TD: *creates a work of art that encourages the player to notice the parallels between MC wondering how much moral complicity he has for enabling and/or being directly involved in brutal scenes of humiliation, BDSM, etc, for the benefit of a bunch of dirty rich and powerful men which would happen whether he was involved or not on the one hand, and on the other hand the player's own involvement in the creation of the same scenes for, essentially, the same reasons (because without all of us assholes wanting to experience the game, it doesn't exist, does it?), and inviting us to ask questions and confront feelings and impulses to which we otherwise might not give a second thought*
Also TD: "I'm not good at subtlety"
Yeah, sure, okay, whatever you say
I mean, I guess, upon a little bit more reflection, the use of literary devices and layers of meaning doesn't necessarily have to be subtle. Sure, Chekhov's gun can be hanging over the fireplace gathering dust, but it can also be in a big prominent box on the wall with big red letters saying IN CASE OF PLOT BREAK GLASS. So perhaps my sarcasm is unwarranted.
I stand by it anyway.
I'm not sure I agree with implying Rose is deliberately trying to manipulate Edwin, really. I think that requires a little bit more subtlety (there's that word again) and deceitfulness than Rose really shows anywhere. In my view, it's more that she has already decided to do whatever it takes to win, and if that includes making her devil's bargain with Edwin to get him to put his thumb on the scale where he can, then in her mind that isn't really a whole lot different from the degradation and humiliation she's already signed up for. Perhaps even less difficult and distasteful, since her deal with Edwin doesn't necessarily involve a room full of horny perverts getting off on her humiliation.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't feel manipulative to me so much as an honest exchange. She's very open about her motivations for wanting Edwin on her side, not making any attempt to mislead or disguise her intentions. It's practical, certainly, and there's a certain detached transactional nature to it, but she's not trying to be sneaky or seduce Edwin under false pretenses. In my mind, that changes things. She's being baldly mercenary, for sure, but I think "manipulative" implies a sort of hidden purpose that I don't see in her.
...but then, maybe I'm completely wrong and just as much a sucker as Edwin is.