Win_Praise

Balance the debts... or become one. 

Gideon Harrow didn’t ask to inherit a haunted book, a cursed job, or an extremely hot ghost girl with cheekbones sharp enough to kill him. But life’s unfair, magic’s real, and the dead keep ignoring boundaries.

Now he’s stuck balancing other people’s afterlife debts, flinging chalk at angry spirits, and trying very hard not to fall for the mysterious girl currently stealing his clothes and sanity.

He’s not ready to be the next Keeper of Accounts.

Too bad the Ledger disagrees.

The Hollow Ledger

LOCATION: WHO KNOWS, HONESTLY – A BAD IDEA IN THE FORM OF A DOOR

Have you ever walked into a room that definitely shouldn't exist, found a painting of your maybe-girlfriend-but-also-ghost, looking suspiciously like she time-traveled through trauma, and then heard her whisper about long-lost ghost friends and death?

Gideon stared at Vivienne. Vivienne stared at the painting. The Ledger stared at everything like it owed him answers.

She had touched that crystal and something snapped. Not a dramatic explosion — no, just a click inside her head.

"I remembered her name," she said softly.

"The ghost from before," she said. "Sel'kura."

She ignored him. "We were... friends."

> "Wonderful," the Ledger deadpanned. "Maybe you can bond over shared trauma and betrayal later. Can we leave now?"

Vivienne didn't answer. She looked at the painting again.

"Wait, actually you?" Gideon asked. "Like, past life you or 'I modeled for this and forgot' you?"

Vivienne shrugged. "Ghost girl memory is foggy. I might've been her. Or she was me. Or… maybe I just have one of those faces."

She smiled at him. "Aww. You do care."

> "I care about leaving. You're all about to set off something ancient, forbidden, and definitely unrefundable."

The dagger Gideon wasn't supposed to touch — you guessed it — he touched it.

Not literally, but in his mind, probably.

Vivienne ran to his side, held his shoulders. "You okay?"

"I think the dagger just insulted me."

> "It would be correct," the Ledger muttered.

Vivienne helped him up. Her hands lingered a second longer than necessary. Gideon noticed. Of course he did. He was wearing socks with holes in them. And now she knew.

"Your hair's on fire," she said, totally serious.

He glared at her. "Why are you like this?"

> "That is a long story," the Ledger said grimly.

Vivienne crossed her arms. "Let's find out more. This room has secrets."

Gideon sighed. "Of course it does."

SOMEWHERE DEEPER IN THE VAULT – THE HALL OF THINGS THAT SHOULD STAY PUT

They found more paintings. Symbols. And a cracked mirror.

Vivienne stood in front of it. Her reflection shimmered. But… wrong.

"Wait," Gideon said, "Is that a warning or a—"

Vivienne reached into her coat (his coat, technically — she stole it last week) and pulled out the coin Seraphine had once handed him.

Gideon blinked. "You still have that?"

She flipped it casually. "I like shiny things. And things that piss off ghosts."

Vivienne stood by the door, holding the coin, glowing slightly now.

"I think it's reacting," she said.

> "Or maybe destiny. Which is worse."

Suddenly, the cracked mirror shimmered again.

A voice echoed softly — female. Familiar.

"Come find me… before the next one does."

The coin spun on its own in her palm.

> "Okay," said the Ledger, "This has officially crossed from 'interesting lore' to 'hell no.' Everyone out. Now."

Sometimes the Vault Talks Back (And Sometimes, It’s Worse)