Learning Efficiency
Inside the magic practice room, Lucien stared at the face opposite him, a face that was exactly the same as his own, and for a moment it felt like he was looking in a mirror.
To ensure the replicability of the Magic Circuit Transfiguration results, he had the Protean Flesh Puppet - Modified completely replicate everything about himself - not only the direction of every node in the Magic Circuit, but also every detail of the body.
Standing before this flesh puppet, Lucien felt as if he were facing a version of himself whose soul had been ripped out.
When I first tried to Transfiguration the circuit, looking at my own empty face and adjusting the circuit little by little with magic, that strange feeling was really hard to shake off.
But as the research deepened, I gradually got used to this feeling, and was even able to focus wholeheartedly on those delicate magical nodes.
However, sometimes, a thought still pops up from the depths of my mind—
It's a bit of a "disappointment".
Unfortunately, the creatures Transfiguration by the Protean Flesh Puppet ultimately lack true intelligence and are unable to replicate the original owner's wisdom and memories.
If only this puppet could possess independent thought and learning abilities, just like a real clone.
If there were magic that created clones, allowing the original and the clone to simultaneously study different knowledge and explore different magical fields, wouldn't learning efficiency be doubled? Or even multiplied several times?
As for those common melodramatic plot points—the clone and the original fighting for dominance, the clone turning on the user, and so on— Lucien didn't care.
Whoever possesses the most knowledge is the true master.
Although he is still very young now, and will have a longer lifespan after the Apples of Youth matures, Lucien still often feels a sense of urgency.
The mysteries of magic are vast and boundless.
The deeper you go, the clearer this becomes.
There's so much to learn!
For the past six months or so, Lucien has focused primarily on Alchemy.
Firstly, he acquired an exceptional talent for alchemy through the Emerald Tablet Fragment, and later became an apprentice of Nicolas Flamel. It would be a waste not to dedicate himself to it.
Secondly, in order to repay the loan for the Emerald Tablet Fragment, they continuously researched and manufactured alchemical items according to the needs of wizards. In this process, theoretical learning and practical practice complemented each other, resulting in rapid progress.
However, Lucien has only obtained fragments so far.
I don't know when I'll have the chance to complete the Emerald Tablet and upgrade my SS+ alchemy talent to SSS level.
Because of his SSS-level Transfiguration talent, Lucien understood better than anyone how significant the seemingly small difference between SS+ and SSS was.
That goes beyond the realm of "progress" or "breakthrough".
That's the difference between a frog at the bottom of a well gazing at the moon and a mayfly seeing the blue sky.
While having methods like creating clones is one way to improve learning efficiency, enhancing one's corresponding magical talent is undoubtedly more direct and effective.
Lucien can master Transfiguration in a year, and even reach new heights, but Alchemy absolutely cannot—at least not with his current SS+ talent.
The more I delve into the study of magic, the more I realize that the long, seemingly absurd and abstract loan quest that triggered Loki's Faceless was actually quite "reasonable."
Compared to SSS-level magical talent, those tasks are all reasonable.
However, that time it was Fawley newcomers to the magical world.
It's hard to say whether I'll acquire SSS-level magical talent again in the future.
Loki's Faceless has had most of the "loan interest" waived by the system.
The system's annual loan is always the most unpredictable.