Kobeni Higashiyama

Biodata

Appearance

• Hair: Short ponytail, medium-length bangs on the right side of her face, and two red hair clips on the left 15.
• Face: Delicate features with four beauty marks 15.
• Clothing: School sailor uniform with a pleated skirt extending almost to her knees 15 26.
• Expressions: Frequently blushes and sweats when nervous. During her mysterious power’s activation, her expression becomes cold and her presence markedly more threatening 25 26 41.

Personality

Kobeni is introverted, easily frightened, and intensely self-conscious. She has little interaction with boys and struggles to speak coherently when embarrassed. Her insecurity goes beyond ordinary shyness: she worries that dating someone as admired as Asaba would make others ridicule his taste, and fears that rumors about them will inconvenience him 25 28 32.

She is considerate and uncomfortable receiving help without reciprocating. When sharing her small lunch, she gives Asaba most of the meat; later, she agrees to cook for him because she cannot afford to repay his treats with money. Her determination to return his kindness eventually leads her to ask her parents for money, despite expecting their disapproval 27 40 47.

Reading and good food are major sources of happiness for her, especially ice cream. As she grows closer to Asaba, she becomes less shy around him and eventually finds the courage to confess, disclose her family’s mistreatment, and ask to leave home 15 16 19 39 45 46 47.

Abilities & Skills

Mysterious Power

Kobeni possesses an unexplained power that produces extraordinary physical performance and a sudden shift from timidity to calm, lethal focus. Its first demonstrated activation occurs when she fears Asaba may die inside the Maze Devil 41.

• Speed and agility: Runs across the shoulders of an escaping crowd, moves along the maze’s flesh walls, and passes rapidly moving blades without injury 41.
• Strength: Kicks a blade in half and catches the broken section to use as a weapon 41.
• Composure: Continues searching for Asaba inside the deadly maze without her usual panic 41.
• Activation limit: She cannot summon her exceptional performance whenever she wishes; it emerges under extreme circumstances 42.
• Deactivation: Returns to her usual timid demeanor as soon as she sees Asaba unharmed 42.
• Unknown source and cost: Asaba suspects a devil contract, but neither the devil’s identity nor its terms are confirmed. He observes no apparent payment when she uses the power 42.

Devil Hunting

• Completes her first devil hunt almost entirely on her own, with Asaba providing very little assistance 49.
• Receives official certification from the Civilian Devil Hunter Guild afterward 49.
• Plans to gain the qualifications needed for Tokyo Public Safety before finishing high school; she has not joined Public Safety in the supplied chapters 48 49.

Cooking

• Prepares lunch for herself and Asaba in the Reading Club’s room 42 43.
• Studies new dishes and reviews familiar recipes over the preceding weekend 42.
• Cannot practice at home because she does not dare use her family’s ingredients without permission. Ordinary nervousness can still cause mistakes despite her exceptional abilities in emergencies 42.

Background / History

Library Rescue

Kobeni attends Chiba Rissei High School and reads at the public library because her school library is under construction. She cannot afford books, while obtaining a borrowing card is complicated by the required documents being at home and her reluctance to involve her parents 6 19.

The Bookshelf Devil attacks her during an after-school visit. Asaba frees her using intangibility, and Aki Hayakawa has the Fox Devil swallow the attacker. Physically uninjured but badly frightened, Kobeni thanks both hunters. Asaba stays with her afterward and buys her ice cream 14 15 16.

School Life and the Reading Club

Asaba transfers into Second-Year Class 1 after finding Kobeni’s name on its class list. Encouraged by a classmate, she invites him to tour the campus at lunch. Their shared meal exposes how little food she receives at home, prompting him to supplement it with bread and juice 23 25 26 27.

Asaba proposes founding a Reading Club with her, giving her an alternative to repeated library visits. Their growing closeness attracts teasing from classmates, though Kobeni initially insists they are not dating 28.

Amusement Park and Maze Devil

Kobeni visits an amusement park with Rika Matsumoto and unexpectedly meets Asaba and Pochita. Rika leaves them together, making this Kobeni’s first opportunity to experience the park’s attractions with Asaba. During the outing, she agrees to cook clubroom lunches as repayment for his treats 38 39 40.

When the maze attraction becomes the Maze Devil’s body, Asaba cuts an escape route and tells her to flee. The crowd carries her outside, but fear for his safety triggers her mysterious power. She rushes back through the lethal obstacles to find him. Asaba kills the devil before she reaches him, and her power subsides once she confirms he is safe 41 42.

Confession and Leaving Home

After finding Kobeni cooking for Asaba, her youngest sister Nagi recognizes her feelings and urges her to confess before another girl pursues him. Kobeni subsequently confesses, and Asaba reciprocates, making them a couple 43 45.

Kobeni then reveals that her parents have already asked her to consider sex work. She feels unable to resist because she depends on them for tuition, food, and housing. When she asks them for money to repay a classmate’s kindness, they harshly scold her, leaving her crying and shut in her room 46 47.

Alerted by Nagi, Asaba visits the house and catches Shinya Higashiyama pressuring Kobeni to conceal the mistreatment. With Asaba’s support, she states that she wants to leave. He takes her away despite her father’s objections and makes clear that any future financial support for her parents will be Kobeni’s decision 46 47 48.

Independent Life and Certification

Kobeni moves into Asaba’s home and receives her own room. Freed from her parents’ control, she chooses to become a Devil Hunter to help him rather than to satisfy their demands. She still wants to attend university, and Asaba promises to arrange continued schooling if she later joins Public Safety 48.

Before Asaba leaves for Tokyo, he accompanies her on her first hunt and helps her obtain guild certification. The successful hunt leaves her with money of her own. She remains in school while he departs, with instructions to call him whenever she needs help 49.

Relationships

• Asaba Kotone — Rescuer, classmate, boyfriend, and housemate. His reassurance helps her challenge her low self-esteem and leave her family; he also accompanies her first devil hunt 14 23 45 48 49.
• Nagi Higashiyama / Xiao Qian — Youngest sister and trusted ally. Encourages Kobeni’s confession, promises not to tell their parents, and seeks Asaba’s help after their parents’ outburst 43 46.
• Rika Matsumoto — Friend and romantic confidante. Encourages her to bring Asaba water, leaves them together at the amusement park, and advises her after they become a couple 31 32 38 45.
• Shinya Higashiyama — Father. Harshly scolds her for requesting money, tries to make her conceal the incident, and hopes to exploit her relationship with Asaba financially 46 47.
• Gei Higashiyama — Mother. Participates in the household’s mistreatment and is present when Asaba announces that Kobeni will leave 46 47 48.
• Aki Hayakawa — Co-rescuer during the Bookshelf Devil incident; Kobeni thanks him alongside Asaba 14 15.
• Pochita — Asaba’s companion. Initially frightens her, but subsequently accompanies their ice-cream outing and amusement-park visit; later shares her new household 15 16 39 48.

Affinity Album

Kobeni is the third entry revealed in Asaba’s compendium. The Constitution rewards associated with her affection benefit Asaba, not Kobeni 6 15.