Hey there MirageV, I got your game for judging so here are some of my thoughts. Using visual novel style cutscenes was a great idea since you have gorgeous art, though the story itself felt long compared to the time spent exploring the node maps. Speaking of maps, using nodes instead of full maps was a brilliant move! I wish there were more places to explore, but I'm sure you limited it because of the contest deadline.
Battles showed the time and effort you put into them, even when I was getting thrashed by a boss it didn't feel unfair. I just wanted to reload my save and jump right back into the fight to try out a different idea. Great job making combat fun and engaging.
Overall, this is a well done demo that leaves the player wanting more. It does need some more time and polish to truly shine, but it sounds like you're planning on that already so good luck!