Thanks for the feedback!
Backgrounds is something I am looking into, but it will probably be a while until I find a good solution. My focus is mainly on progressing the story and writing out far into future chapters. Though I will most likely not replace the sprite/bg structure as this is my preferred style for visual novels. It also lightens the workload, allowing me to put out more content, and keeps the game file size small which is important for mobile players.
I eventually plan to add a map (I love fantasy maps!) but I am not there yet. I need sufficient story points and lore to fill it out, while leaving room for locations I may need in future arcs. But yes, I would love to add a map to show you the world and have a simple one that I use internally for now.
Happy you enjoyed it so far and I hope you come back in the future :D