Liudas Vasaris reflects on the relentless daily bells, prayers, and rituals that fill the seminary walls, noting that the strict schedule leaves no room for boredom but also erodes the vitality of his faith. He recognizes that intellectual arguments about God have failed; instead, the seminarians are expected to live the faith through constant practice. The narrative describes his participation in three‑day retreats, his growing awareness that the rituals are becoming a hollow habit, and his struggle to feel any genuine love of God. Liudas attends frequent confessions, hearing the same counsel from the Spiritual Father: avoid seeking emotional pleasure, accept small merits, and view suffering as a test of fidelity. To combat his growing spiritual numbness, the seminary introduces a double‑layered conscience examination—examen conscientiae generale and particulare—augmented by a small bead that is moved each time a sin is noted. Liudas adopts this method, counting his faults with the bead. He repeatedly confesses minor transgressions—moments of distraction, dozing, stray thoughts—and gradually identifies deeper sins: pride (boasting over small successes), envy, criticism of seniors, and other “grave” faults. The text details a winter‑time competition for a hidden bench behind a wall niche in the chapel, where seminarians rush to secure the spot for prayer. Liudas feels the routine draining his spirit, describing his confessions as a “dark abyss” of unseen sins. Over time, his list of confessed sins expands, and he becomes aware that pride is the chief vice. He also describes the reactions of his peers, some of whom cannot answer the priest’s questions, while others whisper or argue. A pivotal moment occurs during the Easter break when a fellow seminarian, the formarijus, comments to Liukas that he is “too closed, hidden, and overly modest,” a characterization that strikes Liudas as both unexpected and unsettling. This insight forces him to confront the protective “shield” he has built between himself and the seminary community, realizing that his secrecy may be the root of his inner conflict. The chapter ends with Liudas pondering the nature of sin, the contrast between divine love and human frailty, and the hollow nature of the doctrinal teachings that fail to ignite true spiritual warmth.