Upon returning to Coldwater Village, Einar immediately entered a state of secluded study.
He exempted Willan from all labor, providing him with adequate food and lodging. The priest's only task was to teach Einar. The content of their lessons was divided into two parts: in the morning, Willan would teach him spoken English and common phrases; in the afternoon, he would explain the basics of the Latin alphabet and grammar, using the Bible as their textbook.
The process was excruciatingly dull.
For Einar, who had received a modern education in his past life, it felt like being sent back to elementary school. He had to learn everything from scratch, starting with the alphabet: A, B, C...
However, his foundation from his previous life proved to be a tremendous advantage. Although he hadn't spoken English in twenty years, the memories were still buried in his subconscious. With Willan's guidance, he picked it up with astonishing speed. Within a few days, he could engage in simple, everyday conversations.
Learning Latin was more difficult. It was a completely new language to him. But with his modern linguistic knowledge and systematic learning methods, his progress was still far beyond what Willan could comprehend. The priest looked at his lord with increasing awe, privately believing it to be a miracle bestowed by the gods.
Einar naturally wouldn't explain the real reason. He let the misunderstanding continue, as it helped to solidify his mysterious and powerful image in Willan's mind.
While Einar was engrossed in his studies, a piece of news quietly spread through the villages of the river valley. Jarl Bernard's most beloved son, who had participated in a raid against a wealthy southern kingdom, had contracted a strange disease upon his return. His body was covered in terrifying pustules, and he suffered from a constant high fever.
The Jarl had summoned the best shamans and Storm Acolytes, but none of their prayers or rituals had any effect. The young man's condition worsened by the day.
This matter cast a shadow over the entire river valley. The Vikings, who feared nothing, were deeply terrified of the gods' wrath. In their view, such an inexplicable and horrifying disease could only be one thing: a punishment from the gods.
The news reached Coldwater Village, causing a minor panic among the people. Einar, however, reacted differently. When he heard the detailed description of the symptoms, a word from his past life immediately surfaced in his mind: Smallpox.
This was a highly contagious and deadly infectious disease. In an era without vaccines or proper medical care, contracting smallpox was essentially a death sentence.
A bold and risky idea began to form in Einar's mind.
That evening, he summoned Willan.
"Tell me," Einar began, his expression serious, "in your lands, is there a disease that causes high fever and pustules all over the body?"
Willan's face turned pale at the mention of it. He instinctively made the sign of the cross over his chest. "My lord, that is God's Punishment! It is a terrible plague. Anyone who contracts it is doomed. Their body will fester, and their soul will be unable to ascend to heaven."
"Is there a way to cure it?" Einar pressed on.
"Cure? No, my lord," Willan said, shaking his head vehemently. "It is a divine punishment. No mortal can resist the will of God. The only thing we can do is to isolate the sick, burn their bodies after they die, and pray for God's forgiveness."
Isolation and burning the bodies... Einar's eyes lit up. This confirmed his suspicion. The priest's description of "God's Punishment" perfectly matched the characteristics of smallpox, and the methods of dealing with it were the primitive, yet most effective, quarantine measures.
A plan, previously just a vague notion, now became crystal clear.
This was an opportunity. A huge opportunity to challenge the authority of the Storm Acolytes and establish his own prestige.
He knew he couldn't actually cure smallpox. But he possessed knowledge that no one else in this era had: the knowledge of disease transmission and prevention. He didn't need to cure the Jarl's son; he only needed to demonstrate a power that was more effective than the shamans' prayers.
"Willan," Einar said, his voice carrying a new weight of authority. "Prepare yourself. We are going to pay a visit to Jarl Bernard."
Willan looked at him in disbelief, his eyes wide with terror. "My lord, you can't be serious! To go near someone afflicted by God's Punishment is to seek death! We will be infected!"
"I am not afraid," Einar declared, a confident and enigmatic smile on his face. He stood up and looked out the window at the dark, snow-covered mountains. "Because the gods are on my side."