Volume III
In the morning, the narrator lies in bed, hesitant to get up. He sees the young Asle on a swing outside his house, with his mother confronting him about money found in his pocket. Asle quickly claims he found the money on the road by the bakery. His father is called in, and he believes the boy. Asle is sent to the bakery to check if anyone lost money, and the baker claims it as his own. Asle feels ashamed of his lies and calls his friend Per Olav. They smoke their first cigarette in the boathouse, and Asle enjoys it.
Later, Asle hears Asleik’s tractor and the front door opening. Downstairs, Asleik admires a painting and wants it. Asle resists, claiming it’s unfinished, but Asleik insists that it’s complete because it’s titled and signed. Asle decides to take his paintings to the Beyer gallery and visit Asle in the hospital. Asleik chooses a different painting, helps Asle load them into the car, and drives to Bjørgvin, where Asle sees his younger self struggling in school and recalls his decision to leave painting for guitar. While driving, Asle meets Sigve, who had just been released from prison.
He reflects on his conversion to Catholicism and memories of moving to Aga. After visiting his grandmother, he gets the keys to his new place, dismissing his parents quickly to have a smoke. Asle arrives at Bjørgvin but finds the gallery closed, so he prays and sleeps.
Volume IV
Sitting outside the Beyer Gallery, Asle reflects on Alida’s death and the other Asle in the hospital. He remembers the first sale of his paintings in Bramen, thanks to Beyer. Beyer himself arrives and welcomes him. After visiting the hospital, Asle encounters a woman who resembles the one who helped him earlier. They talk briefly, and he leaves, troubled.
On his way back home, Asle contemplates quitting painting and recalls memories of Sigve. He lies down to pray with his rosary.
Volume V
Asle can’t stand looking at the St Andrew’s Cross painting and considers his unfinished paintings for upcoming exhibitions. He believes he can afford to stop painting.
He recalls his younger self in Aga, free from his critical mother, and meeting Sigve, who helps him buy beer and lends him books. Asle meets a man who looks like him and shares the same name. He thinks about what to do now that he’s not painting and remembers Sigve’s untimely death.
Asle thinks about attending the Academic High School in Bjørgvin and meeting another Asle who has been accepted into the Art School without it. He also remembers meeting Ales and their instant connection.
He visits Asleik for dinner, where he encounters Asle and Liv’s parents. An awkward dinner leads to Asle’s abrupt departure, feeling a sense of terror as he leaves.