Aeri Soo: The Thief Who Would Be Princess
Overview
Aeri Soo enters Five Broken Blades as a master thief who hires the enforcer Royo for a month-long journey to Tamneki. She claims she wants to steal King Joon’s immortal crown, offering a diamond worth fifty thousand gold muns and a bonus of another fifty thousand if she succeeds (Ch. 7). As the story unfolds, readers learn that Aeri is not a common street thief but Princess Naerium, the king’s long‑lost daughter. Her cheerful, sometimes childish demeanor masks a calculating mind bent on securing her father’s approval—a goal that forces her to betray the very people who come to care for her. This analysis traces Aeri’s arc through the novel, examining how her multiple identities, motivations, and choices shape both her fate and the team’s.
Plot Role
Aeri is the catalyst who brings the five broken blades together. She first approaches Royo at the Black Shoe Inn, then joins Prince Euyn, the assassin Sora, her guardsmith Tiyung, and the spymaster Mikail in a conspiracy to assassinate King Joon (Ch. 33). Unbeknownst to the others, Aeri is actually working for the king—she infiltrates the group to deliver them to Joon in exchange for a restored relationship with her father (Ch. 82). Her dual role as both team member and informant drives much of the plot’s tension and ultimately leads to the betrayal that fractures the group.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
Aeri’s primary motivation is the desperate need for familial belonging. As she confesses internally, repairing the relationship with her father “matters most” and she has “always wanted” the safety that comes with being his family (Ch. 73). This need explains why she agrees to betray Euyn, Sora, and Mikail despite growing attached to them.
Her most prominent trait is a chameleon‑like ability to shift personas. Royo observes that she seems to have “a lot of sides”—one escapes pirates, one loses her temper at a dress shop, one likes tea and books, another steals gems (Ch. 33). This fluidity, interpreted as both survival skill and a symptom of her fractured identity, allows her to deceive even the sharp‑eyed spymaster for most of the novel.
Beneath the bubbly exterior lies flint and teeth. When King Joon confronts her, her eyes turn “as cold as anything I’ve seen,” revealing the ruthless creature Royo only glimpsed (Ch. 82). Yet she also shows genuine empathy: she is “horrified” to learn Sora is an indentured servant and quickly makes a connection by saying she understands doing things for family (Ch. 35).
Chronological Arc
- Introduction as a thief: In Umbria, Aeri hires Royo. She is impulsive, overly cheerful, and vague about her plan, trusting that the spymaster will fill in the gaps (Ch. 7, 12).
- Joining the conspiracy: At the Troubadour Inn, she meets Euyn, Mikail, Sora, and Tiyung. She learns the full mission: assassinate the king during the tuhko tournament (Ch. 33).
- Bonding and conflict: She shares intimate moments—hiding Sora’s bruises, accepting a dagger from Mikail, being saved by Tiyung and Euyn in Oosant (Ch. 73). These experiences make her question her loyalty to Joon.
- Betrayal revealed: In the throne room, Aeri stands with the group against the king, but Joon exposes her as his agent. She pleads for the release of Royo and Tiyung (Ch. 82).
- Aftermath: Joon imposes a five‑week deadline to steal a ring from Khitan. Aeri remains part of the team, but trust is shattered (Ch. 85–86).
Relationships
- Royo: He is the first to see her many faces. Despite his rule against protecting people, he agrees to guard her. Royo’s internal struggle—knowing “she’s as pure as fresh snowfall” while he feels unworthy—shows the emotional impact of her charm (Ch. 56).
- King Joon: Her father. She hopes to earn his love by delivering the conspirators, but Joon sees her as “typical of a weak‑minded teen girl” and discards her when she wavers (Ch. 82).
- The team (Euyn, Mikail, Sora, Tiyung): Each one shows her care, and she begins to see them as “the only people who have truly ever cared whether I lived or died” (Ch. 73). This found family conflicts with her blood‑tie to Joon.
- Sora: A sister‑like bond forms when they share secrets and cover for each other. Aeri’s question about indentures reveals her empathy (Ch. 35).
Key Decisions and Consequences
| Decision | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Hiring Royo as her guardsmith | Gains a powerful protector but also a witness to her erratic behavior |
| Hiding her princess identity | Allows her to infiltrate the conspiracy but destroys trust when revealed |
| Betraying the team to Joon | Secures her father’s attention but results in a failed coup and a harsher mission |
| Trying to save Royo and Tiyung | Shows a turning point where she prioritizes love over ambition, yet Joon punishes everyone |
| Agreeing to continue the Khitan ring heist | Forces her to live with the fractured team, likely aiming for redemption |
Themes and Symbol Connections
- Betrayal: Aeri’s arc is a study in layered betrayal. She betrays the team for her father, then betrays her father by protecting Royo and Tiyung. The theme resonates through the entire novel (see betrayal theme).
- Identity and Deception: Her multiple personas—commoner thief, princess, cheerful girl, cold strategist—embody the novel’s exploration of who we are when masks drop (see identity theme).
- Guilt and Redemption: Her guilt over deceiving the team fuels her final attempt to save them, a step toward redemption (see guilt theme).
- Sacrifice: She offers herself up by asking Joon to let Royo and Tiyung go, sacrificing her own safety for others (see sacrifice theme).
- Power and Corruption: Joon’s manipulation of his daughter’s need for love shows how power corrupts familial bonds (see power theme).
- Symbols: The crown she aims to steal represents both immortality and the heavy weight of royal expectation; the diamond she gives Royo symbolizes her ability to buy loyalty, while the red envelopes used by Mikail mark her as part of the conspiracy.
5 Book‑Specific Questions and Answers
1. Why does Aeri agree to help King Joon in the first place?
Aeri hopes to repair her relationship with her father. She believes that delivering the conspirators to him will finally make him proud and give her the family and safety she craves (Ch. 73, 82).
2. What makes Aeri’s loyalty shift away from Joon?
The genuine care shown by Euyn, Mikail, Sora, Royo, and Tiyung—actions like saving her life, hiding her bruises, and giving her weapons—makes her realize that “these killers are the only people who have truly ever cared whether I lived or died” (Ch. 73).
3. Does Aeri truly love Royo?
The text suggests she feels a strong connection to him. She tries to save him when Joon threatens the group, and Royo’s thoughts about her purity and his own unworthiness imply a mutual, though unspoken, bond. However, whether that is romantic love or deep fondness remains ambiguous.
4. How does Aeri’s identity as Princess Naerium affect the mission?
It makes her both the conspirators’ best asset and worst liability. She knows the palace layout and the king’s habits, but her secret loyalty to Joon means she feeds him information, nearly dooming the group.
5. Can Aeri ever regain the team’s trust after her betrayal?
By the end of the novel, trust is severely damaged. Joon’s deadline forces them to continue working together, but Aeri’s plea to save Royo and Tiyung suggests she may be able to earn forgiveness through future sacrifice—though the author leaves this open to interpretation.
This analysis draws on the text of Five Broken Blades by Mai Corland. Interpretations are marked where applicable. For further discussion of the novel’s themes or ending, see the related pages: Themes, Ending Explained, and Questions and Answers.