The Blood of Dawnwalker: How to Romance Anca (All Dialogue Choices)

Anca is the ex-nun herbalist living near Laslea who taught Coen Latin, and she’s the first companion most players spend serious time with in The Blood of Dawnwalker. Her romance isn’t a single yes-or-no prompt. It’s a slow chain of flirty replies stretched across her whole quest arc, and it only pays off if Coen commits at the end of Stronger Than Achilles. Miss the wrong line late and the whole thing resolves as friendship.

Quick answer: Flirt with Anca through Withering Away, Echoes of Silenced Bells, Between the Words, and Where Old Devils Lie, tell her “I’d do anything for you” and “I love you” in Stronger Than Achilles, then back at the inn pick “There’s a conversation we need to finish,” “I meant what I said,” “Screw decency. I want you, too,” and after the kiss “Not sure I got that. One more time?”

Anca romance checkpoints before Stronger Than Achilles

Four quests set the tone before the finale. None of them ask you outright about romance, but each has replies that read as warm rather than businesslike. Several also cost Time Segments, which matters because the 30-day clock keeps running whether you flirt or not. Budget for them.

Quest	What to say and do
Withering Away (prologue)	Meet her by the river, ask about her scars, and pay 50x denarii for the ingredients. In her hut, say you’ve missed studying Latin together (2x Time Segments). Take the red-covered book and keep pushing to read Catullus. Answer “kisses,” then “grains of sand.” When she’s hurt, tell her she has to take off her shirt and treat the wounds. Then pick “I enjoy the company more than the books.” After Brencis seizes Coen’s family, apologize for raising your voice and say you didn’t mean to scare her.
Echoes of Silenced Bells	At St. Tyna’s Convent, if she opened up about her scars, respond “It must’ve been painful.” After Leonica falls in the catacombs, pick “Pity we couldn’t do more for her.” When she asks for the notes, use “This won’t end well,” then “There, take them” (1x extra Time Segment). Do not throw the notes into the fire, and let her finish the ritual.
Between the Words	Open with “Hope you had more luck than me.” Optionally prepare her a warm drink (1x Time Segment), then “It’s my pleasure,” “There are better sources of joy than herbal brews,” “Always? What do you mean?” and “Your feelings toward me–it’s more than just faith.”
Where Old Devils Lie	This one unlocks after a day or two. In the inn, say “Who knows what else I have in store for you?” By the lake, “I care about you.” In front of the ruins, “Nice to see you smile” and “I’m enjoying your company, too.”

Anca and Coen talking by candlelight inside the cabin after their quest together — Anca’s arc leans on quiet two-hander conversations like this one. Image: Rebel Wolves

Stronger Than Achilles: the choices that lock in the romance

Deeper into the ruins, the conversation stops being playful. This is the point where Coen either says it out loud or backs off, and backing off is permanent for this arc.

After Coen’s arm is wounded by the blood sacrifice pillar, choose “Better me than you.” It’s the first line that frames him as protecting her rather than solving a problem.

When it becomes clear Anca wanted the Font for herself, pick “You were hoping to use the Font yourself,” followed by “I would, too, in your place.” Do not treat the reveal as a betrayal.

Close the exchange with “I’d do anything for you” and then “I love you.” Never take the option telling Anca she’s only a friend, because that ends the romance route there and then.

Coen and Anca facing each other during a serious late-quest conversation — The confession lines in Stronger Than Achilles are what gate the scene at the inn. Image: Rebel Wolves

Note: In the final chamber you decide what happens with the Font of Life. Coen can take it, Anca can take it, or you can destroy the structure for a legendary item instead. That choice has no bearing on whether the romance scene plays.

The inn conversation: exact dialogue order for the Anca romance scene

Once the two of you are back at the inn at the end of Stronger Than Achilles, Anca thanks Coen for the help and starts talking about getting back to her books. That’s your cue. This final exchange still hands you friendship-shaped exits, so read every option before pressing anything.

The first prompt offers “There’s a conversation we need to finish.” or “I enjoyed chasing a mystery with you.” Take the first one. The second keeps the mood friendly and reminiscent, which is the wrong direction here.

Coen says it was nice to chase after a mystery together during the inn conversation — The nostalgic reply about chasing a mystery keeps the conversation platonic. Image: Rebel Wolves

Follow up with “I meant what I said.” This ties the moment back to the confession in the ruins and stops Coen from walking it back.

When Anca raises the question of what is proper, answer “Screw decency. I want you, too.” She kisses Coen shortly after.

After the kiss, pick “Not sure I got that. One more time?” That reply leads directly into the sex scene between Coen and Anca.

Anca speaking to Coen in close-up during the cabin scene, subtitles on screen — Anca leads much of the final exchange once Coen stops hedging. Image: Rebel Wolves

How to confirm the Anca romance triggered

You’ll know it worked because the game takes the camera and runs with it. Coen and Anca kiss, undress, and the scene plays out in full. Afterwards they get dressed and talk properly about where the two of them stand, what happens next, and the pull the Font has on them. Stronger Than Achilles then closes out.

Coen asks Anca what happens now during the conversation after the romance scene — The post-scene talk covers the relationship, the future, and the Font. Image: Rebel Wolves

If the quest wraps with Anca simply heading back to her books and no scene follows, the route resolved as friendship and there’s no second attempt inside that playthrough.

Two ways the Anca romance fails

There are only two hard fail states, and both are avoidable if you’re paying attention.

Fail state	What causes it
Anca dies	Coen talks to her while in vampire form on low health. Approach her as a human, or top up before the conversation.
Friends only	Coen takes a friendship reply, most critically the “just a friend” line in Stronger Than Achilles or the platonic openers back at the inn.

Anca isn’t the only option in Vale Sangora, and the 30-day clock means committing to her arc costs time you can’t spend elsewhere. But her route is the one the game builds from the prologue onward, and the Latin lessons and dressed wounds all point at the same conversation in that inn room. Just don’t blink at the last prompt.