How do you make Molotov Cocktail?

Winter had settled in, blanketing Selta Bastion in a soft layer of white frost, and the campus buzzed with anticipation for the holidays. Early one winter morning, Beatrix, Meadow, Korr, Aiden, and Cavanaught walked toward school, their breaths visible in the cold air.

“So, you and Meadow will become future goddesses?” Aiden asked, tilting his head curiously toward Beatrix.

“Yes, never thought I would become one,” Beatrix replied, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Her gaze flicked to Cavanaught, a hint of curiosity in her tone. “Cavanaught, can you tell me more about Selta Bastion? I’m curious.”

With an icy demeanor, Cavanaught began to explain, his voice devoid of warmth. “In Selta Bastion, there are three cities and ten villages. Each city has an area of around 90,000 square kilometers, while each village is roughly 100 square kilometers. The sky-piercing bastion wall surrounds all of these settlements, and there are only thirty exits in total.”

Beatrix nodded, processing the information. “Okay, so your father is the one who owns Selta Bastion. You will become the next leader of Selta Bastion, right?”

“I have three brothers; I’m not sure,” Cavanaught replied, his cold expression unwavering.

“You must be a great man if you are the one who rules Selta Bastion,” Beatrix continued, admiring his heritage.

But Cavanaught remained silent, leaving an air of discomfort hanging over the group. The atmosphere shifted until Korr decided to break the tension.

“Let’s play a game!” he declared cheerfully.

Aiden looked intrigued. “What game?”

“We choose who we want to marry and who we want to kill,” Korr said with a mischievous grin.

“Sounds fun!” Meadow chimed in.

“I think I will marry Cavanaught since he is the one who saved me from arena fighter slavery. But I’ll kill Beatrix,” Aiden announced playfully.

Korr laughed, agreeing. “I think the same! He saved me when I had nowhere to go.”

Meadow joined in. “I’ll marry Beatrix and kill Cavanaught because he’s so difficult!”

Beatrix raised an eyebrow, grinning at Cavanaught. “Then I marry Cavanaught and kill myself. What do you think?”

Cavanaught glared back at her, his deep pink eyes flashing with pent-up rage.

Korr, trying to keep the playful energy alive, asked, “What about you, Cavanaught?”

“I marry myself and kill Beatrix in the most painful way possible, of course,” he replied coldly, but an unsettling grin curled on his lips.

Beatrix laughed, finding amusement even in the tension. “Oh, that’s scary,” she retorted.

After school concluded, Beatrix and her friends strolled through the park, enjoying the tranquility of a quiet winter afternoon. As they ambled, Beatrix turned to Cavanaught with a playful glimmer in her eye. “Hey Cavanaught, how about we walk hand in hand?”

Cavanaught’s expression darkened, an intimidating glare emanating from his intense gaze. His next reaction shocked everyone; he rushed forward and landed a punch to Beatrix’s face, sending her stumbling.

“That’s what you get! My fist already answered your question, and you deserve it,” he grinned wickedly.

Wiping the blood from her lips, Beatrix regained her footing and shot back, “So this is how you answer my question, huh?”

Without hesitation, she lunged at Cavanaught, striking him in return and knocking him off balance. “Goes back at you!” she said triumphantly.

Cavanaught spat blood onto the ground as he regained his stance, and soon they were entangled in a fierce fistfight.

Korr watched the spectacle, infused with excitement. “Yeah! Cavanaught has a new fighting partner!” He turned to Aiden, urging him. “Aiden! Come here! What are you waiting for? Let's do this!”

Aiden grinned, joining the fray as Korr swung at him. Now, the park was a whirlwind of energy and violence, with laughter mixed in with the grunts of feigned brutality.

Meadow, shaking her head at the chaotic display of camaraderie, decided to take a seat on a nearby bench to watch her friends spar. Just then, a steel golem arrived on the scene.

“Enemy detected!” it announced in a monotonous mechanical voice.

“Stop there! I can handle this! Make sure no crowd gathers!” Cavanaught commanded, frowning at the encroaching golems.

The golem complied, clearing the area of curious onlookers, and soon more steel golems alongside human guards arrived to maintain order.

After ten minutes of playful chaos, Beatrix stood victorious over Cavanaught, while Korr had bested Aiden. They helped each other up, brushing off the snow that caked onto their clothes.

“You good now?” Beatrix asked Cavanaught, still on her adrenaline high.

Yet, he remained silent, his cold facade starting to crack. Eventually, he chuckled, “It’s getting late; let’s go back.”

The group made their way back to their dorm rooms, leaving the remnants of their playful chaos behind.

The following day, at lunch, Meadow and Beatrix found a secluded bench in the warmth of the cafeteria, offering both a quiet escape and an opportunity to connect without interruption. Beatrix leaned against Meadow’s shoulder, a content sigh escaping her lips.

“Does Cavanaught always act like that? Punching people out of nowhere?” Beatrix asked, peering curiously at Meadow.

“Yeah, he does that sometimes,” Meadow affirmed, recalling her experiences with Cavanaught.

A moment of silence lingered between them, the comfort of their bodies close yet the uncertainty of their feelings hanging in the air like the falling snow outside.

“Okay, right now I just want to be with you,” Beatrix said, leaning in a little closer, her heart racing at the intimate moment.

Another brief silence filled the space around them until Beatrix broke it. “Since I’m friends with Cavanaught, your beloved friend, don’t you think I deserve a reward?”

Meadow blinked, surprised yet intrigued. “Okay, what do you want?”

Beatrix blushed, gathering her courage. “How about a kiss?”

“K-kiss? Why would you want a kiss?” Meadow stammered, her cheeks warming past a soft pink.

“Meadow, you are perfect, except for one thing—your lips have never met mine,” Beatrix replied, excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

Meadow hesitated, blushing fiercely. “W-why would I kiss you anyway?”

“It’s not like we didn’t do it before,” Beatrix retorted with a teasing smirk. “But if you don’t want to, how about my cheeks?”

“On the cheek is fine,” Meadow relented, leaning in.

However, as Meadow leaned forward to kiss Beatrix's cheek, Beatrix turned her head at the last moment, and Meadow’s lips brushed against Beatrix’s instead. For a brief moment, the world seemed to freeze as their lips connected, sending a rush of warmth through both girls.

As they broke apart, Beatrix beamed, having successfully tricked Meadow. “I got you!”

Meadow’s eyes widened in shock, her face turning crimson. She playfully slapped Beatrix’s shoulder. “You tricked me!”

“Okay, let’s go to our business class,” Beatrix suggested brightly, the air between them lightening as they settled back into their routine.

As they walked to class together, Beatrix felt hope blossom within her—a determination to win Meadow’s heart and perhaps, one day, a confession of love. The memory of that unexpected kiss danced in her mind, fortifying her resolve to bridge the gap between friendship and something more. And with each shared moment, they grew closer, navigating the icy winter days side by side, filled with laughter, affection, and the whisper of budding feelings.

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