Rufus Barma

Name: Rufus Barma

Gender: Male

Age: 67 years old

Height: 176 cm

Birthday: April 1

Blood Type: B

Rufus is chronologically 67 years old, but due to his contract with his Chain his physical growth stopped in his twenties.

To the public, he often appears as an elderly, extremely overweight man with eccentric mannerisms, but this is actually an illusion created by his Chain.

His true form is that of a much younger-looking man, outwardly in his twenties.

This contrast between appearance and reality is a deliberate strategy, allowing him to manipulate expectations and information.

Rufus is a highly rational and emotionally detached person who prides himself on not being swayed by sentiment.

He believes firmly in the creed “knowledge is power” and pursues information obsessively as a tool to achieve his goals.

He is willing to use anything and anyone if it benefits his purposes, showing no hesitation even toward Sharon Rainsworth, who is the granddaughter of his beloved Sheryl.

Despite this ruthless streak, his use of knowledge is always a means to an end, not an end in itself, which clearly distinguishes him from Isla Yura, who is obsessed with knowledge for its own sake.

In public, his eccentric, flamboyant behavior often masks a sharp and calculating mind.

Behind every act of apparent oddity is usually a carefully considered intention, aimed at controlling the flow of information and keeping others off balance.

Rufus is the current duke of the Barma family, one of the Four Great Dukedoms that support the power structure of the world in Pandora Hearts.

Among the four dukes he is the oldest by age, even though his youthful appearance makes that hard to guess.

The Barma family is not originally from the country in which the story is set.

They are foreign nobles who came from a neighboring nation about 100 years ago, bringing with them their own traditions, secrets, and the Chain Dodo.

Within his own household, Rufus exercises strict control and places immense value on records, archives, and hidden knowledge.

The Barma library and information network are legendary, and he is the mastermind standing at the center of that web.

Sheryl (Sheryl Rainsworth)

Rufus is notably weak when it comes to Sheryl, the matriarch of the Rainsworth family.

Although he usually appears cold and calculating, with Sheryl he cannot easily assert himself and often ends up yielding to her.

Internally, he has long harbored romantic feelings for her.

Even in his later years, he still wishes he could marry her, carrying a quiet, enduring affection that never fully fades.

Sharon Rainsworth

Sharon Rainsworth is Sheryl’s granddaughter, but Rufus shows little mercy even toward her.

To him, personal connections are secondary to utility, and he is willing to use Sharon if it serves his objectives.

This treatment highlights the sharp difference between his affection for Sheryl as an individual and his utilitarian view of almost everyone else.

With Sharon, he remains the same cold strategist who places information and advantage above sentiment.

Others

Rufus possesses detailed knowledge about many major figures in the story.

He knows about Xerxes Break’s past, a history that most people can only guess at.

He even keeps trivial data, such as the exact number of times Gilbert Nightray has tried and failed to quit smoking, which is eight.

This mix of crucial secrets and tiny personal details shows just how deep and wide his information network runs.

Contractor of Dodo

Rufus is the contractor of Dodo, also known as “The Stupid Pigeon” or “The Foolish Dove,” the Chain possessed by the Barma family.

Dodo is one of the Chains associated with black wings and specializes in creating illusions.

Using Dodo’s power, Rufus is able to generate complex hallucinatory images, including his false appearance as a fat, elderly man.

These illusions are not just disguises; they are weapons of misdirection, confusion, and psychological control.

Use of Illusions

He uses illusions to mask not only his looks but sometimes his intentions and movements.

By keeping others unsure of what is real, Rufus maintains a constant advantage in negotiations, battles of wits, and political maneuvers.

This mastery of deception complements his obsession with information.

Where knowledge allows him to see through others, illusions allow him to prevent others from seeing through him.

Rufus lives by the belief that “knowledge is power.”

He sees information as a weapon, a shield, and a currency, all at once.

For him, collecting knowledge is not a hobby or scholarly pursuit in itself.

Instead, it is an instrument he tirelessly sharpens so he can influence events, control outcomes, and protect his own interests.

This pragmatic approach contrasts with characters like Isla Yura, who chase knowledge or occult secrets in a fanatical, almost worshipful way.

Rufus’s relationship with knowledge is cool, strategic, and unsentimental.

After the final battle, Rufus’s life slows down, and he is finally able to share peaceful days with Sheryl.

This period is a rare time of calm and quiet companionship for him, far away from the constant political and informational games.

Three years after the conclusion of the final conflict, Rufus dies.

The exact cause of his death is unknown, leaving a sense of mystery fitting for a man who spent his life surrounded by secrets.