Rebel? Me? I’m Only Four!

A little spirit mushroom is reborn as a human, weak and pitiful, with no home after her parents have just died. For the sake of something to eat, a place to live, and settling her karmic debts, the little mushroom diligently (not really) becomes the personal maid of a powerful patron. She sleeps while her master works, sneaks bites of his pastries, tastes his tea before he can, and runs away first when he’s attacked. The little mushroom succeeds in angering her master and is punished by being made to face the wall. But later, he can’t bring himself to punish her anymore. Thanks to her efforts, her powerful patron helps her get revenge. Having accomplished her mission, the little mushroom retires, secretly asking her master to set aside a patch of land where she can grow old in peace. But when the little mushroom grows up, her master makes her empress. The little mushroom sighs. Being empress is even harder than being a mushroom.