Liudas Vasaris awakens in the seminary, learns the strict daily bell schedule, experiences his first communion in the chapel, and begins adjusting to life among fellow first‑year seminarians. The seminary’s hierarchy is detailed: the bishop’s authority is limited, the rector (Valeškevičius) oversees daily life and grants permissions, Inspector Mazurkovskis enforces Polish traditions, and the spiritual father administers confessions. First‑year seminarians perform numerous chores (cleaning, serving meals, assisting in liturgies) and must master Polish and Latin while receiving only minimal Lithuanian instruction. Political tension over language rights fuels patriotic unrest among the seminarians. Liudas, looking back years later, recalls these routines, the strict punctuality, and the mixture of spiritual practice with menial labor. Liudas wrestles with the emptiness of his liturgical routine, adopts a two‑part conscience‑examination method with counting beads, confesses emerging sins such as pride, envy and criticism of elders, experiences a winter‑time scramble for a hidden bench by a wall niche, and during the Easter break a fellow seminarian (the formarijus) points out his overly closed and secretive nature, deepening his self‑awareness. After Easter, Vasaris walks with fellow first‑year seminarians Jonas Variokas and discusses his cynical ambition to climb the church hierarchy, which triggers deeper self‑doubt about his vocation. Vasaris observes the seminary’s strict rule against close friendships and notes the scarcity of truly pious peers. He and Variokas view a provocative illustration of a nude, bound woman, prompting Vasaris to confess to the spiritual father about his indecent curiosity. The chapter also recounts the earlier mishap of acolyte Balselis trying to extinguish candles. Variokas announces his departure and leaves the seminary; Liudas meets his parents for the first time in the seminary’s parlatorium and experiences humiliating address as “kunigėli,” fuelling his awareness of reputation and the need for secrecy; a clandestine gathering in the “zirkininkas” storage room erupts with food, Latin verses and heated jokes; third‑year clerk Jonelaitis and fellow clerk Kasaitis join the scene, discussing the monotony of seminary life and urging private initiative; Liudas reinforces his habit of hiding during silentium and carefully monitoring rector and inspector movements. Liudas finishes his first year, receives stern holiday conduct instructions from the spiritual father and rector, travels home and experiences an overwhelming connection with nature, returns to his village, is welcomed by his parents, begins parish life under a local priest, reunites with Petryla, observes clergy’s drinking and a strict vicar, meets the barmaid Liucė, and reflects on his vocation amid the contrast between seminary asceticism and village realities. After the St Laurence indulgences Liudas recalls a tense encounter with the vicar of Šilučiai, deepens his infatuation with Liucė by learning her orphaned background and musical talent, meets the young, aristocratic vicar Zigmas Trikauskas who arrives with Liucė, witnesses Trikauskas’ arrogance and the clever manipulation of the local klebon Kimša, and participates in a heated village discussion about Lithuanian cultural‑political issues, all of which intensify his inner doubts and his awkward, failed attempt at intimacy with Liucė. Liudas enters his second year of seminary, moving from the cramped “labirintas” to a small shared room of four, no longer under constant supervision by a formarijus. He develops his first romantic and erotic attraction toward Liucė, wrestling with seminary teachings on celibacy. After a few weeks he is ordered by Inspector Mazurkovskis to relinquish his room and return to the labirintas; he protests, is mocked, and is forced to move back, feeling humiliation. Later he confesses a vague “excessive opposition” and receives stern admonition from the Spiritual Father, settling into resigned acceptance of the hierarchy. Liudas participates in the great Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary indulgence celebration; his choir talents free him from assistant duties and earn him praise; during the mass he experiences a vivid vision of an unknown woman, idealizing her as a poetic love; the celebratory atmosphere lifts his spirits and earns him admiration from fellow seminarians; Petryla informs Liudas that Liucė will visit the seminary soon, heightening his anticipation; after the festivities Liudas returns to the labirintas and falls asleep, still haunted by the vision. Liudas experiences a melancholic “quies” day, imagines an unknown woman, writes his first poem, receives his poem printed in a newspaper, and is initiated into the clandestine literary society “Šviesa,” meeting third‑year clerk Petras Varnėnas and fourth‑year clerk Matas Sereika.