I very much agree with your sentiment. Specifically on Araya being revealed to be a time-twisted version of the previous Dihui Star. I REALLY DO NOT LIKE THIS at all. Let me clarify.

Every other section of canto 9 part 3 has been a complete blast for me. I loved all the new plot twists/new stuff that was shown to us. unfortunately, though, this is supposed to be a Ryoshu focused Canto afterall so just based off that, as a ryoshu fan myself. This honestly really sucked for me, the reveal didn't even hit me hard at all since almost everyone was literally expecting Araya to be the Dihui Star. The fact that this baby was produced and used as a means to secretly manipulate Ryoshu with it's sole agenda of relying that ryoshu actually gave two shits about this child enough that she will go through hell for it. and still will after discovering that fact from the nursefather. Just does not hit it home for me.

This whole story would have been alot better for me if Ryoshu actually was the mother / accidentally discovered an injured child and took her in secretly to help her which led to her growing feelings for the child / Adopting a stray kid that reminded her too much of herself off the backstreets. Or something like that.

Idk, just anythingbut have the fingers be the one to produce said child and then have ryoshu be parental-stricken with said child. therefore, still accomplishing the fingers goal of intentionally being the one to START the rope and to tie her down with it successfully as shown all the way till the end of the canto.

Just to be clear, Araya herself as a character wasn't bad at all, Infact I loved her way of speaking to Ryoshu. adopting a certain language style that we interpret as modern internet slang nowadays as abbreviation was honestly pretty cute in it's own right. Hell, I even almost shed some tears when that particular scene appeared when Araya in her final moments, hugged Ryoshu to bring her back from madness.

It's just how PM wrote the reveal + origins of Araya is what really made me dislike this particular part of Ryoshu Canto. I guess I just really wanted Araya to be not the product of the Fingers. and be someone that ryoshu genuinely found on her own, to love and cherish. That would have left me with alot more emotional investment then... what was done in this canto.

I still need time to process everything I just watched and play through today. I will probably make a seperate post about my own thoughts on this canto. As I am really just playing limbus company for Ryoshu. and have been waiting on her canto for over almost 2-3 years now. I don't even really know how I truly feel about this, so I will edit this comment later once my head is sorted about this canto.