"By the time he died, there was no calling off the operation. Erina and Ryota had long since created the Beach, and Maindo had long set their eyes on it. If it weren't for Yaba, all the Beach casualties could've been avoided. I resent him for this the most."

===Chihaya Korinsu===

– – – – – –

11 year ago

I threw open the door to our apartment, my legs sore from delivery. I dropped my backpack beside the door, leaning against the wall and taking a breath, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

"Mom! I'm home!" I shouted, yet no response followed. 'She probably had a shift today.'

Chihaya Korinsu, then sixteen

I counted the money I had earned from delivering the parts across the city: about ninety thousand yen, enough for this month's rent, on top of being able to buy a birthday gift. I smiled, taking off my hat and walking into a kitchen, where a note was left on the fridge.

Korinsu, I have an overnight shift until tomorrow morning. There is soup for dinner tonight on the stove for you all. I did what I could with what we have left, but will be returning home with more groceries. Please do not oversleep tomorrow so you can help your siblings get ready for school.

♡

Putting the note aside, I uncovered the pot, and frowned, tilting it. The flavor was bold and complex, yet there was so little.

I had three younger siblings, a sister who just started middle school and two brothers in first and third grade. I looked into the tap, tapping the counter, then sighed. There would be enough for each of them to enjoy. I, however, opened another cupboard, pulling out a packet of crackers. I would be fine with that for tonight.

Our father had died in a construction accident a year after my youngest brother was born, so I suppose it was natural that I had to step up as a leader. They had grown up in a small rural town, moving to a city to seek work. But with my mom's increasing difficulty walking as she aged, it was difficult for her to find new work, so as soon as I was old enough, I began working jobs I could find to contribute.

While all my friends were getting girlfriends and going to summer camp, I was stuck painting houses, delivering parcels, pruning trees, and studying–lots of it.

It paid off. I was able to go to a nice college near Tokyo, and commute from a cheap flat near the edge of Tokyo.

. . .

9 years later

"Last night was insane!" I shouted, falling into my couch. "I made like, a month's worth of rent in one night!"

"I'm telling you man, the people love your DJing!" Akio said, sitting down next to me. "How many different clubs have seen your music and been calling you about a permanent position?"

"I think I received an email earlier today," I said, "from the Ginza club near Shibuya Square!"

"That's a good location!" He shouted. "You'll be set! Speaking of which, how's the feedback for your second album?"

"It's pretty good." I said, flipping open my laptop. "There's a lot more attention, and two of the songs have already surpassed a million views! That's more than all the listens to my first album's songs combined!"

"What about some of the other songs?"

"Yeah, although they don't have as many views, I still think the people like it. AshK_fighter has still been commenting under each video, telling me what they like about each song. They're the fan that's stuck around for the longest."

"It seems like your music is taking off." Akio said. "I mean, not every song is a hit, but eventually, one just lands."

I nodded. "If this continues... I have great hope for the future.

. . .

2 years later

I sighed, taking a look at the packed living room. I sat down on the couch, taking a swig of sake, kicking aside an empty cup of ramen noodles.

The doorbell rang. Grumbling, bottle still in hand, I opened the door. It was Akio.

"Woah," he said, looking down, "I thought you don't drink."

I shrugged. "Give me a break."

"Fair enough. Since you move out–well, I guess, move in–tomorrow, I just thought I'd check in."

Again, I shrugged. "I suppose it really wouldn't be too bad. If we share an apartment, our monthly rent essentially is cut in half."

"Exactly!" Akio said. "Plus, I have better microphones and more studio equipment."

"On that note, I think maybe I should get an actual job soon."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I think Ascension was my magnum opus. I don't think any of my songs will ever come close to it in terms of popularity. Remember Tape?"

"The song you released last week? Yeah, it was super good."

"Forbidden lovers who never could be... I thought it was one of my better songs–six hundred views in a week." I said. "And I think AsK_fighter was most of them. It's just not sustainable."

