"You are very kind. I'll make sure to attend any event where I'm not trapped by work. I give you my word."

Since he ran his own business (secretly had for many years now), he did need to keep up appearances. Especially since his bar was so popular due to people loving to have him serve them personally. But that didn't mean he'd use that as an excuse to get out of every gathering, of course. It was just a matter of balance so he would make that promise.