Responses
Yes your confused. He didn't want to sped them up but he kinda felt like the progress of the story is speeding up. So he moves according to the flow, because he cant be left behind. He's just making sure to make the young duke safe and live for some reason that seems to be more important than his own standing and his own connection. Maybe he did that to form a connection with the young duke? Despite he could've made a more profound connection with the duke. Anyway i am as confused as you aswell.
the plot progression is kinda confusing to me.. if all he wants is to survive, why does he want to speed up the events where he's most likely gonna get killed?