Is Theres the God of this congregation? Is it the same God who came to Lavis when he was trying to heal me? And if that's the case, is God appearing out of nowhere a normal occurrence?

"What... I don't..." My words were cut short as I broke into a coughing fit, only realizing then that I just muttered those words out loud.

Speaking for the first time in months had my throat feeling strained and hoarse, making me cough violently as I covered my mouth.

The emperor gasped in surprise. Whatever feelings he had earlier vanished, his eyes widening and he was looking so caught off guard that it made me laugh in between coughs.

"Iona... your voice!" He exclaimed.

Fortunately, the unpleasant feeling that's been bothering my throat for months has now disappeared.

I cleared my throat, checking to see if it was really gone. When I raised my head, the emperor was frozen in shock and his eyes were still wide as ever. I still feel uncomfortable being at the receiving end of his intense gaze that I hastily looked away, clearing my throat for the second time. "Uhm..."

It was surprising to hear my voice come out smooth and even, not raspy like I expected.

I placed my fingers around my neck and felt it shaking slightly, and I no longer felt the pain that was blocking my throat all this time. I think I really am healed.

Thinking about it was enough to lift my spirits up.

"Iona." The emperor called.

I looked back at him, seeing him bathed in a golden sheen caused by the early afternoon sun filtering through the tall windows. His statue-like face was just mesmerizing.

"My voice is back."

For some reason, the emperor looked a bit awkward as he stood there stiffly. It only occurred to me then that it was him who made this happen. I got my voice back because of him, and I wanted to let him know how thankful I am.

I'm feeling a bit shy, however, since I only interacted with him as a doll. But still, I wanted to express my joy and gratitude. I looked at him directly in the eyes, hoping he could see the sincerity in my expression as I slightly lifted the ends of my dress and bowed. "Thank you for giving me my voice back, Your Majesty. I will never forget this grace."

Although I don't have the same etiquette everyone in the Imperial Palace has, I was still able to express my gratitude nonetheless and that's what matters.

My voice was unexpectedly smooth, like no one would think I was mute for nearly three months. The divine power was indeed amazing. I lifted my head and saw the emperor still looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

I wondered what he was thinking about. What's wrong?

"Yeah, you're Iona all this time."

He was looking at me in concentration, then an understanding passed through his face. The three months I spent with him had made me more aware of his mood changes, probably more than anyone else, that I genuinely thought I knew him long enough to figure out what he's thinking about.

Hearing me speak must have made him realize that the doll in front of him was not Liliana. He was probably imagining I was someone else entirely. Now that I am able to speak and express myself, the fantasy he conjured up was shattered in an instant.

It's always been me, ever since the very beginning.

He tilted his head towards the door like he heard something, while I stood there contemplating whether or not I should console him when he immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me along.

"Come here."

The emperor pushed me inside the bedroom's closet. "Stay here for a while." He whispered.

Before I knew it, the closet door was closed as I obediently hid there, not having any idea what's going on. Unlike the closet in the Imperial Palace, this is not spacious at all. A ray of light filtered through the small gap in the opening but it's not enough to see through the dark, dust-filled closet.

The abrupt change in the emperor's behavior was nothing new to me. I know he won't keep me here for no reason, so I decided to wait patiently.

Not long after, I heard the sound of footsteps coming from just outside the bedroom as they made their way inside. We were in the same room now, only separated by the closet I was hiding in. I gulped and clenched my fists anxiously.

Why did they come here all of a sudden?

A strange man spoke. "Thank you for your unexpected visit, Your Majesty. Please excuse me for a moment."

Then, a shout broke out. "Lavis! What are you doing lying there?"

"I just felt a great amount of holy power. What happened?" Another man asked in a worried voice.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing here?"