If you opt to not follow the plot in 0.27a, then you can gain access to other characters. If you do proceed with the story, you cant get passed taking Merril to the goddess and you are in an infinite loop looking for tea plants.
I deleted the files from fap nation and downloaded again from here. I ran through the plot carefully until after Merrill meets the goddess, then went hunting for women and elves successfully. It seems the cycling back to meeting Merrill has stopped. That is as far as I've gotten in the plot. No sign of the village shows up on the map so far. I've visited the goddess again and nothing seems to trigger beyond this.