The fifteenth day of the eleventh month, Krui Di Empire calendar.
The day of the Moon God Festival.
It was winter, and this year's Moon God Festival had arrived as scheduled once again.
The north wind was bleak, and fine snowflakes drifted down from the sky.
"It's snowing."
"Fortunately, the snow let up quite a bit this morning."
In the faint light of dawn, the capital of the Krui Di Empire was already bustling with excitement.
Colorful flags from the Elcia Holy Domain hung high along both sides of the Commercial District's streets. A bright full moon was painted in the center of each flag, which snapped loudly in the wind and snow.
The streetlamps along the Saint Krui Di Monastery in the southern part of the city were decorated with wreaths woven from laurel branches. The priests, dressed in white cloaks and wearing bronze crescent crowns, had begun making their way toward the Main Division Hall plaza at the center of the monastery.
The great bell inside the temple rang every quarter of an hour, its melodious chimes echoing across the snow-covered streets.
The priests formed lines before the temple gates, preparing to welcome the citizens who had come from every district of Bulida to worship.
The Moon God Festival was one of the Krui Di Empire's grandest holidays. It symbolized how all things would regain new life after winter's desolation. Nobles and commoners alike bathed and changed clothes before solemnly taking part in the ceremony. Even in the freezing weather, their hearts were filled with piety, joy, and hope. People believed that the Moon Goddess would bless the mortal world on this day, listen to everyone's wishes, and fulfill their hopes before the end of the year.
At the central plaza of the Saint Krui Di Monastery, a