TV-Series
Description
Richard Ranashinha de Vulpian is a British national of mixed heritage, with an English father and French mother, making him quarter Sri Lankan through his paternal grandmother. His legal surname is Claremont, but he professionally uses "Ranasinghe" after his mentor, Saul Ranasinghe. He is described as exceptionally attractive, possessing wavy golden hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones, and a straight nose, often seen in formal attire like light pastel suits. Observers note his appearance seems harmoniously composed as if from "the world's most beautiful people," with an aura altering the rhythm of time and space around him, earning comparisons to a "living jewel." When silent, he appears around 30 years old, looking slightly younger when smiling.
Born and raised primarily in England, he spent summers at his mother's family villa in Provence, France. Childhood trauma occurred during family conflicts over a jewelry heirloom on his ninth birthday. Privately tutored before attending a Swiss boarding school, he later graduated from Cambridge University with a Master's degree in linguistics. Though initially aspiring to teach English in Japan, he abandoned this path due to familial inheritance disputes. His past includes a period scamming people under the alias "Edward Baxter," selling fake gemstones using his looks and conversational skills, an experience fueling his later aversion to fraud.
Personality-wise, Richard presents as cultured, gentle, and open-minded, actively opposing prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or nationality. He emphasizes treating others with basic human courtesy and cautions against careless compliments carrying unintended implications. Yet beneath this polished exterior lies a more complex character: he displays sarcasm, occasional narcissism, and petulance, particularly around trusted individuals like his assistant, Seigi Nakata. He resists praise about his appearance due to negative associations. Though seemingly self-sufficient, he forms deep attachments, evidenced by grief over his childhood dog Taro's death and his insistence on keeping assistants at his jewelry stores in Hong Kong and Tokyo despite no practical need.
Professionally, Richard is a certified gemologist and appraiser working for Ranasinghe Jewelry. His unconventional approach involves traveling worldwide to clients with gemstones transported in a black velvet suitcase. In Tokyo, he operates "Jewelry Étranger" from a Ginza office without display counters, functioning solely as a consultation space. He views the shop as a "castle" offering sanctuary from societal judgment, believing gemstones act as mirrors reflecting their owners' true desires. He prioritizes understanding clients over immediate profit, recalling every piece sold and tailoring luxury sweets to their tastes during meetings. His expertise extends beyond gemology to broad academic knowledge and multilingual fluency.
Richard speaks at least 14 languages fluently: English, Japanese, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, Hindi, Tagalog, Italian, Sinhala, German, and Arabic, with possible knowledge of Portuguese, Korean, and Thai. Trained in boxing since age 14, he considers it his preferred sport. He plays the violin and learned waltzing as a child. A self-professed sweet enthusiast, he particularly favors luxury brand desserts and Royal Milk Tea brewed with Sri Lankan leaves, though Seigi's homemade pudding remains his favorite. He avoids cooking due to incompetence, relying on restaurants. He drives a green Jaguar in Japan, provided by his employer.
His relationships evolve significantly. He forms a close bond with Seigi Nakata after being rescued by him from assailants, eventually hiring him as an assistant. Their dynamic deepens through shared experiences, including caring for dogs named Jiro and Saburo, honoring Richard's late pet Taro. Richard displays protectiveness toward Seigi, comforting him during emotional distress. Subtle physical affection emerges over time, including cheek and forehead kisses. An almost-kiss occurs in volume ten, preceded by Richard deflecting emotional vulnerability with a "British joke" about dating. His complex family history involves estrangement from relatives like his uncle Jeffrey, who abandoned him during inheritance conflicts. A past engagement to Deborah Şahin ended due to financial pressures, with her fearing she'd prioritize money over him.
