The plot begins in the highest most portion of the tower when the main character's father gives him a cat who he says can speak; the opposition leader who is also the main character's father is assassinated whilst attending an Opera.

On the next floor, he awakes in a hospital and they recognise him as not being a member of their society; their belief of staying clean requires the shaving of one's hair, and after a medical inspection, a barber comes to shave his hair.

The barber had discovered several years before, a baby girl with a pentagonal tattoo on her left shoulder.

The barber notices that after shaving the hair on the boy's head; that he also has a similar tattoo.

The monks discover who stole it and set out to hunt down and kill the culprits, thus forcing Maïan and Liram to venture further down the tower.