docs: public com.google.protobuf.ByteString getCharactersToSkipBytes() {
      java.lang.Object ref = "";
      if (charactersCase_ == 1) {
        ref = characters_;
      }
      if (ref instanceof java.lang.String) {
        com.google.protobuf.ByteString b =
            com.google.protobuf.ByteString.copyFromUtf8((java.lang.String) ref);
        if (charactersCase_ == 1) {
          characters_ = b;
        }
        return b;
      } else {
        return (com.google.protobuf.ByteString) ref;
      }
    }