Charles' Office
| “ | There were twelve members in total—excluding Angelica who joined the office later on to resolve the case of the Blood-red Night. Consisting of rather few Fixers for a Grade 1 Office, it took on various requests, playing to the strengths of the twelve members who had different quirks and characteristics each. | ” |
Charles' Office is a former Grade 1 Office whose members have since disbanded and set off on their own careers.
Story
Charles' Office, operated by the eponymous Charles,[1][2] was well-known in the Fixer world for having only twelve Fixers, which was considered low for an Office of such high grade. However, what earned the Office its elite reputation was its ability to handle seemingly any request it was given with only its twelve Fixers, all of whom were almost completely distinct from one another in both skill and character. Its Fixers were partnered with each other in pairs as a means of compensating for each member's shortcomings.[3] The Office itself was located in the northern part of the City and had a luxurious interior space, noted by Fixers of Bayard's Office to be based on a style from the north. Its Fixers also dressed luxuriously, reflecting this style.[4]
Although Charles was the Office's operator,[1][2] he did not command the twelve Fixers. That position apparently belonged to Roland, who rose to the rank of a Grade 1 Fixer during his time in the Office. Despite not being a Color Fixer, he managed to earn Charles' trust and become the leader of the other eleven Fixers.[1][4] Among outsiders, Roland was known only as the "captain" of the twelve.[5]
While at Charles' Office, Roland was partnered with Olivier; Roland's headstrong attitude paired well with Olivier's overly cautious nature. Together, they handled jobs such as "The Secret of the Demi-glace Sauce," an Urban Nightmare-class request which took place in the Backstreets of District 16.
It was during this time that Roland met Angelica, who had joined the Office as its thirteenth Fixer to help them take down Elena, the Blood-red Night. The pair quickly became intimate, and sometime following the completion of the job, Roland and Angelica married and left the Office to settle down.
Much like Roland, all the other members of the Office have since moved on to other opportunities, such as Olivier, who joined the
Hana Association. It is presently unknown what, if anything, remains of the Office at the present day, although Olivier notes in his Key Page Story that the Office has "come too far to go back" and the Key Page Story of Bayard's Office's Fixers indicates that Charles' Office is widely believed to have parted ways for good.[3][5]
Known members
Before its disbandment, Charles' Office consisted of 12 Fixers apart from the Operator, Charles, prior to Angelica's arrival. Eight of the twelve Fixers have currently been named.
Trivia
- Charles' Office is inspired by the 12 Knights of Charlemagne, otherwise known as the Paladins, who were knights of 12th century French legend similar to the more commonly known Knights of the Round Table.
- Their most influential appearance is in the poem The Song of Roland. The names of the Paladins change between sources, but always present are Roland (sometimes spelt Orlando), the leader of the group, and Oliver (or Olivier). Astolfo, Ogier, Renaud, Maugris, and Naimon are all members of the Paladins in the poems Orlando Innamorato and Orlando Furioso. Bradamante and Angelica are not members of the Paladins, but they also originate from the aforementioned works.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kim Jihoon: "Although he wasn't a Color, Roland still had the skills to earn the trust of Charles and take the role of the leader in his Office."
(Developer's note in Library Of Ruina Art Book Vol. II pg. 85) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Angelica: "The operator’s gonna scold you, y’know? And you’ll be the only one facing that wrath, just so you know?"
Roland: "What’s the operator going to do about it, anyway."
(A Fritter Called Jeon) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Olivier's Page
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Roland: "Charles' Office. A band of myself and the eleven Fixers who followed my lead, despite all my shortcomings⋯ Being in the northern part of the City meant many of us had pretty extravagant outfits. I remember laughing at the way Astolfo dressed, too. We were together for quite a long time, and it felt like our company would last forever, but here we are now, going our separate ways. This wasn't an unexpected outcome, though. I'd wonder if they're alive and well from time to time, and it was good to see Olivier at the very least. I sometimes miss those simpler times when I could just focus on the now and live in the moment."
(Guest intro note in Library Of Ruina Art Book Vol. II pg. 12) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 A Bayard’s Office Fixer’s Page