It's not exactly clear what this scientist was hoping to achieve or if they'd contribute anything to the territory. If he mentioned opening a school for reading, writing, and mathematics then sure I'd forgive him, but I got the impression he felt above educating commoners and was hoping to instead become the viscount's private instructor or even just a member of their entourage.
Before the 19th century scientific breakthroughs and social theory came from research sponsored either by the church or privately by nobles that housed and fed them simply because it was interesting or contributing to scholastic arts was a source of pride. Maybe if he was researching crop rotation and animal husbandry, he'd be worth keeping around.