"Well, if that's what you want to do with your life, I suppose there's nothing I can do in order to stop you." He sighed. "It was a good song though. Play it."

I pulled up the song, pressing the spacebar to play it.

Forbidden love, won't you let me pull you in,

When no one is around us just go and let me touch your skin...

Run your hands down my, run your hands down my, run your hands down my–

Tape~ That I keep, plastered on my lips so I don't shout my love...

– – – – – –

As we stood around the dust-laden room, everything broken and packed, the memory brushed hotly against my mind.

'I've been too passive this whole game... I can't keep doing that. What happened to the old Chihaya? I feel like I've been far too idle for the Second Stage. I need to start using my brain, or else neither me or any of my friends will make it out of here.'

"That's a rather futile question to ask her, though." Kazetani said. "Like, 'is there one artifact for every painting and coffin, or does one of them not belong?'"

"Maybe we can word it in a way that hits two birds with one stone." I said, lowering my voice. "I've noticed that if we ask a question that isn't really true, she'll correct our question first, then answer it. So if we ask maybe... 'What do the artifacts, which are all aligned with one of the victims in the painting and coffin, mean to the players and to you?'"

"But also, we need to know why those certain players have been memorialized." Hanako asked.

"W-We have to start being c-careful with our questions..." Rafferty said, tapping his chin. "W-We only have four left: Shirai, R-Raiya. Tori, and Chihaya. If w-we choose to ask b-both those questions, w-we'll only have two l-left."

"The first question sort of covers the base of the second." I said. "I think we should go with the first."

"So who'll be the one to ask?"

"I'm fine with it." Shirai said, backing out of the room, everyone else following behind her. I stayed inside the room, staring at the various junk.

"You okay, son?" Kazetani asked, turning around. Rafferty waited too, leaving the door ajar.

"Yeah, I don't know." I said, leaning against the bookshelf. "My mind has just been on other things."

"Your mind is still not over the Ten of Clubs, is it?" Kazetani asked.

I shrugged.

"W-We need your b-brain right now, Chihaya." Rafferty said.

I nodded. "Yes. You're right. To be honest, there's another reason why I've been lingering back... This room gives me some sort of feeling. Like I'm recalling something but I can't place my finger on it."

"Hey, you three coming?" Shirai asked, pushing against the door.

"There's something about this room that's ticking me the wrong way." I said. "Like... Something I'm failing to notice. I don't know, though."

"If you leave for a bit and come back, maybe you'll notice something, from a different perspective." Kazetani said.

We left, and I peered into the room as I closed the door, the sliver of light from outside shrinking before the door shut.

"The paintings... And the artifacts." Tori mumbled. "There's got to be something connecting those two. Every single time, people will die, I'll fall asleep and when I wake up, there'll be a new addition to each."

We paused in the clearing, while Shirai glanced towards Tori, eyes unsure, waiting for them to finish.

"Koharu, may I present my question?" She asked, opening her arms.

Koharu unfurled her hands. "Ask away, contested player."

"What do the artifacts, which are all aligned with one of the victims in the painting and coffin, mean to the players and to you?"

"Hm, well..." Koharu said, twirling her hair. "There's one false conclusion that you have drawn in your question. Not each of the artifacts are aligned with the paintings and coffins. I'll tell you that so far."

Shirai nodded. 'Yes! It worked!'

"But as for what they mean... Well, each of the players that were memorialized... These were the players who were, or at one point were, the most influential in their group's efforts towards the right answer."

"Just like what Tori had written..." Kazetani murmured. "Influence is key."

"Yes... I think I recall someone asking this in the past, now that it's been mentioned." Tori confirmed.

"I suppose you could say," Koharu continued, "that they were hidden as a hint. A desire, you might say... And one more thing. They were buried higher than all the other corpses, who are six feet under. They're the best among the mortals, the closest to becoming my successor."

"Alright, thank you." Shirai said.

"So... Those players were the most influential." Kazetani said. "But... Why? What about them caused them to come so close to the answer? How did the way they think impact Koharu to such a degree?"

