STMCS 3

Chapter 3: Can You Stand Up?

“Ugh… ah…”

I managed to get up, my knees trembling from the impact. Broken chunks of stone lay scattered at my feet where the door had collapsed.

When I turned around, the spot where the iron door had stood just moments ago was now completely empty.

“…Huh.”

My lips parted again without me realizing it. My hands still throbbed from pounding on that door earlier. That stubborn iron door hadn’t budged no matter how hard I hit it—but now it had fallen apart from just a push?

Did that even make sense?

I looked around in case someone had helped me—but there wasn’t even a shadow in sight.

“…Did I really do this?”

“No way, this is insane.”

I pinched my cheeks hard. The pain felt real.

So it wasn’t a dream.

Could it really be because of that… cookie?

A “bonus cookie”? A “reward”?

Those mysterious words filled my head, but one thing was clear.

“This is not the time for this!”

The crashing noise from the door breaking had been loud, but no one came to check. They must’ve never imagined I could break through that thick iron door.

The corridor was dark and rarely used, and the room I had been locked in looked downright ominous without even a candle.

“What kind of messed-up room is this?!”

Seeing the straps hanging from the ceiling made my anger flare again.

“You crazy character!”

I cursed sincerely and immediately turned around.

First things first—run!

* * *

“Huff… huff…!”

I crouched in a corner of the garden, lifting my cumbersome dress with one hand. I had been running around to avoid people, and my breath was ragged.

Not far away stood a small iron gate—the back entrance used by servants and merchants.

That was the final hurdle.

I had somehow made it out of the mansion, but the problem was the guards standing in front of that gate.

How am I supposed to get past them?

They stood stiffly, scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes. These weren’t ordinary servants—they were trained soldiers.

I couldn’t just sit here. It was only a matter of time before someone noticed I was gone.

As I bit my lip, trying to think of a plan—

An idea struck me like lightning.

“The screen! The window!”

As I whispered urgently, the window appeared again.

[Would you like to receive the second cookie?]

1. Yes
2. No

Yes—this was it! Another cookie!

“Give me the cookie. Right now!”

A golden gauge appeared again.

I crept toward the gate, full of anticipation.

But the guards didn’t move at all.

“…Huh?”

This wasn’t it?

I checked the window again. The gauge was decreasing much slower than before.

Still… nothing was happening?

Was I wrong?

Just as panic began to set in—

“F-Fire!”

A shout rang out from inside the mansion.

I turned my head to see gray smoke rising from a second-floor window.

The estate instantly fell into chaos.

People ran past the bushes where I hid. One man carrying a bucket shouted—

“What are you doing?! Go get the fire blankets now!”

“Yes, sir!”

The guards rushed off toward the storage area.

The gate was left completely unattended.

I blinked rapidly, glancing between the gate and the slowly decreasing gauge.

“…Don’t tell me the cookie caused a fire while baking…?”

There was no way to know.

But one thing was certain—

This was my chance.

If I left now, there would be no turning back.

But I had no intention of turning back anyway.

Gritting my teeth, I sprinted toward the gate.

* * *

At that same moment—

“Bring water! Now!”

“Yes, sir!”

At Pelliert’s command, the servants scrambled. Some grabbed vases, others ran to the baths with buckets.

He threw off his cloak and swung it at the burning frame.

“Your Grace, please let me—!”

The butler tried to stop him, but Pelliert ignored him.

His black eyes flickered like a storm.

What is going on?

He was certain—this wasn’t a hallucination.

The painting in his study had suddenly caught fire.

There had been no wind, nothing flammable nearby.

And inside that frame—

was their marriage contract.

A document protected by holy power.

Yet the flames would not go out.

“Your Grace!”

A servant threw water—

accidentally soaking Pelliert instead.

Water dripped from his head as everyone froze.

But he didn’t react.

Instead, he grabbed more buckets and poured water himself.

The fire spread smoke everywhere.

His once dignified appearance was gone—he was soaked from head to toe.

And yet—

“The fire won’t go out?!”

The flames on the contract only grew stronger.

A knight covered it with a fireproof blanket. More water followed.

The study became flooded. Ash floated like snow.

Then—

“Your Grace! This is urgent!”

A soldier rushed in, shouting—

“The Duchess is missing!”

Silence fell.

“…What did you say?”

“The iron door was already broken when I got there…!”

Everyone was stunned.

“Broken…?”

Pelliert’s mind went blank.

Even on the battlefield, he had never experienced this.

Only one thought remained—

Lorella.

“…A black mage?” he muttered.

Then—

“Seal all the gates of the territory immediately!”

His voice roared.

“Mobilize every soldier. Search everywhere—use dogs, horses, everything!”

“Yes, sir!”

“No—I’ll lead it myself.”

His voice was cold.

“I promised I’d cut off his head.”

Grinding his teeth, he strode out—still wearing his drenched, burned cloak.

* * *

Meanwhile—

I ran.

And ran.

The northern night came quickly, and the cold bit into my bones.

Yet sweat poured down my face.

“Huff… huff…”

My breath came out in white puffs.

The path narrowed, leading into a dense forest.

But I couldn’t stop.

If I did—

it felt like that hand would grab my throat again.

My red hair was a mess. My dress was torn. My heels hurt unbearably.

Ding-dong!

[Second cookie used.]
[Marriage annulled.]

The message appeared—

but I had no time to read it.

Suddenly—

I tripped.

“Ah!”

I fell hard onto the ground.

“…Ugh…”

My ankle throbbed, my palms were scraped.

But I got up immediately.

Because—

I heard dogs barking in the distance.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me!”

The hunting dogs.

The ones used to hunt bears.

“Am I a bear?! Am I a bear?!”

Bleeding, stumbling—

I kept running.

Finally, I threw off my heels and ran barefoot.

If I get caught, it’s over.

The dark forest slowed me down, but eventually—

I saw a road.

And then—

hoofbeats.

“Huh—!”

Two men on horseback approached.

Search party?

I quickly hid behind a tree.

Wait until they pass.

But—

“Ah!”

I tripped again—

this time landing right in the middle of the road.

“There’s someone there!”

They saw me.

“Are you alright?”

A gentle voice reached me.

A man knelt beside me.

His white uniform gleamed faintly in the dark, adorned with medals. His blond hair fell loosely over one shoulder.

“You seem injured. Can you stand?”

The dogs were getting closer.

“Take my hand.”

He didn’t seem to recognize me.

Good enough.

I grabbed him desperately.

“Please help me! I need to run—right now!”

Under the moonlight, his blue eyes widened in surprise.

“Please, hurry!”

For a moment, he stared at me silently.

Then—

a cloak dropped over my shoulders.

“This way.”

His low, firm voice cut through the darkness.

And for the first time—

it felt like a faint light had appeared.