my favorite is Reese as well. not too fond of his brother tho. you can win the chess game by talking to ether Tessa or Marazet twice or Rhianna once then asking her about her dad and what here place is.
That's kind of the point isn't it? It's a game about spending your time wisely to get the desired outcome, making connections to people/changing them or finding/creating weaknesses in others to make sure you continue your goals, whatever they may be (Create a harem, help someone else win, try to do the right thing, etc).
Now whether some options seem pointless to go down could just be the time where you can use the info from the conversation not existing yet, and sometimes talking to certain people about certain things, may just be genuinely 'useless' mechanically., but they still expand on lore and give more info about characters so I think it's fine.
Yeah I know the game wants you to consider your time, and that some of the options may seem pointless because the content where it would be useful isn't in game yet. I guess just as the game stands right now, there's no point in talking to a few of the characters , sure learning some of their lore is nice but they don't lead anywhere yet, and because they don't lead anywhere I just don't feel like having the conversations cost time makes sense. Wouldn't it be better to learn more about the characters without having to loose a turn?
Like in game right now when you enter the gardens you can listen to the two snake brothers talk without loosing a turn since the conversation is just lore, but if Akarion is female and you go into the food court you have to spend time to listen into their conversation with the snake queen; since the conversation gives the option to change Akarions outfit.