Chapter 167: Who are you really, Anna?

Anna sat on the edge of the bed after taking a shower.

She slowly dried her dark brown hair with a towel, humming softly to herself. The room carried a faint lavender scent from the bath soap she always used. A gentle breeze drifted through the slightly open balcony door, causing the sheer curtains to dance beneath the moonlight.

She wore an oversized white shirt that belonged to Silas. It reached halfway down her thighs. Her bare legs swayed lazily over the edge of the mattress as she continued drying her damp hair.

The bedroom door opened. Without even looking, she spoke.

"You’re late."

Silas smiled.

"You knew it was me?"

"I felt you."

He closed the door behind him.

Tonight, unlike his usual casual clothes, he wore a black sweater with the sleeves rolled slightly above his wrists, black trousers, and a pair of simple flip-flops.

His pink hair looked slightly messy, probably from the night’s breeze outside. He walked over quietly. Anna finally looked up, and their eyes met.

She smiled.

"You’ve been training again."

"You can tell?"

"You smell like the gym."

.I showered."

"You still smell like the gym."

"Traitor."

She giggled. Silas stopped in front of her for a moment before bending slightly. Without warning, he slipped one arm under her knees and another around her back.

"E-Eh?"

Anna let out a small sound of surprise as she was effortlessly lifted into the air.

"Silas..."

"What?"

"I’m drying my hair."

"I noticed."

"But..."

"I require my girlfriend."

"You require..."

"My girlfriend."

She laughed softly.

"You’re impossible."

"I’ve heard that."

He sat down on the bed with her comfortably resting on his lap. Anna naturally wrapped her arms around his neck while leaning against his chest.

Neither of them spoke. They simply stayed like that, listening to each other’s breathing. Outside, crickets chirped softly. The estate was unusually peaceful tonight.

Silas gently brushed a damp strand of brown hair away from Anna’s face.

"You’re beautiful."

Anna blinked, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.

"You’ve become smoother."

"My skill leveled up."

She burst into laughter.

"You’re actually blaming the system?"

"It deserves the credit."

"You impossible man." She poked his forehead. "Flatterer."

"I’m serious."

"I know." Her smile softened. "I like hearing it anyway."

Silas leaned closer. Their foreheads touched. Then, he kissed her. It wasn’t hurried, nor passionate. It was just warm and comfortable, the kind of kiss shared by two people who had long since become each other’s home.

When they finally separated, Anna rested her forehead against his shoulder.

"Long day?" Silas asked quietly.

"A little."

"Patients?"

She nodded. "Mostly awakened, suffering from mana exhaustion."

"..."

"They’re pushing themselves too hard."

Silas sighed.

"They’re scared."

"So am I."

She admitted it so quietly that he almost missed it.

"The apocalypse... It isn’t just some story anymore."

She tightened her arms around him.

"I keep wondering if I’ll be able to save everyone who comes to me."

Silas gently rubbed her back.

"You don’t have to save everyone."

"I know, but I want to."

Silence settled between them again. It was peaceful, comfortable, until Silas’s smile slowly faded. Anna immediately noticed. She lifted her head.

"Silas?"

His expression had changed; the playfulness had disappeared, and his pink eyes had become unusually calm.

They were searching, observing, and almost studying her. Anna’s own smile slowly faded.

"What’s wrong?"

Silas didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he gently held both of her hands within his own. His thumb traced over her fingers absentmindedly.

"I’ve been thinking..."

Anna remained quiet.

"The system."

"..."

"My awakening."

"..."

"Gorgath."

"..."

"Everything that’s happened recently." His gaze never left hers. "It all feels... Connected."

Anna felt her heartbeat quicken, not from fear, but from anticipation. Silas took a slow breath, then asked quietly.

"Who are you really, Anna?"

The room fell silent, and even the breeze outside seemed to stop. Anna’s fingers instinctively tightened around his. Her brown eyes widened ever so slightly, flashing with a hint of gold.

For several long moments, she just looked at him. She was not speaking, and neither looking away, only breathing.

Then, a small, bittersweet smile appeared on her face.

"I was wondering..." She whispered. "...when you would finally ask me that."

"You..." Silas was rendered speechless. Of all the things he thought of, this wasn’t part of it. He had imagined her becoming defensive or something worse, but she was rather smiling, albeit bittersweet.

"I knew your parents, Silas," Anna started with a smile, but her head was bowed. Silas could feel her emotions. Pain, sorrow, sadness, self-hate- nothing positive.

"Anna... Just tell me."

"Do you promise you won’t hate me? I’ve hidden my true identity from you even after all this..."

"You had your reasons for it, and I respect that. I just can’t live without knowing your greatest secret, probably. Relationships are built on more than just love and sex. Trust is also very important. That is why I told you of my system and my true rank. Don’t you think you should do the same, regardless of whatever reason?

I don’t need to know your reason for doing that. Just tell me. We’ve come too far for me to hate you for something like this," Silas said with a calm smile, and in that moment, Anna saw more than just a powerful eighteen-year-old. She saw a man... Her man.

"Silas..."

"Besides, we are bonded for eternity, if you don’t know. Nothing can separate us," Silas added in a serious yet carefree tone, making Anna blush lightly.

"I... Okay."

"So, are you ready to tell me?"

"Yes. My name is Anna Miles, and I am the Head Nurse of Valecrest Collegiate Grounds. But... my true identity is Dr. Anna Miles, the owner of the Golden Deer Health Centre. I am also known as..."

"The Golden Healer..." Silas ended the statement for her, staring at her with wide eyes. This reveal was more than shocking.

The Golden Healer was a legendary figure in the whole of New Liberty. She was the most powerful healer in the whole country. There was no S-Rank Healer in New Liberty, but a lot of A-Rank Healers.

The Golden Healer, though, stood out from the rest. Her ability output was almost on par with most S-Rank abilities. And she was also known as the owner of the Golden Deer Health Centre, one of the few institutions belonging solely to a heroic-level awakened.

"How... How have you hidden..."

"The Golden Healer always wears a mask."

"Anna..." Silas’s voice took on a quiet tone, causing Anna’s heart to beat in fear. She was expecting him to lash out, but it never came. Instead, Silas stared down at her, his eyes glowing dangerously, and exclaimed.

"YOU ARE SO FREAKING COOOOOOOOOOL! DAMN!"

The whole neighbourhood probably heard the idiot.