Just before returning to my duties as a civil servant, I looked at Erich, who had come out to see me off. This birthday was one of the most memorable in terms of the number of gifts I received, but the only one that truly stood out was the "Lakkurakku" Erich had given me. It was a sad birthday.

That’s when I made a decision. I would be the one to choose Erich’s career path and make sure he became a civil servant. Does he have other dreams? Well, forget them starting today. You’re going to be a civil servant. …