After Valentina leaves, Luzia cautiously enters the upstairs bedchamber she has been assigned and studies what it might mean to have a room of her own. From the window she sees Don Víctor talking with Don Marius by the De Paredes coach, and she is struck by the nearness of wealth and possibility compared to her life as a servant.

Startled by movement, Luzia discovers Guillén Santángel emerging from the shadows. He bluntly inventories the room and her appearance, noting the lack of clothing or personal possessions, and presses until Luzia admits the room is not truly hers and that she sleeps on the larder floor. Irritated and embarrassed, Luzia talks back, demanding soap and hot water if she is to appear “worthy” of Víctor’s plans.

Santángel warns that Luzia cannot remain merely a scullion if she intends to survive the Torneo Secreto. He explains that the tournament is dangerous because Antonio Pérez needs a “holy” magic user to regain the king’s favor, and lives and fortunes are on the line. Santángel reveals that a previous competitor, a young monk from Huesca, drowned over a week earlier, implying sabotage is possible and that rivals or their patrons may kill to win.

Santángel produces a pouch containing a single bean and demands Luzia demonstrate the milagrito power she showed in Hualit’s courtyard. He clarifies his role: preparing her while ensuring her miracles do not doom her or Don Víctor. He lays down strict boundaries on what she must not attempt, including resurrection and transformation, insisting such acts belong to God alone, while Luzia’s acceptable claim is that God speaks through her.

To underscore the Inquisition’s threat, Santángel cites Lucrecia de León, imprisoned for prophetic dreams and facing charges that may lead to execution or exile. He offers Luzia a choice to avoid the tournament, but also promises help if she insists on trying to win, with the condition that Víctor’s commands be obeyed and she must practice. Luzia ends the encounter by turning away and insisting, defiantly, that the soup still needs stirring.