In secret notes, Pipo admits to accidentally telling the pequeninos that Libo is his son, which awes the pequeninos. Pipo assumes the pequeninos he knows are bachelors and that the females are intelligent.

Valentine, who is eight months pregnant, is about to depart on a söndring—a tradition in which she takes students to live in the wild to get away from the strict Calvinism that is popular on Trondheim. She met her husband, Jakt, when he transported Valentine and her students on her first söndring. They fell in love, and Valentine came to accept Trondheim as her home.

Ender approaches with a packed bag, and Valentine assumes he wants to accompany her, but she soon realizes that Ender is leaving Trondheim. Valentine is upset, and Ender explains he received a call to speak and that he needs a boat to take him to the port so he can get to his starship. Valentine doesn’t want to lose Ender, but Ender suggests they lost each other when Valentine fell in love with Jakt. Angry, Valentine feels as if Ender is killing her, and she refuses to write to him. Ender must leave quickly because he has work to do and because it hurts him to see Valentine growing away from him.