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“Hey, Karl?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I try on your glasses?”
Today was a day just like any other. Lieserl sat on Karl’s lap, a large textbook in her lap. The two had been going over various math and physics problems, laughing and joking about. She looked up at him with wide, puppy-dog eyes that nobody could refuse. Karl sighed, taking off his glasses and handing it to her.
“Don’t grab the lens, or you’ll smudge them.”
“Woah!” The large round glasses on the little girl’s small face made her look ridiculous. “Ugh, it’s making me dizzy…”
Karl chuckled. “This old man’s vision is pretty blurry without his glasses. Now, can I have them back?”
“Mmm, not yet.”
“Lieserl?”
“Just wait!” Lieserl giggled. She held up 3 fingers. “Okay, how many fingers am I holding up?”
“Ahaha, it doesn’t really work like that. You’re holding up three fingers, aren’t you?”
“Wrong!” She revealed a fourth finger from behind her back. Though his vision was still blurred, he could see her wide grin. “It’s four!”
“Hey, that’s cheating!” he lightheartedly protested. “You little brat, what else has Emma taught you?!”
“A magician never reveals her secrets,” she said sweetly, handing him his glasses back.
“Alright then… on the topic of glasses, why don’t we tackle something simple today?” He turned the book’s pages to a section on lenses. “Why don’t we solve a few problems involving lenses?”
“Hi, Lieserl!” said the dainty voice of Miss Emma Planck as she walked into Lieserl’s room. “Hi, Karl! How are things going?”
“We’re just wrapping up for today,” Karl replied. “What brings you here?”
“Oh, I just wanted to see my wonderful student and my dearest cousin, of course!”
“Hi, Emma!” greeted Lieserl with a smile. “Are you and Karl gonna be busy later? I want to get some ice cream.”
“Ice cream?” Karl questioned. “Well-”
“Of course!” interrupted Emma. “Go on, get ready. Me and Karl will wait downstairs.”
“Alright!” said the little girl, running off. Emma brought Karl downstairs.
“Oh, an ice cream date!” Emma said happily. “This will be fun!”
“Ah, I’m gonna miss this,” sighed Karl.
“Oh? Right, you’ll be leaving for Berlin in a few weeks.”
“Yeah… hey, Emma? Could you do me a favor?”
“Hm? Go on.”
“Take care of that brat for me, okay? She’s a good kid, just… annoying.”
“Haha, you’re making it sound like this is the last time we’ll all see each other. Come on, we have weeks to go, and we’ll meet up again at some point too. Let’s all just eat ice cream and enjoy the afternoon~!”
“One small cup of mint ice cream, one medium cup of vanilla,and one large cup of chocolate and strawberry, with chocolate syrup drizzled on top, sprinkles, and some whipped cream.”
Lieserl frowned as she looked at Karl’s plain vanilla scoop. “Wow, vanilla? That’s sad.”
“I’m not much of an ice cream person,” he explained. “And I would say vanilla isn’t just ‘plain.’ It’s actually quite underappreciated.”
“No, you’re just a boring old man,” she said. She did a little twirl. "That's why you need me and Emma to make your life more interesting!"
He laughed, pushing her lightly on the head. "'Interesting' is one way to describe you two, alright."
As they walked and chatted about interesting things, a realization hit the little girl. She recalled what the old man told her not too long ago.
"I'll be going back to Berlin by the end of the summer, so be on your best behavior after that, okay? I want Emma to be telling me how well you'll be doing in your studies."
She didn't like the idea that Karl would be leaving. She wanted to solve impossible problems with him and Emma forever. She wanted them to watch her succeed by her side. She didn't want to walk alone. She wondered if Emma would have to leave too, and she didn't want that. Why can't summer last forever?
"Lieserl, is something wrong?" asked Karl. "You're being oddly quiet."
"H-hmph." She felt a hand come down on her shoulder.
"I'm your teacher, and I'm also a psychologist. If there's something on your mind, you can tell me."
The girl squinted back tears. He crouched down in front of her. The ice cream in his cup was slightly melted.
"Lieserl, what's on your mind?"
She suddenly grabbed him and hugged him.
"K-Karl, I don't want you and Emma to go!" she cried. "I want this summer to last forever!"
"Oh, Lieserl…" sighed Karl, returning the hug. He pat her on the back. "We're still here, don't worry."
Emma crouched down beside them. "I'll be here with you, forever and ever! And even after Karl leaves, he'll visit us again soon!"
"B-but… what if you don't visit…"
"...Then, what about this?" he said. "Why don't we make a promise?"
"A promise?"
"A promise." He held out his hand. "Lieserl Albert Einstein, promise this old man that after he leaves, the next time you meet him, you will become a fine young woman."
"...I promise," Lieserl sniffed, shaking his hand. "And… do you promise me you'll be younger and less boring next time we meet?"
He sighed. "You little brat," he muttered, ruffling her head. "Let's take you home. Your mom might get mad if you're back too late."
Dr. Einstein stood by the window, staring at the cup of mint ice cream in her hand, reflecting on a promise she made long ago. Her fears from that time turned out to come true - both Karl and Emma had gone on ahead of her long ago.
But… it was not as unbearable as she thought it would be. At the time, she didn't anticipate meeting so many wonderful people, like Dr. Tesla and Dr. Schrodinger, or Joyce, or Joachim, or Overseer Theresa. In fact, ever since she met Karl, she has never been alone. Even when she feels lonely, like she's lost everything… there was still someone there with her.
And, as for her promise… has she fulfilled her end? Has she become the “fine young woman” Karl wanted to see? Maybe… maybe he would be disappointed to see what she had to do for the sake of the world. Maybe he would be disappointed that she wasn’t a hero, that she couldn’t save the Finn, or Welt, or Edison, or Joachim from their fates.
She shook her head. No. Fate is called that because it does not bow to the wills of mortals. She couldn’t save anyone, and that was okay. Karl… he would be proud of her. Everyone would.
“Sorry it’s taking so long to see you again, old man,” she sighed to herself. “Believe it or not, your little brat’s all grown up. And… she has a mission to accomplish.”
“You also believed in a beautiful world, didn’t you? Well, then… I hope I can help create that beautiful world for you, and for everyone else.”