"Magic is idealistic. It can disregard underlying principles. In the early stages of research, it can help wizards and potion-makers quickly master a set of magical synthesis methods—incantations during brewing, rituals, and so on. But being easy to learn also means that, as each school develops, its path becomes increasingly closed off. That makes it difficult for Scarpin's Revelaspell to work across different schools—because the synthesis methods they use, and the final products they create, simply do not belong to the same category!"
After that lengthy explanation, Lupin barely managed to understand. Just as he was about to say something, Donald Graves abruptly changed the subject. "I heard that Mr. Weasley is researching a universal substrate to serve as a carrier for the traits extracted through the Magic Extraction Method—what a magnificent concept. Yes, truly magnificent. If it succeeds, it will surely break down the barriers in modern potion-making and resolve, at the root, the problem of divisions between schools!"
"—"
Good grief. As expected of you, Graves. After saying all that, your ultimate goal was still sucking up!
Lupin was somewhat speechless, but as he looked back over Vaughn's past papers and considered what Donald Graves had just said about the nature of potion-making, he realized that Vaughn's Magic Extraction Method and theory of traits had indeed broken free from the traditional path of "alchemical transmutation." They truly approached the difficulties of potion-making from the perspective of magic itself—
This—
Traditional potion-making, which had always talked about magic, had actually been applying physics and chemistry all along?
And Vaughn, who was always talking about science, had instead developed a method closer to the essence of magic?
Did I wake up too late today? Am I still not fully awake?
Lupin's mind was a mess for a while, and he