Neither the prepositional phrase
‘rather than’ nor
‘instead of’ is part of the choices in the issue. Only
rather and
instead are the issues. Hence, I feel there is no need to confuse with unmentioned choices here. . The thing to note is that that an independent but somewhat related clause should follow a semicolon.
Choices A and B fall out because of the redundant use of
‘but rather’ and ‘
but instead’. Among the adverbs -instead and rather - and the conjunction ‘but, IMO, ‘
instead’ fits into the groove better because of the precise meaning of “
in that place” which is better than mere contrast markers such as
‘rather and but’ C is a winner by a whisker