Four Ruined Realms

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, physical abuse, and gender discrimination.

Aeri is the protagonist of Four Ruined Realms—her point of view is used in the first chapter and the Epilogue, bookending the novel and giving her perspective slight prominence. She is 19 years old and a thief. In addition, she is part of the Baejkin family and grew up in Yusan. Aeri was revealed to be Princess Naerium, the daughter of King Joon, in the previous novel, and her lies about her identity cause her new friends to distrust her. When Aeri was 12, she killed her mother’s abusive lover and stole the Sands of Time from him. She thinks, “I’m not just a gem thief with incredible sleight of hand, but a thief of time” (253). When she uses the magical relic to stop time, it ages her, causing her hair to rapidly grow, and physically exhausts her. She hides her ownership of the Sands of Time from the others for most of the novel.

Although Aeri has secrets, she also has integrity and compassion. Sora is the first to recognize this and trust Aeri again, while Royo, Aeri’s lover, cannot accept the betrayal and leaves her at the end of the novel, breaking her heart.