really fun!
your format is very close to being viable, and the branches are super fun to play with.
you could definitely push engagement since you don't give the player many decisions and you utilize a lot of filler heavy dialogue (shit that is not progressing the "plot",) however I think the dialogue is very good and provides important characterization so I wouldn't change that. I would just watch how long the space between intractable moments is and try to keep that sort of consistent, especially for the party story line. but like, I also think the drawings will majorly help and provide the player a reading break, so *shrug*.
I think your characterization is super strong and the theme is becoming apparent through that, I don't necessarily think your current presentation is aiding your theme but you can just keep tweaking that til your ui feels cohesive with your art and the narritve, and yadda yadda, you know how to do this.
very funny overall tho and I'm really excited to see more of them!! (i didn't know his writing was this fire??? (jk, im always saying this))
-Cas