First of all, thanks a lot for the feedback, we really appreciate the attention to detail you put in and the valuable suggestion you provided!
Regarding the first problem, there is a statue at the center of the main room that guides the player as they progress. But just like a few comments have mentioned, the hints were certainly not obvious enough.
As for the second problem, the ending was quite rushed, there was not enough time to complete the story and worldbuilding, so it is most definitely something we could have done better if time permits.