Terra Nova Online: Rise of The Strongest Player

Chapter 414: Leo meets Elena

Chapter 414: Leo meets Elena

( Leo’s POV, The Bakery Shop )

As soon as Leo entered the Baker’s shop, Elena rushed over from behind the counter that she was working from and gave Leo a big warm hug.

“Leo my boy!” Elena exclaimed in joy, as she ran her fingers through Leo’s hair and held him close to her chest.

Instantly, the embrace melted away the year-long separation like snow beneath the sun.

All the months of distance and uncertainty dissolved into the warmth of Elena’s arms as the weight of time and distance, which had been a constant shadow over Leo, seemed to vanish as if it had never existed.

Leo had missed this feeling over the past year more than he had allowed himself to acknowledge, and now that he was here, it felt like a dream.

The sensation of his mother’s touch was warm and wholesome, grounding him in a moment he had longed for but feared might never come.

In that hug, Leo found a refuge from the loneliness he had endured for the past year, and for a brief moment, he felt like a child again—safe, loved and cherished.

As they embraced, Leo inhaled deeply, catching the faint scent of flour mingling with Elena’s sweat, a familiar aroma that transported him back to their small apartment on Earth.

For Leo, his mother’s scent while baking was the comforting scent of home—a reminder of his mother bustling in their tiny kitchen, preparing meals with love.

It made him nostalgic for simpler times when life was carefree and dinner was always tasty.

*Sob*

*Sob*

A few seconds into their hug, Leo suddenly felt Elena beginning to sob, as her warm tears fell against his shoulder.

Although she said nothing, the sensation of his mother crying while embracing him, stirred something deep within him, prompting him to hold her even tighter.

In that instant, Leo’s usually composed demeanor shattered, and tears began to flow freely from his eyes too.

The emotions he felt in this moment were overwhelming, they were like a bittersweet tide of joy and sadness, as he felt happy to see his mother being safe and happy, while also simultaneously feeling sad at not being able to see her for over a year.

When Leo had first left Earth, he had been uncertain if he would ever see his mother again. Yet here they were, against all odds, together again in this digital world and it felt nothing short of a miracle.

“Leo….” Elena said softly, as she slowly let go of him, to properly inspect her boy’s face.

Wiping some tears off her eyes, she smiled heartily while inspecting every inch of Leo’s body as the surrounding customers within the bakery gave Leo weird looks.

“Why have you grown so thin? Are you not eating well?” Elena asked while pumping Leo’s forearms which were as hard as a rock.

As Leo took a glance at his arms which had vascular veins popping from them and which looked like they belonged to an elite athlete, he could not understand how his mother was mistaking him to be thin, however, he did not utter a word in protest.

“I’m eating fine ma, don’t worry about me” Leo said, adjusting a loose strand of his mother’s hair as he smiled kindly towards her.

“Elena! Your work-shift is not over…. You can’t take a break right now–” someone shouted from the background, as Elena suddenly flinched when she heard these words.

The woman who had shouted these words was the master baker who ran this shop and under whose apprenticeship Elena was, however, Leo still did not appreciate her tone.

“Let me handle this mother–” Leo said, as he walked up to the counter where the master baker stood and simply took out a bag of gold from his inventory.

“Inside this is 10,000 gold coins….. I actually live in the Eastern Duchy and I’m meeting my mother for the first time in years.

How about you take this money and let my mother clock out early from work today?” Leo asked politely, as the old lady let out a deep sigh.

“Alright, there’s only two hours left till work ends anyways” she said, accepting the money which was akin to a couple days worth of sales for the Bakery.

“Thank-you so much, kind miss” Leo said, flashing a charming smile as he took his leave from the Bakery and dragged Elena with him.

“Wait! Wait Leo…. My apron! I have to remove my apron!” Elena protested, as she quickly tossed aside her work apron and followed Leo out to the street where the two could talk without customers giving them weird looks.

“Wow…. My son has grown up so much, he even convinced Madam Tasha to give me early leave.

Madam Tasha never gives me early leave….” Elena said, an emotional tear streaking from her eye as she could not believe just how big and powerful Leo had become.

“Hahaha…. I have money now ma, if you don’t want to work under that old woman then you don’t have to.

I’ll buy a nice bakery and staff for you” Leo said, as Elena shook her head.

“No–, she’s just strict, but she’s not bad. I learn a lot from working there and I’m nowhere near ready to start my own culinary adventure!

I still have a lot to learn–” Elena said, as she suddenly paused while walking.

“Eh? What happened mom? Why did you pause so suddenly?” Leo asked, as Elena turned back towards the bakery and silently began walking back towards it.

“Your father…. I told him to meet us at the bakery, he will get lost if we don’t meet him there” Elena said, as she seemed to suddenly recall that the two of them were supposed to meet Jacob there.

Naturally, Leo’s face darkened at the mention of his useless father, however, since it seemed like Elena was keen on meeting the old man, Leo said nothing and simply followed her without complaints.