You are right, we are not unique or special, and many developers are in a similar situation. This is simply the approach we decided to take.
Nobody is forced to buy the game, and we fully understand if the price does not feel right for some people. For us, this price mainly reflects what we believe is fair toward our Patreon supporters, who are the main group actively supporting and sustaining the project. We feel a responsibility toward them, and we do not want to devalue that support.
That said, waiting, skipping, or coming back later is completely valid, and there are no hard feelings at all.