Seeing the red oni, who was exhausted but still excited, the blue oni was deeply moved.
He helped the collapsed red oni up and sat him down on a chair.
Watching him write kind invitations on the wooden planks, the red oni said happily, "Blue, you've read so many books. Your handwriting is much better than mine. I want to watch you write these invitations."
The blue oni smiled. "Mm, I'll write them carefully."
Soon, the blue oni found a thick brush in the house.
He also found plenty of ink.
He dipped the brush in ink and began writing on the wooden planks one by one.
[Hello, villagers!]
[I am the kind red oni!]
[As an oni, I strictly follow the teachings of my elders. I hold no ill will toward humans. I have even helped human children find lost toys many times!]
[My friend Blue and I have just moved to this mountain. As newcomers, we ask for your kindness!]
[Right now, I have prepared snacks, watermelon, rice balls, and tea at home!]
[Please come and visit!]
[Invitation from the Red Oni!]
[Map to the Red Oni's house: %￥#@#%!]
At the end of the invitation, the blue oni even drew a map to the red oni's house by hand.
To show the villagers the way.
Compared to the red oni, the blue oni had indeed read many human books and knew many human words.
But in the end, he was still an oni, not a human.
He could only imitate a human tone, writing an invitation that looked a little strange.
After finishing the invitation message, the blue oni immediately brought it to the red oni. "Red, what do you think of this?"
The red oni said happily, "Haha, Blue, I trust you. Anything you write, I'll be a hundred, a thousand percent satisfied with!"
So the blue oni used the template and wrote the invitation on all the wooden planks in the red oni's name.
Time passed quickly.
When the sun had fully set and the entire hill was wrapped in darkness, by the light of a kerosene lamp, the blue oni finally finished writing all the invitation messages.
Looking at the huge pile of message boards, the blue oni frowned.
But the red oni was very excited. "Hahaha, I finally finished everything before dark! I didn't delay inviting the villagers!"
"Thank you, Blue!"
"I'll go right now, while it's dark, and deliver all the invitations to the surrounding villages!"
"By tomorrow morning, the villagers will see these invitations!"
The red oni said excitedly.
He jumped up from the chair, instantly recovering all his fighting spirit.
He was ready to keep working.
To deliver all the invitation messages to the surrounding villages.
But the moment the red oni jumped up, before his body even landed, a sharp pain shot through one of his legs. He couldn't help but curl up.
With a thud, the red oni's small body kissed the hard ground.
He fell flat on his face.
"Ah! Ow ow ow ow ow—"
"Damn it, a cramp at the worst possible time—"
"It's over—"
"Wah wah wah—"
The red oni had been busy all day.
Even when he was gasping for breath, he hadn't taken a proper rest.
But now, just when the plan was about to succeed, the exhausted red oni suddenly got a cramp from the strain.
He cried out in pain.
The red oni, who had been so strong, even burst into tears.
He didn't want his leg cramp to ruin the entire plan.
Just then, the blue oni quickly ran to his side and examined him.
Only then did he discover that during the day, from chopping trees and hauling timber, the red oni's body was covered in bruises, big and small.
No wonder he had a cramp.
He was simply too exhausted.
Seeing the injuries on the red oni's body, the blue oni felt deeply guilty.
He regretted not helping the red oni chop trees, not helping him haul timber, and not helping him make the planks.
Looking at the crying red oni, the blue oni quickly helped him up and sat him back on the stool.
He massaged the red oni's cramped leg.
The blue oni said guiltily, "I'm sorry, Red. I should have helped you."
The red oni cried, "It's not your fault, Blue. I'm just useless—wah wah wah—"
Seeing the red oni crying so hard, the blue oni quickly said, "Don't cry. You haven't failed yet!"
The red oni cried, "But... my leg is cramped. I can't move these invitation boards anymore! I'm so useless!"
Never mind moving the invitation boards.
Even standing up would make his whole leg ache, and he might even fall over.
The blue oni said seriously, "Red, don't worry! I'll help you deliver these messages to the surrounding villages! So every villager around here can receive your invitation!"
Hearing this, the red oni was deeply moved.
He threw his arms around the blue oni, crying. "Blue, thank you! I knew you were the best to me!"
Then the blue oni carefully helped the red oni.
He helped him into the blue oni's house.
He made the bed for the red oni and let him rest properly.
All he had to do was wait for tomorrow morning to welcome the guests.
After comforting the red oni, the reclusive blue oni carried one invitation board after another on his back, delivering them to the surrounding villages.
He placed the invitations at the village crossroads.
On the village paths.
At the village chief's doorstep.
One invitation board.
Two invitation boards.
One village.
Two villages.
It wasn't until late into the night that the blue oni, gasping for breath, had delivered all the invitation boards to every surrounding village.
He was so exhausted that he collapsed onto the ground.
But he still couldn't rest.
He still had to put up a special sign in front of the red oni's house so the villagers would know which one was the red oni's home.
So they wouldn't end up at the blue oni's house.
The blue oni found a whole plank and wrote on it with the brush.
[This is Mr. Red Oni's house!]
[Everyone is welcome to visit. Please come in and rest, and taste the red oni's snacks and rice balls.]
[Every guest is welcome!]
[Invitation from the Red Oni!]
After writing it, the blue oni immediately got up from the ground and placed the plank in front of the red oni's house.
Perfect.
But just as the exhausted blue oni was about to rest, he suddenly thought of something extremely important.
Where were the snacks for the guests?
The rice balls?
The tea?
It seemed none of it had been prepared yet.
The blue oni immediately sprang into action, searching every cupboard in the red oni's house, only to find it completely bare.
Never mind snacks.
He couldn't even find a scrap of food.
The blue oni had no choice.
He had to hurry back to his own house before dawn and bring over a pile of ingredients.
He made snacks.
He made rice balls.
He brewed a pot of the oni's favorite tea.
When everything was ready, a glimmer of dawn had already appeared on the horizon.
A new day was about to begin.