such an important event, and was killed in her previous life.
She clenched her fists, already plotting ways to disrupt the ten heroes and their further elevation to fame.
Her thoughts raced: ("If these heroes are getting such attention, I need to make sure Tanimoto is known as scum. Maybe I could... manipulate the situation to my advantage.")
Sophie turned around to notice her daughter's intense expression and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Ophelia? Are you alright, my dear?"
Ophelia took a deep breath, forcing herself to maintain a composed expression. Her cunning mind and analytic tendencies when it came to hiding her true nature as a bastard princess had taught her well already.
She turned to her mother with a practiced smile. "I'm perfectly fine, Mother. Just... intrigued by this festival and its significance." Sophie seemed satisfied with her answer, completely unaware of her daughter's darker intentions.
"That's good to hear. Shall we head to the festival grounds then? The ceremony is about to begin." Ophelia nodded, smoothing her dress one last time. Sophie responded with a giggle and headed out of the room as Ophelia followed behind her, already mentally preparing herself for her first festival.
Eventually walking out of their citadel, the grand castle doors opened, and sunlight flooded the courtyard. Ophelia and Sophie emerged from the shadows, their regal attire catching the attention of everyone present in the city.
A hush fell over the crowd as they spotted the queen and princess. People dropped into respectful bows, whispers spreading like wildfire through the gathering throng.
Ophelia's appearance caused a ripple of excitement among the nobles and commoners alike. She was a mystery to many, having never been seen since her birth yesterday.
One noble lady leaned toward her companion, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is that Princess Ophelia? I've heard such interesting rumors about her…"
As the royal procession moved through the streets, people pressed closer to catch a glimpse of Ophelia. Their eyes widened in awe at her ethereal beauty and graceful movements.
A young girl tugged at her mother's sleeve, pointing excitedly. "Mama, look! That's Princess Ophelia! She's so beautiful!"
Her mother shushed her gently but couldn't hide her own amazement. "Yes, darling. That's the princess. I heard she's quite... unique."
A group of noblemen whispered among themselves, casting furtive glances at Ophelia. "The rumors about her turning into an adult yesterday must be true. Just look at her…"
Sophie noticed the attention her daughter was receiving and placed a protective hand on Ophelia's shoulder. Despite her mother's touch, Ophelia maintained her regal composure, though a hint of satisfaction danced in her eyes.
("So, everyone knows about my growth already? Rumors do tend to spread fast among Grambosia Kingdom, I noticed it from those group of men when I was still… Yuto.")
The crowd gradually returned to their festive activities, though occasional glances were still thrown Ophelia's way. The streets were filled with vibrant colors and lively music.
Sophie guided her daughter through the busy market stalls, where merchants displayed an array of exotic goods. Ophelia's presence seemed to draw attention even when she wasn't trying.
A group of musicians played a lively tune nearby, while children ran between the legs of adults, laughing and chasing each other.
A baker called out as they passed his stall. "Your Majesty! Princess Ophelia! Would you like to try our special Spirit Festival treats?"
Sophie smiled warmly at the baker while Ophelia examined the colorful pastries with feigned interest. "Hoh? With pleasure." She approached the market stall and glanced at the many pastries present. This was the first time in both her lives that she was offered food from someone else - she took full advantage of this moment with a gentle smile. "This'll do." Ophelia selected a delicate pastry dusted with sugar and took a small bite. She widened her eyes as the sweetness spread across her tongue, but she tried keeping her expression neutral. "What an interesting flavor…" She glanced at the baker with a polite nod. "It's satisfactory. You have good taste in ingredients."
The baker beamed with pride, while Sophie watched her daughter with a snicker escaping her lips.
"Those pastries are made from Spirit Particles unlike your average Information Particles my dear. That explains its unique taste; it's a replication of food from the At'ama!"
Ophelia glanced at her mother, biting the pastry again, and feeling a bit of jelly squirt onto her cheek.
"Ah, so that explains it…"
Ophelia was aware of Spirit Particles after reading more about this world last night before she slept. This world had something known as Mana, which was the fundamental building block of reality. Mana was made out of information particles, which was self-explanatory given its name. It's pure information that can be altered and changed to create magic, among a variety of other supernatural phenomena, like skills for example.
Spirit Particles was just another form of information particles, though it only existed within the At'ama, which was known as the Spiritual World; a higher dimensional plane. To fight a spirit, one would need spirit particles to even stand a chance. It was quite handy, though Ophelia was uncertain on how to obtain it.
"My dear..." Sophie squeezed Ophelia's shoulder gently "Please try to enjoy the festival and get to know more about Grambosia City." She paused, studying Ophelia's face for any sign of emotion. "If you get lost, just make your way back to the castle. I'll be looking for Alicia, so we can all get together."
Ophelia gave a slight nod, internally planning how to use this opportunity to further advance her goals. "I'll be fine, Mother. You go find Alicia. I'm sure she's eager to meet up."
Sophie smiled and kissed her daughters forehead.
"Stay safe, dear. And remember - you are a princess of Grambosia. Act accordingly!"
Sophie nodded at the baker before facing the busy streets and beginning her search.
Ophelia was left alone to study the city by herself, bowing her head at the baker before making her way deeper into downtown, studying the city. Though in truth, she was looking for a particular… someone.