Negotiations with nefera

Mathew, accompanied by an interpreter from the foreign affairs office, walked through the palace corridors, led by an official assigned to escort them. Their footsteps echoed against the polished marble floors as they approached the grand doors of the chamber where Ali Pasha would receive them. Upon their arrival, one of the guards stationed at the entrance stepped inside to announce Mathew's presence.

After a brief moment, permission was granted, and the large wooden doors were swung open by the guards. Mathew and the interpreter entered the chamber, their eyes immediately drawn to the imposing figure of Ali Pasha, who sat on an ornate throne at the far end of the expansive room. His advisors and bureaucrats stood on either side of him in two parallel lines, silently awaiting the proceedings.