Character development is marked by increasing emotional openness. Initially reserved about his past as "Edward Baxter" and his family's "Lord Claremont" legacy, he gradually reveals these traumas to Seigi. Volume four sees him abruptly returning to England to confront family issues, causing Seigi significant distress. This triggers mutual "anger born of worry," with Richard later echoing Seigi's own words when concerned about Seigi's hidden struggles. By volume nine, Richard openly discusses potential romance with Seigi, though both avoid direct verbal declarations. His journey includes reconciling with his mother, Catherine, transitioning from calling her by her first name to "Mother" by volume eight's conclusion.
Born and raised primarily in England, he spent summers at his mother's family villa in Provence, France. Childhood trauma occurred during family conflicts over a jewelry heirloom on his ninth birthday. Privately tutored before attending a Swiss boarding school, he later graduated from Cambridge University with a Master's degree in linguistics. Though initially aspiring to teach English in Japan, he abandoned this path due to familial inheritance disputes. His past includes a period scamming people under the alias "Edward Baxter," selling fake gemstones using his looks and conversational skills, an experience fueling his later aversion to fraud.
Personality-wise, Richard presents as cultured, gentle, and open-minded, actively opposing prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or nationality. He emphasizes treating others with basic human courtesy and cautions against careless compliments carrying unintended implications. Yet beneath this polished exterior lies a more complex character: he displays sarcasm, occasional narcissism, and petulance, particularly around trusted individuals like his assistant, Seigi Nakata. He resists praise about his appearance due to negative associations. Though seemingly self-sufficient, he forms deep attachments, evidenced by grief over his childhood dog Taro's death and his insistence on keeping assistants at his jewelry stores in Hong Kong and Tokyo despite no practical need.
Professionally, Richard is a certified gemologist and appraiser working for Ranasinghe Jewelry. His unconventional approach involves traveling worldwide to clients with gemstones transported in a black velvet suitcase. In Tokyo, he operates "Jewelry Étranger" from a Ginza office without display counters, functioning solely as a consultation space. He views the shop as a "castle" offering sanctuary from societal judgment, believing gemstones act as mirrors reflecting their owners' true desires. He prioritizes understanding clients over immediate profit, recalling every piece sold and tailoring luxury sweets to their tastes during meetings. His expertise extends beyond gemology to broad academic knowledge and multilingual fluency.
Richard speaks at least 14 languages fluently: English, Japanese, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, Hindi, Tagalog, Italian, Sinhala, German, and Arabic, with possible knowledge of Portuguese, Korean, and Thai. Trained in boxing since age 14, he considers it his preferred sport. He plays the violin and learned waltzing as a child. A self-professed sweet enthusiast, he particularly favors luxury brand desserts and Royal Milk Tea brewed with Sri Lankan leaves, though Seigi's homemade pudding remains his favorite. He avoids cooking due to incompetence, relying on restaurants. He drives a green Jaguar in Japan, provided by his employer.
His relationships evolve significantly. He forms a close bond with Seigi Nakata after being rescued by him from assailants, eventually hiring him as an assistant. Their dynamic deepens through shared experiences, including caring for dogs named Jiro and Saburo, honoring Richard's late pet Taro. Richard displays protectiveness toward Seigi, comforting him during emotional distress. Subtle physical affection emerges over time, including cheek and forehead kisses. An almost-kiss occurs in volume ten, preceded by Richard deflecting emotional vulnerability with a "British joke" about dating. His complex family history involves estrangement from relatives like his uncle Jeffrey, who abandoned him during inheritance conflicts. A past engagement to Deborah Şahin ended due to financial pressures, with her fearing she'd prioritize money over him.
Character development is marked by increasing emotional openness. Initially reserved about his past as "Edward Baxter" and his family's "Lord Claremont" legacy, he gradually reveals these traumas to Seigi. Volume four sees him abruptly returning to England to confront family issues, causing Seigi significant distress. This triggers mutual "anger born of worry," with Richard later echoing Seigi's own words when concerned about Seigi's hidden struggles. By volume nine, Richard openly discusses potential romance with Seigi, though both avoid direct verbal declarations. His journey includes reconciling with his mother, Catherine, transitioning from calling her by her first name to "Mother" by volume eight's conclusion.