"I want to take a peek into her ideals." I said. "Ideals are what guides us to make our choices. If we know what ideals she values, we'll know what she valued in each of the players she memorialized, and what she values in us and the world."

Rafferty nodded. "Y-Yes. That's a good q-question. Ask that."

I stepped up, clearing my throat. "Missus Koharu, what qualities and attributes lie in your ideals?"

She rubbed her chin. "Hm, it borders awfully close to simply asking me for the solution... But I suppose it's unique enough. I strive to be someone who can teach and influence others for the better. I attempt to be someone who can always show empathy and understanding towards others, even if they may be from opposing sides of the mirror. But also someone who's clever and resourceful, someone who knows how to use their situation to their advantage."

'Understand each other... Even from opposite sides of the mirror.'

"Part of my way of life also lies in a balance of idealism and pragmatism." She continued. "I have a respect for people who can use both their hearts and their minds."

Koharu giggled, her grin widening. "Chihaya... I think you're starting to understand me. Thank you for appeasing me."

I nodded. "You're welcome. And thank you for answering."

"So, if that's what she strives to live for" Shirai theorizes, "then it's likely qualities she values in other people too."

"Therefore, the people who she memorialized, the people who influenced the game the most, must've been all the people that held these values to heart the deepest." Kazetani proposed.

The sun had set, replaced by a sea of shining stars against a darkening sky. A light breeze flowed through the trees, leaves rustling.

"I... I want to ask you guys something." Tori whispered, turning away from Koharu and blending into the trees. We circled around them, as Raiya continued sketching all of us. "I think I have an idea of what it is... Think about it! The religious allusions, the gambling, the chance of survival... There's got to be something tying it all together."

"What d-do you th-think it is?"

"Faith, you guys. She put her faith in her cards and things turned in her favor. We put faith in gods of religion. And right now, we have to have faith that she doesn't strike us down. It only makes sense."

"You might be onto something... But are you certain?" Kazetani asked.

"I don't want to risk it right away; if there's a question I can ask to confirm my answer, then I'd ask that first." They extended their hand, as if in contemplation, then walked back into the clearing, facing the Queen.

"Hello, Tori." She greeted. "Anything to say? It'll be interesting to see what you have to say after all that time spying on me."

"I have my question for you now..."

"Go ahead."

"It's about time I stepped forward and shared my mind with you. You know, after all this time..." They took a deep breath. "After all that I have seen, you've barely taken much interest in the parties of players that try to 'brute force' their way to the answer, like asking questions merely for the sake of getting closer. But my question isn't really about that, because there's something that I actually want to know about you."

"Wow... Nobody has presented me with a question like this before."

"Do you believe that someone can win this game? Is there a reason you've hidden that from the players, why you're so convinced people can't possibly solve this game? Why hold back your hope?"

'What?'

"I... Wow. Well..."

After a pause, Tori continued. "It was faith that brought you here, right? Where did it go after all this time?" Their shoulders were held high, eyes rejuvenated with a spark, like the Tori we had known before the Second Stage, and unlike the exhausted, delirious Tori from a mere twenty minutes ago. It's clear they had struck a chord.

"I believe that the Borderlands is an environment that doesn't allow for empathy and understanding to be fostered." Koharu explained. "Yet for this game... It requires an understanding of my own mind, and not just an attempted binary sort of every concept in the universe. Yet, far too many people have been conditioned into excess pragmatism, which is why I was so confident that this game would be difficult enough to be regarded as the Queen of Diamonds.

"My faith? It vanished after you all initially jumped to conclusions. But now... I see some of you are better understanding the true dynamics of this game. A watched pot will never boil. If you keep looking at it, it'll never change. I am that something."

Tori stood a step back, before nodding their head down. "Thank you, Koharu."

She replied with a nod of her own, her perpetual, wide grin ever present.

