diff --git a/scripts/build.js b/scripts/build.js
index 4d465ef..c3b2a47 100644
--- a/scripts/build.js
+++ b/scripts/build.js
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ async function build() {
   const outPath = join(root, 'output', 'book.html');
   await writeFile(outPath, html, 'utf-8');
 
-  // copyright + TOC + (4 scenes × 2 pages per story) + finale
-  const pageCount = 2 + stories.reduce((acc, s) => acc + s.scenes.length * 2, 0) + 1;
+  // imprint + TOC + section-title + (4 scenes × 2 pages per story) + finale
+  const pageCount = 3 + stories.reduce((acc, s) => acc + s.scenes.length * 2, 0) + 1;
   await writeFile(
     join(root, 'output', 'book-meta.json'),
     JSON.stringify({ pageCount, storyCount: stories.length, builtAt: new Date().toISOString() }, null, 2),
diff --git a/styles/layout.css b/styles/layout.css
index 84bd583..d22a555 100644
--- a/styles/layout.css
+++ b/styles/layout.css
@@ -102,6 +102,29 @@
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 
+/* ── Section title page ── */
+.page--section {
+  background: var(--cream, #faf8f2);
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
+.section-title-inner {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.8rem;
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.section-rule {
+  display: block;
+  width: 3rem;
+  height: 1px;
+  background: rgba(30, 27, 24, 0.25);
+}
+
 /* ── Finale page ── */
 .page--finale {
   background: var(--midnight, #0d0d2b);
diff --git a/styles/typography.css b/styles/typography.css
index 25c049a..ac8a7b1 100644
--- a/styles/typography.css
+++ b/styles/typography.css
@@ -155,6 +155,22 @@ body {
   padding-top: 0.5rem;
 }
 
+/* ── Section title page ── */
+.section-ornament {
+  font-family: var(--font-display);
+  font-size: 1.8rem;
+  color: var(--ink-muted);
+}
+
+.section-title {
+  font-family: var(--font-display);
+  font-style: italic;
+  font-weight: 300;
+  font-size: 2.2rem;
+  color: var(--ink);
+  letter-spacing: 0.03em;
+}
+
 /* ── Finale overlay ── */
 .finale-overlay h2 {
   font-family: var(--font-display);
diff --git a/templates/book.html b/templates/book.html
index 9a5161e..e025578 100644
--- a/templates/book.html
+++ b/templates/book.html
@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@
     </ol>
   </div>
 
+  {# ── Section title — keeps stories starting on an even (left) page ── #}
+  <div class="page page--section">
+    <div class="section-title-inner">
+      <span class="section-ornament">❧</span>
+      <h2 class="section-title">Die Geschichten</h2>
+      <span class="section-rule"></span>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+
   {# ── Stories ── #}
   {% for story in stories %}
     {% include "story-spread.html" %}