Returned value is a string, but cannot be cast to as String

FailingCast.swift

import Foundation

protocol KeyValueStorage {
    func set(_ value: Any?, forKey key: String)
    func value(forKey key: String) -> Any?
}

final class DictionaryKeyValueWrapper: KeyValueStorage {
    var dictionary = [String: Any?]()
    
    func set(_ value: Any?, forKey key: String) {
        dictionary[key] = value
    }
    
    func value(forKey key: String) -> Any? {
        return dictionary[key] as Any
    }
}

let storage = DictionaryKeyValueWrapper()
storage.set("1", forKey: "awesome")

let returned = storage.value(forKey: "awesome")
let string = storage.value(forKey: "awesome") as? String