The next morning, the king and his men return to Memphis. The king tells his men that the Egyptian army has been defeated by the Turks, and that the only way to defeat them is to send reinforcements to Egypt. He tells them that he once had a lion cub that he kept on his palace, but that the cub bit his attendant and tried to attack him. He asks the cub to swear his loyalty to Egypt, and the cub does so. He thanks the king for allowing him to serve him, and he wonders why the king has been living in luxury after the succession. After reaching the border with Giza, they meet the upper-egyptian general. The general tells the king to trust his men, but not to burn his bridges with them. He then appoints the prince as the new consul of Giza. The prince says that he wants to consult with his ministers about ways to strengthen Egypt's position in the Mediterranean.