"Tori's question... Broke through our perception of questions." Kazetani said. "We had thought there were only two classes of questions: humanistic questions which provided insight into Koharu's mind, and rationalistic questions which reduced our scope of possible solutions. But Tori's question... It provided insight not just into Koharu's mind, but on her perception of this game itself."

"I have the final question." Raiya said, looking up from Charī's notebook. "My mind isn't really cut out for this game, but you guys can tell me how to utilize it."

"So instead of asking questions that eliminate answers, or give us insight to Koharu, we should ask questions that give us insight to the game itself; this blends both humanism and rationalism." I said. "Maybe we ask about what Koharu thinks are the most common pitfalls of this game, or what she thinks we need to solve her riddle?"

Kazetani nodded. "I think the question should be... What piece are we missing to solve this riddle?"

"I l-like that."

"Yeah, go with that." Tori said.

Raiya stepped forward, closing the sketchbook. "Um... Hello Koharu. I would now like to ask my question."

"You have the stage."

"What piece of this puzzle are we missing in order to solve this riddle?"

"You're still failing to consider one major event of my life." Koharu said. "Recall how my entire family is no longer in this world. Think about how that would impact my ideals and what I would value."

Raiya nodded. "Alright, we will. Thanks."

"I think it's either a person or a group." I said.

"Any other ph-physical object d-doesn't sit right, considering Koharu's ideals and w-way of thinking."

"And if her family is dead, maybe it's her family." Shirai said. "She values the positive influence of others to such a degree, and what other group of people would have influenced as strongly as her own family?"

"...The players." Hanako muttered. "The players!"

"The players?" Shirai asked.

"She's definitely mentioned the concept of the players or any player between the time we met her and when she's said she mentioned the answer." Hanako explained. "The players are who she's been watching. The players are everything she has left, since her family is already all dead. Each player has their ideals and rationales, each of which inspire and influence her, teaching her new perspectives."

"There's... There's a very strong basis for that answer." Kazetani said. "But... You'd still be risking your life."

"I'm willing." She said, walking up to Koharu, turning away. "I'm... I'm willing."

"You're a brave soul, Hanako." Shirai said. "Good luck."

Raiya held her hand, as Hanako tilted her head towards the throne, and Rafferty put his hand on her shoulder. "Y-You got this. W-We believe in you."

"You've mentioned all these qualities that you value, that you strive to be." Hanako began. "Empathy, cleverness, and balance of perspectives. And, across the entire Borderlands, there's players who all exhibit these traits, influencing you with their own philosophy. So... Is what you value most the players?"

Koharu leaned forward, her eyes wide as saucers while her expression faded, before the corners of her mouth pulled into a smile.

"Congratulations..."

Raiya gasped, and Shirai leaned forward.

"Sh-She did it?"

"That Blissful Ignorance..." Koharu said. "So Incorrect! It Makes Me... So Joyful!"

"...Oh." Kazetani sighed.

"O-Oh." Rafferty stammered.

"So—final words? I'll give you that, at least. You had my interest, to be frank."

"Well, at least I tried. I hope my insight and predictions has helped everyone else formulate the correct answer."

"Hanako... I'm s-sorry." Rafferty apologized. "W-We should've prevented it."

"Not anyone's fault." She assured. "I chose to ask. This lightning strike... It'll be at least a 50%."

Hanako smiled. "That'll make the Queen of Spades proud."

"Goodbye, Hanako." Shirai said, giving her a hug.

We surrounded her, giving her light hugs holding her hand, before distancing ourselves away from her.

"Okay." Koharu said. "I hope you reunite with whoever you love. Goodbye."

Her arms stretched out, like an angel unfurling her wings, and from the sky descended a streak of white.

Words: 3208

===Author's Note===

So, I have actually finished writing the Queen of Diamonds. This game ended up clocking in at over 6,000 words however, which exceeds what I believe is a reasonable chapter length. I don't want to make you guys wait all the way until next Wednesday for a chapter that's already complete, even if it spreading out uploads is better for the Wattpad algorithm. I know you guys are desperate to know the solution to this game, so I'll upload the final part tomorrow.