Thank you for your comment and feedback!
Originally yes, there were plans for a bit more crossroads or things to interact with along the way where you could explore (the one after the swing is an example) but got cut due to time.
And well, we left the overall theme very open, but I confirm there is a main reading key, and you may have some of it right. We also made it a continuation of the themes of the first game, SILENZIO, but I hoped it could still be a standalone experience.
And thanks for the kind words! We indeed plan to update it a bit after the jam if possible so...stay tuned!